Michael J. McConnell

Michael J. McConnell is a lawyer dedicated to helping good people through their toughest times. He practices criminal defense, personal injury, and workers' compensation in New York. His office serves the following areas: NYC, Westchester County, Rockland County, & Long Island.

Call (914) 810-0510 for a free consultation.

Michael J. McConnell is an attorney in Westchester County who takes a no-nonsense approach to the practice of law while prioritizing a client-centered focus that values constant communication, clear and direct guidance, and compassionate legal representation. He is a former Manhattan prosecutor who successfully prosecuted cases ranging from misdemeanors to violent felonies. He took several cases to trial, including two jury trials that involved allegations of sexual misconduct and one of which involved two child victims.

In addition to his courtroom experience as a prosecutor, he worked for over half a decade for a major insurance carrier handling New York State workers’ compensation claims, where he obtained training and expertise in investigating workplace accidents, evaluating how much a claim is worth, and negotiating settlements.

He received his law degree from Pace Law School in White Plains where he finished in the top 10% of his graduating class and won various awards related to mock trial, moot court, and legal writing.

Attorney Advertising. Disclaimer: This website and its contents may be considered attorney advertising under the rules of certain jurisdictions. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

• Free Consultation
  Free consultation can be done by phone, video, or in person at the Law Office of Michael J. McConnell conveniently located in Westchester County in Ardsley, NY near Yonkers and is easily accessible by major highways and public transportation from the surrounding areas including all of Westchester, the Bronx, Manhattan, and Rockland County.
• Contingent Fees
  Contingency fees on personal injury and workers' compensation cases only, which means no fee unless we win.

New York

New York State Office of Court Administration

Since 2019

Attorney & Owner

The Law Office of Michael J. McConnell

2025 - Current

Michael J. McConnell is an attorney and owner of the Law Office of Michael J. McConnell. Key practice areas include: Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, & Workers’ Compensation. The Law Office of Michael J. McConnell serves the following areas: Westchester County (Yonkers, White Plains, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, & more); NYC (the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, & Staten Island), Rockland County, and Long Island. The office is located in Ardsley, NY very close to Yonkers and White Plains. Plenty of free parking on site. Free consultations offered to all potential clients, which can be done by phone, by video, or in person at a time that is convenient for you including nights and weekends. Michael J. McConnell works on a contingency fee basis for all personal injury and workers' compensation cases, so there is no fee unless we win.

Elisabeth Haub School of Law - Pace University

J.D. (2018) | Law

2016 - 2018

Honors: J.D. magna cum laude and GPA in top 10% of graduating class (accelerated program on full merit scholarship). 1st Place as the Top Advocate in Grand Moot Competition (argued in front of current and former federal district court judges of the Southern District of New York).1st Place as the Top Advocate in the Louis Fasulo First Year Moot Court Competition. Awarded “Best Closing Argument” at the GGU Law School Mock Trial Competition.

Activities: Moot court. Mock trial. Dean's Scholar for Constitutional Law. Skills Director of the Pace Law School Trial Advocacy Board. Academic Research Assistant to Professor Margot Pollans. Judicial Internship with Judge Richard J. Sullivan of the Southern District of New York. Prosecutorial Internship with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut. Criminal Defense Internship with the Law Offices of Anthony DiPietro in White Plains, NY.

Nyack College

B.S. (2013) | Criminal Justice

2011 - 2013

Honors: Graduated magna cum laude.

Activities: Team Captain of the Nyack College Baseball Team (Division II).

Injured Workers' Bar Association

Member

2025 - Current

Westchester County Bar Association

Member

2025 - Current

New York State Bar Association

Member

2024 - Current

Q. Conflict of interest in a domestic violence case where the prosecutor becomes the victim and files charges.

June 21, 2025

A: Thank you for this question. It appears from the question that this is a case where a prosecutor secured a conviction despite the victim not wishing to “press charges.” There are a few really important things to know about this type of situation.

First, in a criminal prosecution, the case is brought by the state against the defendant (the persona arrested). This means that there is usually no legal requirement that the victim desires to “press charges.” Even if the victim doesn’t wish to see the defendant prosecuted, the state can still proceed with the case.

