Attorney: J. Kevin Murphy

J. Kevin Murphy "of counsel," brings added skills to the firm as a gifted researcher, legal analyst and appellate advocate. He supports and appears with Epperson & Owens attorneys, as needed, on various civil litigation matters undertaken by the firm. He also maintains a separate, independent practice, with focus on appellate work and criminal defense.

Murphy brings a varied background to his work. After practicing as a registered nurse for a number of years, Murphy changed careers, graduating from the University of Utah College of Law in 1990. He was law clerk to the Hon. Pamela T. Greenwood of the Utah Court of Appeals from 1990 to 1991, then served for five years as an assistant Utah Attorney General in the criminal appeals division. He then served the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office for seven years as a trial prosecutor. He was an associate attorney with the Salt Lake City firm of Kipp and Christian from 2003 to 2008.

In addition to his Utah bar membership, Mr. Murphy is admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and the United States Court for the District of Utah. He is also an inactive member of the state bars of Oregon and Wisconsin. Murphy was an adjunct professor of law (criminal process) at the University of Utah from 1999 to 2004. He was a Supreme Court Fellow for the National Association of Attorneys General in the fall of 1993. Murphy currently serves on the board of trustees for the Utah Disability Law Center and for "And Justice for All." He has been a volunteer judge for the University of Utah College of Law moot court and trial advocacy programs. In 2005 he was a judge for the American Bar Association's negotiation competition final round in Salt Lake City.

Mr. Murphy holds a B.A. in Biology from Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota, and a B.S. in nursing from the University of Wyoming. He is married, with one stepdaughter and two sons. Raised in Wisconsin, Mr. Murphy moved to the western United States in 1974 to enjoy outdoor pursuits which include skiing, bicycling, and running.