Liaison to Legislature leaving judicial branch for new role

TOPEKA—Shawn Jurgensen will leave his position as special counsel to the chief justice of the Kansas Supreme Court on September 8 to take a new role as chief public policy officer and director of center of innovation with the Council of State Governments in Lexington, Kentucky.

Jurgensen has served in the judicial branch since 2016 and as special counsel to the chief justice since 2017. As special counsel, he has been liaison for the chief justice, the Supreme Court, and the judicial branch in matters before the Kansas Legislature. 

Chief Justice Marla Luckert said while she’s sorry to see Jurgensen go, she’s confident he will succeed in his new role. 

"Shawn has been a highly valued member of the judicial branch team, and he's done exceptional work representing the interests of our judges and employees before the Legislature," Luckert said. “Personally, I’m thankful for and proud of Shawn’s work to build stronger partnerships with our sister branches of government. He has played a critical role in positioning the judicial branch so it can better serve the people of Kansas.”

Stephanie Smith, who serves as judicial administrator for the courts, said she also appreciated working side-by-side with Jurgensen on matters of critical importance to the judicial branch.

“For the last several years, I had the privilege of having a front-row seat to the work Shawn has done. He has always embodied true professionalism, and it has been my pleasure to work with him these last few years,” Smith said. “He quickly grasps the nuances of the legislative process, he is articulate, and he can spot solutions to long-term problems that others may miss.”  

During his tenure as special counsel to the chief justice, employee and judicial staffing was increased to fill critical needs identified by independent study, pay for judicial branch employees was brought to market rates, and pay for judges is now calculated as a percentage of what federal judges earn. Also, the funding source for the state court system shifted from fees to the state general fund, providing the branch much-needed stability.

While proud of these accomplishments, Jurgensen refuses to take credit for what he says was a group effort. 

“I’m thankful for partnerships I helped build, but there are many others including Chief Justice Luckert and the Supreme Court, our Court of Appeals and district courts, legislative leadership, innumerable legislators, and staff colleagues, and the governor’s office who helped with these historic achievements,” Jurgensen said. “Serving in this position has been the privilege of a lifetime. I hold our judges and employees in the highest regard for their commitment to delivering justice fairly and impartially.”

Jurgensen is a 2008 graduate of the Washburn University School of Law, where he was the recipient of the John K. Kleinheksel Prize in Oral Advocacy and he was inducted into the Order of Barristers, both in 2008. The Topeka Bar Association awarded him the Pro Bono Legal Services Award in 2010.