Laura O'Sullivan

Missouri State Public Defender

For more than 20 years, Laura O’Sullivan gained extensive trial, appellate, post-conviction, and management experience working with the Missouri State Public Defender (MSPD).   In 2011 she became Professor O’Sullivan at the University of Missouri – Kansas City Law School where she taught Wrongful Convictions and investigated cases with students participating in the Wrongful Convictions Clinic.  In 2023, Laura joined the Benjamin Law Firm, LLC (owned by TLC grad Kim Benjamin) where Laura serves as Managing Attorney for the firm.  In 2022, Laura overcame decades of negative caselaw, successfully argued for expert testimony during a highly contentious Daubert hearing, and presented expert testimony explaining to the jury false confessions.  Laura’s trial experience includes acquittals in everything from misdemeanors up to and including murder in the first degree cases.