

A guilty verdict is only permanent when its appeal is final.
Welcome to McDonnell Appeals, LLC, a boutique practice dedicated to
scholarly, high-stakes advocacy in criminal appellate and post-conviction courts.
A guilty verdict is a devastating crisis, but the fight is not over. The next step is a direct appeal.
But a direct appeal is entirely different from a trial. It is not a second trial, nor is it a search for new witnesses; it is a meticulous, research-heavy battle fought on the pages of written briefs. It takes place in a different court, governed by a separate set of complex rules and rigid procedural deadlines. At this level of litigation, a single technical misstep can end a case before its merits are ever reviewed.
To maintain the rigorous standards required in this arena, McDonnell Appeals is a strictly limited practice. We do not handle criminal trials, negotiate plea agreements, and we do not represent clients in municipal courts. Our focus is exclusive: we represent individuals in criminal direct appeals, post-conviction relief, and writs. We will navigate you through the appellate process with the precise procedural mastery and relentless advocacy your freedom demands.

Address
222 S. Central Ave.
Suite 301
Clayton, MO 63105
(by appointment only)
Phone
(314) 406-4897
Call or Text