Michael Minard

Proudly called a “true believer,” Michael Minard has established himself as one of the most feared and successful trial lawyers in northwestern Minnesota. He’s earned this reputation by honing his skills for 13 years as an assistant public defender, first in Rice County and later in Clay County, Minnesota. A native of Fargo, Michael graduated from Fargo South High School in 2002. He then earned a degree in criminal justice from the University of Northern Colorado in 2006. After that, he attended law school at William Mitchell, graduating in 2009. During law school, Michael knew early on that criminal defense was his calling, so he seized on every opportunity to gain experience in the field. To that end, he worked at various state public defender offices, first in Anoka County and later in Hennepin County. After graduation, Michael earned invaluable experience clerking for the current Chief Judge of Minnesota’s 3rd District, the Honorable Judge Joseph A. Bueltel. Working for the district court and getting to see “behind the curtain” gave Michael insight that helped mold him into the tenacious litigator he is today. After his clerkship, Michael began his career as a state public defender. Quickly establishing himself as a “go-to” PD, Michael was placed in various statewide leadership positions. From 2018 to 2026, for example, Michael was a member of the Minnesota Public Defender Forensic Evidence Team, where he served as “faculty” with an expertise in DNA evidence. Michael is also a leader in the Moorhead legal community, active in the Clay County Bar Association and serving as its President in 2025. Michael’s criminal skillset is as wide as it is deep, having represented clients in cases ranging from low-level DWI all the way to murder. He’s also gotten not guilty verdicts on countless cases, including: