Minnesota Lawyer
Brad Johnson
New Anoka County Attorney Brad Johnson was sworn into office at the Jan. 3 Anoka County Board of Commissioners’ organizational meeting.
Johnson is the 25th elected Anoka County Attorney since the office was established in 1881.
He served the city of Coon Rapids for two terms as a city council member, and he has more than 24 years of experience as an accomplished felony prosecutor, child protection lawyer and trial lawyer. He’s also a member of the Anoka County Joint Law Enforcement Council, a past member of the Anoka County Fire Protection Council, and he served as manager on the Coon Creek Watershed District Board of Managers. He is married to Daisy Johnson, a staff sergeant in the 133rd Airlift Wing of the Minnesota Air National Guard, and they have two children.
“I am thrilled to return to my hometown of Anoka and to work with the capable staff and attorneys in the Anoka County Attorney’s Office,” Johnson said.
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The law firm of Bradford, Andresen, Norrie & Camarotto, PLLP is open for business. The new firm will represent clients in high-stakes litigation and appeals and provide counseling on sensitive employment matters. The firm will focus on commercial litigation, construction, employment and catastrophic personal injury matters.
Founding partners Mark Bradford, Scott Andresen, Jonathan Norrie and David Camarotto are longtime colleagues and friends. “We believe that zealous advocacy and civility go hand-in-hand,” Bradford said. “Our commitment to this core belief has earned us the highest level of respect from opposing counsel, arbitrators, judges and jurors – all of which directly benefits our clients.”
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Dorsey & Whitney LLP has opened a new office in Boise, Idaho, the international law firm announced. The new Boise office is the firm’s 21st location and expands Dorsey’s presence in the Mountain West region. Longtime Boise-based attorneys Nick Taylor and Richard Hall joined the firm as partners to establish the new office. Dorsey expects to announce additional new attorneys in the Boise office in the coming days.
“Entering the vibrant and growing market of Boise with these outstanding attorneys provides an important strategic extension of our geographic coverage,” said Bill Stoeri, Managing Partner of Dorsey. “With our offices in Boise, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, and Missoula, the Mountain West region has become extremely important to Dorsey.”
Taylor, Boise office head and M&A Partner, is a transactional attorney focusing on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and other financing transactions, fund formation and securities regulation, startups and emerging growth companies, new technologies, and the restaurant, wine, brew, and spirits industries. He joins Dorsey from Stoel Rives’ Boise office.
Hall, regulatory affairs partner, is a regulatory and transactional attorney focusing on the mining, natural resources, and energy industries. In addition to his transactional practice, he advises clients in operational and regulatory matters on mining, energy (both conventional and renewable), and industrial projects throughout the Mountain West region. His experience as a civil engineer for a large electrical utility allows him to combine his legal experience with a technical understanding of resource and energy development projects. He also joins Dorsey from Stoel Rives’ Boise office.
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Judge Kevin F. Mark, current chief judge of the 1st Judicial District, will reach the mandatory Minnesota judicial retirement age of 70 on Jan. 31. Effective Feb. 1, Judge Caroline H. Lennon, current assistant chief judge of the district, will assume the chief judge duties for the remainder of the current term, which expires on June 30.
The judges of the District held a special election to replace Judge Lennon as assistant chief judge, and elected Judge Vicki Vial Taylor to serve out the remainder of the term, effective Feb. 1.
Chief Judge Mark was appointed to serve on the 1st Judicial District bench in January 2003, and was elected chief judge of the district in 2021 for a two-year term. Before serving as a judge, he spent eight years as sole practitioner, and 16 years as an attorney at Holst, Vogel, Erdmann, and Vogel in Red Wing. He graduated with his juris doctorate degree from Marquette University Law School, and has a Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Judge Mark’s chambers are located in the Goodhue County Justice Center in Red Wing.
Assistant Chief Judge Lennon joined the bench in November 2008, and was elected to serve a two-year term as assistant chief judge in 2021. Prior to joining the bench, she spent 18 years as an assistant Hennepin County attorney in Minneapolis, and being appointed as special assistant county attorney in Ramsey, Dakota, Washington, and Scott counties on individual cases. Judge Lennon is chambered in the Scott County Justice Center in Shakopee.
Judge Vicki Vial Taylor was appointed to the 1st District bench in November 2018. Prior to joining the bench, she served as senior assistant Hennepin County Attorney, assistant Hennepin County Attorney, and assistant Carver County Attorney. Judge Taylor is chambered in the Dakota County Courthouse in Hastings.
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Haley D. Cobb
Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A., has announced that Haley D. Cobb has joined the firm as government relations specialist. Haley joins the Regulatory & Government Relations Group as part of the Advocacy & Lobbying practice. Her addition to the team will add additional support for the firm’s clients at the Legislature and throughout Minnesota government.
