Legal Background

  • JD, University of Kansas School of Law – 1976
  • 2-year internship with the Office of Legislative Counsel
  • Partner, Reynolds, Peirce, Forker, Suter & O’Neal, Hutchinson, KS – 1979-1984
  • Hutchinson Community College Instructor – 1976-1984
  • Shareholder, Gilliland & Hayes, P.A., Hutchinson, KS – 1984-2012
  • Of Counsel, Gilliland & Hayes, LLC – 2012-2016
  • Extensive trial experience in areas of insurance defense and professional liability; handled 100s of workers' compensation cases for employers
  • Completed successful settlement against the State, which restored over $3M in fees swept from fee funds by the Legislature and Administration
  • Currently provide legal services to clients with issues before the Legislature, licensing agencies, regulatory agencies, and boards
  • 40 hours of certified mediation training
  • Served on the Board of Governors of the KU Law Society
  • As attorney/legislator, appeared in Fed. Court both in 2002 and 2012 to defend legislative redistricting maps

Legislative Background

  • Elected to Kansas House of Representatives—1984—Hutchinson/Reno County
  • Served in the Kansas House of Representatives—1985–2012
  • Served 2 years as V.C. of the House Judiciary Committee
  • Served 2 years as the Ranking Republican of the House Judiciary Committee
  • Served 16 years as Chairman of the House of Judiciary Committee
  • Served 2 years as Chairman of the House Education Committee
  • Served as V.C. of the Select Committee on School Finance
  • Served 2 years each as Chairman of the House Redistricting Committee during the 2002 and 2012 legislative and congressional redistricting
  • Served twice as Chairman of the House Committee on Contested Elections
  • Served twice as Chairman of the House Select Investigative Committee
  • Other committee assignments included Public Health, Commerce & Industry, Education Budget, and Legislative Budget.
  • Past elected Majority Whip
  • Past member of the Executive Committee of the Council of State Governments.
  • Elected as Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives—2009-2012
  • Served in alternating years with the Senate President as Chairman of the Legislative Coordinating Council and was a member of the State Finance Council
  • Executive Committee member, National Speakers’ Conference
  • Executive Committee member, Council of State Governments
  • Kansas Judicial Council member for 16 years
  • Commissioner, Uniform Law Commission for 16 years
  • Past Member, Kansas Commission on Judicial Performance
  • Past Member, Kansas Sentencing Commission
  • Past Board member, KTEC
  • Past Member, Commission on School Efficiency
  • Past member of the Kansas Travel & Tourism Commission

Governmental Relations and Association Management Background

  • Hired as President & CEO of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Industry—2012-2016
  • Development and execution of the annual Kansas Chamber Legislative Agenda
  • Extensive lobbying of legislative members and administration
  • Legal, legislative, and political analysis, member engagement research, public appearances, and media interviews
  • Upon retirement from the Kansas Chamber, formed O’Neal Consulting LLC in Dec. 2016 to represent individual clients with legislative and legal issues related to the Legislature and State government