Jonathan Nelson Ward

Jonathan Nelson Ward

5.0
Rating: 9.2

Licensed for 14 years

Criminal defense Lawyer Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Animal Law, Family, Federal Crime

About Jonathan

Biography

Practice Areas

4

Practice Areas

Criminal Defense 84%

Criminal Cases in Central New York 80% Prosecution Vermont and Central New York 20%

15 years

84%
Animal Law 10%

7 years

10%
Family 5%

3 years

5%
Federal Crime 1%

Northen District of New Work Criminal Cases

14 years

1%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Retainer

Sometimes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check

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 Vermont for 9 years

State: Vermont

Acquired: 2016

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in New York for 14 years

State: New York

Acquired: 2011

Currently Registered

No misconduct found

Location

No contact information is available for this lawyer

Ad

Transform legal challenges into solutions.

Connect now to review your situation.

The Avvo Rating explained

display-bg

The Avvo Rating explained

Jonathan Nelson Ward's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

3 Client Reviews

5 star (3)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (0)

Posted by Sithu | May 16, 2015

close enough shouldn't be enough to ruin someones life

John Ward was very professional and competent in his representation for me in my situation. As it was my first time exposed to the federal court system, he made sure I was well informed of my situation and my options. He gave me realistic projections for the possible outcomes of my options. I would r...ecommend him and his law firm to anybody I know who is being bullied by government.

Posted by anonymous | August 23, 2013

Saving Me From My Return to MY Misguded Youth

The only issue was the new 25 year go back on punishment. But in his defense, the court, the STOP DWI program and even DMV were hard pressed to give me answers to my post conviction punishment.

Posted by SusieHohensee | April 22, 2013

Recommend Indefinitely

The entire time, while waiting for my court date, I was always kept informed. The price was a high sum amount at first, but they were able to work it out for me where I was able to pay it off over a period of time. My court case went well and my charges were dropped lower than what I thought, I am ...very pleased with the results and am thankful I went through with hiring him.

See All Client Reviews

Jonathan Nelson Ward's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Jonathan
Brenton Patrick Dadey headshot
Brenton Dadey

Criminal defense lawyer | Aug 27

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have known Jon since he was in law school, when I supervised him as a member of the National Trial Team at Syracuse University, and as an intern in the Onondaga County District Attorney's Office. Jon is hard working, dedicated to his clients, and skilled in the courtroom. I recommend Jon for any of your criminal defense needs."

Lowrance Fisher headshot
Lowrance Fisher

Criminal defense lawyer | Nov 17

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. A great contributor on avvo."

Christopher T. Brown headshot
Christopher Brown

DUI and DWI lawyer | Oct 29

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Jon is smart lawyer. I've worked with Jon on many cases and I am always impressed with his work. I recommend Jon to anyone charged with a DWI."

Michael Colin Viscosi headshot
Michael Viscosi

DUI and DWI lawyer | Oct 16

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Jon Ward is a thorough and imaginative attorney who is constantly working to achieve above average results for his clients. He brings to the table a diverse background that enables him to "think outside the box" when confronting complex DWI-defense-related issues."

Michael S. Waddington headshot
Michael Waddington

Criminal defense lawyer | Jun 07

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Jonathan . He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community."

Elisha Rachel Rudolph headshot
Elisha Rudolph

Criminal defense lawyer | Dec 16

Relationship: Co-worker

"Intelligent, dedicated, and motivated attorney. Highly knowledgable about his field of practice. I highly endorse this attorney."

Andrew Joseph Lyons headshot
Andrew Lyons

Criminal defense lawyer | May 09

Relationship: Co-worker

"I endorse this lawyer. Mr. Ward is a top-tier attorney who has the results to back it up, and has developed an impressive reputation in the courts he appears in. He utilizes every avenue available to reach the best possible disposition for his clients. Not only is his legal expertise superb, but his ability to communicate with clients, keep them informed about case developments, and explain complex legal intricacies is unrivaled as well."

Richard Caro Roxin headshot
Richard Roxin

DUI and DWI lawyer | Apr 13

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Jon Ward is an aggressive, knowledgable and personable attorney whose familiarity with the complexities of DWI trial defense work has earned the respect of judges and prosecutors. He is comforable in the courtroom, and clients benefit from his consistently strong advocacy skills. I endorse this lawyer."

Christopher Irvin Simser headshot
Christopher Simser

DUI and DWI lawyer | Apr 11

Relationship: Supervised lawyer

"I endorse this lawyer. I have worked with Mr. Ward for some months and have been continually impressed with his dedication to his work and the breadth of knowledge he brings to bear on his cases. He is a skilled negotiator and is well thought of by all those he interacts with. I can depend on him in any situation to be prepared and to make sure a client's is fully informed and prepared for each step in his or her case. It is a pleasure to work with someone of his caliber."

Patrick Ferriter Scully headshot
Patrick Scully

DUI and DWI lawyer | Mar 12

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Jon is an attorney with exceptional knowledge of substantive DWI law. He also has noteworthy relationships with many prosecutors and judges across the State of New York. I would definitely recommend him to anyone who needs qualified counsel for a pending DWI."

Kevin Kelly O'Brien headshot
Kevin O'Brien

Criminal defense lawyer | Feb 21

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Jon is a great attorney who has been able to build relationships that are invaluable to his clients. Any prosecutor or court that has worked with Jon has nothing but exceptional things to say about his courtroom demeanor and legal knowledge. He works tirelessly to get the results that his clients want/need."

View All Endorsements
Christopher T. Brown headshot
Christopher Brown

DUI and DWI lawyer

Dennis J. Nave Jr. headshot
Dennis Nave

DUI and DWI lawyer

Michael Colin Viscosi headshot
Michael Viscosi

DUI and DWI lawyer

Elisha Rachel Rudolph headshot
Elisha Rudolph

Criminal defense lawyer

Andrew Joseph Lyons headshot
Andrew Lyons

Criminal defense lawyer

Christopher Irvin Simser headshot
Christopher Simser

Criminal defense lawyer

Experience

Rating:  9.2 (Superb)

Work Experience

2024 - Present

Attorney, Ward Law

2024 - 2024

Assistant District Attorney, Oswego County District Attorney

2020 - 2023

Assistant District Attorney, Cayuga County District Attorney's Office

2019 - 2020

Associate, Furlan and Associates

2018 - 2019

Associate, Robert and Spensley, Attorneys at Law

2016 - 2018

Deputy State's Attorney, Bennington County States Attorney’S Office; Bennington, Vermont

2014 - 2018

Associate, Furlan and Associates

2011 - 2016

Associate Attorney, Anelli Xavier, PC

2010 - 2011

Contract Attorney, Excelerate Discovery

Associations

2015 - 2017

Vermont Bar Association

Member

2012 - 2016

National College of DUI Defense

Member

2011 - 2016

Onondaga County Bar Association

2007 - 2016

New York State Bar Association

Sample of Legal Cases

Vermont Domestic Assault Case

Not guilty on all charges

See More Legal Cases

Education

2010

Syracuse University College of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

2010

Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

MA - Masters

2010

Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Certificate of Advanced Studies

2007

University of Richmond

BA - Bachelor of Arts

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