TOPEKA—Several current and former Kansas judicial branch judges and employees received awards from the Kansas Bar Association at the group’s recent annual meeting.  

Phil Lewis Medal of Distinction 

Chief Justice Marla Luckert, Kansas Supreme Court, received the Phil Lewis Medal of Distinction.  

The Phil Lewis Medal of Distinction is reserved for individuals or organizations in Kansas who have performed outstanding and conspicuous service at the state, national, or international level in administration of justice, science, the arts, government, philosophy, law, or any other field offering relief or enrichment to others. 

“I am extremely honored to receive the Phil Lewis Medal of Distinction and am humbled to join the list of past recipients, many of whom supported and encouraged me during my professional journey,” Luckert said. “I am deeply grateful for the support the Kansas Bar Association and its members have provided to me, the legal profession, and the Kansas judicial branch as we work together to improve our profession.”  

Cheryl Whelan, Kansas Bar Association president, cited Luckert’s extensive involvement in local and national boards and committees, as well as her mentorship of students, young lawyers, and colleagues.  

“Under her guidance, Kansas has become a leader, proving a shining example for other states as they work through the same challenges,” Whelan said. “Chief Justice Luckert has served her profession with compassion, grace, and unparalleled professionalism. Her service to the legal profession truly embodies a person of distinction.” 

Luckert has served on the Kansas Supreme Court since 2003 and as chief justice since the end of 2019. She was the second woman to be appointed to the court and is the second woman to serve as chief justice.  

Luckert currently serves on the board of the Conference of Chief Justices, an organization composed of the highest judicial officers across the country. Luckert is the past president of the Kansas Bar Association, Kansas District Judges Association, Kansas Women Attorneys Association, Topeka Bar Association, Sam A. Crow Inn of Court, and Women Attorneys Association of Topeka. She is a member of the Johnson County Bar Association, Wichita Bar Association, and Wichita Women Attorneys Association, as well as a fellow of the Kansas Bar Foundation and American Bar Foundation.   

Pillars of the Community Award 

Chief Judge Patricia Macke Dick, 27th Judicial District, received the Pillars of Community Award.  

This Pillars of Community Award is given to a Kansas lawyer, judge, and Kansas Bar Association member with a minimum of 10 years of active nonspecialized, general legal practice in a predominately low-density population area of Kansas. Recipients have substantial practice in small or solo law firms or local government service. 

“I am honored to be recognized by the Kansas Bar Association for my commitment to my community and the state of Kansas,” Macke Dick said. “I appreciate the efforts of all Kansas lawyers in making our state a great place to live and practice.”  

Macke Dick was first elected district court judge in 1988 and has served as chief judge of the 27th Judicial District, composed of Reno County, since 2007.  

“She stands out as a pillar of her community through her high impact role as a district court judge and her re-election to that role in public service,” Whelan said. “Her contributions to the law and the legal profession, her notable civic activities, and her beloved reputation in her community and with the bar make her a particularly deserving recipient of this award.” 

Macke Dick is the past president of the Kansas District Judges Association. She currently serves on the Kansas Council of Chief Judges, Kansas Judicial Council, the District Court Management Personnel Advisory Committee, and the Juvenile Offender/Child in Need of Care Advisory Committee, as well as the planning team for the 2022 Kansas Mental Health Summit.  

Macke Dick is also a past recipient of the Kansas Bar Association’s Outstanding Service Award.  

Christel Marquardt Trailblazer Award 

Retired Justice Carol Beier received the Christel Marquardt Trailblazer Award, which recognizes exceptional Kansas Bar Association members who break new ground, shatter glass ceilings, or pave new paths for others to follow.  

The award is given to a member who has made innovative contributions to improve the legal profession or communities, exhibiting courage, leadership, professional excellence, and service to the profession in a manner that makes a substantial and positive impact on those who follow in their footsteps.  

