Minnesota Lawyer’s Attorneys of the Year 2019

With humility and great pleasure, Minnesota Lawyer announces the 2019 Attorneys of the Year. Our selections encompass the wide variety of practices and issues that make our profession vibrant. Please plan to join us on Feb. 6 as we recognize these remarkable Attorneys of the Year.

Groups

Aida Al-Kadi v. Ramsey County et al.

Caitlinrose Fisher, Virginia McCalmont, David Wallace-Jackson, Greene Espel; Ellen Longfellow From the Council on American – Islamic Relations, Minnesota Chapter (CAIR – MN); Brittany Resch, Gustafson Gluek, Erin Sindberg Porter, Jones Day

Blackwell Burke Bair Hugger Team

Jerry Blackwell*, Benjamin W. Hulse, Mary S. Young, Corey L. Gordon, and Deborah E. Lewis; special counsel, Monica L. Davies and Micah M. Hines; associates Charmaine K. Harris, Ted Hartman, Vinita Banthia, and Amarachi Ihejirika, Blackwell Burke

Leonard Pozner/Sandy Hook Defamation Case

Jake Zimmerman, Zimmerman Law Firm; Genevieve Zimmerman, Meshbesher & Spence

LGBTQ+ Asylum Matters

Thomas Pack, Judah Druck, Maslon LLP; Hillary Taylor, Assistant Attorney General

Lor Ler Kaw, Lor Ler Hok Koh, Mary Jane Summerville and George Thawmoo v. ISD #625

Aron Frakes, Christopher Pham, Anu Sreekanth, Marie Williams, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A

Minnesota Attorney General’s Office Prosecution of Minnesota School Business/Globe University for Fraud

Keala Ede, Al Gilbert, Kathryn Landrum, Thomas Madison, Jason Pleggenkuhle, Kirsi Poupore, Adam Welle, Office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison

Minnesota Prisoner Hepatitis C Litigation

Katie Crosby Lehmann*, Michael V. Ciresi*, Ester O. Agbaje, Ciresi Conlin; Andrew H Mohring, Federal Public Defender; Peter J. Nickitas, Peter J. Nickitas Law Office; C. Peter Erlinder

Portz et. al. v. St. Cloud State University

Donald Chance  Mark Jr*, Tyler Brimmer, Fafinski Mark & Johnson; Sharon Van Dyck*, Van Dyck Law Firm

Ramsey County Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative and Juvenile Justice Reform Leaders

John Choi*, Ann Ploetz, Kate Richtman, Ramsey County Attorney’s Office; Jim Fleming*, Sharon Thompson Carter, Amanda Weitekamp, Ramsey County Public Defender’s Office

Two Partners

Jacob Campion – Office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison

Janine Kimble – Office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison

Amie E. Penny Sayler – Bassford Remele, P.A.

Jessica L. Kometz – Bassford Remele, P.A.

George W. Soule* – Soule & Stull

Melissa R. Stull – Soule & Stull

Individuals

John Arechigo* – Arechigo & Stokka, PA

Patrick J. Casey – Knutson Casey Law Firm

Sara Karki – Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota

Paula Jossart* – Jossart Law Office

Teresa Lavoie* – Fish & Richardson P.C.

Amy Lawler – Minnesota Office of the Appellate Public Defender

Nick May – Fabian May & Anderson

Nicole Moen – Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

Clark Opdahl – Henson Efron

Stephen Safranski – Robins Kaplan LLP

Jon Schmidt* – Hennepin County Attorney’s Office

Stacey Slaughter* – Robins Kaplan LLP

Amy Sweasy – Hennepin County Attorney’s Office

Marshall Tanick – Meyer Njus Tanick

Eva Wailes – Wilson Law Group

Outstanding Service to the Profession

Senior U.S. District Court Judge Joan N. Erickson – District of Minnesota

Magistrate Judge Steven E. Rau – posthumous

Judge Peter M. Reyes, Jr.* – Minnesota Court of Appeals

*Circle of Excellence