Bio

Kelly Rundell is Of Counsel at the firm and a litigator with extensive experience in civil litigation, employment law, civil rights law, and governmental liability.

Before joining the City of Wichita, Kelly had a career in the private sector. She then spent over twenty years as Deputy City Attorney, where she managed civil litigation matters, provided legal counsel to city management, and led training programs on various employment-related issues for city employees and supervisors. After her time with the city, Kelly returned to the private sector when she joined HFH.

Recognized as a leading authority in her field, Kelly is frequently sought after for her insights into employment law, ethics, and trial practice. She has delivered presentations at numerous CLEs and legal conferences and contributed to publications and continuing legal education materials. Kelly served as Vice President of the Wichita Bar Association and has held leadership roles as past president of both the Wesley E. Brown American Inn of Court and the Wichita Women Attorneys Association. In 2012, she received the Louise Mattox Attorney of Achievement Award for her professional accomplishments.

Kelly is currently the Chair of the EMPAC Board and remains actively involved in the community. She has served on the Susan G. Komen Kansas Affiliate board and as past president of both the Wichita YWCA, which supports victims of domestic violence, and the Wichita Area Women's Golf Association. Additionally, Kelly has taught business law, ethics, and negotiation courses as an Affiliate Faculty at Southwestern College. 

Kelly is an accomplished artist outside of her professional work, with her paintings featured in galleries around Wichita. Her creative problem-solving approach and passion for the arts bring a unique perspective to her legal practice. 

Court Admissions

• Kansas, 1985
• U.S. District Court, District of Kansas, 1985
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit, 1987
• United States Supreme Court, 2002

Honors

• Women Who Lead in Legal Services, Wichita Business Journal 2022

• Fellow, American Bar Foundation

• Louise Mattox Attorney of Achievement Award, 2012

• Business Hall of Fame, Southwestern College, 2018

• Wichita Bar Association President's Award, 1993

Professional Memberships

• American Bar Association, 1985-1992, 2015- present
• Wichita Bar Association, Vice-President, 2019-2020; Secretary-Treasurer, 2019-2019; Board of Governors, 1998-2001; Ethics Committee, 2011-present.  Past Wichita Bar Association activities include Civil Practice Committee; BaroMeter Committee,  Editor; Legislative Committee; Municipal Practice Committee; Public Relations Committee; Race Director, Race for Justice; Fee Dispute Committee; Medical-Legal Committee; Nominating Committee; Awards Committee; Joint Committee of the Civil and Criminal Practice Committees on Jury Pools, Chair;  Law In Education Committee; Law Day Committee; "Ask A Lawyer" television program, CoProducer; Trial Lawyer Mentoring Project; Bar Show.
• Wesley E. Brown American Inns of Court, 2008-2021; President, 2017-2018; Vice-President/President-Elect, 2016-2017; Secretary, 2105-2016; Program chair, 2013-2014.
• Kansas Bar Association, 1985-1992, 2015- present
• Kansas Women Attorneys Association, 1994-present; Archivist, 1995-1996; Annual Meeting Planning Committee, 1998-99, 2008-2009; Newsletter Editor, 1999-2004; District 7 Representative, 2004-2006, 2007-2009
• Wichita Women Attorneys Association, 1985present; President, 19901991; Vice President, 19891990; Planning Committee for Lindsborg Conference, 1994, 1996
• Kansas Bar Foundation, 1999 – present
• Kansas Association of Defense Counsel, 19882013
• International Municipal Lawyers Association, 19922012
• City Attorney Association of Kansas, 19922012
• Association of Legal Administrators, 2015-present
• Wichita Area Legal Administrators, 2015- present;  President 2022-2023; Vice-President 2021-2022

Education

• Southwestern College, B.B.A., 1982, summa cum laude
• University of Kansas School of Law, 1985
• Year Started Practicing: 1985

Community Involvement

• Arts Council of Wichita, Board of Directors, 2024-present
• EMPAC; Board of Directors, 2020- present; Board Chair 2023-present
• Susan G. Komen (Kansas Affiliate) Board of Directors, 2013-present
• Wichita Health and Wellness Coalition, 2012-2014; Leadership Team, 2013-2014
• YWCA Wichita Board of Directors, 2006-2012; Secretary, 2008; President, 2009; Executive Committee, 2008-2011; Chair, Search Committee for Executive Director, 2009-2010; Chair, Golf Committee, 2010-2011
• Southwestern College Board of Trustees, 1994-2006; Executive Board, 2004-2006
• Wichita Business Coalition on Health Care, 2012-2014; Development Committee, 2013-2014; Board member, 2014
• Wichita Area Women’s Golf Association, 2002-present; President, 2019-2019; President Elect/vice-President, 2017-2018, Chair, Long Range Planning, 2016-2017
• Willowbend Ladies Golf Association, 2002-present; President, 2014-2015; Secretary, 2004-2005, 2006-2007

Published Works

• "What's a Utility to Do with Abandoned Funds?" The Kansas Lifeline, July 2015
• "A New Statute of Limitations for Torts in Kansas," Kansas Defense Journal, Fall 2001
• "Have You Met K.S.A. 40-275?" Kansas Defense Journal, Summer 2000
• "Sexual Harassment Developments," chapter of Kansas Municipal Law Annual, Vol. XVI, 1999
• "Assignment: Disciplinary Board Panelist," WBA's Bar-o-Meter, February 1998
• "Defending Local Governments," Kansas Defense Journal, December 1997

Presentations

Recent Continuing Legal Education courses:

