Brendan V. Johnson

Former United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota Brendan Johnson is listed by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 200 lawyers in the United States. An aggressive advocate, Mr. Johnson has spent his career trying cases, deposing hostile witnesses, and cross-examining experts. His courtroom advocacy led Shared Hope International, an organization dedicated to abolishing human trafficking, to describe Mr. Johnson as a “force of determination, initiative and skill…”  Together, his unique background and skill set power his ability to guide clients to solutions that serve not only their legal interest, but also to safeguard their reputation in high stakes litigation. 

Mr. Johnson’s experience comes from his time at the Department of Justice as well as his political and public advocacy work. While serving as the United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota, Mr. Johnson was selected by the Attorney General of the United States to chair the Department of Justice’s Native American Issues Subcommittee and to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee. He was also a member of the Justice Department’s Terrorism/National Security and Cybercrime Subcommittees. In addition, he was named one of the nation’s top 40 political rising stars under the age of 40 by The Washington Post, and Campaigns and Election listed him as one of the 500 most influential people in politics. Mr. Johnson was recognized by Chambers USA in Nationwide Band 1 for Native American Law and Indian Country Today named him to their “Hot List” of attorneys. In ranking him in tier one nationally, Chambers USA quoted a recent client saying, "Brendan has excellent judgment. He is one of the most gifted trial attorneys I have seen work." The National Law Journal also selected Mr. Johnson as a 2021 National Litigation Trailblazer.

Education

• University of Virginia School of Law, J.D. (2001)
• University of South Dakota, B.S. (1998)

Representative Matters

• Named to "Best-in-State Lawyers" list, Forbes (2025)
• Named the "2024 South Dakota Trial Lawyer of the Year," South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association (2024)
• Listed in "Top 200 Lawyers in the United States," Forbes (2024)
• Named a "Leading Practitioner in Native American Law," Chambers USA (2018-2025)
• Named a "Leading Practitioner in General Commercial Litigation," Chambers USA (2024-2025)
• Listed in “500 Leading Litigators in America,” Lawdragon (2023-2025)
• Listed in "500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers" List, Lawdragon (2023-2025)
• Listed in "Top Influencers in South Dakota," Ballotpedia (2022)
• "Diversity and Inclusion Award," State Bar of South Dakota (2022)
• Named a “North Star Lawyer” by the Minnesota State Bar Association for providing at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services (2022)
• Named a "Litigation Trailblazer," The National Law Journal (2021)
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America List (2020-2025 editions)
• Named an "Up-and-Coming Attorney" in Native American Law, Chambers (2017)
• Named to Indian Country Business Today’s “Hot List” (2016)
• "Pathbreaker of the Year," Shared Hope International  (2014)
• "Top 40 Politicians Under the Age of 40," Washington Post (2014)
• "Top 500 Most Influential in Politics," Campaigns and Elections Magazine (2013)
• "Attorney of the Year," University of South Dakota Women in Law (2013)
• "South Dakota Violence Against Women Prosecutor of the Year” (2013)
• Harry S. Truman Scholar (1993)

