ABOUT OUR BUSINESS
MN Mitigation Services is a criminal defense mitigation consulting practice based in Minnesota. As professional mitigation specialists we act as liaisons between the attorney and their clients in all areas related to the criminal case and the client’s psycho-social issues. We provide a variety of comprehensive services to assist attorneys in their representation.
As experienced master's-level social workers, we have knowledge and training in the fields of mental health, developmental disability, socio-cultural issues, and substance abuse, as well as many other areas pertaining to the client’s life history. We use these areas of expertise to consult with attorneys on options related to case disposition, treatment, and competency. Our role on the defense team allows us to partner with attorneys to provide client-centered representation, and further the mission of holistic defense.
OUR TEAM
Learn more about our team of exceptional mitigation specialists.
CHELSIE CLEMENS, MSW, LISW
Mitigation Specialist
Chelsie has a demonstrated history of working with individuals impacted by the criminal justice system. With both Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Social Work, she has focused all of her education, practicum experiences, and employment toward gaining clinical skills working with incarcerated individuals. She has done this is in a variety of settings including probationary supervision, residential re-entry, and public defense. While working in Public Defender agencies in both California and Minnesota, Chelsie has gained expertise in a variety of mitigation issues, such as complex trauma, substance abuse disorder, mental illness, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and developmental disorders including: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cognitive Impairment, and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Chelsie has been employed by the MN Board of Public Defense since 2016. This position has allowed her to become familiar with critical aspects of the criminal justice system in Minnesota such as the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines, Rule 20.01 Competency, Rule 20.02 M’Naghten Defense, Rule 20.04 Civil Commitment, Extended Juvenile Jurisdiction and Certification, and forensic testing and risk assessments. She is also knowledgeable about secure and community treatment options for juveniles and adults, including sex offender treatment. Chelsie has worked on a variety of serious complex felony cases in both juvenile and adult court. She routinely writes mitigation reports for the court which have been extremely effective in contributing to positive results for her clients.
Chelsie has a Master's of Clinical Social Work from the University of St. Thomas/ St. Catherine University, and is a Licensed Independent Social Worker through the Minnesota Board of Social Work.
KATIE BENSON, MSW, LISW
Mitigation Specialist
Katie has spent the past decade working with individuals impacted by mental health issues, poverty, and chemical dependency through direct care and treatment, policy work and advocacy, as well as the court system. She has worked in many areas of the state judicial system including child protection, juvenile delinquency, and the criminal courts. Additionally, she has engaged in private mitigation work in the federal criminal court system. Areas of particular expertise include working with clients with severe and persistent mental illness, sex offender risk assessments and treatment options, Rule 20.01 and 20.02 competency considerations, traumatic brain injury (TBI), complex substance abuse disorders, and community treatment/rehabilitation.
Katie worked with the MN Board of Public Defense from 2017-2024. During her time with the agency, Katie helped secure departures on a wide range of serious felonies including: second-degree murder, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, first-degree drug sale, first-degree assault, possession of a firearm by an ineligible person, failure to register as a predatory offender, domestic assault, and DWI. Additionally, Katie achieved great success in several juvenile certification cases.
In private practice, Katie has helped to secure favorable outcomes for clients both in state court and in federal court since 2019. She transitioned to full time private practice in 2024.
Katie holds a Master's of Social Work degree from Washington University in St. Louis, the top-ranked school of social work in the country. She is a Licensed Independent Social Worker through the Minnesota Board of Social Work.
