The Honorable Amy J. Hanley is an experienced trial judge, dynamic trial advocacy teacher, bold leader, and dedicated champion of women. Following 15 years of high profile jury trials, Judge Hanley joined the state district court bench in Douglas County, Lawrence, Kansas, where she resides with husband John and three cherished rescue cats – Todd, Sophie, and Wallace. Her courtroom highlights include State v. Seacat, a premeditated first-degree murder conviction that was nationally televised and featured on Dateline NBC, and State v. Kahler, a capital murder case that was litigated all the way to the United States Supreme Court where the conviction was affirmed. During her years as a prosecutor, Judge Hanley served on the National District Attorneys Association Board where she co-founded the Women Prosecutors Section and led quarterly and annual events hosted by the WPS.

With more than 21 years of legal experience, Judge Hanley brings straightforward, constructive, and pragmatic mentorship to her training events, earning accolades like “force of nature” and “awesome organization, style and grace.” She teaches programs on trial advocacy, negotiation, and depositions across the country, and internationally in Japan, Nigeria, and Argentina. Judge Hanley’s passion for empowering women led to the creation, direction, and leadership of NITA Women in Trial, NITA’s highly successful program for women trial attorneys.