Kelly J. Keegan
Background:
Kelly has been with Brandt Criminal Defense since 2005. In that time she has been lead defense counsel on numerous cases of all types and levels, ranging from serious felonies to minor traffic offenses. Additionally, Kelly handles post-conviction matters such as expungement, probation violations, Department of Human Services background study disqualifications, reinstatement of the right to possess firearms, and sentence modification motions. She has represented clients under investigation prior to being formally charged, as well as clients facing grand jury indictment. Kelly is admitted to practice in Minnesota State Court as well as Federal United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. She enjoys working in the courtroom and has obtained excellent results for clients, including dismissal of charges, suppression of evidence, and acquittal by felony jury.
Kelly is a board member of the Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, a group of prominent defense attorneys throughout the state who work to impact policy and legislation on behalf of criminal defendants. In that role she has testified before State Senate and State House of Representatives Committees at the Minnesota State Capitol on legislative initiatives impacting crime and public safety. She has been extremely active in working to reform expungement law in Minnesota. She has been a featured speaker and taught at continuing legal education seminars, which are educational courses for fellow attorneys to keep up-to-date on recent developments in criminal law. She is also a judicially appointed State Ethics Board Ethics Investigator, responding to and investigating ethics complaints concerning other attorneys.
Kelly’s prior experience includes work as a private investigator to interview witnesses, investigate crime scenes, and assist with trial preparation. She also worked as a student prosecutor with the Anoka County Attorney’s Office where she represented the State of Minnesota in court on civil commitment matters, and assisted with criminal appeals to the Minnesota Court of Appeals. She was an intern with Hennepin County District Court Judge Bruce A. Peterson, a law clerk with the Office of the United States Federal Defender, and a law clerk with a civil law firm doing labor and employment law. Prior to law school she worked at a major Twin Cities law firm as a lobbyist in the government affairs department, and in the state legislature as a legislative aide to a senator.
Kelly graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School with honors. There she was Director of the Misdemeanor Defense Law Clinic, where in addition to personally representing clients charged with misdemeanor offenses, she oversaw a staff of student attorneys representing clients throughout the Twin Cities. As a law student, she spent more time in the courtroom as a student certified attorney than many attorneys do in their entire legal career.
Education:
Juris Doctor, cum laude
University of Minnesota
Bachelor of Arts – Sociology of Law, Crime and Deviance, magna cum laude
University of Minnesota
Professional Affiliations:
Ethics Investigator, 21st District Ethics Committee. 2008-
Board Member, Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. 2007-
Member, Minnesota State Bar Association. 2004-
Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. 2007-
Member, Hennepin County Bar Association. 2004-
Member, Minnesota Women Lawyers. 2005-
Member, National Association of Women Lawyers. 2006-
Member, University of Minnesota Alumni Association. 2000-2003, 2006-
Member, American Bar Association. 2005-2009.
Executive Council Member, Minnesota State Bar Association Public Law Section. 2004-2005.
Director, Misdemeanor Defense Clinic, University of Minnesota Law School. 2005-2006.
President, University of Minnesota Women Law Students Association. 2005-2006.
Member, Minnesota Justice Foundation. 2003-2004.
Contact Information:
Phone: (763) 421-6366
Office Location: Directions To Our Locations
