Meet Our Dedicated Team
Professional - Competent - Compassionate
Mike and Patty Bennett founded the Bennett Law Group in 2012 to provide quality representation to those who may not be able to afford the big-name surcharge that often comes with larger firms.
We have never been fond of bullies and have found that criminal defense is the best way to protect those who may feel they have no voice in a system full of people willing to bully square pegs into round holes.
For us family comes first. We understand that families can be complicated and family law matters can be just as complex emotionally and legally. We believe in meeting people where they are and providing steady and compassionate guidance.
Don’t face your legal problems alone.
Let our family help yours
Founding Member / Attorney at law
Patricia L. Bennett
Founding Member / Attorney at law
H. Michael Bennett
Attorney at law
Toni E. Hartzel
Attorneys
Meet Our Dedicated Team
- Former Client of Toni
“If you need a family law attorney who is sharp, experienced, and genuinely cares — Toni Hartzel is who you want by your side.”
- Toni has a passion for art in all its forms.
- Toni enjoys a good session at her gym, CrossFit Cheyenne.
- Connect Four is Toni’s superpower.
Fun Facts
Toni is the most recent addition to the Bennett Law Group. While we had hoped she would not follow in our footsteps, we are very excited to watch her grow the family business.
After graduating from West Point, Toni was commissioned as a Military Police Officer in the United States Army. Toni’s experience leading troops in combat has served her well in the law as she is calm, collected, and comfortable in and out of the courtroom. Toni strives to provide her clients the dedication, kindness and respect they deserve.
Outside of the law, Toni enjoys the outdoors, horseback riding, DIY projects, her plethora of house plants and playing board games with her husband and children. She is a sucker for a good movie and a cold beer, not necessarily in that order. Toni is just as comfortable in Carharts as she is in Hugo Boss.
Toni, like the rest of the lawyers at Bennett Law Group, is a real person who is fortunate enough to be able to help real people with real problems.
With a focus on family and criminal law, Toni knows the law, the rules, and that her clients need a true advocate in what she knows to be a very difficult time for anyone.
Attorney at Law
Toni E. Hartzel
- Boyer v. State, S-24-0296 (opinion forthcoming)
- Boyer v. State, S-24-0295 (opinion forthcoming)
- Van Vlack v. Van Vlack, 2024 WY 130, 560 P.3d 268 (Wyo. 2024)
- Bennett v. Bennett, 2024 WY 7, 541 P.3d 1092 (Wyo. 2024)
- Van Vlack v. Van Vlack, 2023 WY 104, 537 P.3d 751 (Wyo. 2023)
- Stone v. Stone, 2023 WY 21, 525 P.3d 634 (Wyo. 2023)
- Innes v. Innes, 2021 WY 137, 500 P.3d 259 (Wyo. 2021)
- Boyce v. Jarvis, 2021 WY 80, 490 P.3d 320 (Wyo. 2021)
- Ferch v. State, 2020 WY 37, 459 P.3d 1105 (Wyo. 2020)
- Pyles v. State, 2020 WY 13, 456 P.3d 926 (Wyo. 2020)
Reported Cases
- Attorney, Bennett Law Group, P.C. // Apr 2025 - present
- Associate & Intern, Lance & Hall LLP // Jan 2020 - Apr 2025
- Volunteer Defense Representative, Laramie County Veteran Treatment Court // Jun 2022 - Jan 2024
- Adjunct Professor, University of Wyoming College of Law Civil Legal Services Clinic // Jan 2023 - Jun 2023
- Research Assistant, Professor Darrell D. Jackson, Professor of Law and Prosecution Assistance Program Director // Apr 2018 - May 2020
- Legal Extern, United States Attorneys' Offices // Jul 2019 - Sep 2019
- Prosecution Assistance Program Clinic Intern, University of Wyoming College of Law // May 2019 - Sep 2019
- Judicial Extern, Honorable Steven K. Sharpe, 1st Judicial District // May 2018 - Aug 2018
- Military Police Officer, US Army // May 2010 - Aug 2016
Work History / Experience
- Board Member, Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association // 2023 - present
- Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association // 2020 - present
Professional associations
- JD, University of Wyoming College of Law // 2017 - 2020
- MA Business and Organizational Security Management, Webster University // 2014 - 2016
- BS Art, Philosophy and Literature, United States Military Academy at West Point // 2006 - 2010
Education
- Wyoming // 2020
Bar Admission
- Mike enjoys daily walks to the river with Betti the office pup.
- Mike believes the best place to celebrate the 4th of July is in Lander and is partial to a firework.
- Mike, when surrounded by his daughters and granddaughters, is both his happiest and the least at peace.
