Justice Melissa Taylor Standridge was appointed to the Kansas Supreme Court after serving nearly 13 years on the Court of Appeals. She previously was a private practice attorney and counsel to two federal judges.
Current term
January 2023–January 2029
Appointed to court 2020
Judicial experience
2020-present, justice, Supreme Court
2008-2020, judge, Court of Appeals
Previous professional experience
1999-2008, chambers counsel, U.S. District Magistrate Judge David Waxse, U.S. District Court of Kansas
1995-1999, associate attorney, Shook, Hardy & Bacon
1993-1995, chambers counsel, U.S. District Judge Elmo Hunter, U.S. District Court of Western Missouri
Education
University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1993
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Editor-in-chief, UMKC Law Review
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Chief justice, Appellate Advocacy Program
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UMKC Law School Faculty Hiring Committee
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Teaching assistant
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Clark Boardman Callaghan Award, Exemplary Third-Year Student
University of Kansas, B.S., business administration, 1984
Professional memberships and activities
Kansas Board of Law Examiners
Kansas Bar Association
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Board of Governors, district representative
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Co-chair, Federal and State Jurisdiction Committee
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Chair and founding member, Diversity Committee
Kansas Bar Foundation
Kansas Women Attorney Association
Earl E. O'Connor American Inns of Court
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President
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Chair, Mentoring Committee
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Chair, Membership Committee
Johnson County Bar Association
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
Lawyers Association of Kansas City
Shook, Hardy & Bacon
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Chair and founding member, Pro Bono Committee
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Chair and founding member, Diversity Committee
Awards and honors
Carol Foreman Medal of Civility, Kansas Women Attorneys Association
Diversity Award, Kansas Bar Association
Angel in Adoption, 3rd Congressional District, Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute
Kansas City Legal Leaders of the Year Award, The Daily Record
Public Service Award, Law Foundation, UMKC School of Law
Tierra Farrow Community Leadership Award, UMKC Women Law Student Association
Sandra Day O'Connor Award for Professional Service, American Inns of Court
Outstanding Service Award, Kansas Bar Association
Community, civic, and charitable activities
Foster and adoptive parent
Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Big Sister
Foster Adopt Connect volunteer
Kansas Foster and Adoptive Children Scholarship Fund, volunteer attorney
reStart volunteer
Ronald McDonald House volunteer
Habitat for Humanity volunteer
Harvesters food bank volunteer
Meals on Wheels delivery volunteer
Alternative Care Grievance Board, Department of Social Services, chair
Jewish Community Relations Bureau/American Jewish Committee, vice chair, Board of Directors
Myasthenia Gravis Association, Kansas City chapter, secretary