Speeches

• CTLC Annual Conference: Litigation Update Panel
  Conference of Tribal Lending Commissioners (CTLC) Annual Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada (March 10, 2025)
• Identifying Opportunities: Affirmative Recovery Strategies
  Association of Corporate Counsel Minnesota CLE (August 6, 2024)
• Section 1983 Litigation: Bringing Accountability to Those Used to Having Their Way
  Robins Kaplan LLP Section 1983 Litigation Luncheon (April 3, 2024)
• CTLC Annual Conference: Litigation Overview
  Conference of Tribal Lending Commissioners (CTLC) Annual Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada (March 11, 2024)
• Update on the United States Department of Justice and Tribal Lending
  Conference of Tribal Lending Commissioners (CTLC) Annual Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada (April 3, 2023)
• The Future of Tribal Sovereignty: Implications of Oklahoma vs. Castro-Huerta
  George Mason University Law & Economics Center, Webinar (August 25, 2022)
• CTLC Annual Conference Moderator
  Conference of Tribal Lending Commissioners (CTLC) Annual Conference, Webinar (April 19, 2022)
• Tribal Futures: How Can Public Policy Support Native American Economic Development?
  Mitchell Hamline School of Law Journal of Public Policy and Practice, Webinar (February 11, 2022)
• Celebrating Native American Heritage Month - Current Issues on American Indian Law and Policy 
  Hennepin County Bar Association, Webinar (November 29, 2021)
• Current Issues on American Indian Law and Policy 
  In-House CLE for a Financial Institution (October 12, 2021)
• State and Local Government Tribal Lending Law Panel 2: Defending the Tribes
  American Bar Association, Webinar (August 5, 2021)
• Defending the Protectors of the Sacred: Standing Rock, Black Hills, Mauna Kea
  Arizona Bar Association, Webinar (December 2, 2020)
• Regulatory Review: Election Analysis
  Online Lenders Alliance Tribal Lending Conference, Webinar (December 1, 2020)
• Representations of Wealth Planning and Conflict in Film and Literature: What Can We Learn from Such Depictions?
  Robins Kaplan LLP Wealth Planning, Administration, and Disputes Annual CLE, Webinar (October 7, 2020)
• Former U.S. Attorney, Chamber president talk marijuana legalization
  Sioux Falls Argus Leader (October 5, 2020)
• Regulation, Jurisdiction and Compliance
  Sixth Annual Tribal Government E-Commerce Conference, Chandler, Arizona (January 30, 2020)
• Minimizing Fiduciary Risk and Litigation
  South Dakota Trust Association Fall Forum, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (October 17, 2018)
• Tribal Consultation Under the Trump Administration
  Tribal Law Institute – CLE International, Scottsdale, Arizona (October 11, 2018)
• Strategies to Address Human Trafficking at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
  South Dakota Trust Association Fall Forum, Vermillion, South Dakota (September 27, 2018)
• Tribal Cannabis and Hemp Ventures Answers or More Questions
  Native American Finance Officers Association, New Orleans, Louisiana (April 24, 2018)
• The Department of Justice under President Trump: Cannabis and Other Priorities Impacting Indian Country
  National Indian Gaming Association Convention, Las Vegas, Nevada (April 18, 2018)
• The Future of Tribal Financial Regulation
  Wiring the Rez: Innovative Strategies for Business Development via E-Commerce CLE Conference, Chandler, Arizona (February 1, 2018)
• Sovereign Immunity at the PTAB Gimmick or Genius
  Intellectual Property Owners Association, Webinar (October 24, 2017)
• Sovereign Immunity at the PTAB
  Intellectual Property Owners Association, Webinar (October 11, 2017)
• A Legal Tale: The Politics & Policies of Cannabis in Indian Country
  National Indian Gaming Association Convention,San Diego, California (April 11, 2017)
• Tribal Cannabis State of Play
