Acclaimed Minnesota Lawyer Ron Schutz Launches Campaign for Attorney General

MINNEAPOLIS -- Ron Schutz, one of Minnesota’s most respected lawyers and a nationally recognized leader in the legal field, announced his candidacy for Attorney General on Tuesday.

Schutz, a veteran and longtime community leader, said he is entering the race because Minnesotans deserve an Attorney General who will “protect citizens, defend their rights, and restore integrity to the state’s top law office.”

“Minnesotans deserve better,” Schutz said. “Our state has been harmed by leaders who are soft on crime, who have allowed a culture of fraud to infect state government, and who have demonized our law enforcement officers. Under Keith Ellison’s watch, violent crime has surged, billions in taxpayer money have been lost, and once-vibrant cities are becoming ghost towns. Meanwhile, ‘Defund the Police’ Democrats side with criminals instead of law-abiding citizens. The time for real leadership is now. I will be tough on crime, aggressively pursue fraud, return stolen tax dollars to the people of Minnesota, and ensure fairness in women’s and girls’ sports. That’s why I’m running.”

Schutz is currently a partner and the immediate past Chairman of Robins Kaplan LLP, a national litigation firm headquartered in Minnesota. Schutz brings a unique combination of courtroom success, military service, and civic leadership to his campaign. A former U.S. Army JAG Corps Captain, he tried 20 felony jury trials during his service. Over the course of his post Army career he has built a national reputation and is considered one of the top lawyers in America.

Beyond the courtroom, Schutz has been an active leader in Minnesota public life. He is a former chair and current board member of the Center of the American Experiment and a member of the Board of Directors of Tee It Up for The Troops. He is also a member of the University of St. Thomas Law School Board of Advisors, a former member of the Advisory Board of the Minnesota Law Review, and a past president of the University of Minnesota Law School Alumni Association. He has also played an important role in Republican politics. Appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty, he chaired the Minnesota Commission on Judicial Selection.

A graduate of Marquette University (magna cum laude, mechanical engineering) and the University of Minnesota Law School (honors, Law Review), Schutz has consistently been recognized among the nation’s top attorneys, including recent recognition by Forbes as one of America’s Top 200 Lawyers.

Schutz and his wife, Janet – his high school sweetheart – have three adult children. An avid outdoorsman and endurance athlete, he has completed marathons, triathlons, and climbing expeditions on mountains from Kilimanjaro to the Italian Alps.

“In every chapter of my life – as a soldier, as a lawyer, as a community leader, and as a husband and father – I have fought for fairness, accountability, and justice,” Schutz said. “Now I’m ready to fight for the people of Minnesota as their Attorney General.”