Attorney Jeff Gedbaw, & Gedbaw Law Firm’s Philosophy

Upon graduation, he was eager to begin work as a trial lawyer, so he joined the Missouri State Public Defender System and began his career as a criminal defense lawyer. During his time with the Missouri State Public Defender, he perfected his skills as a not only an excellent trial attorney but also as an excellent litigator and negotiator.  He developed a reputation as a defense lawyer who would strongly advocate to protect the constitutional rights of his clients, whether that was through negotiating excellent plea offers for them when necessary or through trial advocacy in front of juries.

He spent the majority of his time as a public defender in the Kansas City Trial Office, where he not only handled some of the most serious cases in the Kansas City area but also served as a supervisor for a team of trial attorneys.  When new attorneys had questions on the law or needed help getting a case ready for trial, he was one of the people they would go to for help. He developed an excellent reputation not only amongst his fellow defense lawyers but also amongst the prosecutors he litigated against every day, as well as the judges he appeared before on a regular basis.  He developed a reputation as a defense lawyer who would always appear in court fully knowledgeable about the law and prepared to fight on behalf of his clients.

Eventually, he obtained a position with the Federal Public Defender’s Office in Jacksonville, Florida.  This position allowed him to continue his work in protecting the constitutional rights of his clients, as well as handling highly complex federal criminal cases.  The federal criminal system can be brutal towards those accused of crimes, but he was able to use the negotiation, litigation, and trial skills he learned as a state public defender to protect the rights of those whom the federal government was prosecuting for federal offenses.

After serving as a Federal Public Defender, he decided to return to the Kansas City area and open his own law practice.  While he still maintained strong feelings about criminal defense and specifically about protecting the constitutional rights of those accused of crimes, he felt that his legal skills could be used more broadly than focusing exclusively on criminal defense. 

After extensive legal training, he has now developed expertise in the areas of bankruptcy and family law, as well as his continued knowledge of the criminal court system.  He handles cases in both Missouri and Kansas and litigates cases in both state and federal courts. He treats his clients with respect and dignity, while also aggressively advocating for all clients so that they can obtain the best outcome possible.