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William Joseph Kennedy III

Criminal defense Attorney at Beaufort, NC

5.0   28 reviews

also known as Joe Kennedy

Free consultation
Free consultation
  • Licensed for 17 years
    State NC
    Acquired 2006
    Status
    Active No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

About William

Learn William’s areas of practice.

JOE KENNEDY IS A FORMER PROSECUTOR WHO HAS SUCCESSFULLY HANDLED TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CRIMINAL CASES.

SUMMARY:  Joe Kennedy is a former prosecutor who has successfully handled tens of thousands of criminal cases, including hundreds of DWI trials. He has attended concentrated training courses in a variety of areas, including the Intox EC/IR II (Intoximeter) Operator School Conducted by the NC Department of Health and Human Services, as well as DWI Detection & Standardized Field Sobriety Testing promulgated by NHTSA.  He has also attended the Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) promulgated by NHTSA.

 

Joe Kennedy has lived in Carteret County since 2009 and resides in Morehead City with his wife, Natalie. Prior to joining Cummings & Cummings in June of 2012, Joe prosecuted thousands of criminal and traffic cases, including hundreds of Driving While Impaired offenses for District Attorney Scott Thomas in the district’s Beaufort office. Joe attended concentrated training in a variety of areas, including the Intox EC/IR II (Intoximeter) Operator School Conducted by the NC Department of Health and Human Services. As a prosecutor, Joe studied the strategies and tactics of elders in the criminal defense bar, while learning valuable lessons from seasoned law enforcement professionals. He also met his wife, Natalie, who was then employed as a Special Agent with the NC Department of Public Safety’s Alcohol Law Enforcement Division.

While employed as a prosecutor, Joe also served on the adjunct faculty at Carteret Community College and taught classes in Criminal Law and Constitutional Law.  Joe still serves on the College’s Board of Law and Technology.

Prior to joining the District Attorney’s office in April of 2010, Joe was a private solo practitioner and concentrated his practice exclusively in the area of criminal defense.

Joe gained admission to the North Carolina State Bar in 2006, the same year that he graduated from Samford University’s Cumberland School of Law. Joe graduated in the top 20% of his class and earned a spot on the Dean’s List every semester. While At Cumberland, Joe was president of the school's Federalist Society chapter and North Carolina student Bar Association.

While in law school, Joe interned as a Civilian Summer Law Clerk at the Joint Law Center aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.  That experience gave him an appreciation for the unique legal issues that face the men and women in uniform who are stationed near the Crystal Coast.  

Joe received his BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from UNC Chapel Hill in 2000. While at Chapel Hill, Joe was a member and treasurer of the Upsilon Chapter of Kappa Alpha Order.  Joe also interned with (then) Congressman Richard Burr’s Washington, DC office.  After graduation, Joe worked in Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina before attending law school.

Joe is a member of the Carteret County Bar, District 3-B Bar, N.C. Bar Association and North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers. He limits his practice Criminal, DWI and Traffic law to ensure that his clients get the maximum amount of attention and resources for the best possible outcome.  When not at work, he enjoys boating, hunting and fishing with his wife, Natalie, and Labrador Retriever, Boone.

