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651 330 9678

Dan Adkins

 

Attorney

Direct: (612) 600-8183
Main: (651) 330-9678
Email: dan@northstarlaw.com

Dan 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 serious cases, count-reduction from murder to misdemeanor, along with multiple verdicts of acquittal, including a complete acquittal in a 9-count second degree murder case in May of 2023, and a staggering split verdict in the Highs Northside Gang prosecution of murder, RICO and drug counts in June of 2025. Start your defense here.

Dan has for more than two decades served as the managing partner at a number of criminal defense firms – always getting favorable results for his clients. He is a veteran of countless jury and court trials, and literally thousands of evidentiary, probation, and other hearings. He has also argued more than 100 appeals, including appearing at the Minnesota Supreme Court. He is also a member of the bar for the United States Supreme Court

Dan has taught at more than fifty 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, the St. Claire rule relative to custody credit, and the Baker decision on privacy and statutory interpretation. He is fortunate in that his clients have helped him become one of the deans of the Minnesota criminal defense community.

In addition to this extensive experience throughout Minnesota, Dan 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, South Dakota, Missouri and Virginia. His reputation precedes him, and he is sought out by individuals facing serious criminal charges literally anywhere.

Dan 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.

Licenses and Bar Admissions

  • Minnesota
  • 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 and South Dakota, Iowa, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and Virginia, among others.

Education

  • Allegheny College, Meadville, PA–1987-89
    • Alden Scholar; Dean’s List, every Trimester in attendance
  • University of Minnesota, Bachelor of Arts, 1989-1991
    • Cum Laude
    • Degrees in Philosophy, English Literature; Minors in Classics, Political Science
  • George Mason University School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1994
    • Top 25% Dean’s List
    • President, Association for Public Interest Law

Results

  • State v. S.D.
    • Charges: 3rd Degree Assault – Felony; Illegal Deployment of a Chemical Weapon – Felony
    • Resolution: Case dismissed on the day of trial.
  • State v. A.A.
    • Charges: 1st Degree Arson – Felony; Negligent Fires – Felony
    • Resolution: Stay of Adjudication.
  • State v. J.G.
    • Charges: 3rd Degree Murder; Controlled Substance – Felony Counts
    • Resolution: Plea to a drug count and dismiss the murder count.
  • State v. B.G.
    • Charges: 3 counts each of: Attempted 2nd Degree Murder; 1st Degree Assault; 2nd Degree Assault with a Dangerous Weapon
    • Resolution: Acquittal at trial on ALL nine counts.
  • State v. J. G. T.
    • Charges: Criminal Sexual Conduct, First Degree/minor complainant
    • Resolution: Acquitted after trial, four counts.
  • State v. J. H.
    • Charges: Criminal Sexual Conduct, Third Degree
    • Resolution: Dismissed with prejudice on eve of trial.
  • Click here to view more of Dan’s case results

Recognition

  • Super Lawyer, 2016-Present – Awarded to lawyers determined to be in the top 5% in the State. A patented process by an independent company recognized Dan 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.

Community

Dan 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
Assault Charges
DWI Charges
Drug Charges
Expungements
Our Team

State v. M.M.

August, 2026
Threats of Violence and Criminal Damage to Property – 1st Degree – both felonies; Domestic Assault – gross misdemeanor
Plea to the gross misdemeanor domestic assault and the two felony counts were dismissed. On top of that fantastic outcome, the client’s sentence included no jail time to serve, a minimal fine, and merely requirements to continue with his therapy and programming. Avoiding a felony was the first and top priority. Anything better than that was icing on the cake. And that’s exactly what Mr. Gempeler a
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State v. R.T.

August, 2026
School Bus Stop Arm Violation – Gross Misdemeanor
Stay of adjudication. Though this is a traffic incident, when a child is present outside the school bus, cities tend to take this charge very seriously and make negotiations challenging. Armed with a proactive step and a remorseful client, Mr. Gempeler successfully obtained a non-conviction, which is a fantastic and rare outcome for these gross misdemeanor charges. For a client that was facing a s
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State v. D.M.

July, 2026
4th Degree DWI – Misdemeanors
Dismissed. Once Mr. Gempeler sought to schedule a contested hearing to challenge the legality of the felony stop executed on our client, the State immediately dismissed the case, knowing full well that the argument was strong and Mr. Gempeler would win. Additionally, the State knew additional discovery sought on the officer in question would reveal damaging information that would only further bols
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State v. C.K.

July, 2026
Fleeing in a Motor Vehicle – Felony; Pending Forfeiture
Gross Misdemeanor sentence from the Court. Here, a manifest, but understandable, injustice was occurring, due less to the error by a client, and more from an intransigent County Attorney, unwilling to authorize her staff attorneys to employ the discretion that vocation necessarily entails. “Office Policy” was cited at every turn when Mr. Adkins sought to reduce this felony to a gross misdemeanor,
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State v. J.C.

July, 2026
Domestic Assault – Misdemeanor
Continuance for dismissal. Mr. Adkins negotiated aggressively at the first pretrial, after Mr. Gempeler conclusively established the defenses at the arraignment, including negating a near-automatic Domestic Abuse No Contact Order – a nearly unheard of result at Ridgedale. Still, getting a continuance for dismissal with the allegations raised is no small feat for the Ridgedale courthouse. The famil
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State v. J.P.

June, 2026
Felony fleeing in a motor vehicle; 3rd Degree DWI – Gross Misdemeanor
Stay of Adjudication. Wonderful client stopped for his second DUI near his workplace, late in the evening, and the officer left him, to go deal with a nearby fight… our man mistakenly heads off home, and catches a felony fleeing count, that unfortunately matched the statute. However, a combination of aggressive advocacy by Mr. Adkins and the North Star team, and client’s devotion to sobriety and r
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