  Victor Strategies Tribal Cannabis & Hemp Symposium, Tulalip Reservation, Seattle, Washington (November 2, 2016)
• Human Trafficking and Major Sports Events
  Robins Kaplan LLP Trial Advocacy Seminar (October 13, 2016)
• The Future of Tribal Lending
  Lenders Alliance, Washington, D.C. (July 26, 2016)
• The Future of Tribal Economic Development
  National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, Tulsa, Oklahoma (July 12, 2016)
• Update on Cannabis Law
  National Reservation Economic Summit Las Vegas, Nevada (March 23, 2016)
• Eric Holders Justice Department People Process and Policies
  Mitchell Hamline Alumni CLE, St. Paul, Minnesota (March 10, 2016)
• Eric Holder's Justice Department: People, Process, and Policies
  Minnesota DFL Lawyers, Minneapolis, Minnesota (March 9, 2016)
• Update on Criminal Justice Issues in Indian Country
  Spokane Bar Association Spokane, Washington (March 4, 2016)
• Human Trafficking in Indian Country
  Gonzaga Native American Law Students Association and Gonzaga Journal of International Law, Spokane, Washington (March 3, 2016)
• The Future of Water Rights in Indian Country
  Great Plains Tribal Water Alliance, Pierre, South Dakota (December 2, 2015)
• Eric Holder's Justice Department: People and Policies
  Massachusetts Bar Association, Boston, Massachusetts (October 6, 2015)
• Homegrown Human Trafficking in the Heartland
  Minnesota Criminal Justice Institute, St. Paul, Minnesota (August 17, 2015)
• Human Trafficking and Native American Victims
  National Congress of American Indians, St. Paul, Minnesota (June 29, 2015)
• Reflections on Department of Justice Cases in South Dakota
  Black Hills Forum and Press Club, Rapid City, South Dakota (June 26, 2015)
• Overview of South Dakota Litigation
  South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association, Rapid City, South Dakota (June 18, 2015)
• Shared Hope International’s Human Trafficking Conference
  Keynote Speaker, Washington, D.C. (November 7, 2014)
• Human Trafficking in Indian Country
  Four Corners Tribal Public Safety Conference, Flagstaff, Arizona (August 28, 2014)
• Coordinating a Successful Human Trafficking Investigation and Prosecution
  Human Trafficking Training for Law Enforcements, Phoenix, Arizona (August 26, 2014)
• The Future of Prosecuting Healthcare Fraud
  Information Security Media Group Podcast (August 5, 2014)
• State Bar Association of South Dakota Annual Conference
  Keynote Speaker, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (June 20, 2014)
• Update for Assistant United States Attorneys on Indian Country Strategies
  Department of Justice National Advocacy Center, Columbia, South Carolina (July 31, 2012)
• Changing Dynamics on the Reservations
  National Intertribal Youth Summit, Chevy Chase, Maryland (July 30, 3012)
• Update on Efforts to Improve Public Safety in Indian Country
  National Congress of America Indians Mid-Year Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska (July 18, 2012)
• Strategies to Reduce Crime on Reservations
  Indian Law and Order Commission, Arlington, Virginia (March 7, 2012)
• Tribal Law and Order Act One Year Later: Have We Improved Public Safety and Justice Throughout Indian Country?
  United States Senate India Affairs Committee, Department of Justice Witness (September 22, 2011)
• Overview of Indian Country Law
  State Bar Association of South Dakota and Committee on Continuing Legal Education, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (June 23, 2011)
• National FBI Training on Domestic Violence
  Instructor, Rapid City, South Dakota (May 11, 2011)
• Crime Trends in South Dakota
  Regional FBI Management Meeting, Brainerd, Minnesota (June 25, 2010)
• A Primer on Federal Criminal Jurisdiction for the National Media
  University of New Mexico School of Law, Albuquerque, New Mexico (June 25, 2010)
• The Future of Federal Law Enforcement in Indian Country
  National Congress of American Indians (June 21, 2010)

