About Sara Tess
Sara Tess Ballew built her legal foundation at the University of Kansas. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2009 and returned to KU for law school, graduating with a J.D. in 2012. Those years shaped an approach that pairs practical thinking with attention to procedure.
Early in her career Ballew gained experience at Brady & Associates. She later worked at Bracker & Marcus. Those roles put her in courtrooms and client meetings. They also gave her exposure to contested matters and negotiation settings.
Ballew is licensed to practice in both Kansas and Missouri. She is also admitted to the United States District Court for Kansas and the United States District Court for the Western District of Missouri. That combination allows her to handle cases that move beyond state court and into federal proceedings when necessary.
Her professional memberships include the National Employment Lawyers Association — Kansas City and the Association for Women Lawyers. Those affiliations mark an interest in employment-related issues and the legal concerns facing women in the workplace. She participates in association programming and local bar activities to stay current on developments and courtroom practice.
Colleagues describe her work as methodical and grounded in procedure. She prepares for trial and settlement with the same level of organization. In motion practice she focuses on clear legal argument and supporting evidence. In client work she aims to set realistic expectations and outline likely timelines.
Outside the courthouse Ballew contributes to firm strategy on case management. She has worked across a variety of civil matters that intersect with employment, including claims that require both state and federal filings. That breadth helps when cases raise procedural questions about jurisdiction or venue.
Her practice is rooted in the procedural and substantive aspects of workplace and employment disputes. She currently focuses her practice on employment and workplace-related civil litigation.
