John C. Conard
John C. Conard is the founding partner of Conard Law, PLLC, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mr. Conard is a trial lawyer. In his criminal practice he focuses on Federal and White Collar matters. He is most well-known for taking on complex cases involving expert witness testimony, forensic science, or complicated federal charges. He has obtained not guilty verdicts in the toughest Federal cases including Tax Fraud, Money Laundering, Wire Fraud, Mail Fraud, and Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and mail fraud. He has obtained not guilty verdicts in multiple murder cases and has never lost a criminal sexual conduct trial.
Mr. Conard also has a significant record of achievement as a civil trial lawyer focusing on difficult cases in difficult jurisdictions. He has obtained verified seven and eight figure verdicts and settlements in conservative rural jurisdictions.
Mr. Conard has substantial trial experience and is a graduate of the prestigious and selective Trial Lawyers College. He was invited to the national faculty of the college by founder Gerry Spence, and has been national faculty since 2015. He studiedDNA defense with the National Institute for Science and Technology and is a certified criminal law specialist through the Minnesota State Bar Association. He is a national speaker and trainer on the use of forensic science in trial and has been published on the subject by Thomson Reuters.
Mr. Conard has earned numerous other honors and awards. Mpls.St.Paul Magazine included him on its “top attorney” list multiple years in a row and the National Trial Lawyers named him a “top 100 trial lawyer” since 2014. He has been continually selected as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" by U.S.News and World Report, and his firm was selected as one of the "Best Law firms in America" by U.S.News and World Report.
Mr. Conard holds a license to practice law before all Minnesota state courts, as well as the 8th, 6th, and 2nd Circuits Federal Courts of Appeal, and the NDNY, EDNY, and SDNY, the District of North Dakota, and the Eastern District of Michigan (Detroit). He regularly represents high value individuals from other countries in Federal Court across the country.
Achievements
First Admitted: 2006, Minnesota
Educational Background:
- Central College, B.A., in Political Science, Philosophy and Economics, 1995
Bar/Professional Activity
- Member, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, 2012 – Present
- Minnesota Association for Justice Board of Governors. Selected to the Board of Governors, 2020
- Member, Chicago County Bar Association, 2006 – Present
- Member, Ramsey County Bar Association, 2006 – Present
- Trial Lawyers College, National Faculty
- Member, Anoka County Bar Association, 2006 – Present
- Member, Minnesota State Bar Association, 10th District Bar Association, 2006 – Present
- Board of Directors, Steinair Inc. 2004 – 2011
- Board Member, Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2012 – Present
- Member, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2006 – Present
- Member, Washington County Bar Association, 2006 – Present
- Tort Preservation Member- Minnesota Association for Justice., 2017
Special Licenses/Certifications
- Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College, Trial Practice, Graduate II, 2011
- Certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association as a Criminal Law Specialist
- AAFS- Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, 2013
- AAFS- Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, 2014
- Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College, Jury Trial Practice, F- Warrior, 2010
- Grad II, Trial Lawyers College. Each year I dedicate one week to both presenting and learning the newest and most advanced trial skills as a returning graduate of the selective Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College., 2012
- DNA Defense--National Institute for Science and Technology, 2011
Complex Criminal Acquittals
- Mr. Conard has more that 70 felony not guilty verdicts, including not guilty verdicts in the toughest cases:
- Murder
- Conspiracy
- Conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud
- Mail Fraud
- Wire Fraud
- Embezzlement
- Felony Assault
- Assault
- Sex Crimes
- Drug Crimes
- Fleeing Police in a Motor Vehicle
- Burglary
Civil Trial Counsel Verdicts and Settlements
- Mr. Conard has obtained verified substantial verdicts and settlements, including seven and 8 figure recoveries in some of the toughest matters including
- Traumatic Brain Injury.
- Catastrophic Injury.
- Nursing home injury.
- Workplace and construction site injury.
- Surgical Malpractice.
- Insurance Bad Faith.
- Minor Car Crashes with Significant Trauma.
