“I always had an entrepreneurial mindset, and I wanted the independence, flexibility and ability to assume full responsibility for cases,” says Kirkconnell, who earned both his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Florida. “Practicing in a small firm provides the opportunity to do it all.”

Kirkconnell says his FBI background also provides credibility to other law enforcement agents. He was one of the first lawyers to be certified in criminal law by The Florida Bar and is a former president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Kirkconnell’s clients have included professional athletes, judges, lawyers, physicians, housewives, school kids, and foreign nationals. He handles cases ranging from misdemeanors to complex federal white collar fraud prosecutions and death penalty cases.

Kirkconnell, who serves on the Executive Committee of The Florida Bar General Practice, Small Firm and Solo Practice Section, encourages students to remember they are entering a “service profession” where developing a solid reputation for providing good service and maintaining good relationships with everyone is paramount. “Practicing law is rewarding because you can help good people who have gotten in bad trouble,” says Kirkconnell, whose daughter Cindy K. Krauss is also a UF Law graduate, practicing in Houston.