That is different than how cases operate in the civil justice system. In the civil system, if a victim (plaintiff) tells their own lawyer to not proceed with filing a lawsuit, the lawyer must follow their wishes. In contrast, a prosecutor represents the state, which means they are generally not legally bound to follow the requests of the victim.

Second, while criminal prosecutions are often more difficult when the alleged victim is uncooperative or unwilling to testify, cases can still be proved beyond a reasonable doubt if the other evidence (including things like witness testimony) is strong enough. In other words, someone can still be convicted even if the victim refuses to testify in court.

Third, a prosecutor who pursues a case even without the victim (or even fully against their wishes) doesn’t become the victim in any legal sense. They remain the prosecutor on the case. The victim remains the person who was alleged to have been harmed. As a result, there is usually no legal, ethical, or constitutional conflict of interest when a prosecutor seeks a conviction in that situation.

Finally, regarding the question about the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction to hear an appeal of this particular case, it is important to know the following: 1) The Supreme Court only takes a small amount of cases after a petition for certiorari, which on a case like this can only happen after all state remedies have been exhausted (meaning the case needs to be appealed all the way to and decided by the state’s highest court); and 2) there typically needs to be a federal or constitutional question that is preserved for review by the Supreme Court. Even if that criteria is somehow met in a case like this, the Supreme Court is not obligated to take the case. For context, I believe they grant less than 1% of the cert petitions they receive.

I hope you find this information helpful and informative. I know it can often be confusing navigating the legal system, particularly concerning complex situations like the one involved in your question. I would encourage you to consider speaking with an attorney licensed in your state who can provide personalized legal advice for you in this situation.

The above response is for general educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. ... Read More

Q. Concern about legal implications of receiving explicit material from a minor.

June 21, 2025

A: As a general rule, the initial receiving of explicit photographs from someone who misrepresents their age should usually not result in criminal charges so long as the recipient neither knew nor should've known that the individual was a minor.

With that said, I would STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you contact a qualified criminal defense lawyer in your state for a consultation where they can speak with you privately and confidentially about the exact facts in your situation.

Depending on the exact facts, you will want to understand what, if any, criminal liability may exist in your situation. While the general rule mentioned above is helpful to know, every case has unique facts that can change the analysis. Additionally, even when the initial receiving of an image or video is not unlawful due to one's lack of knowledge that the sender was a minor, keeping said material in your possession can have criminal consequences depending on the facts. There may also be requirements for deleting and/or reporting the image, which are things that a qualified attorney can assist you with. For these reasons, you should proceed cautiously and immediately consult a lawyer.

The above response is for general educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. For personalized legal advice, you should contact a qualified attorney licensed to practice in your state. ... Read More

Q. Can my conspiracy case be thrown out due to warrant errors?

June 21, 2025

A: I am so sorry to hear about your situation and am wishing you all the best as you fight the charges. With that said, it will be important for you to rely on the advice of your attorney as they are familiar with the facts of your case and can help you determine the best legal strategy.

Based on the information provided in the question, I can answer a few things from the standpoint of providing general information and education on this subject.

A 4th Amendment violation based on a defective warrant or invalid search can be grounds to have evidence suppressed, which means the evidence obtained from the search gets thrown out.

What is important to understand, however, is that even if the evidence from the particular search gets thrown out, that doesn’t automatically mean the whole case gets dismissed. Of course, there are definitely plenty cases where the evidence being suppressed or thrown out is so critical to the case that without it there really is no case. In such instances, the case might very well get dismissed. In contrast, if the prosecution still has a strong case even without the evidence from the search, they can very well go forward with the case.

Again, I’m wishing you all the best during this very difficult time. Facing a B Felony is a serious matter. If there are grounds to suppress evidence, your attorney should make that argument. If the motion is successful and the evidence suppressed was so critical to the case that the prosecution cannot go forward without it, that could result in a dismissal. However, your attorney will be in the best position currently to talk to you about these scenarios and the possibilities that could result.

The above response is for general educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. For personalized legal advice, you should contact a qualified attorney licensed to practice in your state. ... Read More