Bio

Partner Gaye Tibbets’ mother, a married mother of one, was fired from her job an as elementary school teacher in 1962 because she was pregnant and pregnant women were not allowed to teach. This was before workplace laws that protect employees from discrimination. All her life, Gaye knew that her mother’s teaching career was not cut short for lack of talent, but by discrimination and lack of opportunity. It’s no surprise that she dedicated her career to workplace fairness. 

Gaye is a partner in the firm and enjoys trying civil cases, as well as advising and representing employers and employees in employment law matters. She has tried more than 40 cases to verdict in state and federal courts and also has nearly 30 years experience in representing parties in administrative proceedings and has represented both employees and employers in commercial arbitration. 

Gaye steps up to represent individuals against their employers or former employers in court or administrative tribunals. When litigation has not been filed, she assists them in the negotiation of disputes including severance agreements, pay disputes, and covenants not to compete. She has helped more than one hundred employees resolve or litigate disputes with their employers. She also has successfully defended employers in trials in both state and federal court, representing both private and public employers in all aspects of employment law matters both within and outside of the courtroom. 

She is active both in the bar association and her community. Gaye is currently the secretary of the board for the Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice and is a member of the Urban League of Kansas. She has served on Community Council Advisory Board for the Wichita State University Center for Women's Studies and serves on the Board of Directors at the Wichita Family Crisis Center.

Gaye and her husband, Ron, have a blended family of five adult children and they are both active in the theatre community and enjoy performing on the stage. It’s no wonder she shines in the courtroom with her talent for accurately telling a story.

Education

Undergrad: B.A. Baylor University, 1982 cum laude
Law School: University of Texas, 1986
Year Started Practicing: 1986
Year Started with Hite, Fanning & Honeyman: 2009

Publications

• KBA Young Lawyers’ Newsletter, 2010 “Tips for Dealing with Difficult Counsel in a Deposition"
• KBA Annual Survey, Employee Relations Law, 2006
• KBA Employment Law Section Newsletter, President’s Column, 2005
• Kansas Employment Law Newsletter, M. Lee. Publishers
  • “Dennis Rodman and Title VII,” Vol. 3, Issue 4, July 1996
  • “Having Your Cake and Eating it Too: Is Filing a Claim for Disability Benefits a Bar to A Later ADA Lawsuit?” Vol. 2, Issue 6, September 1995
  • “Potential Effect of Recent Employment Legislation on Rights of Pregnant Employees” Vol. 2, Issue 6, September 1995

Presentations

Kansas Bar Association

• 2019 KWAA Lindsborg Conference, “You Have More Options Than No Comment:  How to Work with the Press to Zealously and Ethically Represent your Client”
• 2019 SHRM, “Managing Mothers and Mothers To Be in the Workplace”
• 2016 Kansas Leadership Center Know Your Worth Leadership Conference, ”Know Your Worth in the Workplace”
• 2015 Kansas Attorney General Training, “Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About the Disciplinary Process but Were Afraid to…”
• 2015 Knowing me, Knowing You:  Common Personality Traits of Lawyers and How They Affect Your Practice, Your Relationships, our License”
• 2010 Kansas Association of Legal Professionals Annual Conference, "Tenth Circuit Appeals"
• 2007 KBA/KTLA “Under the Umbrella: A Lawyer’s Response to the Storms (Rip-offs, Scams, and Frauds)”
• 2005 KBA Annual Meeting, “Employment Law”
• 2005 KBA Annual Employment Law Institute, “Recent Supreme Court Cases”
• 2003 KBA Annual Employment Law Institute, “Recent Supreme Court Cases”
• 1999 KBA Summary Judgment “Defense Perspective”
• Kansas Women Attorneys Association
• 2012 Lindsborg Conference, "The Ethics of Practicing on the Edge: New Issues in Cross Practice Representation"
• 2010 Lindsborg Conference, “Why Can’t We Be Friends? Ethical Pitfalls of Social Media”
• 2010 Wichita Bar Association "Trial Advocacy in Bankruptcy Courts"
• 2009 Kansas Association of Legal Assistants Annual Conference, "Gender Pay Legislation"
• 2009 Lindsborg Conference, “Gender Pay Legislation: Will a Change in Administration Mean More Change in Women’s Purses?”
• 2009 Kansas Association Defense Counsel  “You Must Be This Tall to Ride This Ride: Twists and Turns in Employment Law During the Obama Administration”
• 2006 Sanborn Certification Institute, Hugo Wall School of Government, WSU, “Human Resource Practices”
• 2005 Sanborn Certification Institute, Hugo Wall School of Government, WSU, “Human Resource Practices”
• 2004 Sanborn Certification Institute, Hugo Wall School of Government, WSU, “Human Resource Practices”
• 2004 Lorman Education Institute, “Leaves of Absence”
• 2003 Lindsborg Conference, “Leaves of Absence”
• 2003 Wichita Bar Association “Ethics Considerations in Appellate Practice”
• 2002 Kansas Association of Legal Assistants Annual Conference, “Using Legal Training for Advocacy”
• 2000 Wichita Bar Association “Americans With Disabilities Act Update”
• 1999 Kansas Association of Legal Assistants Annual Conference, “Conducting Internal Investigations”
• 1998 Lindsborg Conference, “Employment Law for Small Businesses”
  
