BIO

David Schultz is a Minnesota native who has called Saint Paul home for more than twenty years. He is married to Trudi Trysla; they have two boys, Sam and Colin, and a baby girl, Nina.

David with his family

His memories of growing up in Minnesota have shaped David’s vision. It was a time when the evening news was not a catalog of crime and he could explore his neighborhood with his friends all day without fear. While we may not be able to turn back the clock to this simpler time, he is confident that-with experienced leadership- we can move forward to a better community.

David will bring his remarkable record as a trial lawyer to the role of Ramsey County Attorney. A graduate of Carleton College and Stanford Law School, David Schultz has been trying cases and managing complex litigation for nearly 25 years.

His experience includes well over 50 federal and state trials and appeals as well as thousands of court appearances both civil and criminal. As an Assistant Attorney General under Hubert H. “Skip” Humphrey, David was recognized for his prosecution of white collar criminals. He represented judges and other public officials in high profile civil matters. David’s skills as a trial lawyer have earned him the designation of Certified Civil Trial Specialist from both the Minnesota State Bar Association and the National Board of Trial Advocacy. His integrity and reputation for zealous but fair advocacy have won him the recognition of his peers as a Super Lawyer® every year since 1997. He has won precedent-setting cases such as Dziubak v. Mott, (finding public defenders are entitled to absolute immunity from legal malpractice) and O’Rourke v. Buckmaster (establishing application of settlement exclusion to license board agreements). His deep commitment to justice has led him to take on a number of pro bono death penalty cases.

In addition to being a superior trial and appellate lawyer, David has held leadership positions at the highest level of major private law firms. He has managed multi-million dollar litigation efforts. He has also served at the Board Chair of the Innocence Project of Minnesota.

David has served the cause of justice throughout his career. As a prosecutor, he worked for victims and his community. In addition to his work on the Innocence Project of Minnesota, David has served on the Council on Crime and Justice, and the Minnesota Advocate for Human Rights. In 2001, when civil strife threatened the very existence of law in Kosovo, David was selected by his peers in the ABA to co-author the criminal law bench book for judges.

As Ramsey County Attorney, David will work to secure justice for all. He will aggressively pursue justice for senior citizens by safeguarding fair access to benefits and zealously prosecuting financial crime. He will relentlessly seek justice for children through zero tolerance for abuse in all its forms. He will insist on justice for veterans, making it his mission to serve those who have served us. And David will procure justice for our entire community through vigorous, innovative, and effective enforcement of our criminal laws.