Cheryl Pilate - Kansas City, MO

Cheryl has dedicated her law practice to the vigorous protection of individual rights, including the representation of criminal defendants and those who have suffered a violation of their constitutional rights. She believes that when a citizen faces criminal charges, there is nothing more important than having a strong, dedicated and effective advocate at his or her side.

Cheryl is perhaps best known for her work on innocence cases, including obtaining the exoneration and release of persons convicted of crimes they did not commit. Cheryl currently serves as vice president of the Midwest Innocence Project, an organization that advocates for and seeks the release of the wrongfully convicted.

Cheryl's diverse practice includes not only the zealous representation of criminal defendants, but also the representation of individuals who have suffered illegal discrimination or other violations of their constitutionally protected rights. She has successfully sued on behalf of the wrongfully convicted, obtaining rightful compensation for years of lost liberty.

Cheryl has represented criminal defendants in the most serious and complex of criminal cases, running the gamut from first-degree and capital murder to drug and white collar cases including alleged fraud, tax evasion and Internet solicitation or pornography crimes.

Cheryl is a 1976 graduate of the University of Michigan, where she served as co-editor-in-chief of the Michigan Daily. For several years after graduation, she worked as a newspaper reporter, including five years at the Wichita Eagle & Beacon. She obtained a Master's in social work from the University of Kansas in 1983 and her law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1990. Cheryl graduated with honors, then spent two years serving as a law clerk for the Honorable John R. Gibson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Cheryl worked for 15 years at the firm of Wyrsch, Hobbs & Mirakian. She became a shareholder at Wyrsch Hobbs in 1992 and remained there until opening her own practice with Melanie Morgan. In June 2007, Melanie and Cheryl founded Morgan Pilate LLC.

Cheryl has successfully represented numerous defendants facing capital charges as well as clients on death row. Her work on behalf of the wrongfully convicted included the successful representation of Ellen Reasonover, a Missouri woman who served more than 16 years in prison for a murder she did not commit. After working, along with others, to obtain Ms. Reasonover's release, Cheryl led a team of lawyers in obtaining civil damages for Ms. Reasonover to compensate her for the years of lost liberty.

Cheryl also represented in a civil lawsuit two other men who were wrongfully convicted, Dennis Fritz and Ron Williamson. Their stories are recounted in John Grisham's book, the Innocent Man, and in Mr. Fritz's book, Journey Toward Justice.

Cheryl is a member of several professional organizations, including the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the American Bar Association, and the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association. She is also a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and has been recognized as among the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Kansas and Missouri. Cheryl is also AV rated by Martindale Hubbell.