Patent Attorney John Connors devotes his career to the power of innovation. As a speaker and author of Patent It and Grow Rich, his mission is to ensure that organizations and entrepreneurs retain their rights to inventions… and profit from them!

Mr. Connors is admitted to practice in the State and Federal Courts in the States of New York and New Jersey and the District of Columbia. Mr. Connors is a graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center and Georgetown University College of Arts and Science. Prior to joining Connors & Connors in 1984, Mr. Connors was an Assistant District Attorney assigned to the Supreme Court Trial Bureau of the Kings County District Attorney's Office. Mr. Connors is the immediate past President of the Richmond County Bar Association, a Chair of the Executive Committee of the House of Delegates of the New York State Bar Association, a past chair of the New York State Bar Association, Trial Lawyers Section, Chair, appointed by Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman, of the Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commission for the Second Judicial District and a member of the Judicial Screening Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He is a member of the New York, New Jersey, and District of Columbia Bar Associations. He earned both his undergraduate and law degree from Georgetown University.

John is a founding partner at Conard Nelson Schaffer and has built a reputation as a trial lawyer that people rely upon in their most serious matters. Recognized as one of the top trial lawyers in the country, attorney John devotes his practice to defending the rights and liberties of those facing white collar crime accusations and other serious criminal charges. John Conard represents clients throughout the Twin Cities region and across the state who need solid, effective defense strategies in order to fight the charges against them and preserve their freedom. Certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association as a criminal law specialist, John has successfully handled more than 2,000 cases in state and federal courts throughout the country during the course of his 10-year career. From federal crimes and violent offenses to DUI/DWI charges and relatively minor misdemeanors, John has the experience and resources necessary to handle any criminal case regardless of how complex or challenging.

I counsel and advise small and medium-sized businesses and influencers to gain legal advantages and protection by providing original, success-focused strategies and legal know-how. I help protect business owners from making legal mistakes by educating them with knowledge about the legal issues that affect them in business. Businesses that thrive include a lawyer as part of their success team.

Franklin J. Contreras, Jr. is a member of the firm’s Litigation Department and is a resident in the Irvine office. Mr. Contreras has been with the firm since 1995 when he initially joined the firm as a law clerk. Mr. Contreras concentrates his practice on appellate matters and business litigation including breach of contract disputes, business torts, corporate director and officer litigation and bankruptcy litigation. Mr. Contreras is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Northern District of California, Eastern District of California, Southern District of California and all courts of the State of California. Mr. Contreras received his undergraduate degree in Social Ecology from the University of California, Irvine and his law degree from Western State University College of Law. During law school, Mr. Contreras earned the American Jurisprudence award for legal writing. Mr. Contreras co-authored an article entitled “Bust the Trust: Why the Bankruptcy Trustee Should Carefully Examine the Creation, Funding and Administration of Irrevocable Trusts,” which was published in the California Bankruptcy Journal in 2011.