Justen Phelps

Justen Phelps is an attorney with Gibson Watson Marino LLC in Wichita, Kansas, where his practice focuses primarily on medical malpractice defense, insurance defense, personal injury defense, and general civil litigation. His work also extends to health care law, business and corporate matters, municipal law, construction disputes, consumer issues, contractual disputes, real estate matters, and questions involving corporate ownership and operation. He is an experienced litigator with substantial courtroom experience handling complex civil cases, including jury trials and appellate matters.

Justen earned a B.A. in History from the University of Kansas and a J.D., with honors, from Ave Maria School of Law in 2006. His legal education prepared him for a career involving trial advocacy, appellate work, legal research, and the analysis of complex factual and procedural issues. He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Kansas, Supreme Court of Missouri, US District Court for the District of Kansas, and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has also appeared in courts in California, Illinois, Washington, and Delaware.

Justen worked as a full-time prosecutor, serving as an Assistant District Attorney in Sedgwick County and an Assistant County Attorney in Crawford County before joining Gibson Watson Marino LLC. During that period, he tried more than 50 felony jury trials and argued before the Kansas Court of Appeals. Since joining the firm more than a decade ago, he has applied that litigation background to complex civil matters, including successful jury trials and appeals. His experience allows him to address cases involving detailed evidence, expert testimony, contractual issues, liability disputes, and other contested questions that can arise during civil litigation.

Justen Phelps also serves as City Prosecutor for the City of Rose Hill and the City of Augusta, adding municipal prosecution to his broader litigation experience. His official biography lists membership in the Wichita Bar Association, Kansas Bar Association, Kansas Association of Defense Counsel, and DRI. He has also served as Chair of the Wichita Bar Association’s Civil Practice Committee. Across medical malpractice defense, insurance disputes, business litigation, construction matters, consumer claims, and municipal work, he brings extensive trial and appellate experience to clients facing complex legal disputes in Kansas and other jurisdictions.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Gibson Watson Marino LLC
• Member, Wichita Bar Association
• Member, Kansas Bar Association
• Member, Kansas Association of Defense Counsel
• Member, The Missouri Bar
• Member, Defense Research Institute

Licensed State

• Kansas
• Missouri

Education

• Ave Maria School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD) With Honors
• University of Kansas
  BA in Major: History

Awards & Badges