Michael R. Wallace passed away peacefully on July 4, 2026. He was born in Kansas City, Kansas, on March 18, 1949, to the late Robert Wallace Sr. and Helen Wallace. He was the fourth of eight children and a proud graduate of Rosedale High School.
Mike was a devoted family man. He is survived by his adored wife, Mary, and his children, Vince Thomas and Kristy Blinzler. He loved being Papa to all seven of his grandchildren, Kailey, Ryan, Ethan, Aidan, Logan, Macie and Colton. He is also survived by Brothers John W. Wallace (Julie), Robert L. Wallace Jr. (Sunny), David A Wallace (Dana), Brother in law Dale Kobel. Sisters Patricia A. Cole (Woody) and Judith Nydegger (Tim) and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Jean Kobel and brother Larry Wallace.
Those who knew him best will remember that Mike measured his life, not just by his courtroom victories, but by the time and energy he poured into his community. He was a life-long member of Our Saviour Lutheran Church and believed deeply in giving back, dedicating many hours and contributions to the church food pantry, the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch and City Union Mission, to name a few. Whether he was providing pro bono counsel or simply offering wise counsel to a neighbor, he always sought to improve the lives of those around him. He will always be remembered for his quick wit and eternal optimism which was infectious. Whether watching his beloved Jayhawks play basketball at Allen Fieldhouse or cheering on his Kansas City Chiefs, his energy, loyalty and team spirit was in abundance. Friday night beers with "the boys" was something he looked forward to every week.
Mike was the founder of the law firm Wallace, Kolich & Slocum, LLC, and was proud to have devoted his entire legal career to representing injured workers and their families. Mike paid his way through undergraduate and law school while working on the assembly line at the General Motors Fairfax Plant in Kansas City, Kansas.
Mike was born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas. His passion for representing injured workers, with an emphasis on autoworkers and other union assembly line workers, began while "working the line" at General Motors. He was always deeply indebted to the many co-workers who helped him while he was attending school which was a debt he attempted to repay daily by providing the highest quality legal representation to those same workers on every case he handled.
He practiced workers' compensation and personal injury law in Kansas for over 40 years. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor in Science and Education in 1976. He then earned his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Kansas School of Law, graduating in 1980. After passing his bar exam that same year, he retired from General Motors and began practicing law.
He was recognized in the Best Lawyers in America for 30 years and was honored as a Best Lawyer of Kansas City by Ingram's and annually in Super Lawyers of Missouri and Kansas, as well as being selected as one of the Top 100 Injured Workers' Attorneys by The Workers' Injury Law & Advocacy Group. His law firm has also been recognized as one of the best law firms by US News.
Mike was a member of The American Association for Justice (formerly The Association of Trial Lawyers of America), a sustaining member of The Kansas Association for Justice (formerly The Kansas Trial Lawyers Association), The Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association, and the Workers Injury Law and Advocacy Group. He was a charter member of the Board of Governors and State Captain for the Workers Injury Law and Advocacy Group, a Fellow in the College of Workers Compensation Lawyers, and also a member of the American, Kansas, Johnson and Wyandotte County Bar Associations.
Mike served as a Special Administrative Law Judge in the State of Kansas for 19 years until his retirement and served as an officer in both The Kansas Association for Justice and The American Association for Justice. He held numerous offices in the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, including Chair of the Workers Compensation and Workplace Injury Section and as the ATLA Governor for the State of Kansas.
Mike authored several publications on workers' compensation and presented multiple lectures for the Kansas Division of Workers' Compensation and the Kansas Bar Association. He made many presentations on workers' compensation law at medical seminars, including presentations at the University of Kansas Hospital. He also lectured and co-chaired at various' workers compensation seminars.
Services will be held on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 4153 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, Kansas 66103. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in his name to St. Luke's Home Hospice Care. Additionally, to celebrate Mike's lifelong love for the Jayhawks, the family invites attendees to wear their favorite KU crimson and blue.
