sal intagliata

“Somebody has to stand when other people are sitting. Somebody has to speak when other people are quiet.” 

–Bryan Stevenson, attorney activist– 

As a child, my father taught me to balance respect for the rule of law with a healthy mistrust of its  application by the government on its people. My first professional opportunity to put that lesson into practice came during my second year in law school at the University of Kansas when, as both a student and then a student adviser of the Kansas Defender Project (now the KU Innocence Project), I defended people without financial means by appealing unjust convictions. Since then, guided by my father’s advice, I have pursued justice, respecting the law by speaking boldly for clients.

 As a defense attorney, I have represented people accused of crimes at both the trial and appellate levels in federal, state, and municipal courts throughout Kansas, as well as in various federal and state district courts outside the State. I have successfully defended people accused of homicide, embezzlement, money laundering, bank robbery, narcotics distribution and possession, firearms offenses, sex offenses, aggravated assault and battery, and driving under the influence of alcohol. I have been named “Wichita Lawyer of the Year” three times by Best Lawyers in America – first in 2017 for Criminal Defense: General Practice; then in 2019 for Criminal Defense: White Collar; and next in 2022 for DUI / DWI Defense. 

But for me, the most satisfying aspect of my legal career is the connection I have made with those I strive to help and the many thanks I have received from them and their loved ones for my efforts. People come to us  in the darkest moments of their lives. They are looking for someone to shield them, to stand up for them, to help them. Their trust in me motivates me, and their gratitude makes each challenge worthwhile. The reality is this: governments are not infallible. The legal system can be oppressive, unfair, wrong. I stand for my clients, with my clients, putting the system and its participants to the test for the sake of every client I represent.