Brendan J. Flaherty

Brendan has spent his entire career helping people seriously injured and their families. He began as part of a trial team working on behalf of a woman who lost fetal twins and the family of a man who died, both as a result of contaminated deli meat. Driven by that formative experience, he focused his practice on food poisoning cases and has represented people throughout the country. Over the past fifteen years, he has litigated countless product liability and food poisoning cases and achieved remarkable, ground-breaking results, including one of the largest E. coli verdicts in history. Most importantly, his work as a lawyer is driven by a belief in his clients. He works hard to meaningfully connect with the people he represents and earn each client’s trust.

He was named a Minnesota Lawyer Attorney of the Year in 2014 for his work representing the families of children severely injured by a defectively-designed and manufactured infant food product. He was also a Minnesota Lawyer Rising Star and will be recognized as one of the country’s top lawyers in the 2020 edition of “The Best Lawyers in America.”

As a child, Brendan was inspired by his father Tim Flaherty. Tim’s work ethic and absolute commitment to his clients’ causes continues to motivate Brendan in his own practice.

After graduating from high school in Woodbury, Minnesota, he attended a small liberal arts college in Iowa called Grinnell College. He graduated from Grinnell with a degree in history and after a year off, enrolled at the University of Minnesota Law School where he graduated with honors in 2003.

In law school, he met and later married Sandra Yue. Sandra suffered from a very rare blood cancer and despite this chronic illness, lived a full and meaningful 34 years. This tragic experience and the memory of Sandra has helped Brendan bring greater compassion and empathy to those who have been injured.

Following the experience with his late wife, he met a fellow-lawyer Chelsea Anderson at a Minnesota Association for Justice convention. She shared a commitment to justice and the experience of losing a loved one far too young. The two soon fell in love, got married, and now have two young daughters, Eliza and Lola. Chelsea is a passionate advocate in her own right. She is an immigration lawyer, primarily representing international students at the University of Minnesota.

“Great lawyers have a passion for their client’s causes that goes beyond mere work. To reach that level, we lawyers must forge meaningful relationships with our clients and their families. It takes commitment, time, and heart, but the result is a passion in advocacy that will resonate with juries and judges. Insurance companies and large corporations fight with teams of lawyers and well-paid experts. Yet they can never match the passion of a great trial attorney.”

Brendan assists clients with the following cases:

• Personal Injury Cases
• Wrongful Death Cases
• E. coli Outbreaks
• Listeria Outbreaks
• Salmonella Outbreaks
• Other Foodborne Illnesses