Brent S. Schafer
North Dakota Oil Field Injury Attorney
Brent Schafer is a Minnesota criminal defense attorney with over 17 years of trial experience. He was born in Winona, Minnesota, and attended Gustavus Adolphus College and Winona State University, where he earned degrees in English and Political Science. Following graduation from Hamline School of Law in 1992, Brent worked for judges in Winona and Wabasha counties.
Brent was hired as a county prosecutor in 1993 and worked in both the Pine and Scott County Attorney's Offices. Brent was responsible for prosecuting all levels of criminal offenses including: petty misdemeanors, misdemeanors, gross misdemeanors, felonies, and juvenile offenses. Brent was also responsible for writing and arguing all appellate issues during his tenure as a county prosecutor
In 1997, Brent shifted his focus to defending those charged with criminal offenses. He has continued this practice for the past 13 years. He has represented people in 58 of the 82 Minnesota counties. He has successfully attacked extradition warrants and grand jury indictments. Brent has defended over 2,500 individuals charged with all levels and types of criminal offenses. His experience includes representation of individuals charged with murder, criminal sexual conduct, theft, burglary, drug offenses, assaults, false imprisonment, leaving the scene/hit and run, expungements and all levels of DWI and Test Refusal.
In August of 2010, Brent successfully challenged an 8-year prison sentence handed down to Koua Fong Lee. Mr, Lee was convicted of criminal vehicular homicide in 2007 and was serving his prison sentence in the Lino Lakes Correctional Facility. Brent filed for a new trial based upon newly discovered evidence and ineffective assistance of trial counsel. Following a 4-day court hearing, Brent's motion was granted and Lee was set free on August 5, 2010. The Ramsey County Attorney dismissed all charges later that day.
Brent has recently joined forces with Bob Hilliard and his law firm, Hilliard, Munoz and Gonzales. Bob has a national reputation for taking on some of the largest and wealthiest companies who have caused personal grief and harm with their vehicles, negligent employees, or unsafe/defective products in the market place resulting in serious injury or death. Together Brent and Bob are representing individuals throughout the United States who have been injured due to the negligence of others. Brent and Bob are currently suing Toyota seeking to prove that both current and older model Toyotas are defective. Contact us for a free initial consultation regarding your case.
Brent has repeatedly been recognized as a Minnesota Super Lawyer and is a graduate of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. He is a published author and frequent lecturer at Continuing Legal Education seminars. He has appeared on CNN, ABC World News Tonight, MSNBC, Fox Morning, Good Morning America and all local St. Paul and Minneapolis news stations. He published an article on the right to counsel in DWI cases that appeared in the Hamline Law Review. Brent’s CLE topics include felony DWI, search and seizure, property forfeitures and grand jury indictments.
Career Highlights
2010 Attorneys of the Year, Minnesota Lawyer Magazine
2010 Recipient of the "Never Forgotten Award" by Minnesota Innocence Project
Graduate of National Trial Advocacy Institute
Minnesota Super Lawyer 2000, 2003
Member of the Minnesota State Bar Association.
Member of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
B.A., Winona State University, Winona
J.D., Hamline University, St. Paul