2019 Up & Coming Attorneys: Michael Cavallaro

“I remember wearing a suit and holding a gavel and some case books and giving a presentation on why I wanted to be a lawyer,” Cavallaro recalled. “Part of it was I wanted to make a difference.”

Fast forward: In 2009, Cavallaro graduated from Hamline University School of Law and has since had “whirlwind” career. His dossier includes stints at a small banking boutique law firm in Stillwater, U.S. Bank as an in-house counsel, Lindquist & Vennum, and Barnes & Thornburg since 2016. Today, his practice ranges from negotiating loan workout transactions that top $1 million to providing legal guidance to financial institutions launching new loan products.

“In nearly a decade of practice, Mike has become a very well-respected creditor’s rights attorney in Minnesota and throughout the country,” said Nick Manty, spokesman at Barnes & Thornburg. “He is a trusted adviser to some of the largest banks and financial institutions in the country in high-profile, high-risk financial transactions, negotiations and regulatory matters.”

Cavallaro is also making an impact on the greater Twin Cities community, serving as his firm’s pro bono partner. He has helped his firm partner with, among others, the Tubman Safety Project, the Jeremiah Program, and the Volunteer Lawyers Network. Those efforts have tripled the law firm’s number of attorneys and total hours in pro bono work over the last two years. “I love that we can make an impact for people who just need help,” Cavallaro said.

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