Awards

Client's Choice 2015,2014,2013
Client's Choice
2015 2014 2013

Contact William

Cummings & Kennedy Law Firm, PLLC

Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  28 customer reviews
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Client's Choice 2015
Client's Choice
Client's Choice is an Avvo award granted to attorneys with a significant number of client reviews over 4 stars in a given year.
Posted by anonymous | September 2, 2014
Mr. Kennedy the Miracle-Worker
Mr. Kennedy was hands down the best lawyer I have ever worked with. He worked on my case for over a year and appeared in court on my behalf so that I would not have to come down until my final court date (I live 5.5 hours from Beaufort). He worked with me on paying off my fees in installments, allowing me to determine the amount and timing of the payments. His office staff is very friendly and helpful as well; they were always cheerful and prompt at answering questions I had regarding the case. He gave me the plan for the case at the very beginning and stuck to it all the way to the end. Mr. Kennedy got my DUI charge dismissed completely, something I would have never been able to do without his assistance. I cannot say enough good things about this law firm. Easily some of the nicest and most agreeable people I have worked with (law-related or not). I wish all attorneys displayed the sincere and genuine concern that Mr. Kennedy showed to me while dealing with my case. Thank you again for everything!
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Posted by Matthew | December 18, 2013
Very satisfied beyond expectation.
Mr. Kennedy has been the best lawyer I've ever had the opportunity to have represent me. His knowledge of the law diminishes any lawyer in the past. His dedication and hard work even when I was uncooperative and unresponsive astonished me. He has kept me out of jail, gotten me my license back and had unbelievable charges completely dismissed. He has inspired and motivated me to stay out of any type of trouble in the future. Even with my own sister becoming a lawyer in another state, I can still say I would have Mr. Kennedy represent me over any other in the future and I would never hesitate to recommend him to any one of my friends or family.
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Posted by anonymous | October 12, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Quick answers
Was very professional and had excellent information. My fears were taken away after our talk! I know now he is reliable and trustworthy! Very pleased, hired him after our consultation!
Posted by joshmills2308 | November 19, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Gentleman and a Professional
There is no doubt that Mr. Kennedy is the person you want in your corner no matter the case! Thank goodness for Mr. Kennedy and his great firm. He was extremely responsive and his staff were there always there for me too. I felt as though because it was important to me, it was important to them. I was out of state and they took care of everything and got the case dismissed! Again, there is not anyone who takes their jobs more seriously!
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Posted by William | September 15, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
DWI dismissed and helped with my expungement
This would've been my 2nd DWI in 3 years, I thought that given the circumstances there would be no chance of me coming out of this case on top. The advice most of the other attorneys gave me was plea guilty and at best I might not have to do any jail time. I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome and I believe that Joe is definitely your best option!
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Posted by Andrew | July 28, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Job well done
Mr Kennedy handled my DWI case recently. I always felt that he had the situation under control and truly cared about the outcome of my case. He was also pleasant to deal with and responsive to my calls. The case was decided in my favor at trial because of his diligence and willingness to speak up for me.
Posted by Ian | November 15, 2015
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
There is Hope
Mr. Kennedy helped me when I thought all was lost. I am in the Marine Corps and was charged with a DUI. The Marine Corps took action and enforced maximum punishment upon me before I was even charged by the state. I thought all was lost and I had no hope of things getting better, until I contacted Joe Kennedy. He was very helpful and encouraging through the whole process yet was very real with me and provided no BS. He represented me even when my hectic schedule did not allow me to be present in court and was extremely professional throughout the whole case. We ended up beating my case and I can not thank him or the law firm of cummings and kennedy enough. I owe my future to them.
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Posted by Catherine | November 8, 2015
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Mr. Kennedy is the Best attorney in Carteret County
Mr. Kennedy represented me in an unfortunate DWI case. Through his professional expertise and excellent knowledge of the law, my case was dropped to which I will be eternally grateful. If you need the Best attorney to represent you with your case, do not hesitate to contact Mr. Kennedy.
Posted by Jess | September 22, 2015
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Best Lawyer Ever!
My Public Defender failed to do his job and as a consequence I was in violation of my probation. I went to Joe Kennedy at the last minute and hired him to help me with my case. Without Joe I would have done 120 days in jail. I took all of Joe's advice like paying all my fines, gaining employment, getting doctor letters and a few other things. With this Joe was able to work with my probation officer and the ADA and was able to correct the damage my public defender did. As a result I did not have to serve anytime and I am now off of probation. Joe was straight forward, honest, supportive and very friendly. He was exactly what I needed and he helped me through a stressful nerve racking court cause. It was such a relief to not see my name on the court calendar for the first time in 3 years. Thank you Joe!
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Posted by Duke | May 6, 2015
Best Lawyer in Carteret County
Mr. Kennedy is an awesome lawyer. He and his staff are extremely professional and made a very difficult situation easier. I was kept informed of all aspects of my case. I have to travel a lot for my job and he was able to keep me from having to miss any time away from work. Mr. Kennedy was able to get me an outcome that was much better than I had hoped for. I would recommend Mr. Kennedy to anyone!
