Practice areas: Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Products Liability; view more
Licensed in Minnesota since: 2008
Education: University of Wisconsin Law School
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2026 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2013 - 2018, 2023 Call today:
888-388-7261
Free Consultation Robins Kaplan LLP
800 LaSalle AvenueSuite 2800
Minneapolis, MN 55402 Visit website
Details 
Brandon Vaughn, a partner at Robins Kaplan LLP, focuses his practice on personal injury and wrongful death litigation, with a particular emphasis on medical malpractice cases. With over sixteen years of experience, Brandon is dedicated to advocating for individuals and families who have suffered due to the negligence of others.
Brandon is known for securing high-value settlements and jury awards on behalf of his clients, including a $9.6 million verdict following the wrongful death of a doctor in Fargo and a $7.5 million verdict related to the fatal shooting of a man following a minor fender bender. His understanding of the legal system and its complexities allows him to effectively challenge large corporations and insurance companies on behalf of his clients.
In addition to his remarkable professional accomplishments, Brandon has earned numerous honors and recognitions, including being named a “Minnesota Super Lawyer” in 2024 and appearing in Lawdragon’s “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America” for three consecutive years. In 2023, he was recognized as the “Nation’s Best Advocate”, the highest honor a recipient can receive, among the 2023 “Top 40 Under 40” Class by the National Bar Association, honored by The National Law Journal as a “Rising Star of the Plaintiffs Bar,” and was included in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal’s Black Leaders List.
Brandon is also actively involved in the legal community, regularly presenting on topics related to personal injury, medical malpractice, and diversity, equity, and inclusion in the profession. He currently serves as Chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Committee for the American Association for Justice and is the Chair of the firm’s Black Firm Member Resource Group.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - Products: PlaintiffFocus areas
Animal Bites, Assault, Birth Injury, Delayed or Incorrect Diagnosis, Medical Malpractice, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Wrongful Death
- 50% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 40% Personal Injury - Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff
- 10% Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 2008, Minnesota
Professional Webpage: https://www.robinskaplan.com/lawyers/brandon-vaughn
Bar / Professional Activity
- American Association for Justice; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Committee Chair (2024-Present), Leadership Academy (2018)
- American Bar Association
- American Bar Foundation; Fellow
- Hennepin County Bar Association; President (2021-2022), Board of Directors (2014-2023), Finance and Planning Committee (2018-2021)
- International Society of Barristers
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD); Fellow (2017)
- Minnesota Association for Justice; Board of Governors (2018-Present)
- Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers; Board Member (2010-2012)
- Minnesota State Bar Association; Board of Governors (2023-Present), Assembly Member (2019-Present), Elections and Appointment Committee (2024-Present)
- National Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division; Secretary (2016-2017), Vice Chair (2017-2018)
- The Black Biglaw Pipeline; Board of Directors (2018-Present)
- Twin Cities Diversity in Practice; Board of Directors (2019-Present), Young Lawyers Group, Executive Leadership Board (2011-2016)
- U.S. District Court, Minnesota
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court, North Dakota
- Minnesota
- Wisconsin
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- $9.6 million verdict; Client v. Gene Kirkpatrick.
- $7.5 million verdict; Lewis, Valerie o/b/o Lewis, Douglas v. Trifiletti, 2023
- $6 million settlement for the wrongful death of bicyclist struck by a distracted driver.
- $4.5 million settlement secured for a baby with permanent neurological damage due to negligent labor management.
- $3 million settlement for the mother of a 21-year-old male who had died while in the care of a hospital for severe abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
- $2 million jury verdict awarded to a woman who suffered permanent nerve damage due to undiagnosed compartment syndrome after a hospital procedure, 2017
- $1.7 million settlement for negligent failure to timely diagnose and treat oral cancer.
- $1.6 million settlement in sorority hazing-related death of a college student.
- $1.6 million settlement secured for a 16-year-old who lost vision due to delayed diagnosis of a brain tumor.
- $1.25 million settlement reached for a woman who suffered brain injury due to medical mistakes during surgery.
- $1 million dollar settlement for a Wisconsin family for claims stemming from a Wisconsin crash when a semitruck blew a stop sign and pulled out in front of a husband and wife as they were traveling home from a camping trip. The husband was killed in the crash and the wife sustained serious injuries., 2020
- $1 million settlement was reached for a stroke caused by chiropractic malpractice.
- $900,000 settlement secured for traumatic brain injury after a rear-end car crash, 2023
- $900,000 settlement obtained for the wrongful death of a 75-year-old woman in a vehicle collision.
- $750,000 settlement reached for a teenage girl who suffered second-degree burns during a beauty salon procedure.
- $750,000 settlement secured for the wrongful death of a developmentally disabled adult due to improper supervision.
- $700,000 settlement obtained for failure to diagnose carotid artery disease, resulting in a stroke.
- $650,000 wrongful death settlement achieved involving mental health care negligence.
- $500,000 settlement secured for a patient who experienced complications after an appendix removal surgery.
- $500,000 settlement was reached for a woman who faced a 31-month delay in diagnosing endometrial cancer.
