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Dan Adkins

Direct: (612) 600-8183
Main: (651) 330-9678

Mr. Adkins has become rather ‘the man to see’ in the region, for folks facing criminal charges, based solely on his record of success since moving his practice to Minnesota in 1996. Victories include pre-charge declines, evidence suppression in drug and assault cases, count-reduction from murder to misdemeanor, along with multiple verdicts of acquittal. Start your defense here.

Mr. Adkins has been successfully defending clients even since before he graduated from George Mason University School of Law in 1994. Of note, he won his first court trial before starting his final year in law school.

Mr. Adkins has for more than two decades served as the managing partner at a number of criminal defense firms – and always getting favorable results for his clients. He is a veteran of more than forty jury trials, more than 200 court trials, and literally many thousand evidentiary, probation, and other hearings. He has also argued more than 8 dozen appeals, including multiple appearances at the Minnesota Supreme Court, almost twice yearly since 1998.

Mr. Adkins has taught at more than thirty Continuing Legal Education seminars, and he has created and/or hosted at more than two dozen since joining the MSBA Criminal Law Section. He has written and argued four landmark decisions in Minnesota, including the Staats precedent for Miranda in homicide matters, and the St. Claire rule relative to custody credit. He is fortunate in that his clients have helped him become a leader in the criminal defense community.

In addition to this extensive experience throughout Minnesota, Mr. Adkins has been admitted via local counsel rules (also called Pro Hac Vice admission) in Federal Courts in New Hampshire, Rhode Island, North Dakota and Montana, as well as state courts in Montana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, North Dakota and Virginia. His reputation precedes him, and he is sought out by individuals facing serious criminal charges literally anywhere. North Star Criminal Defense maintains wide networks of colleagues throughout the country for representation in out-of-state matters.

Mr. Adkins is a proud husband to his wife and prouder still of his two growing boys. He enjoys being amazed and confused by his sons, reading, traveling, and officiating baseball at the collegiate level. And he is active in his home community, serving as President of the Board of Directors of the West Side Citizens Organization.

Awards -

Super Lawyer - Awarded to lawyers determined to be in the top 5% in the State. A patented process by an independent company recognized Mr. Adkins for his professional achievements, peer recognition, and devotion to the practice. He is one of a select few attorneys statewide to be a Super Lawyers Criminal Defense attorney.

Legal Community Involvement -

Mr. Adkins is a leader in the Criminal Defense bar, having served in various capacities, including:

  • Criminal Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association - Served as Chairman in 2014-15, among other positions
  • Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Board of Directors Member
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • National Association of Public Interest Law - Former national committeeman