Minnesota Lawyer announces 2011 Attorneys of the Year

Listen to this article

Each year Minnesota Lawyer recognizes the best achievements in the Minnesota legal profession with the Attorneys of the Year awards presentation.

This year 25 honorees were chosen based on their leadership in the profession, involvement in major cases or other newsworthy events, excellence in corporate or transactional services and public service. The nominations were submitted by judges, bar groups, clients and fellow attorneys. The honorees come from diverse practice groups including criminal law, litigation, public service, intellectual property and in-house legal departments.

This year there were also four repeat Attorneys of the Year. They are William D. Harper (1999), David J.F. Gross (2003 and 2008), Jeff Sheridan (2005 and 2009) Brent E. Routman (2004) and Roy A. Ginsburg (2006.)

Five additional attorneys were recognized for a lifetime of dedication and commitment to the Minnesota legal community with the Outstanding Service to the Profession award.

The newspaper will host an awards program Feb. 23 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis to recognize the 2011 Attorneys of the Year and will publish a special section highlighting the winners.

This year’s honorees are:

Stephen R. Baird – Winthrop & Weinstine PA

Patricia Beety – League of Minnesota Cities

Matt Benda – Peterson, Savelkoul & Benda Ltd.

Jim Carey – Sieben, Grose Von, Holtum & Carey

Elizabeth Cutter – Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, past president of Minnesota Women Lawyers

Roy A. Ginsburg – Dorsey & Whitney LLP

David J.F. Gross & Deborah A. Ellingboe – Faegre Baker Daniels LLP

William M. Hart – Meagher & Geer, PLLP

John Harper III & Molly Hamilton – Messerli & Kramer PA

Thomas B. Heffelfinger – Best & Flanagan LLP

Kimberly A. Lowe & Kevin C. Riach – Fredrikson & Byron PA

Alan Maclin – Briggs and Morgan

Christopher W. Madel –  Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP

Mike Mitchell – Polaris Industries

Charles N. Nauen – Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP

Fred Pritzker & Eric Hageman – PritzkerOlsen, PA

Tammie Ptacek – Leonard, Street and Deinard

Tom Ragatz & Kaarin Long – Ramsey County Attorney’s Office

Lewis A. Remele Jr. – Bassford & Remele

Brent E. Routman – Merchant & Gould P.C., president of the Minnesota State Bar Association

Richard Ruohonen – TSR Injury Law

Bearder et al. vs. State of Minn. Team

Scott V. Kelly – Farrish Johnson Law Office

Randall G. Knutson – Farrish Johnson Law Office

Daniel J. Bellig – Farrish Johnson Law Office

Sam Hanson – Briggs and Morgan

Driscoll Case Trial Team

Thomas R. Thibodeau – Thibodeau, Johnson & Feriancek PLLP

Matthew R. Thibodeau – Thibodeau, Johnson & Feriancek PLLP

Charles A. Logsdon – Thibodeau, Johnson & Feriancek PLLP

Teri Lee Case Team — Vicky & Eric Swenson

William D. Harper – Harper & Peterson PLLC

Paul Peterson – Harper & Peterson PLLC

Lori L. Barton – Harper & Peterson PLLC

Source Code Defense Litigation Team

Jeff Sheridan – Strandemo, Sheridan & Dulas PA

Derek Patrin – Meaney & Patrin PA

Charles Ramsay – Ramsay Law Firm PLLC

Marsh Halberg – Halberg Criminal Defense

Pam King – Minnesota Public Defenders Office

Lee Orwig – Halberg Criminal Defense

The Outstanding Service to the Profession honorees are:

Michael Unger and Tom Fraser – Call for Justice

Kathleen Blatz – Former chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court

Neil Hamilton – University of St. Thomas

Thomas Mengler – University of St. Thomas

Richard S. Slowes – Minnesota Supreme Court