Fun Facts
Over the last 20 years, Mike has appeared in courtrooms in almost every county in Wyoming. From Murder to Minor in Possession, Mike believes the jury system is the only level playing field in our criminal justice system.
Mike has mostly retired from trial work and now focuses his work on Public Defender appeals and offering his trial experience to young attorneys as second-chair counsel. Mike was fortunate enough to find a mentor, Bob, early in his career and believes he owes younger members of the Bar this same opportunity.
When he’s not working in his office with Betti, Bennett Law Group’s Office Pup, Mike enjoys the outdoors, cooking, gardening, a Mississippi Stud table and the occasional penny slot machine.
Family always comes first to Mike and Patty and they are over the moon to have their daughter, Toni Hartzel, as part of the Bennett Law Group. Their other children are great too, and have yet to decide if the practice of law is for them. We hope they find joy in another profession.
If you are looking for Mike in September, he can be found in the Bennett Law Group’s mobile office somewhere south of Rawlins. During waterfowl season, he will likely be on the river somewhere in Goshen County with Billy. Mike believes there is room for all of God’s creatures, right next to the mashed potatoes.
Founding Member / Attorney at Law
H. Michael Bennett
- Rotary Exchange Student in Monterrey, Mexico // 1992-1993
- Study Abroad in Dominican Republic // Fall Semester 1995
- University of New Mexico Summer Law Institute Guanajuato, Mexico // Summer 2003
Foreign Exchange Programs
- Attorney, Bennett Law Group, P.C. (Owner) // 2014 - present
- Judge, Rawlins Municipal Court // 2020 - present
- Senior Trial Litigator, Corthell and King, P.C. // 2020-2024
- Interim Fremont County Attorney // 2013-2014
- Attorney, H. Michael Bennett, P.C. (Owner) // 2008-2013
- Deputy Albany County Attorney // 2006-2008
- Assistant Attorney General, DCI Counsel // 2005-2006
- Associate Lecturer University of Wyoming // 2000-2001
- Graduate Assistant University of Wyoming // 1999-2000
Work History / Experience
- JD // 2004
- MA Spanish Literature // 2000
- BA Spanish // 1998
Education
- Wyoming and Federal District of Wyoming Bar Admission // 2004
- 10th Circuit Court of Appeals Admission // 2010
Bar Admission
- Patty is an avid quilter. Her family and friends are recipients of many of her beautiful labors of love.
- Patty loves Sunday night dinners with her family.
- When it comes to Yahtzee, Patty shows no mercy.
Fun Facts
Patty is an experienced criminal law attorney, appearing in almost every jurisdiction in Wyoming. She loves nothing more than taking a case to a trial before a jury of citizens and holding the State to its burden of proving their case. She is a staunch advocate for her clients and believes in upholding her client’s Constitutional rights.
Patty primarily represents indigent clients through the Office of the Public Defender. She believes that there can be no justice unless justice is guaranteed to all, not just the wealthy. She has also appeared before the Wyoming Supreme Court as an appellate advocate.
When she can find the time, Patty enjoys hunting and fishing and being outdoors. She enjoys working in her yard and finds joy in watching the flowers evade the efforts of her puppy and bloom in spite of the odds. Most importantly, Patty enjoys spending time with her family doing most anything unrelated to work.
Founding Member / Attorney at Law
Patricia L. Bennett
- Magistrate, Albany County Integrated Juvenile Treatment Program // Jan 25 - present
- Supervising Attorney, Second Judicial District, Office of the Public Defender // Jul 20 - present
- Clerk, Wyoming Supreme Court // Feb 17 - Jun 20
- Bennett Law Group, P.C. // Mar 12 - Feb 17
- Assistant Public Defender, Office of the Wyoming Public Defender // Feb 11 - Feb 12
- Judge Advocate, Wyoming Army National Guard // Jun 10 - Sep 14
- Associate Attorney, H. Michael Bennett, P.C // Nov 09 - Feb 11
- Legal Assistant, H. Michael Bennett, P.C. // Mar 09 - Nov 09
- Intern, Office of the US Attorney, District of Wyoming // Feb 09 - May 09
- Intern, Office of the Wyoming Public Defender // Sep 08 - Dec 08
- Criminal Records Analyst, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation // Dec 01 - July 06
Work History / Experience
- Army Judge Advocate General’s School // 2011
- JD, University of Wyoming College of Law // 2009
- MPA Master of Public Administration, University of Wyoming // 2005
- BA, San Diego State University// 1998
Education
- Wyoming and Federal District of Wyoming Bar Admission // 2004
- 10th Circuit Court of Appeals Admission // 2010