Citing increased demands as dean of the Kansas University School of Law, Steve McAllister has resigned as state solicitor.

McAllister said news of additional budget cuts and the approaching conclusion of the $500 million “KU First” capital campaign motivated him to leave the solicitor’s post.

“I need to be not distracted, as much as I love doing that stuff,” he said.

McAllister began working in 1996 as a special assistant to then-Atty. Gen. Carla Stovall. She created the state solicitor position in 1999, making McAllister the lead attorney for all appeals issues.

When Phill Kline became attorney general in January, he retained McAllister. McAllister wasn’t paid for some of his work, and for other work he was paid on a contract basis.

McAllister said Kline wanted to expand the post to involve more work and to start calling it “solicitor general.” McAllister said he didn’t have time for the additional work.

“As we come to the last 1 1/2 years of the (KU First) campaign, and with the budget situation, I need to concentrate on the law school,” he said. “I have more than enough to do here.”

McAllister said he told Kline’s office he would be available to help with legal issues, but on a more limited basis.

Among McAllister’s highlights as state solicitor was preparing briefs to defend the state’s sexual predator law and defending the state’s policy on self-incrimination for inmates before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“The Supreme Court cases are great fun, but they take great chunks of time,” he said.

McAllister declined to comment on whether Kline’s politics had anything to do with his departure. Both Kline and McAllister are Republicans.

Recently, Kline was criticized for choosing Bryan Brown, a former abortion-rights opponent, to lead his consumer affairs division.

A spokesman for Kline didn’t return phone messages Tuesday.