- $300,000 settlement obtained for nursing home negligence resulting in a below-the-knee amputation.
- $251,800 jury verdict was awarded for exposure to anhydrous ammonia, leading to asthma.
- $250,000 jury verdict reached for a worker injured by an excavator, leading to a pelvic injury.
- $200,000 settlement was secured for failure to provide life-sustaining treatment at a nursing home.
- $200,000 settlement obtained for the wrongful death of an inmate in county jail.
- $175,000 settlement secured for nursing home negligence causing blood clots due to missed medication.
- $150,000 settlement for surgical negligence during a compartmental fasciotomy resulting in nerve injury.
Pro bono / Community Service
- Bolder Options, Mentor, 2024
- Just the Beginning Foundation: Summer Legal Institute, Guest Lecturer
- Minneapolis Public Schools: 100 Strong Who Care, Guest Speaker
- Volunteer Lawyers Network Advocates for Human Rights, 2021
Educational Background
- University of Wisconsin Law School, J.D.
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, B.A. in English
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Presenter, Direct, Cross Exam, Entering Evidence and Jury Instructions, Minnesota Association for Justice Trial College, 2024
- Provides concrete examples and life experiences to educate law firms on successful tools in recruiting and retaining diverse attorneys and staff, Speaker, Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Attorneys and Staff, American Association for Justice 2024 Winter Convention, 2024
- Shares his career journey as a Black attorney and his dedication to making justice accessible for all, Author, Access to Justice Is a Right, Not a Privilege, Trial Magazine, 2024
- Explores the persistent challenges and actionable strategies for recruiting and retaining diverse attorneys in the legal profession., Author, Recruiting & Retaining Diverse Attorneys: Building an Inclusive Legal Profession, Bloomberg Law, 2024
- Series of presentations at the Black BigLaw Pipeline Sixth Annual Associate Boot Camp, Moderator and Panelist, The Power of Relationships; Litigation Overview; Law Firm Economics; Trials - Break Out Session, The Black BigLaw Pipeline Sixth Annual Associate Boot Camp, 2024
- Provides a leadership perspective on what legal organizations should be preparing for and doing to support the changing landscape of lawyer demographics, Speaker, The Present and Future of DEI - A Law Student and New Lawyer Perspective, HCBA & RCBA Diversity Committee 2024 Race & Equity Series, 2024
- Covers new client intake, what red flags to look for, and what information to gather, Speaker, Onboarding the Client/When to Cut the Client Loose, Minnesota Association for Justice New Lawyers Bootcamp, 2023
- Discusses diversity, equity, and inclusion in the future of law firms, Speaker, The Case for Inclusion and the Future of Law Firms, Minnesota Association for Justice Mid-Winter Meeting, 2023
- Shares how different types of feedback (and the absence of feedback) impacted his career, practical advice for providing great feedback and improving retention, and tips for seeking out good feedback for yourself, Panelist, How Does Feedback Impact Retention?, Twin Cities Diversity in Practice, 2022
- Discussion with law students about a day in the life in Big Law and what to expect while practicing in a large law firm, Speaker, Big Law 101: What It Is & What to Expect, National Black Law Student Association, Law Students, 2021
- Shares tips on how to develop a diverse and inclusive environment in the office and the profession generally, Speaker, Diversity and Working Through Difference, Hennepin County Bar Association Institute for Leadership in the Legal Profession, 2021
- Training on how to effectively prepare and use experts in personal injury and medical malpractice cases, Speaker, Expert Witness Seminar, Minnesota Association for Justice Center for Legal Education, 2020
- Discusses the impact world events have on diverse communities in the workplace and how those events impact ethical considerations in the practice, Panelist, Ethics: Insights about Race, Stress, and Professional Responsibility, 2020 Criminal Justice Institute, 2020
Honors
- Top 25 Attorneys of Minnesota, Attorney Intel, 2024
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America, Lawdragon, 2024
- Minnesota Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers, 2024
- The Best Lawyers in America, The Best Lawyers in America, 2024
- Top Lawyers List, Minnesota Monthly, 2024
- Rising Star of the Plaintiffs Bar, The National Law Journal, 2023
- Nation’s Best Advocate: Top 40 Under 40, National Bar Association, 2023
- Minnesota Rising Star, Super Lawyers, 2023
- Black Leaders List, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, 2023
- Most Influential Black Lawyer, Savoy Magazine, 2022
- Notable Partner in Law, Twin Cities Business, 2022
- Shortlisted for Diversity and Inclusion Lawyer of the Year, Chambers USA, 2021
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 2021
- Diversity and Inclusion Award, Minnesota Lawyer, 2021
- North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2020
- Nations Best List, Lawyers of Color, 2019
- Diversity Leader, Profiles in Diversity Journal, 2019
Office location for Brandon Vaughn
800 LaSalle Avenue
Suite 2800
Minneapolis, MN 55402
Phone: 888-388-7261
Selections
3 Years Super Lawyers
7 Years Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2026
- Rising Stars: 2013 - 2018, 2023
