About Kate E
Kate E Polman built her legal foundation in Minnesota. She earned a J.D. from the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota School of Law in 2018 after completing a B.S. at the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities in 2013. Her academic path placed her near the courts and public agencies that would shape the early years of her practice.
Polman moved into public defense work early. In 2019 she served as a law clerk and student lawyer at the Washington County Public Defender’s Office. The following year she took a law clerk post with the Federal Public Defender’s Office. Those roles exposed her to client interviews, pretrial investigation, and courtroom procedures in both state and federal settings. They also gave her repeated chances to draft motions and to support trial teams during hearings.
In 2021 Polman worked as an associate lawyer at Rivers Law Office, P.A. That position expanded her responsibilities. She handled client consultations, assisted in trial preparation, and contributed to case strategy. Colleagues from her clerkships and her associate role describe a lawyer comfortable in the practical work of defense litigation and case management.
Her trajectory shows steady immersion in criminal defense practice. The work in county and federal public defender offices put her at the center of daily defense tasks: interviewing witnesses, reviewing discovery, preparing pleadings, and supporting trial calendars. Those experiences fed into her subsequent private practice, where the skills she developed continued to matter—particularly client communication and courtroom readiness.
Polman now practices at Keegan Law Office. In that setting she applies the lessons of public defense and private practice. She handles case intake and evaluation, prepares legal filings, and represents clients in court appearances. Her background gives her familiarity with both state and federal procedural rules and the dynamics of criminal case work in Minnesota.
Outside of litigation settings she has relied on sustained legal research and drafting. That work underpins much of what she does day to day: developing defenses, explaining options to clients, and negotiating with opposing counsel. Colleagues say she brings a clear-eyed approach to the facts of a case and a steady manner in court.
She is licensed in Minnesota and currently practices at Keegan Law Office, concentrating on criminal defense and related matters.