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Posted by Nicole | February 19, 2015
Multiple Speeding Tickets
Joe Kennedy was able to handle two speeding tickets I received within a week from each other with a better outcome than I could have imagined. He had both of them reduced, and I never had to go to court.
Posted by Mark | February 19, 2015
THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICES
19 February 2015 To Cummings and Kennedy Law Firm: I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your staff for the superb representation and moral support I received during my case. Words alone do not express my gratitude to the expert handling of my DUI case. Your composure and low key manner offered me a degree of comfort that I most desperately needed. As you know, a DUI conviction would have been devastating for me and my family. I attribute your knowledge of the law, your ability to compellingly and in an understandable way, convey the facts to the judge as the primary reason for my acquittal. I cannot express in words, that which you and your staff had done for me to get this dismissal. It was to me, an answer to a prayer that helped you do this. For this, I thank you. Moreover, I especially want to commend my lawyer, Joe Kennedy for the countless hours spent on my case and a job well done. His honest and humble attitude not only makes him a trusted lawyer, but also an effective negotiator. Cummings and Kennedy is fortunate to have Joe, who is such a talented lawyer, as partner. I would also like to add that I appreciate the fact that at no time did you give me any false sense of hope. You were straightforward and honest in your assessment of the case. Trust me when I say, "I have truly learned my lesson and will only be conferring with you on a personal level." God Bless you and your FAMILY! YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE SURROUNDED YOURSELF WITH A GREAT TEAM! ETERNALLY GRATEFUL Thanks again.
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Posted by Leah from Raleigh, NC | October 3, 2014
Mr. Kennedy saved my driving record !!!
When you must put your complete faith in a professional to represent your case, one hopes to make the correct choice the first time. Let me save you the worry and inform you that I would not use any other Attorney. William Joseph Kennedy at Cummings and Cummings Law Firm is results driven, a perfectionist and makes things happen in order to accommodate his client's needs. These reasons make Mr. Kennedy the best of the best. Without his help, I would have been in a serious dilemma, but he saved my driving record. Thank you WJ Kennedy. Leah from Raleigh, NC
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Posted by anonymous | September 8, 2014
Case of DWI fail to stop at signal
Mr. Kennedy explained all the details of my case and what could happen. This was a year long process but Mr. Kennedy was there for me and finally got the case dismissed after 3 attempts to subpoena an officer that never would show up. I really appreciate all he did and would recommend him to anyone with a traffic violation. I am thankful I hired him as my attorney.
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Posted by Connon | September 3, 2014
Great job by Joe Kennedy
Mr. Kennedy's professionalism was superfluous, as he kept me informed of all thing pertinent to my case and took the time to explain things to me. Mr. Kennedy was extremely punctual in his responsiveness to any over the phone inquiries that I left with his staff and exuded a great quality of character. He was intelligent, tactful, and seemed genuinely sympathetic to my case. Mr. Kennedy will be highly recommended should a situation like mine ever present itself to a peer or colleague.
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Posted by anonymous | June 3, 2014
out of town DUI - dismissed
I was in town on business and got charged with DWI. I hired Joe to represent me with a .10 blow. Joe is very professional, communicates very effectively, and it was due to his knowledge of recent rulings and unlawful search, my case was dismissed. Plus he's a great guy to get to know. Highly recommend Joe!
Posted by James | May 17, 2014
Review of Joe Kennedy May 2014
Mr. Kennedy is detailed oriented and if the arresting officer makes any procedural mistakes Joe will likely discover them. He knows the law very well, which gives you the confidence that the court won’t be able to take advantage of you. He took a very positive approach to my case and from the beginning he seemed confident that could find a way to at least reduce the charges. He obviously has a lot of experience in the courtroom and was well respected by the judge, police officers, and other attorneys. He went into the courtroom with a well thought out strategy and at the end of the day he negotiated a dismissal of all my charges. I only had to do 48 hours of community service, which was a huge relief.
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Posted by anonymous | May 8, 2014
very thorough
Mr Kennedy handled my case very well. He kept me informed and weighed the options instead of just getting me out of there as another client and i appreciated that very much.
Posted by Josh | May 7, 2014
Cummings & Cummings Law Office Beaufort, Nc
I personally worked with Mr. Joe Kennedy of Cummings and Cummings law office of Beaufort, NC, Mr. Kennedy and his staff were extremely helpful in resolving my case. They were very professional and informative on the status of my case. Very pleasant to work with and really clear about the game plan in which we were going to follow. I actually felt like they were looking out for my best interest and not just collecting a paycheck. I also live out of state and they were great about working around my schedule in order to get back down to Morehead City, NC.
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Posted by Morgen | March 21, 2014
Great Job!
Joe helped me with my DWI case. It was one of the worst things I have ever gone through in my life. I was from out of state and I felt completely lost until I talked to him. He helped me so much right from the start making me feel like he was going to do whatever he could to make things better. He was the one lawyer I talked with that was more anxious to help and see what he could do than just ask for money. It took a long 18 months to get everything finalized and by keeping my trust in him he work hard to get my case dismissed. He knows a lot about his area and which judge he wants to have for your case, to give you the best chances. It took a lot of patience on my end but it was well worth it and I will be thanking him everyday for along time for what he did for me.
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Cost

