May 2, 2007 -- Attorney General Paul Morrison announced today the creation of a Solicitor General Unit within his office and the hiring of Stephen McAllister as the Solicitor General for the State of Kansas.
"In our continuing effort to professionalize this office, we have added Stephen McAllister to improve, expand and coordinate Kansas'
appellate practices," Morrison said. "The majority of Attorneys General in the nation have added this type of unit to their offices with much success, and we look forward to bringing similar expertise to Kansas."
Along with McAllister, the appellate unit will also consist of a Deputy and Assistant Solicitor General, each with significant appellate experience at both the state and federal level. The unit will assure the quality and consistency of both written and oral appellate advocacy on behalf of the State and within the Attorney General's Office. The unit will continue to assist the local county and district attorneys with their appellate litigation.
"With the depth and breadth of experience held by the attorneys in the Solicitor General Unit, we look forward to providing meaningful support to the prosecutors of Kansas, on the local, state and federal levels," Morrison said.
McAllister has had a distinguished career, both as an appellate lawyer and as a constitutional scholar and teacher. Currently, he is a faculty member at the University of Kansas School of Law and Of Counsel to the Lawrence law firm of Thompson Ramsdell & Qualseth, P.A. Prior to joining the KU faculty, McAllister clerked for Supreme Court Justices Byron White and Clarence Thomas, as well as Judge Richard Posner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago. McAllister has argued three cases before the Supreme Court of the United States, and has appeared in several others. He also has appeared before the Kansas Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth and Eighth Circuits.
A prolific scholar and highly respected teacher, McAllister received the Dean Frederick J. Moreau Award in 1997 and a W.T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence in 1999. He served as the first and only Solicitor of the State of Kansas from 1999 to 2003 under Attorney General Carla Stovall. He also served as Dean of the University of Kansas School of Law from 2000 to 2005, and as Legislative Counsel to the Kansas Legislature from May 2006 through early 2007, assisting primarily in the resolution of the Kansas school finance litigation.
"Stephen McAllister's knowledge and expertise will serve Kansas well as we continue to litigate complex constitutional questions of importance to Kansans," Morrison said.
McAllister will serve the Attorney General's office on a contractual basis. Jared Maag will serve as Deputy Solicitor General and Kris Ailslieger will serve as Assistant Solicitor General.