Michael J. Brandt

For more than 30 years, Mike Brandt has devoted his career to criminal defense, standing beside people facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Mike is the founder of Brandt Kettwick Defense and now serves as Of Counsel, continuing to be a trusted mentor, advisor, and foundational presence within the firm he built.

Mike did not take a traditional path to becoming a lawyer. He came from humble beginnings, was raised by a single mother, and spent years doing blue-collar work before returning to college and eventually law school later in life. That background shaped the kind of lawyer he became: practical, hardworking, direct, compassionate, and deeply committed to defending real people with real problems. Mike understood from the beginning that every client deserves to be treated with dignity, listened to carefully, and defended with skill and courage.

Mike began his legal career as a public defender in 1994. In that role, he represented clients charged with nearly every type of criminal offense, including murder, criminal sexual conduct, assault, drug crimes, theft, DWI, probation violations, and traffic offenses. He tried serious cases to juries, challenged unlawful searches, secured dismissals, won suppression motions, and helped countless clients navigate the criminal justice system.

As Mike’s reputation grew, so did his role in the legal community. He became a frequent speaker at continuing legal education seminars, teaching other lawyers about evidence, DWI law, technology in criminal cases, and trial strategy. He also became known as a mentor to younger lawyers and law students, generously sharing the lessons he learned from decades in the courtroom.

Mike founded Brandt Kettwick Defense with the belief that people accused of crimes deserve more than a lawyer who simply processes a case. They deserve a defense team that listens, investigates, prepares, and fights for them. What began as a small criminal defense practice grew into one of Minnesota’s respected boutique criminal defense firms.

Today, Brandt Kettwick Defense continues Mike’s work through a team of dedicated Minnesota criminal defense lawyers, paralegals, and law clerks who represent clients facing every type of criminal charge. Although Mike has stepped back from full-time practice, his influence remains woven into the firm’s culture, training, and approach to client representation. The lawyers at Brandt Kettwick Defense are proud to carry forward the firm he started and the standards he set.

Mike has been widely recognized for his work as a criminal defense attorney. In 2002, Minnesota Law & Politics magazine named him a Rising Star. In 2003, he was selected by other attorneys as a Super Lawyer, a distinction awarded to a small percentage of lawyers in Minnesota, and he has received that recognition every year since. In 2015, Super Lawyers named Mike one of the Top 100 Super Lawyers in Minnesota, and he has continued to receive Top 100 recognition since.

Mike’s legacy is not only the cases he tried or the honors he received. It is the firm he built, the lawyers he mentored, the clients he helped, and the belief that every person accused of a crime deserves a strong defense.