Gov. Laura Kelly on Wednesday revealed her second appointment to the Kansas Supreme Court as K.J. Wall, a private practice attorney and former counsel to the court.

Wall is a partner with Overland Park-based Forbes Law Group, which represents rural health care providers in Kansas. He previously worked for former Supreme Court Justice Lawton Nuss, the retired justice whom Wall is replacing.

Wall said he shares a sense of duty with Nuss, who stepped down as chief justice in December.

"I think it’s similar in that I have a strong belief in deciding each case on the merits, based on the facts, without any outside influence or pressures taken into consideration, and mindful of the constitutional powers and limitations on judges," Wall said.

Kelly said she wanted a justice who could demonstrate the work ethic, common sense and humility that make Kansas unique.

In particular, she said, Kansas needs justices who can empathize with the struggles of residents who appear before the courts.

"Justice should be blind," Kelly said. "It shouldn’t be ignorant of the real world and the real people the law is meant to cover."

The governor in December selected Evelyn Wilson to fill a Kansas Supreme Court seat made available by the retirement of Justice Lee Johnson in September. Wilson previously served as chief judge of Shawnee County District Court.

Wall is a Fort Scott native with degrees from Kansas State University, the University of Minnesota and the University of Kansas School of Law.

He began his legal career as a law clerk to U.S. District Judge John Lungstrum. Wall’s experience includes working as a private practice litigator in Colorado and senior counsel for Federated Insurance in Owatonna, Minn.

He served as deputy general counsel to the Kansas Supreme Court from 2013 to 2015, assisting with capital cases and special projects.

"His capacity to untangle complex legal issues and communicate them clearly and concisely will serve the court and our state well for years to come," Kelly said.