Kevin Joseph Kiernan

Kevin Joseph Kiernan

5.0
Rating: 9.3

Licensed for 18 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Clinton, NC
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, DUI & DWI, Speeding & Traffic Ticket, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

101 West Main Street, PO Box 1072, Clinton, NC

About Kevin

Biography

Practice Areas

4

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 55%

Including 5 years as a prosecutor, working every type of case from Class 3 misdemeanors to murder.

19 years | 2,500 cases

55%
DUI and DWI 20%

Including 5 years as a prosecutor. Tried several DWIs, to include jury trials. Successfully argued several stop motions and other motions in district and superior court. Successfully argued the DWI-CDL-Double Jeopardy issue on behalf of the State in superior court in 2012.

19 years | 200 cases

20%
Speeding and Traffic Ticket 20%

Including 5 years as a prosecutor handling every type of traffic ticket on the dockets.

19 years | 2,500 cases

20%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

Looking for an attorney? Avvo can help.

search module image

Search our directory

Quickly connect with top attorneys through our legal directory to get help with your legal issue.

chat module image

Avvo's live chat agents can help coordinate a consultation with a local attorney.

Chat with a live agent who can match you with the right attorney for your legal needs.

Chat with

Licenses

Licensed in North Carolina for 18 years

State: North Carolina

Acquired: 2007

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Silva, Kiernan & Associates, PLLC

101 West Main Street, PO Box 1072, Clinton, NC, 28329

Ad

Transform legal challenges into solutions.

Connect now to review your situation.

The Avvo Rating explained

display-bg

The Avvo Rating explained

Kevin Joseph Kiernan's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

3 Client Reviews

Filter Avvo Reviews (3) Refine reviews to match your needs. Use the filters to quickly surface reviews that align with your case or priorities.
Star rating
5 stars 3
4 stars 0
3 stars 0
2 stars 0
1 star 0
Practice Areas

Showing 1 - 1 of 1 review | Character & Conduct

Posted by Christal | February 17, 2014 | Criminal Defense

I probably will always call on him for all my legal matters. Hes been the best Attorney I have ever had and court appointed.

I DID NOT SELECT POOR FOR ANY CATAGORY I SELECTED ALL EXCELLENT BUT NOT ALL WOULD CHANGE FROM POOR. . .Mr. Keirnan is outstanding as an attorney and a very thorough attorney at that. He is not judgemental and treated me with sincere respect even having the charges I did. Most aren't like that. He is ...smart and honest. Even Duplin Counties assistant DA has give him alot of challenge and has made it an effoet to put his ability to the test. So far he is still standing strong and deserves to be acknowledged for his excellence. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do for me Mr. Keirnan.

See All Client Reviews

Kevin Joseph Kiernan's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Kevin
Christopher James Welch headshot
Christopher Welch

Criminal defense lawyer | Sep 05

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"Kevin is one of the sharpest attorneys I know. Frankly, it was a shame when he left the DA's office as it was not only challenging to have him on the other side of a case but also a pleasure to work with him. If you are looking for an intelligent, ethical and hard-working lawyer, I would recommend Kevin."

Nathan Edward Sweet headshot
Nathan Sweet

Criminal defense lawyer | Jul 31

Relationship: Co-worker

"Kevin Kiernan is the kind of lawyer that everyone in the legal community respects. This is because of Kevin's work ethic and his superior intellect. It is no secret that as an Assistant District Attorney he was the prosecutor that other Assistant District Attorneys, from several different counties away, called to answer complex legal questions. There are not many lawyers out there who have tried everything from traffic tickets to murder cases. There are many attorneys who talk to the talk, but Kevin has the experience AND intellect to get you the best result possible. This is why Matt Silva and I of Silva, Sweet & Kiernan pursued him as a law partner and asked him to open an office in Clinton, North Carolina. Kevin is the attorney you should call for all your legal needs."

Matthew Vernon Silva headshot
Matthew Silva

Unknown lawyer | Aug 31

Relationship: Co-worker

"Mr. Kiernan is probably the strongest advocate you can have in Sampson and Duplin. He and I were hired by the District Attorney's Office at the same time and we shared an office. I watched, in amazement, Kevin repeatedly prevail in cases that most attorneys would have abandoned. It is for that reason I selected Kevin as a NAMED partner in my firm. From my experience in watching Mr. Kiernan, I believe he can take just about any case and provide the best representation possible."

View All Endorsements
Nicholas Anthony Ziolkowski headshot
Nicholas Ziolkowski

General practice lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.3 (Superb)

Honors

2004

Magna Cum Laude - Graduation, North Carolina State University

Work Experience

2014 - Present

Partner, Silva, Kiernan & Associates, PLLC

2013 - 2014

Partner, Silva, Sweet & Kiernan, PLLC

2011 - 2013

Assistant District Attorney, State of NC, Fourth Prosecutorial District - Duplin

2007 - 2011

Assistant District Attorney, State of NC, Fourth Prosecutorial District - Sampson

2006 - 2006

Certified Legal Intern, Durham County District Attorney's Office

2005 - 2005

Legal Intern, Monroe County Public Defender's Office

2000 - 2005

Software Developer, Cisys, Inc.

Associations

2015 - Present

National College for DUI Defense

Member

2013 - Present

U.S. District Court for Eastern District of NC

Admitted to Practice

2013 - Present

American Immigration Lawyers Association

Member

2013 - Present

Fourth Circuit Bar Association

Executive Committee Member

2008 - Present

Sampson County Bar

Member

2007 - Present

North Carolina Bar Association

Admitted to Practice

2007 - Present

Fourth Judicial District Bar

Member

2005 - Present

Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity

2003 - Present

Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society)

2013 - 2016

Sampson County Bar Association

President

Sample of Legal Cases

State of NC v. McKenzie

Prevailed in Superior Court, was appealed, but our position was ultimately upheld

See More Legal Cases

Education

2007

Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington

JD - Juris Doctor

2004

North Carolina State University

BS - Bachelor of Science

N/A

Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)

Speaking Engagements

2018

Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET)

Courtroom Trial Experience

2017

Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET)

Courtroom Trial Experience

2015

Campbell University - Law School Class

Juvenile Law - Abuse, Neglect, Dependency

2015

Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET)

Courtroom Trial Experience

2013

Campbell University - Law School Class

Juvenile Law - Abuse, Neglect, Dependency

2013

Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET)

Courtroom Trial Experience

2010

Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET)

Courtroom Trial Experience

2009

Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET)

Courtroom Trial Experience

Languages

English

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution