President Donald Trump on Friday tapped Stephen McAllister, a University of Kansas law professor who represents Kansas in appellate cases as solicitor general, to serve as U.S. Attorney for Kansas.

U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran, Kansas Republicans, praised the nomination of a lawyer who clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Byron White.

"Mr. McAllister is a well-qualified and impressive nominee who has my full support to serve Kansans as U.S. attorney," Roberts said. "He has extensive legal experience in state and federal courts, including arguing nine cases before the Supreme Court of the United States."

Roberts said McAllister’s administrative experience as dean of the KU School of Law and "a heavy dose of western Kansas common sense acquired in his hometown of Lucas" would serve him well in his efforts to prosecute criminal and civil cases.

McAllister’s legal mind and litigation experience qualify him for the role, Moran said.

"I look forward to supporing his confirmation," Moran said. "Mr. McAllister is a veteran attorney and has had a distinguished career in federal litigation, as Kansas solicitor general and during his time clerking for two Supreme Court justices."

Trump’s nomination must be approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee and the full Senate.

McAllister, who took a prominent role arguing school-finance cases on behalf of the state before the Kansas Supreme Court, had been mentioned for several months as a possible appointee.

The state Supreme Court ruled in favor of the districts in March, compelling the Kansas Legislature to pass a new plan increasing funding for K-12 education. Justices heard oral arguments on the new school finance plan in July.

Before joining the KU law school faculty in 1993, McAllister clerked for White and Thomas. He also filled that role for 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Richard Posner. He worked in private practice in the Washington, D.C., office of the Los Angeles law firm Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher.

McAllister was dean of the KU law school from 2000 to 2005. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1985 and his law degree in 1988 from KU.