  • Wichita Young Presidents’ Association
  • 2011 Sex Harassment Mock Trial Presentation

Court Admissions

• Kansas, 1987
• Texas (inactive), 1987
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit, 1987
• U.S. District Court, District of Kansas, 1987
• United States Supreme Court, 2009

Honors

• Women Who Lead in Legal Services, Wichita Business Journal 2023
• KBA Outstanding Service Award, 2021
• Women Who Lead, WBJ 2021
• Jennie Mitchell Kellogg Award 2021
• Super Lawyer 2016-present  
• Best Lawyers in America, 2011-2019; 2021, 2024 Employment Law – Individuals, Employment Law – Management, 
• Best Lawyers in America, 2014, 2021, 2024 Litigation – Labor and Employment Law
• Chambers USA, 2011-2019, Leading Lawyer in the practice area of Labor and Employment.
• AV® Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell
• Louise Maddox Attorney of Achievement award, 2009
• WBA President’s Award, 2004
• Kansas Appleseed Center for Law And Justice, Champion of Justice, 2018

Professional Memberships

• Wichita Bar Association (WBA) (Member: 1987-Present); Public Relations (2001-2005) and Chair (2003-2005); Summer Intern Committee (2000); Bar-O-Meter (1989-1996) and Associate Editor (1994); Ethics Committee (2004-Present); and received President’s Award (2004)
• Kansas Bar Association (KBA) (Member: 1987-Present); Board of Governors (2016-2019); Nominating Committee (2003-Present); and Employment Law Section President (2004)
• American Bar Association (ABA) (Member: 1987-Present)
• Kansas Women Attorneys Association (Member: 1987-Present); Chair Lindsborg Committee (2004); President (2016-2017); District Representative (2017-present)
• Wichita Women Attorneys Association (Member: 1988-Present); Executive Committee (2000-2003)
• Kansas Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, Board of Directors (2009-Present)
• Federal Court Bench/Bar Committee (2010-2013)
• Kansas Board for Discipline of Attorneys (2014-Present)

Community Involvement

• Kansas Appleseed, Secretary 2019-2021; President-Elect 2022
• Wichita Family Crisis Center, Board of Directors (2011-2017)
• Community Advisory Board, Wichita State University Center for Women's Studies, 2000-2006 (Vice-President, 2004)
• Hutchinson Theatre Guild, Board Member (2015-Present)
• Urban League of Kansas, Board Member (2016-2019)
• Brighthouse, Hutchinson’s Sexual Assault and Domestic Abuse Prevention  (2019-present)