People & Practices: June 5, 2023

Maslon announces Chambers rankings

Maslon LLP has announced its continued ranking as a leading Minnesota firm for Construction, General Commercial Litigation, and Corporate/M&A in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Additionally, Partner Steve Schleicher has earned recognition in Band 1, the highest ranking tier, for Litigation: White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations. Only four other Minnesota attorneys share a Band 1 recognition in that practice area.

The new edition of Chambers USA also highlights the work of David Suchar and Jason Lien, ranked in Construction; as well as Of Counsel Attorneys Martin Rosenbaum, ranked in Corporate/M&A, and Bill Pentelovitch, recognized as a Senior Statesperson for General Commercial Litigation. Lien moved up in the rankings for 2023; he and Suchar are among only 12 Minnesota attorneys in the two top bands for Construction.

The rankings are the result of extensive client interviews and research to assess technical legal ability, client service, business understanding, value, team depth, and other qualities most valued by clients.

To view full Chambers USA rankings, click here.

Dorsey announces Chambers rankings

Chambers and Partners’ annual survey, Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2023, ranked 30 lawyers and 10 practices in the Minneapolis office of Dorsey & Whitney LLP, the international law firm announced.

Chambers ranked the following Dorsey lawyers in Minneapolis: Rebecca Bernhard,  Immigration; Theresa Bevilacqua, Litigation–General Commercial; Skip Durocher, Native American Law; Michelle Grant – Litigation–General Commercial; Mark Hamel, Real Estate; Cam Hoang, Capital Markets–Debt & Equity; Andrew Holly, ERISA Litigation; Kathryn Johnson, Construction; Jocelyn Knoll, Construction; James Langdon, Litigation–General Commercial; Jay Lindgren, Real Estate–Zoning/Land Use; Michael Lindsay, Antitrust; Stephen Lucke, ERISA Litigation; Edward Magarian, Litigation–White-Collar Crime & Government Investigation; John Marsalek, Corporate/M&A; John Marti, Litigation–White-Collar Crime & Government Investigation; David Meyer, Real Estate; Ryan Mick, Labor & Employment; Marcus Mollison, Real Estate; Robert Olson, Real Estate; F. Matthew Ralph, Antitrust; Melissa Raphan, Labor & Employment; Robert Rosenbaum, Corporate/M&A; Eric Ruzicka, Construction; Jaime Stilson, Antitrust; Mary Streitz, Native American Law; Alyson Van Dyk, Real Estate; Jonathan Van Horn, Corporate/M&A; Steve Wells, Litigation: General Commercial; RJ Zayed, Litigation–White-Collar Crime & Government Investigation.

Chambers also ranked the following Dorsey practices in Minneapolis: Antitrust; Capital Markets–Debt & Equity; Construction; Corporate/M&A; Immigration; Intellectual Property; Labor & Employment; Litigation–General Commercial; Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations; Real Estate.

ALAMN announces board of directors

The Association of Legal Administrators, Minnesota Chapter (ALAMN) has announced its board of directors for April 2023 to March 2024:

• President – Deb O’Connor, CLM, firm administrator, Jellum Law, P.A.
• President-elect – Vanessa Kahn, administrator, Monroe Moxness Berg, P.A.
• Administrative director – Bernie Theis, administrator, Jardine, Logan, O’Brien, P.L.L.P.
• Communications director – Samantha Tschida, office administrator, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
• Education director – Pat Stender, administrator, Cousineau Malone, P.A.
• Finance director – Suzette Allaire, chief operating officer, Maslon LLP.
• Membership director – Kim Motzko, legal support manager, Fredrickson & Byron, P.A.
• Past president (immediate) – Chong Lee, director of systems compliance, Fish &Richardson, P.C.

ALAMN is a chapter of the national organization, Association of Legal Administrators (ALA).

Wagner joins Hvistendahl, Moersch, Dorsey & Hahn

Hvistendahl, Moersch, Dorsey & Hahn, P.A. in Northfield announces the addition of Katherine R. Wagner to its team of attorneys.

Wagner is a U.S. Navy Veteran who served back-to-back deployments on an aircraft carrier, working as a helicopter mechanic. Wagner is a graduate of the University of Alaska Anchorage and Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

In law school, Wagner gained hands-on experience through clerkships with Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. Wagner was also selected for and completed a full-time residency with the Minnesota Supreme Court, assisting Associate Justice Paul C. Thissen and Associate Justice Anne K. McKeig.

After graduating law school, Wagner worked as a judicial law clerk in Minnesota’s Third Judicial District. Hvistendahl, Moersch, Dorsey & Hahn, P.A. (https://hvmd.com/) is a full-service law firm serving Greater Minnesota and the Twin Cities since 1980.

Lommen Abdo welcomes Karlen Padayachee

Karlen Padayachee joined Lommen Abdo on May 8, 2023.

Karlen Padayachee represents and advises business owners in a wide range of legal matters from business entity formation to buy-sell transactions.

He provides advice on issues such as entity formation, corporate governance, contract negotiations, business succession planning, employment relationships and real estate transactions.  He represents business owners and individuals to resolve business, estate and real estate disputes and assists clients – both individuals and families – with their estate planning needs by drafting and executing wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care directives, and administrating and probating estates.

He obtained a B.Soc.Sci., Honors, cum laude, at the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, in 2004 and his J.D. from the William Mitchell College of Law in 2011.

Lori Johnson new partner at Parker Daniels Kibort

Parker Daniels Kibort, a litigation law firm in downtown Minneapolis, has announced the appointment of Lori Johnson as the firm’s newest equity partner. With over 22 years of experience in complex litigation matters, Johnson brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the firm.

“We are thrilled to name Lori Johnson as an equity partner,” said Andrew Parker, managing partner at Parker Daniels Kibort. “Lori’s track record of success in litigation and her dedication and commitment to our clients align perfectly with the core values at Parker Daniels Kibort. We look forward to continuing to work together to deliver wise counsel and winning results.”

Johnson has earned a reputation as a highly skilled and strategic litigator, with a focus on complex business disputes. She has successfully represented many clients in shareholder, business divorce, corporate governance, and family business disputes.

Johnson received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Minnesota Law School and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and French from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota. She is admitted to practice law in Minnesota, United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.

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].