About Joseph Kenneff
Joseph J. Kenneff, known to clients and colleagues as Joe, is the managing partner of Goodman & Kenneff, Attorneys-at-Law, a general practice firm that has served Millersville and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for more than four decades. He became a partner in 2010 and has led the firm as managing partner since 2011.
Joe was raised in Lancaster County and graduated from Manheim Central High School. His connection to Goodman & Kenneff began while he was still a law student, when he interned with the firm. Before joining it as a partner, he clerked for judges of the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas and served as an Assistant Public Defender in Lancaster County. That background on both the bench side and the defense side shapes the careful, practical counsel he gives clients today.
His approach is summed up in a principle he shares with clients: “Our top priority is to earn your trust and keep it.” Whether he is helping a family settle a loved one’s estate, defending someone facing a DUI charge, or advising a borough zoning hearing board, Joe focuses on honest advice, clear communication, and doing what is best for the client.
Professional Experience
- 2010 – Present
Partner, Managing Partner since 2011 — Goodman & Kenneff, Attorneys-at-Law
Leads the Millersville firm founded by Attorney Thomas L. Goodman, with a practice spanning criminal and DUI defense, wills, probate and estate administration, and municipal and zoning law.
- Present
Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor
Serves as solicitor to the zoning hearing boards of Manheim Borough, Mount Joy Borough, and Strasburg Borough.
- 2008 – 2011
Assistant Public Defender — Lancaster County Office of the Public Defender
Represented clients throughout the Lancaster County criminal courts.
- 2007 – 2008
Judicial Clerk — The Honorable Margaret C. Miller, Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas
Drafted judicial opinions on DUI and other criminal matters.
- 2006 – 2007
Judicial Clerk — The Honorable Joseph C. Madenspacher, Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas
Began his career in chambers, researching and drafting opinions for the Court.
Practice Areas
Probate & Estate Administration
Guiding executors through the Lancaster County Register of Wills process, from opening the estate and inventorying assets to inheritance tax filings and final distribution, with the aim of keeping families informed and unified.
Wills & Estate Planning
Wills, powers of attorney, and planning that names guardians and trustees for minor children, so clients can secure their family’s future and have peace of mind.
DUI Defense
A member of the National College for DUI Defense with specialized training in field sobriety, breath, and blood testing. Joe analyzes each case to determine whether the ARD program or trial best serves the client.
Criminal Defense
Hundreds of clients represented in matters ranging from traffic offenses to serious felonies, with trustworthy advice outside the courtroom and committed advocacy inside it.
Municipal Law & Zoning
Solicitor to several borough zoning hearing boards, and experienced in representing private clients before zoning hearing boards across Lancaster County.
Serving Lancaster County
A convenient first-floor office with adjacent parking in Millersville: “downtown” legal experience in a small-town setting.
Education & Admission
Widener University School of Law
Juris Doctor, 2006
Juniata College
Bachelor’s degree, 2003 · Presidents Scholarship recipient
Bar Admission
Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, 2007
Professional Memberships
National College for DUI Defense Pennsylvania Bar Association Lancaster County Bar Association Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense LawyersRecognition
- 2026Top 3 Estate Attorney in Lancaster County — BusinessRate, recognizing Joseph Kenneff and Goodman & Kenneff
- 2017National Top 10 Attorney — National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys
- 2016Top 40 Under 40 — American Society of Legal Advocates
- 2015Top 100 Trial Lawyers — The National Trial Lawyers
- Best DWI Attorney in Pennsylvania — as noted on the Goodman & Kenneff website
- “Superb” Avvo Rating with five-star client reviews on Avvo
“With Joe you get an honest lawyer who does his homework. His presence demands respect in the courtroom, in a quiet way. Honest and fair.”— Client, Lancaster, PA
“Joe is knowledgeable, personable, prompt, persistent, and obviously driven to provide excellent service to his clients.”— Client, Mount Joy, PA
Community & Public Service
Joseph Kenneff has built his career in public and community service across Lancaster County. As solicitor to local zoning hearing boards, he advises the volunteer boards that decide land-use appeals and variance requests in their boroughs, helping hearings run fairly and in line with Pennsylvania law.
Manheim Borough
Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor
Mount Joy Borough
Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor
Strasburg Borough
Zoning Hearing Board Solicitor
Earlier in his career, he served the public as an Assistant Public Defender for Lancaster County and as a judicial clerk to the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas.
Contact Joseph Kenneff
Office
Goodman & Kenneff, Attorneys-at-Law
460 North George Street
Millersville, PA 17551
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