Mr. Birrell is a well-known trial lawyer who has extensive experience litigating personal injury, criminal, white collar criminal and complex civil cases.
He has won jury acquittals in felony cases alleging murder, aggravated assault, criminal sexual conduct, criminal vehicular operation, aggravated robbery, adulteration of food, federal law violations and in many other types of criminal cases
He has successfully represented clients in personal injury cases and has obtained recoveries in excess of one million dollars by both trial and settlement. Mr. Birrell has argued appeals in the state and federal courts. He has won reversals of convictions and obtained new trials in both the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals, and has argued before the United States Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.
A former prosecutor, Mr. Birrell also presents seminars to other lawyers in all phases of criminal law and jury selection techniques. Mr. Birrell is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. Minnesota Law and Politics has named Mr. Birrell one of the top 100 'Super Lawyers' based on a statewide survey of Minnesota Lawyers, and the same publication routinely lists Mr. Birrell as a 'Super Lawyer' and a 'Top 40' Criminal Defense lawyer. Mr. Birrell has been certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Criminal Trial Specialist since 1989. Mr. Birrell is 'av' rated by Martindale Hubbell.
JD 1981, Antioch School of Law
BS 1977, University of Pittsburgh.
1981 Minnesota; 1983 United States District Court for the District of Minnesota; 1999 United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin; 1985 United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit; 1987 United States Supreme Court.
Professional Associations: Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers; National Board of Trial Advocacy - Board of Examiners; Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota (Board Member); National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Life Member); National Board of Trial Advocacy - Certified Criminal Trial Specialist; Minnesota State Bar Association Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist; Innocence Project of Minnesota - Advisory Board Member; Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; Million Dollar Advocates Forum; Minnesota State Bar Association; Hennepin County Bar Association.
