In-House Counsel 2023 Awards

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Minnesota Lawyer’s In-House Counsel Awards celebrate the achievements of attorneys who navigate complicated contract negotiations, defend their companies in high-stakes litigation, defend some of their organization’s most important assets and much more.

This year we’re honoring 18 standout in-house attorneys. These awards recognize leaders in categories based on their organization — health care, nonprofit or government organization, private company and public company — as well as honorees for lifetime achievement and rising stars.

Among this year’s honorees is Gary Koch of Christensen Farms, who is being honored for lifetime achievement. Koch has a long history of working with local farmers and has helped Christensen Farms thrive as its in-house counsel.

We’re also recognizing a pair of rising stars in Joel De León and Jordan Hopkins. De León has thrived in a second career as the in-house counsel for SABIS/International School of Minnesota after spending years as a teacher, and Hopkins, of Stearns Bank N.A., has grown professionally along with her employer, which has become a bank with a national presence.

All of the honorees were feted at a networking and awards breakfast April 25 at the Lumber Exchange in downtown Minneapolis.

Congratulations to all the Minnesota Lawyer In-House Counsel honorees.

— David Bohlander, editor

Elizabeth C. Borer, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

Ted Cadwell, Nature Energy

Brian Flakne, Lupe Development Partners / Flakne Law

Cassandra Headrick, Travelers Companies

Carissa Hong Anderson, Donaldson Company, Inc.

Jihan Jenkins, Pentair

Mark Kalar, Cuningham

Erin Neils, Egan Company

Edgar Ocampo, Stan Koch & Sons Trucking, Inc.