Who we are, and how we got here.

When you call, you reach the person doing the work. That is the whole idea behind the firm, and it has shaped every decision we have made since the practice opened its doors.

A small bench is the point of the practice. Clients work with a senior attorney from start to finish, with no handoffs to associates and no surprises on the invoice. The firm is small on purpose.

John has practiced law for nearly four decades. He is licensed in Kansas and Louisiana and holds membership in the Kansas Bar Association, the Louisiana Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the United States Supreme Court Bar. His practice is built on the highest standards of legal excellence and ethics, and on a deep respect for the people who choose to work with him.

"John carries a deep passion and respect for the practice of law."

He provides comprehensive legal advice, research, and support in employment, labor, and corporate law for executives, business owners, and human resources professionals. His clients range from small companies to large corporations, all looking for the same thing: clear thinking, steady counsel, and a lawyer who treats their workforce the way they do.

John lives in Topeka with his wife Kristina and their two daughters, Lauren and Mary. He enjoys traveling, a desire shaped by two tours as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. After earning his Juris Doctor, he spent three years as an associate attorney in New Orleans, where he learned to understand the French Civil Code, appreciate the classic bowl of gumbo, respect the cayenne pepper, and accept that battling the tourist crowds for a Café Du Monde beignet was always going to be worth it. He has also developed a deep and profound understanding of crafting the perfect martini and tasting a full-bodied glass of cabernet.

Bar Admissions

U.S. Supreme Court

American Bar Association

Kansas Bar Association

Louisiana Bar Association

Topeka Bar Association

Education

Washburn University
Juris Doctor

The University of Kansas
Master of Public Administration

Washburn University
Bachelor of Arts

Community Service

Board of Regents
Vice Chair

Kansas Children’s Discovery Center
Former Board Chair

Washburn Ichabod Athletic Fund
Former Board Member

Kimberly is licensed in Kansas and joined the firm and HR Partners in February 2026. Her practice focuses on labor, employment, and corporate law, and she also serves as an HR Advisor with HR Partners, which keeps her close to the everyday workforce questions clients are actually asking.

She earned her Juris Doctor from Washburn University School of Law, graduating sixth in her class. Before joining the firm, Kimberly served as General Counsel for the Kansas National Education Association, representing members in licensing, labor, and employment disputes. Her earlier experience includes felony criminal appeals before the Kansas Court of Appeals and the Kansas Supreme Court, as well as family law practice in district court and alternative dispute resolution settings.

She is actively involved in nonprofit governance and currently serves as a board member and governance chair for Bethany College.

Bar Admissions

Kansas Bar Association

Education

Washburn University School of Law
Juris Doctor, Sixth in Class

Bethany College
Bachelor of Arts, Social Work and Psychology

Community Service

Bethany College
Board Member, Governance Chair

The practice is organized around four disciplines that come up most often in an employer’s day. We work across all four for the same clients, which keeps advice consistent and the firm close to the business.

Counsel, on demand

Daily questions get same-day answers. Compliance, hiring, termination, personnel practices, dispute resolution, arbitration, unemployment. Timely guidance so issues are handled properly the first time.

Agreements that hold

Employment and separation agreements drafted to prevent disputes before they begin. Deep experience with confidentiality, severance, non-compete, and non-solicitation provisions, written for the business they live inside.

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Investigations, done right

Fair, impartial, conclusive. Allegations of harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, and hostile work environment, handled with care. Aggressive, well-built responses to KHRC, EEOC, USDOL, KDOL, and OSHA complaints.

Governance that scales

Bylaws, board dynamics, record retention, conflict of interest, whistle-blower protection, and the rest of the corporate plumbing. For companies and non-profits, sized to your organization and built to grow with it.

A management-side practice, focused on employee relations, contract negotiations, OSHA, wage and hour, and complaints or cases before state and federal labor agencies.

Employment Law

For Employers and Management

Employee Relations
Workplace Investigations
Wage and Hour
Employment Agreements
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEOC
Americans with Disabilities Act ADA
Kansas Human Rights Commission KHRC
Age Discrimination in
Employment Act ADEA
Fair Labor Standards Act FLSA
Title VII

Labor Law

Agencies and Negotiations

Contract Negotiations
National Labor Relations Board NLRB
Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA
U.S. Department of Labor USDOL
Kansas Department of Labor KDOL

Corporate Law

For Organizations of Every Size

Formation of Business Entities
Stock Purchase Agreements
Best Practices
Contract Negotiations
Corporate Compliance and Governance
Bylaws

Learn More About the Services We Offer

Our base is Topeka. Our work follows the clients, wherever they operate.

State I

Kansas

Home jurisdiction. Both attorneys licensed.

State II

Missouri

Active representation for employers across the state line.

State III

Louisiana

Coverage through John R. Dietrick's bar admission.

Federal

Nationwide

Matters before the EEOC and other federal agencies.

After nearly four decades in the law, John Dietrick decided to build something on his own terms.

John Dietrick had served as attorney, general counsel, chief executive officer, and principal. One evening, enjoying a Kansas sunset and looking for a new challenge, he opened the practice that became the Law Offices of John R. Dietrick, P.A.

The firm has since grown to include Kimberly Streit Vogelsberg, who joined in 2026 with more than fifteen years of experience and a focused practice in labor and employment law.

Choosing a lawyer is an important decision, and not one that should be filibustered by superficial marketing. Every case is different. We treat each one that way.