Carol Ruth Bonebrake is a Kansas native and lawyer since 1986. After obtaining a Bachelors Degree in Education from the University of Kansas, she was a learning disabilities teacher. She later obtained a Masters Degree in school counseling.

Upon the layoff off of school counselors state-wide, she pursued her Law Degree, also at the University of Kansas. Her first legal position was as a research attorney for the Kansas Appellate Courts. She later served as the first law clerk to Judge Gary Rulon, now Chief Judge of the Kansas Court of Appeals. Carol went on to serve former Attorney General Robert T. Stephan as an Assistant Attorney General in the Litigation and Anti-trust Division.

Upon the conclusion of her appointment with General Stephan, Carol directed the Juvenile Justice Research Program for the Koch Crime Commission. When that project was completed, she went to work for the City of Topeka in the Office of the City Attorney. Carol worked with then City Attorney Linda P. Jeffrey and served under Mayor Butch Felker and Mayor Joan Wagnon. Carol worked directly with the Directors of Parks and Recreation, Human Resources, and the Topeka Housing Authority. She provided legal services to the City Clerk, the City Treasurer and the Director of Public Works. She served as General Counsel to the Topeka Human Rights Commission.

In January 2000, Carol joined the Topeka law firm of Goodell, Stratton, Edmonds, & Palmer, L.L.C. She became a partner in 2003 and her practice focused on employment and related personnel matters for healthcare clients. She also worked extensively with business clients in the areas of creditor’s rights and bankruptcy.

In December 2006, Carol opened The Law Office of Carol Ruth Bonebrake.

In February, 2008 Jennifer Conkling Bazin joined the firm as an associate. Jennifer is originally from Kansas City, Kansas and has been a member of the Kansas bar since 2003. After obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Kansas State University, she pursued her law degree at Washburn University School of Law in Topeka. She was a member of the Washburn Law Journal and graduated with Dean’s Honors. After graduation, Jennifer worked for the Disability Rights Center, a public interest legal advocacy agency empowered by federal law to advocate for the civil and legal rights of Kansans with disabilities. Jennifer then went to work for the Appellate Defender Office where she represented indigent criminal defendants appealing felony convictions. She has argued in district courts, and both the Kansas Court of Appeals and Kansas Supreme Court. While at the Appellate Defender Office, she represented the first bartender in Kansas ever convicted of manslaughter for the alcohol poisoning death of a bar patron. The trial gained wide attention and was featured on Court TV as a precedent-setting case involving club owners' responsibility to patrons. The Kansas Supreme Court reversed the conviction in a unanimous opinion published in December, 2007. Jennifer is licensed to practice in both Kansas and Missouri

Jennifer brings strong appellate advocacy, research and writing skills to the firm.
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