By Elena Olson King

  

For Michael Klein, he always knew the story of his adulthood would begin with law.

  

"I always wanted to be a lawyer," Mike remembers. Although many children dream of being baseball players or firefighters, by the time he was in sixth or seventh grade, he had his heart set on becoming an attorney. He credits his mother, a schoolteacher, for encouraging him to pursue his dream. He went on to graduate from her alma mater, what would become the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

  

After graduating from the University of Nebraska Law School and passing the bar exam, Mike had offers from big firms, but a career of trying the same type of cases didn't interest him; Mike craved diverse litigation. "For me a practice where you did nothing but one thing, wouldn't suit me. Variety keeps it fresh," Mike explains. He and his late wife, Jackie, decided to move to Holdrege, where he tried his first case before a jury one month later.

  

Holdrege has been the perfect setting for a wide spectrum of cases for everyone in Anderson, Klein, Brewster, and Brandt. Although Mike has significant experience in water rights litigation, he also represents clients for personal injury, auto and truck accidents, and real estate, among others. Partner Charlie Brewster has specialized in criminal law, serving first as County Attorney/State's Prosecutor in Central Nebraska before moving into all types of criminal defense. Associate Jonathan Brandt also represents a variety of clients, focusing on civil litigation and appeals, personal injury, criminal defense,  and domestic relations. Despite having three active practices in Holdrege, Kearney, and Minden, the attorneys pool their experience and work together. "We talk to each other daily about pending matters. It's a tremendous advantage," Mike states. "As a lawyer, the most important skill is listening."

  

Mike's talent for listening inspires him in other ways, too. Published this summer, his novel White, follows Charles "Chick" Moore, Hooker County Attorney, as he witnesses the sudden apparent suicide of a hitchiking woman on Highway 2. In an investigation which spans from the Nebraska Sandhills to Tuscany, Italy to Saudi Arabia, the protagonist discovers a slave trade hidden in the verdant pastures of Nebraska.

  

The thriller drove Mike to write quickly, completing the novel in six months. Never experiencing so called "writer's block," he wrote whenever he had time. Mike's second wife, Vickie, encouraged him to keep writing, reading chapters and making suggestions. Mike reveals that for him, writing isn't difficult. "The hardest part is finding an interest to form the basis of a story...I create characters and listen to them talk." He continues, "I tell their story through dialogue."

  

Anderson, Klein, Brewster, and Brandt practice at 417 East Avenue in Holdrege and have offices in Kearney and Minden. They may be reached at (308) 995-4458 or by email. More information can also be found at kleinbrewsterlaw.com.