Matthew Russell

Springfield, MO Criminal Defense Attorney

Matthew Russell is a top-rated criminal attorney in Springfield, MO, and the founding partner of MRD Lawyers. A former Greene County prosecutor, he now defends clients facing DWI, felony, and misdemeanor charges across southwest Missouri. He’s been recognized by Super Lawyers, SBJ Men of the Year, and SBJ Trusted Advisers, and leads a firm with 325+ five-star reviews. Matthew also served on the state’s Advisory Committee on the Criminal Code and is the current President of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association.

Matthew Russell is a Springfield criminal defense attorney with deep roots in southwest Missouri. He believes that even good people sometimes find themselves facing serious accusations, and that everyone deserves staunch, skillful representation.

Matthew earned his undergraduate degree in political science and government from Missouri State University, then completed his J.D. from Creighton University School of Law in Omaha, Nebraska, where he won multiple trial advocacy awards. His early success in courtroom performance foreshadowed a career focused on litigation.

Returning home after law school, Matthew joined the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office in Springfield. As a prosecutor in the Major Crimes Division, he tried a wide array of felony cases and became intimately familiar with Missouri’s criminal statutes and courtroom dynamics. Over the course of more than a decade, he prosecuted virtually every class of offense under Missouri law.

But the more cases he prosecuted, the more he recognized a pattern: many defendants were people from his own community —neighbors, friends, faces he knew. They often lacked access to robust defense or felt overwhelmed by the system. That realization inspired the next chapter.

Matthew founded MRD Lawyers, a criminal defense law firm centered on deep courtroom experience, personal advocacy, and client-first service. He assembled a team of former prosecutors with more than 30 years of combined trial experience. Their mission is to make the legal system work for the accused, not against them.

“I genuinely want to make things better for my clients,” Matthew says. “We protect not just legal rights, but lives.”

Under his leadership, MRD Lawyers has earned over 325 five‑star reviews, a testament to its consistent commitment to communication, outcomes, and trust.

Matthew also contributes to law reform in Missouri. He served on the Advisory Committee on the Criminal Code, assisting the Missouri General Assembly’s Subcommittee on the Missouri Criminal Code in drafting a criminal code revision bill under section 21.880.6, RSMo.

His work and leadership have garnered recognition from:

• Listed in Super Lawyers 
• Honored as an SBJ Trusted Adviser
• Named in SBJ Men of the Year
• Additional awards and honors in local bar and civic circles

Matthew currently serves as:

• President, Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association
• Vice President, Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Former Mayor, City of Republic, Missouri

As a criminal defense attorney, Matthew handles DWI defense, felony and misdemeanor charges, drug offenses, traffic offenses, and other criminal charges in Southwest Missouri courts. His practice combines prosecutorial insight, legislative involvement, and relentless client advocacy.