“Judge Christel Marquardt was a good friend and mentor of mine, and I am honored and humbled to be selected for the Kansas Bar Association award created to recognize her pioneering leadership,” Beier said. “In fact, if it were not for Christel’s telephone call to me in the fall of 1999 urging me to submit my name for consideration, I may have never ended up on the bench. Christel’s call typifies the boost that all of us can use in our lives and in our careers, and I’m happy that I have been in a position to provide help to young lawyers who have worked with and for me over the years.”  

Beier was a member of the Kansas Court of Appeals for over three years and served on the Kansas Supreme Court for 17 years, before retiring in September 2020. Before she was appointed judge, she was a partner in the Foulston & Siefkin law firm in Wichita and taught at the University of Kansas School of Law. She spent her first few years after law school in a private white-collar criminal defense practice in Washington, D.C.; as a staff attorney at the National Women's Law Center; and as a clerk for former federal Court of Appeals Judge James K. Logan. 

“Justice Beier has been a trailblazer for women and has led the way with exceptional work and high ethical standards coupled with service to her profession and her community,” Whelan said. “But more importantly, when Justice Beier got across the river of success in the legal profession, she turned around and made sure there was a bridge to enable others to follow.” 

Distinguished Government Service 

Nancy Dixon received the Distinguished Government Service Award, which recognizes a Kansas lawyer who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to government service.  

Before retiring in 2021, Dixon served as judicial administrator of the Kansas judicial branch for 10 years following a legal career in corporate and private practice. As judicial administrator, she carried out the Kansas Supreme Court’s directions for delivering a statewide court system with wide-ranging responsibilities. 

“Nancy has made a lasting impact on the courts of Kansas and has left a legacy of professionalism and innovation to guide us in the future,” Whelan said. “During her 10 years of leadership as judicial administrator, she substantially strengthened Kansas confidence in their system of justice.” 

As a member of the national Conference of State Court Administrators, Dixon served on the executive committee of the National Judicial Opioid Task Force and was co-chair of the Language Access Advisory Committee, the Problem-Solving Courts Committee, and the Civil and Criminal Justice Workgroup.  

Outstanding Service Award 

Chief Judge Karen Arnold-Burger, Kansas Court of Appeals, and Denise Kilwein, former judicial education director, received the Outstanding Service Award, which recognizes those in the legal profession for services that advance the administration of justice.  

Whelan cited Arnold-Burger’s countless presentations to judges, lawyers, and community groups across the state and country, as well as her work on the Supreme Court Ad Hoc Pretrial Justice Task Force.  

“It is an incredible honor to be recognized for my contributions to continuing legal and judicial education,” Arnold-Burger said. “I am proud to be a Kansas lawyer, and to be able to help my fellow lawyers.” 

In 2018, Arnold-Burger was appointed chair of the newly established Pretrial Justice Task Force, which examined pretrial practices for criminal defendants and explored alternative methods of pretrial detention. The group was also instructed to develop best practice models and training for their recommendations.  

“Arnold-Burger not only coordinated the efforts that got this monumental task completed in 2020 but also continued to lead the Kansas Court of Appeals during the pandemic,” Whelan said. “It is for these reasons and more that she is deserving of this award.”  

Arnold-Burger was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals in 2011 and as chief judge in 2017. Before that, she served as assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas and presiding municipal judge for the City of Overland Park.  

Kilwein worked for the Office of Judicial Administration for 39 years before retiring in March 2021. She initially worked as a research assistant before advancing to director of judicial education, where she worked with Supreme Court education committees to plan education and training programs for Kansas judges and court managers.  

In recognizing Kilwein’s valuable contributions as director of education, Luckert described her as an ambassador for the Kansas judicial branch.  

“Denise was often the public face of the court, whether welcoming new judges to the bench, inviting speakers to present at a conference, or meeting with mayors and community leaders when planning a Supreme Court on the road program,” Luckert said. “Her dedication significantly advanced the goals of the legal profession through continuing legal education and training of judges.”