• "Legal Ethics: Conflicts of Interest", 2023
• “Ethics Rules Unique to Government Attorneys,”  Kansas Department of Administration,  2021
• "Administrative Proceedings from Point of View of Both a Complainant and a Business," Wichita Bar Association, 2018
• “Legal Ethics: Attorneys Changing Firm Affiliations”, 2017
• “Ethics: Private Lawyer v. Government Lawyer,” City Attorney Association of Kansas, 2016
• “Municipal Employment Relations” and “Local Government and the Law”, 2016
• “Civil Rights Issues in Everyday Life”, 2013 and 2016
• "Time for Sunshine: Open Meeting and Open Records", 2009

Other Presentations:

• "Reading Deeds and Understanding Legal Descriptions,” Kansas Rural Water Association Annual Conference, 2023
• "Kansas Open Records and Open Meetings," Kansas Rural Water Association, 2019, 2022
• "Violence in the Workplace" Kansas Human Rights Commission Annual Conference, 2018
• “Legal Issues in Recruiting and Hiring” and “Imperative Information That Every Employee Handbook Should Contain” part of the National Business Institute seminar, Human Resource Law from A to Z, 2018
• “Ethics in the Workplace—Do the Right Thing,” Kansas Rural Water Association, 2017
• “A Baker’s Dozen for FLSAs, Please!” Wichita Association of Legal Administrators, 2016
• "Loose Lips Sink Law Firms and Other Reminders for a Professional Staff” KLPI Fall Conference, 2015, Spring Conference 2022
• “Staying Legal While Making Money” Mountain Plains Museum Association, 2015
• “Ten Things to Worry About—An Employment Law Primer” Kansas Rural Water Association, 2015
• “What is Unlawful Discrimination?” Training for employees of YWCA of Wichita, 2011
• "Kansas Open Meetings Requirements," Wichita Public Library Board, 2007

Appellate Decisions

Kelly’s appellate practice focuses on employment and government issues.   She is well versed in the rules of appellate practice.  She has prepared briefs and argued cases before the Kansas Court of Appeals, the Kansas Supreme Court and the United States Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.  The following are representative of her experience:

• Murdock v. City of Wichita, 2013 US App LEXIS 10407 (10^th Cir. 2013) (A Transit employee alleged sex, race, religion discrimination.)
• Semsroth v. City of Wichita, 555 F. 3d 1182 (10^th Cir. 2009) (Multiple female police officers alleged  sex discrimination.)
• Mitchell v. City of Wichita, 140 Fed. App Appx 767, 2005 US App LEXIS 14273 (10^th Cir. 2005) (Police lieutenant alleged reverse race discrimination and a violation of his equal protection rights.)
• Burnison v. Macias, 1997 US App LEXIS 34322 (10^th Cir. 1997) (The case turned on judicial and qualified immunity.)
• City of Wichita v. Edwards, 23 Kan. App. 2d 962 (1997) (The defendant in a criminal case alleged that ethic intimidation was free speech.)
• Moorhouse v. City of Wichita, 259 Kan. 570 (1996)  (The action contested a change in pension benefits.)
• Miller v. Insurance Management Associates, Inc, 249 Kan. 102, 815 P. 2d 89 (1991) (The issue on appeal involved the disqualification of legal counsel.)

Representative Experience

• Negotiated collective bargaining agreements on behalf of management.
• Conducted internal investigations of claims by employees of discrimination or harassment.
• Drafted employee handbooks and policies regarding discrimination, harassment, the testing of drugs and alcohol, and many other subjects.  
• Served as a mediator in internal employment disputes and litigation of employment claims.
• Appeared before the Kansas Public Employee Relations Board and represented the employer in judicial review of PERB decisions.
• Negotiated exit packages for outgoing executives.
• Represented the municipality on issues unique to local governments in Kansas governments, such as open records, open meetings, governmental ethics, contracts utilizing public funds, mandamus actions, referendum elections, public employment, tort claims procedures and immunities.
• Represented businesses needing to comply with accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Currently, serves as legal counsel for the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Recent Continuing Legal Education Courses:

• “Changing Firms” and “Conflicts of Interest” (2019)
• "Administrative Proceedings from Point of View of Both a Complainant and a Business," (2018)
• “Legal Ethics: Attorneys Changing Firm Affiliations” (2017)
• “Ethics: Private Lawyer v. Government Lawyer,” (2006 and 2016)
• “Municipal Employment Relations” and “Local Government and the Law” (2016)
• “Key Ethics Rules Regarding Electronic Communications” (2016)
• “Civil Rights Issues in Everyday Life” (2013 and 2016)
• "Time for Sunshine: Open Meeting and Open Records" (2009)
• “Practical Application of Ethics” (2009)

Other Presentations:

• Kansas Open Records and Open Meetings," Kansas Rural Water Association (2019)
• "Violence in the Workplace" Kansas Human Rights Commission Annual Conference (2018)
• “Legal Issues in Recruiting and Hiring” and “Imperative Information That Every Employee Handbook Should Contain” National Business Institute (2018)
• “Ethics in the Workplace—Do the Right Thing,” Kansas Rural Water Association (2017)
• “A Baker’s Dozen for FLSAs, Please!” Wichita Association of Legal Administrators (2016)
• “Putting in Place a document Retention Policy,” National Business Institute (2016)
• “Workplace Violence” Kansas Rural Water Association (2016)
• “Loose Lips Sink Law Firms and Other Reminders for a Professional Staff” KLPI Fall Conference (2015)
• “Staying Legal While Making Money” Mountain Plains Museum Association (2015)
• “Ten Things to Worry About—An Employment Law Primer” Kansas Rural Water Association (2015)
• “What is Unlawful Discrimination?” YWCA of Wichita employees (2011)
• "Kansas Open Meetings Requirements," Wichita Public Library Board (2007)