Jennifer Bukowsky is an award-winning trial and appellate attorney. She has handled over 1,400 criminal cases on behalf of clients charged with offenses ranging from municipal misdemeanor violations to first-degree murder charges. She has tried dozens of jury trials, including one where her client received the only “not guilty” on a murder charge from Boone County in over 50 years. Jennifer also litigated, appealed, and eventually won the freedom for two different pro bono clients with actual innocence claims after each had wrongfully served more than 20 years in prison. One of those clients was only 14 years old and in eighth grade when he was arrested and then wrongfully convicted of murder, and unconstitutionally sentenced to mandatory life without parole. Jennifer received a J.D. with highest honors from the University of Missouri School of Law.

Jennifer has been a weekly guest on the Gary Nolan Show since 2012 and has made countless appearances on other radio and TV shows (including Fox News, CourtTV, Newsmax and more). 

Jennifer lives in Columbia, Missouri with her husband, Brant, and their two sons, Blake & Gus.

EXPERIENCE

Exec Director & Founding Member- Show-Me Defenders- 2021- present

Bukowsky Law Firm- 2010-2020

Adjunct Law Professor- UMKC- 2016

Assist. Public Defender- Missouri State Public Defender System- 2007-2010

Missouri Supreme Court Law Clerk to Hon. Mary R. Russell 2006-2007

Armstrong Teasdale- Summer Associate- 2004, 2005

Missouri Senate- Law Student Intern to Senator Jason Crowell- 2006

Auditor- BKD, LLP- 2001-2003

EDUCATION

University of Missouri School of Law (J.D. 2006)

  • Order of the Coif
  • Missouri Law Review Member (2 articles published)
  • Wallace Walter Prize for being #1 in her class after 1L year
  • Mock Trial – first place
  • 1L Moot Court- Top 10 Oralist
  • Eight different awards for receiving the highest grades in various courses including Contracts, Property Law, Administrative Law, Family Law, and State Constitutional Law.

University of Missouri- Columbia (Masters & Bachelors of Accounting 2001)

Awards

  • President’s Award for Distinguished Service, Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys- 2021
  • Women’s Justice Rising Star Award, Missouri Lawyers Weekly- 2017
  • David J. Dixon Award for Appellate Advocacy Award, Missouri Bar Foundation-2015
  • Distinguished Recent Alumni Award, University of Missouri- 2015
  • Missouri State Public Defender Director’s Award 2015
  • “20 Under 40” Award, Columbia Business Times- 2014
  • Pro Bono Publico Award, Missouri Bar YLS- 2013
  • Dancing With the Missouri Stars- 2nd Place, MCB charity event- 2011
  • Employee of the Quarter, BKD LLP- 2002

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES (partial list)

  • Federalist Society Jefferson City Lawyers Chapter
    • President 2021-present
    • Vice President 2019-2020
    • Steering Committee and membership director- 2017-2019
  • Show-Me Institute
    • Board of Directors, 2018-present
    • Litigation Committee chair 2019-present
  • Missouri Supreme Court Task Force on Criminal Justice, 2017-present
  • Boone County Bar Association since 2007
    • President 2014-2015
    • Vice President 2013-2014
    • Board Member 2015-2016
    • Criminal Law Committee Chair 2010-2013
  • Missouri Bar Criminal Practice and Procedure Committee since 2007
    • Criminal Code Revision Subcommittee 2010-2013
    • Drafting Subcommittee (one of ten attorneys appointed to draft an expungement bill)- 2014-2015
    • Council 2014-present
  • Republican National Lawyers Association since 2012

ADMISSIONS

Missouri- 2006

United States Supreme Court- 2012

Eight Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals- 2017

United States District Court Western District of Missouri- 2006

Missouri Certified Public Accountant- 2001