After 32 years of law practice, Mary Kristine (Kris) Lawless retired in July of 2023. Kris Lawless was a family law attorney who helped individuals and families resolve divorces and related issues, such as child custody, child support, residency, and parenting time.

Kris began her legal career in Wichita, where she worked as a paralegal for founding member, Stephen Joseph. She went on to earn her law degree from Washburn Law in 1991 and stayed in Topeka building a reputation as a formidable criminal defense attorney. When the firm opened its Topeka office, Stephen Joseph asked Kristine to come aboard. She remained with the firm—in its various forms—for the duration of her career.

Kris was known for her level-headedness, earning a reputation for making requests “too reasonable to deny.” This approach resulted in her appointment to serve as a pro tem judge. Eventually, Kristine’s colleagues in the domestic bar insisted she should use her talents to assist parties as an alternative dispute resolution provider—a role she maintained for the last several years of her career. In addition to being certified by the Kansas Supreme Court as a family law mediator, she also served as a conciliator and case manager for the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Judicial Districts of Kansas.