Jonathan W. McConnell, the founding criminal defense attorney at the McConnell Law Firm, specializes in criminal defense, including Driving Under the Influence (DUI), false sexual accusations, white collar crime and appeals. He is also highly experienced in traffic law and civil litigation. As a noted criminal defense attorney and the leader of our firm, Jon is known for his expert knowledge and unmatched tenacity. He describes his technique as aggressive and “outside the box,” utilizing a fresh and modern approach. Both the public and his peers have taken notice, consistently rating him at the top of the profession with the most prestigious legal directories: Avvo , The National Trial Lawyers , Super Lawyers and Martindale-Hubbell . Jon was drawn to the legal profession out of a desire to help people. The Wichita native earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice from Wichita State University, then attended law school in Miami, Florida. After his education, he gained experience as a Law Clerk for a judge in Broward County, Florida, as an Assistant District Attorney of Sedgwick County, Kansas, and then at a criminal defense law firm. Jon founded his own namesake law firm in 2014, and the practice was rebranded in 2017 as the McConnell Law Firm. He feels that there is great honor in the work we do, especially in helping those who are in trouble or who have made a mistake, which is why he fights tirelessly to represent each of his clients— leaving no stone unturned in the process. EDUCATION Wichita State University | Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice, Cum Laude Wichita State University | Master of Arts in Criminal Justice St. Thomas University School of Law, Miami, Florida | Juris Doctorate BAR ADMISSIONS State of Kansas United States District Court, District of Kansas United States District Court, Western District of Missouri United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit United States Supreme Court AWARDS & HONORS America’s Top 100 Attorneys – Lifetime Achievement American Bar Foundation – Fellow Arkansas Traveler – Commissioned by the Governor of Arkansas in 2018 AVVO – Superb Lawyer Rating AVVO Clients’ Choice Award 2016 – Criminal Defense Best Attorneys of America – Lifetime Charter Member DUI Defense Lawyers Association Expertise – Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Wichita 2020 Just Great Lawyers – Member Kentucky Colonel – Commissioned by the Governor of Kentucky in 2015 Lead Counsel Verified – Criminal Law – State Felony & Misdemeanor Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – Man of the Year (1st Runner Up) Martindale-Hubbell – AV Preeminent Lawyer Rating Martindale-Hubbell – Premium Client Champion National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys – Top 10 Ranking National College for DUI Defense National League of Renowned Attorneys – Top 1% National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws – Lifetime Member of the Legal Committee National Patriot’s Medal – NRA Golden Eagles Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity – Life Member Power Attorneys – Member Rotary Foundation of Rotary International – Paul Harris Fellow Super Lawyers Super Lawyers – Missouri & Kansas Rising Stars Tennessee Squire – Tennessee Squire Association The National Trial Lawyers – Top 100 – Criminal Defense The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Three Best Rated – 3 Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Wichita KS ThreeBestRated – Best of Business 2020 – Award of Excellence Top American Lawyers – Lifetime Charter Member U.S. News & World Report Lawyer Wichita Business Journal – 40 Under 40 Award
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS National College for DUI Defense National Trial Lawyers - Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyers Association National Trial Lawyers Criminal Trial Lawyers Association American Association for Justice Criminal Law Section American Bar Association Kansas Bar Association Wichita Bar Association National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity American Criminal Justice Association (Lambda Alpha Epsilon) FRATERNAL MEMBERSHIPS Albert Pike Lodge #303 – Master Mason & Perpetual Life Member Grand Lodge of Kansas – Jurisprudence Committee Member Wichita Scottish Rite Temple – 32° Mason, Endowed Life Member, & Former Membership Chairman Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple – Perpetual Plus Endowed Member Guthrie Scottish Rite College of the Consistory – Member Scottish Rite Research Society – Life Member Scottish Rite WSB Club – Charter Member Scottish Rite: Acacia Guild – Member #95 Knights of St. Andrew (Scottish Rite Freemasons) – Life Member York Rite of Kansas – Knight Templar & Perpetual Life Member Wichita Midian Shrine Temple – Noble, Perpetual Life Member, & Former Temple Attorney Kappa Sigma Fraternity – Gamma Omicron Chapter at the University of Kansas (Honor Initiate of Pledge Class), Lifetime Alumni Member, One of Jackson’s Men- #4203 The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution – Life Member Sons of Confederate Veterans – Life Member Fraternal Order of Police – Wichita, Kansas Lodge #5 – Associate Member Wichita Wagonmasters – Top Hand COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT / SPEAKING APPEARANCES Hadley Middle School – Constitution Day Speaker Curtis Middle School – Law Day Speaker American Collegiate Society for Adapted Athletics (ACSAA) – Former Board Member Former Member of the Rotary Club of East Wichita Permanent Contributing Member of The Shriners Hospitals for Children Life Sponsor & Patron of the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc. Knights Templar Eye Foundation – Golden Chalice Award Lifetime Member of the Wichita State University Alumni Association Beta Theta Pi – Delta Gamma Chapter (Fraternity) – Campus Life Awareness Week Speaker: Campus Date Rape Issues & DUI Delta Delta Delta – Phi Xi Chapter (Sorority) – Campus Life Awareness Week Speaker: Campus Date Rape Issues & DUI Midwest Innocence Project – Former Member of the Wichita Advisory Board The Hōnore Adversis Foundation Patriot Life Member of the National Rifle Association – Benefactor Level Crystal Eastman Leadership Society – American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Kansas Masonic Foundation – Vice President of the Board of Trustees Kansas Sheriffs’ Association Delta Upsilon – Wichita State Chapter (Fraternity) – Speaker: Campus Date Rape Issues & DUI Delta Delta Delta – Phi Xi Chapter (Sorority) – Speaker: DUI’s & The Criminal Defense Process Wichita Bar Association – So You’re a Lawyer…Adulting 101, Lawyer Edition – Judges’ Panel Moderator | 2017 Wichita Bar Association – So You’re a Lawyer…Adulting 101, Lawyer Edition – Panel of Young Lawyers Moderator | 2017 Kansas Association of Legal Assistants – Paralegals – “What Now” (When Good Deeds Go Bad) | 2017 Chester Lewis Academic Learning Center – Chester Lewis Speaker Series | 2018 Kansas Christian Home – Former Member of the Board of Directors Wichita Crime Commission – Former Member Wichita Bar Association – Member Kansas Bar Association – Member American Bar Association – Member Wichita Cancer Foundation – Former Member of the Advisory Board Wichita Bar Association – Practical Tips for Avoiding the Dreaded 60-1507 – Presenter | 2020 NAACP (Wichita Branch) – Silver Life Member DeMolay International – Excalibur Chapter (Youth Leadership Organization) – Speaker | 2020 The Kansas African American Museum – Cowry Shell Leadership Society Opera Kansas – Sponsor for “Staggerwing” NextGen Under 30 Kansas – Mentor Wichita State University – Judicial/Legal Panel – Criminal Justice Student Association I 2023 Wichita State University – Guest Speaker – Criminal Justice 392 (Law Enforcement) Class I 2023 NextGen Under 30 Kansas- Keynote Speaker | 2024 Awards Ceremony