Cobb has held numerous roles in the political arena since 2017, including most recently as finance director of Walz for Governor, the reelection campaign for Gov. Tim Walz. She also previously served as legislative assistant to Rep. Melissa Hortman, the speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
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Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP has announced that Mitchel C. Chargo has joined the firm’s commercial transactions practice group as a partner in the Minneapolis office. With more than 25 years of experience with commercial real estate matters, Chargo was also previously in-house general counsel for a Minnesota-based medical cannabis manufacturer and will expand the firm’s capabilities in the industry.
Mitchel C. Chargo
“Many of us at Hinshaw have worked closely with Mitch over the years and are excited to have him on board,” said Kevin Coan, partner-in-charge of the Minneapolis office. “He is highly regarded for his legal knowledge and business acumen, not only in the commercial transactions and real estate sector but also in the cannabis industry. His experience with a vertically integrated cannabis manufacturer will benefit our clients in that sector at a critical time when Minnesota is seeing significant growth and potential legislative changes.”
Chargo represents clients in commercial real estate loan transactions and in acquiring, disposing, and leasing retail, office, industrial and multifamily properties. He also advises clients in a wide variety of business and corporate transactions, including purchasing and disposing of non-real estate asset classes, executive employment agreements, commercial contract review, and compliance.
Prior to joining Hinshaw, not only did Chargo work as in-house general counsel for a licensed manufacturer of medical cannabis, but he also worked at two of Minnesota’s largest law firms, including Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly (now Fox Rothschild) and was an owner in a multistate law firm. He received his B.A. in history, magna cum laude, from the University of Minnesota and his J.D., magna cum laude, from William Mitchell College of Law (now Mitchell Hamline College of Law).
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The Minnesota Supreme Court has appointed Fredrikson attorney Karen G. Schanfield to the state’s Commission on Judicial Selection. Schanfield’s four-year term began Jan. 8. The Commission is tasked with soliciting, considering and recommending candidates to the governor for vacancies in the district courts and the Workers’ Compensation Court of Appeals. It is composed of nine at-large members, including the chair, and four district members from each of the 10 judicial districts.
Schanfield advises and represents employers on a broad range of workplace matters. Her expertise includes leaves of absence, wage and hour issues, harassment, discrimination, disability and religious accommodation, retaliation, non-compete agreements, executive agreements and compensation, whistleblower claims, downsizing and union matters.
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From left: Patrick Boley, Thomas Loonan, Andrew LeFevour
Eckberg Lammers, P.C. has announced the election of three new shareholders: Patrick Boley, LL.M., Thomas Loonan, and Andrew LeFevour.
Boley is the lead attorney in the firm’s Estate Planning, Trust and Probate group. With more than 23 years of experience, je obtained his LL.M. (Master of Law) in Taxation and Certificate of Estate Planning from Georgetown University.
Loonan serves as one of the firm’s lead contractual and civil municipal attorneys. Having represented all sides in transaction matters, he handles a wide variety of commercial real estate and municipal law issues assisting clients in driving economic development. Loonan enjoys getting to know his clients and works diligently to build strong relationships to effectively help his clients achieve their goals.
LeFevour provides law enforcement with educational programs and training, focusing on community, policymaking, enforcement, and investigation as part of our Law Enforcement Training Academy & Education team. He also provides Special Prosecution for agencies on highly complex criminal proceedings throughout Minnesota. Before joining Eckberg Lammers, he served as the Chief Deputy County Attorney for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, where he oversaw the daily operations of the criminal division through difficult periods of unrest and management.
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Attorney Ryan Cox has joined Fredrikson in its Energy & Natural Resources, Energy Regulation & Permitting and Commercial Law groups. Cox brings industry intelligence to clients pursuing cutting-edge energy development.
Cox advises utilities, independent power producers and transmission companies and pipeline companies on siting, routing, permitting and other regulatory matters before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and other federal, state and local agencies.
Prior to joining Fredrikson, Cox worked in the General Counsel’s office of a nationally recognized regional utility holding company where he gained unique insight into Minnesota Public Utilities Commission regulatory proceedings, municipal energy grids, critical infrastructure land and easement disputes and renewable energy initiatives.
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Spencer Fane has announced that 11 attorneys have been elected to the partnership, including one in Minneapolis.
Karen Olson is an experienced regulatory, compliance, and litigation attorney that uses her significant government and private practice experience to represent her clients. Most recently, she served as deputy attorney general for the state of Minnesota for more than a decade. As deputy attorney general, Olson represented the attorney general, governor, Legislature, and state agencies and boards on complex and high-profile legal matters.
Before attending law school at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law, Olson earned her undergraduate degree in business at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.
People & Practices is a lightly edited compilation of news releases from law firms and other organizations. Minnesota Lawyer welcomes news about hires, promotions and other activities in the legal profession. Send releases (and photos if desired) to [email protected].
