Minnesota Lawyer
Dady & Gardner associate Rachel Zaiger enjoys analyzing contracts for the franchisees, dealers and distributors she represents.
“You look at the documents and say, “How can we use this language in the best way for our client’s position?” Zaiger said.
She also knows that when she feels too busy to take a break, that that’s when she needs to take one. That lesson came in college as the gymnastics team member completed her bachelor’s and law degrees in six years.
“When you feel major anxiety or pressure, you need to take a step back and relax,” Zaiger said. “It’s your body telling you that you need time away to think clearly, to be the best version of yourself for whatever you’re doing.”
Zaiger’s breaks typically involve playing piano or writing — poems or children’s books. She has published “Luna Lovebug,” based on her 2-year-old daughter but is waiting on follow-ups now that she also has an 8-month-old daughter.
Name: Rachel Zaiger
Title: Associate, Dady & Gardner
Education: B.A., American law and legal systems, Hamline University; J.D., Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Q: Best way to start a conversation with you?
A: Just say hi, smile, exude an inviting presence and I will talk your ear off. I’m a very approachable, talkative person.
Q: Why did you go to law school?
A: I wanted to become an attorney because I view the legal profession as one that is fundamentally a helping profession.
Q: What books are you reading?
A: Mainly children’s books. One of our favorites is “Goodnight Loon.” It’s a spinoff of “Goodnight Moon” but with a Minnesota take on it.
Q: What’s your pet peeve?
A: Leaving the lights on it when you leave the room. It’s a complete waste of energy. The room doesn’t need to see itself. It’s just one of those things that I can’t get over.
Q: Best part of your work?
A: The best part is the clients. Franchising can tend to be a multigenerational business. It’s such an incredible experience to establish a relationship with one client who then transitions the business to the next generation, the son, then to be a part of that son’s life.
Q: Least favorite?
A: We do a lot of motion practice in our in our field. I am very impatient so waiting on a judge to issue an order for months and months can be a bit grueling. I like finality, but you can’t always get it as soon as you would like.
Q: Favorite activity away from work?
A: We love spending time outside just with family. We just built a sandbox for my 2-year-old, so that’s where we’ve been spending most nights. We also are doing a mother-daughter gymnastics class. I did gymnastics all throughout college, so sharing that sport that I love so much with my daughter is a wonderful experience.
Q: Where would you take someone visiting your hometown?
A: I’m from North Oaks and very outdoorsy, so I’d probably just take them on a nature trail somewhere within North Oaks. There’s one of the routes that I love, I call it the bear route because there used to be a lot of bear sightings on that route.
Q: Legal figure you most admire?
A: My husband, Baxter Zaiger. He is a public defender and truly the hardest worker I have ever known. I pride myself in my hard work ethic, but he is one person who gives me a run for my money. He’s constantly taking phone calls into the wee hours of the night. Going into the jail to meet clients on the weekend. Looking up Supreme Court decisions and updates on the law. He pushes me to better to be a better attorney by his example and I like to think that I do the same through mine.
Q: Misconception that others have about your work as an attorney?
A: That we attorneys are serious all the time.
Q: Favorite book, movie or TV show about lawyers?
A: “Better Call Saul.” I love the backstory of how Jimmy McGill transforms into Saul Goodman from “Breaking Bad.”
