The Honorable Gwynne E. Birzer, the sixth United States Magistrate Judge sitting in Wichita, Kansas, was appointed to the bench on July 1, 2015.  Judge Birzer was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas. She holds two degrees from Washburn University; a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice received in 1989, and a law degree received in 1992.

Following law school, Judge Birzer practiced law in Topeka, Kansas in the public sector as an assistant public defender, an assistant district attorney, and as an assistant attorney general, and in the private sector in her own firm.

In 2004, Judge Birzer relocated to Wichita, Kansas where she worked at the Sedgwick County Public Defender’s Office handling felony criminal cases. In 2006, she joined Hite, Fanning & Honeyman, LLP where she specialized in medical malpractice defense litigation. In 2011, Judge Birzer became a partner and served in that capacity at the firm until her judicial appointment.

Judge Birzer is an active member of the Wichita Bar Association, Kansas Bar Association,  American Bar Association, and a member of the ABA Fellows.  She is also active in the Wesley E. Brown Inn of Court and the Federal Bar Association.  Judge Birzer serves as the Tenth Circuit Representative for the Federal Magistrate Judges Association.   During her tenure as Magistrate Judge, she has been very active by serving on court governance committees, community outreach and board service, she regularly visits local school classrooms, providing opportunities for young people to learn about our judicial system, and she has taken a lead role in organizing the District of Kansas Constitution Day events.