Andrew Popplewell | Columbia DUI/DWI Lawyer

Andrew Popplewell focuses his practice on DWI defense, general criminal defense, alcohol and drug offenses and traffic violations. Andrew grew up and worked on a fifth-generation family farm where he learned early on the importance of personal responsibility and work ethic. In 2001, Andrew graduated from the University of Missouri with a B.S. in Agriculture Economics. He began working for Eng & Woods in 2002 while still in law school and joined the firm as an associate in May 2005. Andrew became a partner with Eng & Woods in January 2010. He is an active member of the Missouri Bar, the Boone County Bar Association and both the Missouri and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Andrew Popplewell successfully handles more than 100 DWI cases yearly, while giving each client the attention they deserve. He has successfully tried multiple cases to both judge and jury resulting in not-guilty verdicts for his clients throughout the state of Missouri. Furthermore, he fights for all of his clients accused of crimes, contesting multiple cases monthly. Andrew obtained certification from the Department of Transportation to administer Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, a necessity for cross-examining arresting officers. Finally, he is one of only two attorneys in Columbia to attain membership in the prestigious National College for DUI Defense. Attorneys from outside of Columbia, Missouri and attorneys who do not practice criminal law refer Andrew Popplewell cases on a continual basis — as do former clients. They all know that he is an aggressive lawyer who will give you an honest assessment of your case, and through a combination of knowledge and hard work, fight to get you the best result possible.

Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire

Please describe a case(s) in the last year or two where you made a big difference.
I received this email from a client:

I started DWI court on 3/16 and that really isn't going to be too bad. I have someone to provide me with all of my transportation and that eliminates 90% of the worries. I've been sober now for well over two years and everything seems to be falling in place. You were a huge part of this of course. Instead of going in to DOC with a mandatory two years to serve on a minimum five year sentence we got the deal we did which isn't even what the prosecutor agreed with you on. When I think back to the sentencing hearing I recall how relentless you were in arguing for me and basically would not take the one year treatment from the judge. I have never seen an attorney do what you did and for that I thank you. You could have just agreed with her, not been as resistant as you were and I would have been doing the one year treatment in DOC and if that had been the case I almost certainly wouldn't have gotten my job back and that would have definitely been a life changer. Even with the judge throwing that curve ball in on the deal you worked out what we got in comparison to what it could have been is tremendously better. I have only met one other person that got a B reduced to a C on a DWI case and avoided that mandatory two years. Leniency on DWIs doesn't seem to happen a whole lot. Without question you are the best attorney I've ever had and hopefully the last I'll ever have, at least for criminal proceedings. I can't thank you enough. What you did changed my life, that of my girlfriend and had an impact on others; such as my family, co-workers, etc.

As I said if you ever need a referral directly from a former client I would have nothing to say but the best about you and your firm. Drop me an e-mail every once in a while. Thank you again and I'll talk to you later.

How did you build a successful practice?
Our law firm, Eng & Woods, has been providing the best legal service to Mid-Missouri since 1955. I was fortunate to work for Eng & Woods in law school as a clerk and continue as an associate and now as a partner. I like to think my practice is successful based on my hard work and my partners’ hard work.

What should clients look for in a lawyer?
Potential clients need to feel comfortable with whoever they retain as their attorney. They also need to check reviews, as most of my clients come from referrals from satisfied clients.

How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases?
Local knowledge of the area’s procedures and practices is extremely important in the choice of an attorney. I wouldn’t take a case in Kansas City or St. Louis, because I’m not familiar with the practices there. Likewise, an attorney that’s not in Court every day in Mid-Missouri wouldn’t be familiar with the practices here.

What information can you provide in a free phone consultation?
Our office offers free in-person consultations. We feel they are more effective to give the client as much information as possible as compared to phone consultations.

What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community?
I think that my reviews speak for themselves. I have consistently earned positive reviews from other attorneys and, maybe more significantly, judges.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
The most rewarding aspect of my job is hearing a jury or judge say, “Not Guilty.”

What are your other interests in addition to law?
I have a son, Gus, who’s almost one year old and my wife and I enjoy spending most of our free time with him. I’m also a die-hard Mizzou Sports fan and a fan of the Kansas City Royals.

Are you involved in your community?
My wife and I attend The Crossing Church here in Columbia. In addition, I’ve volunteered for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Columbia and FarmHouse Fraternity. Finally, I serve on the Board of Directors of JobPoint, a local non-profit that helps disadvantaged individuals with employment skills and with finding meaningful, rewarding employment.

Position	Organization	Location	Duration
Attorney	Eng & Woods	Columbia, MO	2005-Present

School	Degree	Major	Graduation
University of Missouri School of Law	J.D.	Law School	2005
University of Missouri	B.S.	Agriculture Economics	2001

State / Court	Date
Missouri	2005

• Boone County Bar Association
  The Missouri Bar
  Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  BCBA Legal Aid & Programming
  DWI Detection & Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Program Certification from U.S. Department of Transportation

Sun.	Mon.	Tue.	Wed.	Thu.	Fri.	Sat.
	9:00 am - 5:00 pm	9:00 am - 5:00 pm	9:00 am - 5:00 pm	9:00 am - 5:00 pm	9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Andrew Dean Popplewell has been a Premium Member since April 03, 2017.
Lawyers with longer memberships tend to have more experience so we use the Membership date to help prioritize lawyer listings on search pages.

Verified Credentials	Date Verified
(2005) Licensed as Attorney in Missouri. Verified with Missouri Bar.	April 03, 2017

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