Last Thursday, Governor Laura Kelly appointed Larkin Walsh to replace Justice Evelyn Z. Wilson, who resigned effective July 4, 2025. Walsh was one of three candidates selected by the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission. The other candidates were Judge Amy Hanley from the 7th Judicial District and Judge K. Christopher Jayaram from the 10th Judicial District. The date of Walsh’s official swearing in has not been announced.
At the time of her appointment, Walsh was Senior Counsel at Stueve Siegel Hanson. She previously practiced with Sharp Law and Chinnery Evans & Nail. She was a clerk for Judge Carlos Murguia of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas and a research attorney for Justice Carol Beier, formerly of the Kansas Supreme Court. Walsh graduated from Southern Methodist University and earned her J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law.
Walsh has held numerous roles within the legal community. She was appointed in 2014 by the Kansas Supreme Court to serve on the Board of Law Examiners, a ten-member board of Kansas lawyers and judges tasked with overseeing all matters related to applications for admission, character and fitness, testing accommodations, temporary permits to practice, and legal intern permits for practice in Kansas.
In 2017, Walsh was selected by the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas to serve on the Bench-Bar Committee, which serves general advisory and liaison roles with respect to the operation of the court. She subsequently served on an ad hoc committee recommending revisions to the District of Kansas Local Civil Rules. She has served on the editorial committee of the Kansas Bar Association’s Annual Survey of Law for more than 20 years, co-chairing the committee for 10 of those years.
Walsh was one of fifteen applicants selected to interview for the open Supreme Court position. The Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission is constitutionally required to perform the interviews and background checks of all applicants. To be considered as a candidate for judicial office, an applicant must be a licensed attorney in Kansas over the age of 30 and must have been active as a lawyer, judge, or teacher of law at an accredited law school for at least 10 years.
The Supreme Court Nominating Commission has nine members — one lawyer and one nonlawyer from each of the state’s four congressional districts plus, an additional lawyer who serves as the commission’s chair. Lawyer members are elected by their peers (active Kansas attorneys), and nonlawyer members are appointed by the governor.
When the commission completes its review of applicants, it sends the names of the three most-qualified nominees to the governor. The governor then has 60 days to select a candidate from those three nominees.
Related Links:
The Advocate Blog
KBA Website: Your Kansas Judges
Governor Kelly Appoints Attorney Larkin Walsh to Fill Vacancy on the Kansas Supreme Court
Supreme Court Nominating Commission selects nominees to send to Governor
Justice Evelyn Wilson announces resignation from Supreme Court
2024-2025 Supreme Court Nominating Commission Roster
Fact Sheet: Filling a Kansas Supreme Court Vacancy
