Phillips nominated for federal judgeship in the Kansas City-based district

If all goes according to plan, Beth Phillips will move from thefifth floor of the Charles Evans Whittaker Federal Courthouse to theeighth.

The White House on Tuesday named Phillips, currently the U.S.Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, for a federaljudgeship in the Kansas City-based district.

[caption U.S. Attorney Beth Phillips speaks last month at areception in honor of Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters-Baker.The White House nominated Phillips this week to be a federal judgein Kansas City. If the U.S. Senate confirms her, she'll succeedJudge Ortie D. Smith. Photo by Scott Lauck]

If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she would succeed Judge OrtrieD. Smith, who took senior status earlier this year.

Phillips became the area's top federal law enforcement officialin late 2009 and is less than half done with her four-year term. Shefollowed John Woods, who left in February 2009.

Don Ledford, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, saidPhillips declined to comment.

She had been an assistant U.S. attorney in the Western Districtsince 2008. She served in the Computer Crimes and Child ExploitationUnit and was project coordinator for Project Safe Childhood inKansas City, a nationwide program that deals with Internetpredators. She also served on the board of directors of the

nonprofit Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault.

"I think that speaks to where her character lies," said JacksonCounty Circuit Judge Jim Kanatzar. "She wants to help those whocan't look out for themselves.

Phillips' career is shaping up to be similar to that ofKanatzar's. He was the Jackson County prosecutor until he was namedto the circuit court earlier this year. Kanatzar said he didn'tthink Phillips would have a hard time transitioning from prosecutorto judge.

"She's an extremely bright woman, and I know she'll excel at thisposition if given the opportunity," he said.

Phillips worked in the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office from1997 to 2001, when she went into private practice with BartimusFrickleton Robertson & Gorny. Jim Frickleton, a partner at thatfirm, said her background in both prosecution and civil litigationwould serve her well on the bench.

"My most important qualities for a judge are that she's smart andfair, and she is both of those things," Frickleton said.

Phillips received her law degree in 1996 from the University ofMissouri and also holds master's and bachelor's degrees from theUniversity of Chicago. Her husband, Brent Powell, is a JacksonCounty circuit judge.

Phillips would be just the second woman appointed to the WesternDistrict of Missouri. But she would not be the first federalprosecutor to become a judge in that district. Matt Whitworth, alongtime leading assistant U.S. attorney, became a U.S. magistratejudge in Jefferson City in 2010.

She would not be the first federal prosecutor to become a judgein that district. Matt Whitworth, a longtime leading assistant U.S.attorney, became a U.S. magistrate judge in Jefferson City in 2010.

The White House on Tuesday also announced three other judicialnominations: Margo Kitsy Brodie for the Eastern District of NewYork, Jesse M. Furman for the Southern District of New York andSusie Morgan for the Eastern District of Louisiana.