Atty. Brendan Kenny
Brendan M. Kenny is a seasoned litigator with 19 years of experience in administrative, state, federal, and appellate courts, including at the Minnesota and California Attorney General’s Office.
Profile Summary
About Brendan Kenny at a glance
Brendan Kenny is a business, real estate, estate litigation, litigation, and appellate attorney based in Edina, Minnesota, practicing at Hellmuth & Johnson. Educated at University of California Hastings College of the Law (J.D., 2003). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Appellate Practice (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Real Estate (2026). Serands clients in Edina, MN and the surrounding metropolitan area.
Want to Get Service From This Attorney?
Sign up free and choose one of the two methods below.
Have a legal question? Sign up free, submit it through the Ask the Attorney module and receive a focused answer from a specialist.
- Free to ask a question
- Answers from specialist attorneys
- Optional private / anonymous question
Request an online video meeting or an in-person consultation at the attorney's office. Pick a time that works for you and share the details securely.
- Online video meeting
- In-person at the attorney's office
- Secure messaging and payment
About
- Brendan M. Kenny is a seasoned litigator with 19 years of experience in administrative, state, federal, and appellate courts, including at the Minnesota and California Attorney General’s Office
- Whether it is administrative law, business law, commercial and contractual disputes, real-estate conflicts, probate matters, or insurance coverage, Brendan has the experience and the passion to deliver exceptional results for his clients
- He is also a recognized leader and innovator in legal writing and persuasion, sharing his insights and best practices through publications, presentations, and podcasts
- Brendan is also a husband and a father of six
- A Californian by birth, he is a Minnesotan by choice
- Brendan’s passion for advocacy started at a young age
- In his rural California hometown, he saw first-hand what happens to a community when powerful political, economic, and social forces converge to destroy a way of life
- Now as a lawyer, Brendan is driven to be what he couldn’t be in his youth: a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves
- a skilled advocate who understands the inner workings of the legal system
- and a knowledgeable guide for those who don’t know the way
- Brendan’s commitment to justice for his clients and identification with their challenges, needs, and goals permeates everything he does
- That’s why clients so often use words like “tireless,” “attentive,” “a great listener,” and “unwavering” to describe Brendan’s commitment to them and their legal matters
- His professional journey involves legal practice in several states, state and federal and administrative courts, and many areas of the law
- And his clients can attest that his unusual breadth of expertise allows him to flexibly and creatively help them in ways that lawyers with more traditional backgrounds cannot
- Before coming to Hellmuth & Johnson in January 2022, he worked at the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office as an Assistant Attorney General
- This involved representing the Minnesota Department of Human Services in federal, state, and administrative matters involving civil rights, health care, ADA, children-and-family services, mental health, licensing, and disqualification based on maltreatment and background studies
- He also tried or resolved cases involving alleged overpayments to programs, agencies, and providers under the Minnesota Health Care Program and Child Care Assistance Program
- For the first seven years of his legal career, Brendan worked first as outside counsel for businesses and public entities, and then as a Deputy Attorney General at the California Attorney General’s Office
- In 2012, he moved to Minnesota from California
- He worked at a law firm in Minneapolis from 2012 to 2020, where he handled complex mass torts, product liability, class actions, and business and commercial litigation for Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies
- This work included false-advertising and trademark-infringement claims, suits involving popcorn-lung and cooking-spray injuries, one of the Twin Cities’ largest groundwater contamination cases in recent years, and a multi-municipal action regarding flushable wipes
- Brendan is also a sought-after speaker and writer on legal writing, eDiscovery, trial practice, storytelling, and all things persuasion
- He is co-author of the Minnesota E-Discovery Deskbook (since 2016)
Practice Areas Explained
Brendan Kenny's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Brendan Kenny handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.
Brendan Kenny is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in Minnesota →
Real estate attorneys handle home purchases, sales, commercial transactions, title disputes, and landlord-tenant matters.
Brendan Kenny is one of 316,149 real estate attorneys indexed nationally. Browse real estate attorneys in Minnesota →
Brendan Kenny is one of 20,023 estate litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse estate litigation attorneys in Minnesota →
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
Brendan Kenny is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Minnesota →
Appellate attorneys for civil and criminal appeals at state and federal court.
Brendan Kenny is one of 86,319 appellate attorneys indexed nationally. Browse appellate attorneys in Minnesota →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Minnesota
Practicing law in Minnesota. Legal matters in Minnesota are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Edina are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Minnesota state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Minnesota brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Minnesota courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Minnesota attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Edina or all attorneys in Minnesota.
Frequently Asked
Common questions about Brendan Kenny
Where is Brendan Kenny's law office located?
What practice areas does Brendan Kenny handle?
Where did Brendan Kenny go to law school?
How can I contact Brendan Kenny for a consultation?
What awards or recognition has Brendan Kenny received?
Practice Areas
Education
Awards
Reviews
No reviews yet.