Rates
  • Free Consultation 30 minutes
Payment methods
Cash, Check, Credit Card

Resume

AVVO RATING 9.7 (Superb)

Work Experience

  • Member
  • Cummings & Kennedy Law Firm, PLLC
  • 2014 - Present
  • Associate Attorney
  • Cummings & Cummings, PLLC
  • 2012 - 2014
  • Adjunct Professor
  • Carteret Community College
  • 2011 - 2012
  • Assistant District Attorney
  • State Of North Carolina
  • 2010 - 2012
  • Member / Manager
  • Law Office of Joe Kennedy, PLLC
  • 2009 - 2010
  • Associate Attorney
  • Brock & Scott, PLLC
  • 2006 - 2009
  • Civilian Summer Law Clerk
  • Mcas Cherry Point
  • 2005 - 2005
View all work experience

Education

  • Samford University, Cumberland School of Law
  • JD
  • 2006
  • University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  • BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • 2000
  • West Forsyth High School
  • High School Diploma
  • 1996

Associations

  • National College of DUI Defense
  • Member
  • 2015 - Present
  • 3B Judicial Bar Association
  • Treasurer/Secretary
  • 2015 - Present
  • DUI Defense Lawyers Association
  • Member
  • 2015 - Present
  • Connect Carteret Steering Committee
  • Member
  • 2014 - Present
  • National Advocacy for DUI Defense
  • Member
  • 2014 - Present
  • North Carolina Advocates for Justice
  • Member
  • 2012 - Present
  • Carteret Community College Law & Technology Advisory Board
  • Member
  • 2011 - Present
  • Carteret County Bar Association
  • Member
  • 2009 - Present
  • 3B Judicial Bar Association
  • Member
  • 2009 - Present
  • North Carolina Bar Association
  • Member
  • 2007 - Present
  • North Carolina State Bar
  • Member
  • 2006 - Present
  • Federalist Society Cumberland Chapter
  • President
  • 2005 - 2006
  • North Carolina Student Bar Association - Cumberland Chapter
  • President
  • 2005 - 2006
View all associations

Languages Spoken

  • English
  • Spanish

Honors and Awards

  • AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated
  • Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2015
  • Clients' Choice Award
  • AVVO
  • 2015
  • 2015 Client Satisfaction Award
  • American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys
  • 2015
  • 2015 Premier 100 Trial Attorney
  • American Academy of Trial Attorneys
  • 2015
  • Superior DWI Attorney
  • National Advocacy for DUI Defense
  • 2015
  • Top 10 Under 40
  • National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys
  • 2015
  • Superior DWI Attorney
  • National Advocacy for DUI Defense
  • 2014
  • Clients' Choice Award
  • AVVO
  • 2014
  • Clients' Choice Award
  • AVVO
  • 2013
  • Scholar of Merit: Sea, Ocean & Coastal Law
  • Cumberland School Of Law
  • 2006
  • Dean's List
  • Cumberland School of Law
  • 2006
  • Dean's List
  • Cumberland School of Law
  • 2005
  • Dean's List
  • Cumberland School of Law
  • 2004
  • Dean's List
  • Cumberland School of Law
  • 2003
View all awards

Speaking Engagements

  • Introduction to Criminal Justice - BLET Bridgeway Program
  • State & Federal Court System
  • 2016

Attorney endorsements

Received (3)
Given (4)
Endorse William
Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 17
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Joe Kennedy is a highly skilled attorney in the areas of traffic law and criminal defense. He is a zealous and effective advocate for his clients. I recommend him without hesitation."
Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 04
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Joe is a fine and strong addition to our professional community and we are fortunate that he has chosen Carteret County as home for his family. It is without reservation that I refer clients to Joe."
Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 01
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Joe is one of the very best criminal defense attorneys in this area."
Beaufort Criminal defense Lawyer William Joseph Kennedy III
William Joseph Kennedy III
Criminal defense Attorney
Beaufort, NC
Licensed for 17 years
Free Consultation