Brenwald, Michelle L.

Michelle Brenwald is a Wichita attorney and member at Klenda Austerman LLC. Her representation of clients is diverse. Michelle works on both plaintiff and defendant litigation, focusing on all types of dispute resolution including negotiations, mediations and the filing and defending of lawsuits. She manages both business clientele and individuals, representing them in everything from large complex commercial lawsuits to smaller employment, contractual and tort based disputes. Michelle focuses on offering cost-effective service, combined with aggressive litigation, to provide her clients the resolutions they seek. Her curiosity helps her approach each case in an investigative matter – investigating and evaluating, then re-investigating and re-evaluating until a final resolution is reached.

Individuals and businesses, from oil and gas to construction to small retailers, turn to Michelle for her dogged work ethic and steadfast personality. Her employment law practice focuses on litigation and arbitration matters involving a variety of claims, including claims concerning age, sex, race, national origin, disability, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, breach of contract, defamation, non-compete agreements, and other employment law matters. She regularly represents employers in negotiations and proceedings with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Kansas Human Rights Commission.

Michelle’s vast experience with wrongful termination suits has made her a go-to source for preventative employment law. She frequently prepares employee handbooks, employment agreements and employment-related policies; and counsels employers on various issues concerning hiring, disciplining and terminating employees.

Over the years, Michelle has also helped to grow the firm’s tax foreclosure practice group, expanding the scope of representation from a single county to more than a dozen. She is well versed in both real estate and personal property tax issues. She also has an in-depth appreciation of issues arising in construction-related disputes. She assists general contractors, subcontractors and other professionals in filing mechanic’s liens and breach of contract suits to ensure payment for services rendered under their contracts.

Michelle has been recognized for both her professional and service work. In 2008 and 2009, she was named as a Kansas Rising Star Lawyer. In 2013, Michelle accepted the Capital University Alumni Distinguished Service Award for her dedication and commitment to community and volunteer work. In 2022, Michelle received the distinction of being named as one of the Wichita Business Journal’s Women Who Lead in Professional Services for the second time.