About Andrew Brandt
Andrew Brandt is the associate editor on Super Lawyers‘ staff. He serves as the editor for the Missouri-Kansas, Mountain States, Oklahoma, and Texas Rising Stars magazines, and he additionally writes, fact-checks and proofreads for numerous other Super Lawyers issues (and for the website). He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in English literature and environmental studies, and his byline has appeared in a variety of places, both online and in print.
Articles written by Andrew Brandt
What Happens if You Die Without a Will?
When someone close passes away, there is a long list of decisions to be made and tasks to be completed in managing their affairs. Wills are created to assist loved ones in making some of these decisions. Dying without a will means you have very limited input into how your property gets distributed when you die or how your loved ones are financially provided for. State law will step in and make those decisions for you. “Do it,” urges estate planning lawyer Anita Rosenbloom of McDermott …
Law & Practice
Six pillars of the legal community look back on three decades of lawIn August 1991, Minnesota Law & Politics published its first-ever Super Lawyers list. In the ensuing three decades, firms have opened and shuttered, careers have begun and ended, but the six lawyers we spoke with have remained constant fixtures in Minnesota law and on our Super Lawyers list. They’ve graced covers and spearheaded everything from the Big Tobacco settlement to the region’s biggest criminal defense cases. Now they tell us how the state of law in Minnesota has—and …
What Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
Personal injury lawyers are licensed legal practitioners representing clients who have been injured by other people or entities, such as businesses or organizations. Let's say you were in a car accident and the driver of the other vehicle was at fault. You decide to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover the cost of your medical bills. A personal injury lawyer can provide vital legal advice, file the lawsuit, and guide you through all stages of litigation. Most people who work with personal …
How To Find a Good Personal Injury Attorney
Choosing the right personal injury lawyer can be an intimidating prospect. It's a task that will involve more than a simple Google search or online ad. You will have to consult with personal injury lawyers to figure out who is a good fit for you and your case. Personal injury law is a huge practice area and covers many legal issues. It includes everything from wrongful death, car accidents, property damage, and product liability to medical malpractice cases. When a person or company causes you …
Loyalty After Death
Mullins McLeod left no stone unturned when a former mayor was murderedOn May 16, 2011, Cottageville Police Officer Randall Price fatally shot Bert Reeves, a former mayor of the 800-person town northwest of Charleston. Reeves, acting as a concerned citizen, was obtaining formal abuse-of-authority and excessive-force complaints against Price—who had been featured in the 2005 Post and Courier article “Tarnished Badges”—when Price, driving a police-issued vehicle, boxed Reeves in on a single-lane dirt road and, ultimately, killed him. Mullins McLeod, a …
Projecting Confidence
A refereeing career taught Matthew Foerster how to make difficult callsMatthew Foerster began playing soccer at age 7, and picked up refereeing just four years later. “I’d spend the weekends at the soccer field, playing in the morning and refereeing a few games afterward—or vice versa,” he says. “I did it for fun at first, some money on the side. It was fun being a 12-year-old, getting to tell parents and coaches to focus on the game.” He continued officiating and playing as his family moved from Pittsburgh to Arkansas, and as he went on to the …
Contesting a Will in Colorado Isn't Easy
Will contests are often a culmination of a lifetime of perceptions about family interactions. Many cases arise from blended families — be it a second spouse inherits more than the decedent’s children think they should, or the kids believe the stepsiblings should have been left out altogether. “Will contests usually get started when people have expectations based on what their parent has told them will happen with their estate that are different than what that parent wrote in his or her …
'A Box Seat at the World Series'
Chip Robertson on his stint with Missouri’s highest courtWhat was your path to the Missouri Supreme Court? I was Governor Ashcroft’s chief of staff. And, before that, I had been the number two guy in the attorney general’s office. I was barely 33—and that was basically as young as it had ever been in Missouri. The Supreme Court at that time had six guys, all of whom were older than my father, and most of whom hated each other. There was a sense, among some of the people who were interested in getting the court to do its job a little better, …
Shared Custody for Pets: Who Gets the Pet in a Breakup?
More and more, couples going through a breakup or divorce are having to decide who gets their beloved pet. Couples can plan ahead for pet custody in a prenuptial agreement, or negotiate shared custody for their pets as part of divorce proceedings. For legal advice on pet custody arrangements for divorcing couples, talk to an animal law attorney. Prenuptial Agreements To Avoid Pet Custody Cases The safest option is for the partners to decide who gets the pet in a breakup or divorce at the time …
Why Do Life Insurance Policy Benefits Get Denied?
Life insurance coverage offers a financial safety net and provides peace of mind. Whole or term life insurance helps cover final expenses and eases the burden on the surviving spouse or children. So when a life insurance claim is unexpectedly denied, it only adds to the distress of losing your loved one. Make sure you understand your insurance policy to protect your family. Insurance protections can vary by state law. Get legal advice from a local insurance coverage lawyer to make sure you …
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