Honors/Awards
- Selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America by U.S. News and World Report, Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers in America, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Selected to WHo's WHo in America., Marquis Who's Who, Marquis Who's Who, 2019 - Current
- Rated as a Superlawyer for 2020., Superlawyers, Superlawyers, 2020
- Rated as Superlawyer for 2019, Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 2019
- Rated as a top attorney in Minnesota, Top Attorney, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine, 2019
- Rated Superlawyer, Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 2018
- Top Attorneys in Minnesota, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine, 2018
- Top Attorneys in Minnesota, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine, 2017
- Top attorney rating in white collar and criminal defense., Top Attorney, Avvo, 2018
- Top Attorneys in Minnesota, Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine, 2016
- Top Attorney rating in white collar and criminal defense., Top Attorney, Avvo, 2016
- Certificate of Appreciation for Exemplary Work Ramsey County Attorney's Office, 2010
- Excellence for the future Award- Contracts, CALI, 2004
- Summa Cum Laude, William Mitchell College of Law, 2006
- G.D. Boat Scholarship for excellence in Political Science Central College, 1993
- Ranked Third in his Class, William Mitchell College of Law
- Top 100 Trial Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyers, 2014
- Public Service Award, Minnesota Justice Foundation, 2006
- Founder's Scholarship, William Mitchell College of Law, 2003
- Wormhoudt Pre-Law Scholarship, Central College, 1991
- National Intercollegiate Mock Trial Tournament, American Mock Trial Association
- Client Distinction Award Martindale-Hubbell, 2013
- Excellence for the Future Award - Securities Regulation CALI, 2005
- Vander Lugt Award for excellence in philosophy Central College, 1993
- Martindale-Hubbell® Client Distinction Award Recipient
- Prestigious Trial Lawyers College and accepted back every year since his admission for hundreds of hours of graduate work
Scholarly Lectures/Writings
- Advanced Voire Dire instruction for the Minnesota Association for Justice., Faculty, Advanced Voire Dire, Minnesota Association for Justice, Trial Lawyers, 2019
- A local TED type group in Manhattan, I am an invited speaker in their ongoing "Salon Series" which serves investment professionals and their lawyers., Faculty, What Isn't White Collar Crime these Days? Salon Series- National Thinkers Symposium, Finance And Law, 2019
- Teach Advanced Voire Dire in a three day seminar, Faculty, Voire dire Regional Seminar, New York 2019, Trial Lawyers College, 2019
- Teaching graduates of the Trial Lawyers College advanced presentation and message techniques., Faculty, Graduate One Trial Lawyers College, Trial Lawyers College, 2019
- Faculty at a three day seminar on advanced voire dire., Faculty, Voire dire Regional Seminar, New Orleans 2019, Trial Lawyers College, 2019
- Instructor--Seminar covering advanced messaging and framing. Worked with experts to deliver practical useful approaches to trial messaging for an audience of the best trial lawyers in Minnesota., Instructor, Advanced Trial Story, Minnesota Association For Justice, 2018
- Instructor-- Week long workshop with the most accomplished criminal trial lawyers from around the country. Every aspect of trial practice was developed including voire dire, cross examination, discovery strategy, storytelling, direct examination, complex case presentation, closing argument, and open statements., Faculty, In Defense of the Damned, Trial Lawyers College, 2018
- Guest Lecturer--Advanced methods to deal with difficult issues in difficult cases. How to create an environment where covert biases can be discovered, and discussed., Instructor, Advanced Voire Dire, Iowa Association For Justice, 2018
- Instructor--Three day seminar instructing accomplished lawyers on the newest techniques to discover the winning trial story, including how to find and describe the emotional truth of a story., Faculty, Discovering the Story, Trial Lawyers College- Texas, 2018
- Instructor and Judge-- At the culmination of the selective Trial Lawyers College is a week that includes mock trials and integration of all the skills taught in the first two weeks. Judged trials and offered instruction on integrating skills and strategies to achieve connection and persuasion., Faculty, Trial Lawyers College- July 2018, Trial Lawyers College, 2018
- Instructor-- Graduate program for accomplished trial lawyers that have graduated from the selective Trial Lawyers College. This is a week long program addressing core presentation skills and techniques. Using the most advanced techniques from the courtroom and the performing arts, we focus on connection and persuasion in communication., Faculty, Grad One, Trial Lawyers College, 2018
- Group Leader- This is a week long seminar for graduates of the selective Trial Lawyers College. We worked on advanced cross examination techniques focused on expert witnesses., Group Leader, Graduate 2, Trial Lawyers College, 2018
- Faculty, Trial Lawyers College- Direct Examination, Trial Lawyer's College, 2017
- Guest Speaker, Motions and More, Nebraska Criminal Defense Lawyer's Association, 2017
- Faculty, In Defense of the Damned, Trial Lawyers College, 2017
- Instructor, Advanced Trial Series- Voire Dire, Minnesota Association Of Justice, 2017
- Instructor, Advanced Trial Skills Series- Discovering the Story, MAJ Minnesota Association of Justice, 2017
- Faculty, Trial Lawyers College, Trial Lawyer's College, 2017
- Faculty- Atlanta regional seminar, Trial lawyers College - Closing Arguments, Trial Lawyers College, 2016
- Faculty and group leader, Defending the Damned- On campus in Dubois Wyoming, Trial Lawyers College, 2016
- Instructor at the three week college, the most prestigious and selective trial program in the country., Faculty and group leader, The Trial Lawyers College, The Trial Lawyers College, 2016
- Lecturer, Advanced Cross Examination of Forensic Experts, MSBA, 2015
- Lead a group exploration of voire dire in complex sex crimes cases., Group Leader, Grad Two, Trial Lawyers College Grad II, 2015
- Speaker, Rules of the Road Cross Examination of Expert Witnesses, Minnesota Association of Justice, A New Era Of Trial, 2014
- Presented and lead a group session on the effective cross examination of expert witnesses., Presenter, Cross Examining Forensic Experts, Trial Lawyers College, Trial Lawyers College, 2014
- Author, Imperfect Heroes, The Warrior- The Journal Of The Trial Lawyer's College, 2014
- Forensic Evidence: The Criminal Defense Attorney's Never-Ending Education, Utilizing Forensic Science in Criminal Cases, West Publishing, 2011
- Speaker, Cross examining Forensic Experts, Minnesota State Bar- Criminal Trial School, 2013
- Session Leader, Trial Lawyers College, 2013
- Search Warrants Current Law, BCA Criminal Justice Training, 2011
- Brief Writing: Clarity and Persuasion, Public Defender District Training, 2008
- West Law's "Utilizing Forensic Science in Criminal Cases."
Industry Groups
- American Academy Of Forensic Science
- MACDL
- NACDL
- Trial Lawyers College
All the Awards that Matter
The attorneys at Conard Law have been recognized for their skill and expertise.