Media Mentions

• Law360 Pulse, “Robins Kaplan Reelects Managing Partner, Names Exec Board,” (March 13, 2025)
• Lawdragon, “The 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers,” (February 28, 2025)
• Am Law Litigation Daily, “What We Heard From Litigation Leaders This Year” (December 26, 2024)
• Sioux Falls Business, "Movers & Shakers" (May 21, 2024)
• The American Lawyer, "How I Made Practice Group Chair: 'There Must Be Room For Both Expertise And Specialization,' Says Brendan Johnson Of Robins Kaplan" (April 19, 2024)
• KELOLAND, "Sioux Falls Attorney On Forbes' Top 200 Lawyers In The U.S."  (March 30, 2024)
• Forbes, "Meet America's Top 200 Lawyers 2024" (March 26, 2024)
• Courthouse News Service, "Tradition Is At Heart Of First Amendment Action Against South Dakota" (March 15, 2024)
• The America Lawyer, "Litigation Leaders: Brendan Johnson of Robins Kaplan on Driving a Case With a Jury in Mind" (February 12. 2024)
• U.S. News, "South Dakota Has Apologized and Must Pay $300K to Transgender Advocates" (February 6, 2024)
• The Washington Post, "South Dakota has Apologized and Must Pay $300K to Transgender Advocates" (February 6, 2024)
• Daily Beast, "Kristi Noem’s Office Grovels After Losing Lawsuit to Trans Advocacy Group" (February 5, 2024)
• KELOLAND, "Transgender Advocacy Group and State Reach $300K Settlement" (February 5, 2024)
• South Dakota Searchlight, "State Apologizes, Pays Transgender Advocacy Group $300,000 for Discrimination" (February 2, 2024)
• Raw Story, "South Dakota Apologizes and Pays Transgender Advocacy Group $300,000 for Discrimination" (February 2, 2024)
• South Dakota News Watch, "Remembering Honor: A Year After Blizzard Ravaged Rosebud, Boy's Death Raises Questions" (December 11, 2023)
• Lawdragon, "The DNA of Advocacy, with Brendan Johnson" (November 2, 2023)
• Rapid City Journal, "Rapid City Hotel Sued Again; Wisconsin Family Claims Discrimination for 'Unmistakably Racial' Incident" (October 30, 2023)
• Minnesota Lawyer, "Breaking the Ice: Former U.S. Attorney Leads Robins Kaplan Group" (October 5, 2023)
• South Dakota Searchlight, "Q&A: Why Brendan Johnson Chose Courtrooms Over Politics" (September 24, 2023)
• Law360, "Robins Kaplan Litigator Talks Helming Practice From Midwest" (September 20, 2023)
• Business Insider, "How Matt Onofrio Became a Real-Estate Con Man for the Influencer Age" (June 01, 2023)
• The Dakota Scout, "Sanford Health Loses Multi-million Dollar Medical Malpractice Verdict" (June 16, 2023)
• South Dakota News Watch, "Two Federal Judge Seats Remain Open in South Dakota Despite Busy Caseload" (June 12, 2023)
• The Wall Street Journal, "South Dakota Tribe Sues the U.S. for More Police, Citing 19th-Century Treaties" (March 4, 2023)
• Law360, "Judge Won't Consolidate Racial Bias Suits Against SD Hotel" (February 15, 2023)
• The South Dakota Standard, "U.S. Dept. of Justice files civil suit against Rapid City’s Grand Gateway Hotel, alleging racist treatment against Natives" (October 19, 2022)
• Indianz.com, "Business in South Dakota Sued over Racial Discrimination Against Native Patrons" (October 19, 2022)
• Sioux Falls Argus Leader, "Wholestone court fight could go to trial after November election" (October 19, 2022)
• Agweek, “Judge blocks permits for Sioux Falls butcher shop on the site of a planned pork processing plant” (October 11, 2022)
• Sioux Falls Business, “Judge rules city should not have issued permits for Wholestone’s ‘boutique’ butcher shop” (October 11, 2022)
• Dakota News Now, "Group files lawsuit against Wholestone and City of Sioux Falls" (September 9, 2022)
• Grand Forks Herold, "Legal fight over Sioux Falls pork plant would focus on definition of slaughterhouse" (September 6, 2022)
• The Dakota Scout, "Report: POET, Broins not only backers of pork plant opposition" (September 6, 2022)
• Argus Leader, "As construction starts, anti-slaughterhouse group is willing to take Wholestone to court" (August 23, 2022)
