Mike Branson Consulting

Signing the Roll of Attorneys at the Missouri Supreme Court in 2004.

I graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia School of Law in 2003 and passed the Missouri Bar in the spring of 2004. I immediately began working for the Missouri State Public Defender system. I proudly specialized in juvenile law, helping kids understand the legal process and often sending them to special schools or drug rehabilitation programs. In 2006 I took an opportunity to switch sides of the criminal courtroom, becoming Municipal Prosecutor for the town of Holden, Missouri. I handled the docket by myself with no secretary and no staff whatsoever.  I treated offenders fairly and consistently and did not use the municipal court as a cash cow to bring in revenue. After my two year commission as prosecutor ended, I opened a small law office in nearby Warrensburg, Missouri. I ran a general practice doing traffic, criminal defense, bankruptcy, divorces and child custody, as well as a few other opportunities including an important federal intellectual property case. By 2010 the economic recession had devastated the Warrensburg area and I had become disenchanted with the practice of law in that area. I resolved to change careers and leave this chapter of my life behind me. I remain a consultant to a select few clients and friends who continue to value my advice and ideas.

Branson Legal Services, LLC

May 2008 – June 2011

General solo practice specializing in felony and misdemeanor criminal defense, divorce and child custody, civil suits, traffic matters, and bankruptcy.

• Special consultant to Dick Heller on ideas and concepts for further litigation following the landmark D.C. v. Heller Supreme Court Decision. See “Legal Team” at www.hellerfoundation.org
• Efficiently organized and managed all aspects of the solo practice without support staff, including business management, advertising, and financial matters.
• Consistently and effectively negotiated important matters in my clients’ cases, including parenting plans, property settlements, and reduced penalties and fines in criminal cases. Also handled case diversion, for example a high pressure negotiation process in a felony unregistered pistol silencer case, resulting in no charges being filed against the client.
• Won serious felony cases and complex domestic cases for my clients, including drug and weapons violations and child custody cases.  Stand-out victories included getting sole legal custody of children awarded to their fathers in contested trial settings.
• Appeared in court in front of judges or juries on average 20 court times each month.
• Practice was focused primarily on Johnson, Cass, andJacksonCounties, but branched out as far asSt. CharlesandBatesCounties.
• January 2010 won a six-figure settlement for my client in a complex Intellectual Property matter as pro hac vice counsel in the Federal Southern District of Georgia.
• Certified mediator/adjudicator since 2004.

 

Municipal Prosecutor, City of Holden

June 2006 – June 2008

City Prosecutor for a small rural town prosecuting all aspects of all municipal offenses.

• Dramatically increased efficiency of the municipal docket by reducing its backlog of dormant cases.
• Quickly reduced the number of cases that were more than a year old by encouraging the court to issue arrest warrants and set cash bonds consistently for individuals who failed to appear or meet their obligations.
• Successfully implemented a policy of high fines for drug and alcohol offenses, and meaningful jail time for assaults and repeat offenders.
• Worked collaboratively with police, city council, local defense attorneys, and the 17th circuit court to protect the community in a reasonable and fair manner.
• Organized and maintained all legal and financial records of the municipal prosecution office.

 

Missouri State Public Defender          

August 2004 – May 2006

Public Defender at KC Juvenile Division, 16th Circuit Family Court, Division 41, working with juvenile cases, from simple status offenses to complex felonies and making court frequent appearances.

• Successfully managed preparation for court appearances, client interviews, and follow-up procedures for nearly 100 court appearances per month including preliminary hearings, and multiple bench trials per week.
• Closed approximately 400 trial files in 2005 without the aid of support staff.
• Defended juvenile offenders on serious felony charges, including complex child sex crime, drug distribution and trafficking, assaults, firearms offenses, and arsons.