Joseph S. Passanise graduated with honors from Missouri State University with an undergraduate degree in Political Science and Communication (1991) and a Master of Arts in Communication (1993). He continued his education as a Rotary Scholar, obtaining a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of London, Imperial College (1995), and his Juris Doctor degree, with Honors, from Washburn University School of Law (1997), where he was also named to the Order of Barristers. Passanise is licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
He is also licensed in Missouri’s Western and Eastern District Federal Courts and has been fortunate to practice in multiple Federal and State Jurisdictions across the United States. As the Managing Partner of Wampler & Passanise, he practices criminal defense in Federal, State, and Municipal Courts. For over 25 years, he practiced law with his late Partner Dee Wampler and has been at the Firm for over 35 years, handling thousands cases. Many of them high profile, garnering national and international media attention. His peers recognized Passanise as one of the Best Lawyers in America for 18 years (2007-Present) in the practice areas of criminal defense, white-collar crimes, and DUI defense. He was chosen as Springfield Lawyer of the Year for Criminal Defense: White Collar (2026). He has received Lawyer of the Year recognition a total of six times over his career. Wampler & Passanise has been recognized as a Best Firm by Best Lawyers for over 15 years (2010-Present). He has also been selected as a Super Lawyer by Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers Magazine for over 19 years. (2006-Present). In 2013, Passanise was selected as a fellow by the American Board of Criminal Lawyers (ABCL). The ABCL selects attorneys who practice criminal law using a rigorous vetting process. Very few criminal defense attorneys have been selected from Missouri. Passanise is a Lifetime Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) and the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL). He is a Past President of MACDL (2004-2005). He was recognized by his peers for Excellence in Trial Advocacy with the prestigious Charles M. Shaw Award (2013).
The Missouri Bar awarded Passanise the President’s Award for his leadership during the adoption of the nonpartisan Court Plan in Greene County (2008). He received the Missouri Bar’s Lon O. Hocker Trial Advocacy Award (2002). The Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association (SMBA) awarded Passanise the President’s Award for extraordinary service (2008) for his work on the nonpartisan court plan. Passanise has served on the Board of Directors for the SMBA, is a Sustaining Member, and has been the Chair of the Criminal Law Committee. He is a frequent speaker at Missouri Bar CLE and MACDL conferences and has authored articles on criminal law topics in numerous legal publications. Martindale-AVVO has recognized Passanise with its highest rating of AV for over 16 years. He is a National Trial Lawyers Top 100 (2007 Present) and a member of the National College of DUI Defense (2004-Present). He became an NCDD Sustaining Member in 2021 and was chosen to be a State Delegate in 2024. In 2022, the Springfield Business Journal (SBJ) selected Passanise as one its 12 to Know and a Trusted Advisor. Missouri Lawyers Media recognized him in 2023 as a Firm Leader. In 2005, he was included in the SBJ’s Class of 40 Under 40. In 2024, Missouri State University recognized him with the Bear of Distinction Award, and in 2025, he was awarded the Dean’s Alumni Award by the Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities. Passanise has been a National Officer for Phi Delta Theta for over 25 years. He is a member of the United States Supreme Court and Missouri Supreme Court Historical Societies. Passanise has received Appointments from Missouri’s Governor to the State’s Tourism Commission (2020) and the Senate Redistricting Commission (2011, 2021). He has been involved in numerous political campaigns at the National and State levels. He maintains a Class D Soccer License and coaches high-school teams for Rush Soccer Club.