• Inside Sources, "Critics Get ‘Whiff of Racism’ in Progressive Attempts to Shut Down Tribal Lenders" (May 20, 2022)
• KELOLAND, "Amendment C: ‘Power grab’ or ‘taxpayer protection’" (May 17, 2022)
• CNN, "A South Dakota hotel denied service to Native Americans, lawsuit says" (March 25, 2022)
• ABC News, "Suit filed over threat to ban Native Americans from hotel" (March 23, 2022)
• The Washington Post, "Suit filed over threat to ban Native Americans from hotel" (March 23, 2022)
• Black Hills Pioneer, "Johnson offered political tickets – always declined" (March 16, 2022)
• Attorney at Law Magazine, "Robins Kaplan on the Front Lines of $589M National Opioid Settlement on Behalf of Tribal Nations" (March 2022)
• The South Dakota Standard, "Brendan Johnson dismisses political career, focusing on legal career, South Dakota ballot measures" (February 9, 2022)
• Law360, "Illinois Man Accuses Online Tribal Lenders of Predatory Loans" (January 26, 2022)
• Black Hills Pioneer, "Lawsuit challenges Amendment C by evoking Amendment A rejection" (January 19, 2022)
• The South Dakota Standard, "Brendan Johnson turns legal argument on his foes, seeks to remove Amendment C from June ballot" (January 19, 2022)
• Argus Leader, "Lawmakers' proposed three-fifths rule on spending, tax initiatives headed to court" (January 18, 2022)
• Argus Leader, "Appeals court rules 'government must do better' on Rosebud health care" (August 25, 2021)
• Dakota News Now, "Group protests COVID-19 vaccination policy at Sanford Health" (July 30, 2021)
• Keloland Media Group, "S.D. justices hear Amendment A argument" (April 28, 2021)
• Dakota News Now, "South Dakota Supreme Court hears Amendment A arguments" (April 28, 2021)
• ABC News, "South Dakota Supreme Court weighs pot legalization battle" (April 28, 2021) 
• Keloland Media Group, “City settles wrongful death lawsuit with Iowa family who lost their 5 year old daughter in a drowning at Falls Park” (February 18, 2021)
• Dakota News Now, “City of Sioux Falls settles lawsuit over Falls Park drowning” (February 18, 2021)
• Sioux Falls Argus Leader, “Sioux Falls agrees to settle with mother of 2018 Falls Park drowning victim” (February 18, 2021)
• Keoland Media Group, “Johnson says he’s prepared to appeal pot amendment without help from AG’s office” (February 12, 2021)
• Star Tribune, “South Dakota judge rejects amendment legalizing marijuana” (February 8, 2021)
• Sioux Falls Argus Leader, “Legal marijuana amendment comes under fire in Pierre courtroom” (January 27, 2021)
• Rapid City Journal, "Marijuana supporters say in court filing that voiding Amendment A would overturn will of the people” (December 10, 2020)
• Sioux Falls Argus Leader, "Former U.S. Attorney, Chamber president talk marijuana legalization" (October 5, 2020)
• Keloland Media Group," Robins Kaplan LLP Law Firm Advice on Choosing a Personal Injury Attorney” (October 15, 2018)
• Keloland Media Group, "Brendan Johnson Announces Law Firm Expansion in Sioux Falls" (April 5, 2018)
• The Washington Post, "3 S.D. Indian Tribes Sue Drugmakers over Opioid Addiction" (January 9, 2018)
• Minneapolis Star-Tribune, "Upper Midwest Tribes File Suit over Opioid Crisis" (January 9, 2018)
• CBS News, "Native American Tribes Sue Opioid Manufacturers, Distributors" (January 9, 2018)
• Argus Leader, "South Dakota Tribes Sue Drugmakers Over Opioid Painkillers" (January 8, 2018)
• The Bismarck Tribune, "Native American Tribes File Federal Lawsuit Against Opioid Industry" (January 8, 2018)
• Argus Leader, "Lawsuit on behalf of brain damaged girl settles" (November 3, 2017)
• Law360, "Tribal Leaders Look to Avoid Taint of Racer's $2B Fraud" (October 18, 2017)
• The Atlantic, "Who Can Tribal Courts Try?" (December 7, 2015)
• Supreme Court Brief, "Q&A: Questioning Justice and Jurisdiction in Indian Country" (December 1, 2015)
• Indian Country Today Media Network, "Former US Attorneys Hope to Level Playing Field for American Indians" (June 6, 2015)