For more than 35 years, my law practice has provided counsel and aggressive representation to clients all over Minnesota. My name is Keith D. Johnson and I will fight for your interests with a wealth of experience and legal knowledge and a drive to succeed.

If you have a question or concern, you will talk to me and no one else. Many attorneys, after being hired, have their inexperienced associate attorneys or paralegals do substantial work on your claim.  Not me.  I make myself fully accessible, available to answer any and all of your questions regarding the case. I want you to be able to make informed decisions. With my help, you will have a clear understanding of the issues and their legal ramifications. I recognize that you, as the client, are the person who ultimately controls and makes decisions on your claim. I give advice and make recommendations, but you are “the boss” in deciding whether to settle a claim or push it forward toward trial.If an attorney fails to timely communicate with you or ignores your phone calls, it is fair to recognize this as a bad problem. As a client, you always have the right to be advised of the status of your claim, and I will promptly respond to any contact, making every effort to return phone calls and emails in a timely manner. 

Civil trial specialist

I have been certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association since 1993. To earn this distinction, a lawyer must have handled numerous trials, court hearings and depositions, must pass a stringent test, and must continue to do so to become re-certified. Less than three percent of the lawyers in Minnesota have earned this distinction.

My work

I am an accomplished attorney with a strong background in many areas of civil litigation including:

• Personal injury/Wrongful Death –– Many of the cases I handle are personal injury and wrongful death cases. Usually the opponent is an insurance company (assisting their insured –– the “at-fault” person or entity which injured you) and the insurance company’s lawyers. I have never represented insurance companies, banks or large corporations, and I never will. I take special pride in representing regular individuals. Insurance companies love to collect money (premiums), but hate to pay money (claims). The people insurance companies hire, such as adjusters and insurance company attorneys, are forced to think this way (how do they sleep at night?!), and you need an attorney to help you. Your recovery usually will be better with counsel than without. Many people understandably do not want to go through a trial.  But pushing the case toward trial and getting on the “courthouse steps” is often the only way to obtain a fair recovery, particularly from an insurance company.  Indeed, going to trial against an insurance company is often the only way to obtain fair compensation for my client. Please see my “Practice Area” tab above regarding “Personal Injury/Wrongful Death.”
• Professional malpractice –– The practice of professions such as law, accounting,and engineering all have standards and requirements which are often beyond the knowledge of lay jurors.  I represent clients in cases where professionals deviated from the standards and requirements they are expected or required to follow and cause injury or damage to a person.  In most cases, expert witnesses from the profession must be hired by me to confirm that malpractice occurred and to be able to testify and educate the malpractice jury about why the professional’s conduct was unacceptable. I particularly enjoy handling  legal malpractice cases against lawyers and am one of the few attorneys willing to do so. Numerous attorneys do not handle such cases, some apparently believing that it is wrong to sue a fellow lawyer. However, lawyers make mistakes just like everybody else, and I am willing to assist victims and aggressively pursue claims of lawyer wrongdoing. Please see my “Practice Area” tab above regarding “Legal Malpractice.”
• Contested will and trust litigation –– Typically persons accomplish their estate plan through a will or trust.  Challenging the disposition set forth in a will or trust typically involves asserting that the deceased person lacked sound mind, memory or other mental capacity, or that undue influence was used upon a vulnerable and susceptible person.  These cases are often highly emotional and divisive to the litigants.  Proof of these cases can be a challenging exercise in investigative, medical, and legal work.  I have extensive experience in such contested will and trust litigation.  Please see my “Practice Area” tab above regarding “Contested Will and Trust Litigation.” I also handle breach of fiduciary duty claims involving trustees, personal representatives, or other persons with a fiduciary relationship to others.
• Insurance, business, and contract disputes –– Often issues arise regarding insurance coverage and payment, business disputes or business dissolution, and interpretation and enforcement of contracts.  I regularly assist clients in such matters.

An ethical attorney
In over three decades of practicing law, I am proud to say that I have never had an ethical complaint filed against me by a client or been sued by a client for legal malpractice. A few ethical complaints have been filed against me by the opposing parties, all of which were dismissed, a fact in which I also take great pride.
I am AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest recognition possible in the legal industry, for my professionalism and ethics.

A community supporter

With a 20+ year marriage and three children, I have deep roots in the community, where I have been a longtime active supporter of many groups,
participating as:

• Youth basketball, soccer, baseball and fast-pitch softball coach (1995-2004)
• Commissioner of St. Anthony Community Basketball (St. Anthony  Sports Boosters) (1999-2003)
• Vice President of St. Anthony High School Basketball Parents Association (Huskies Court Club) (2003-2007)
• Referee at St. Anthony Villagefest “3 on 3” Basketball Tourney (2003-2007)
• Member of St. Anthony High School Fast-pitch Softball Parents Association (Huskies Diamond Club).  Board member of Scoreboard Committee, which successfully raised funds for, purchased and placed a beautiful scoreboard for the girls. (2008-2013)

Schedule your free consultation today

The first step towards resolving your legal issues is to contact my office today by phone at 612-644-6714 or online. There is never a charge for this initial consultation.   I will listen to what you have to say and clearly answer your questions and take a preliminary look at your case to determine if your case has sufficient legal and factual merit to bring about a successful result.  If so, and if you determine what I offer fits well with your expectations, I will begin to develop the winning strategy that optimizes your chances for a positive and painless resolution. Get in touch now to take advantage of a seasoned attorney who will go the extra mile in securing a positive resolution to your case. It would be my honor and privilege to represent you.