Cory P. Whalen, Sieben Carey

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Cory Whalen has been with Sieben Carey since before he became a lawyer. Whalen was a law clerk at the firm while a student at (then) William Mitchell College of Law. He was offered a job after graduation and has not moved since. He was sworn into the bar on a Friday and started a jury trial the following Monday. He and the firm have taken many cases to trial since then. ‘I love this law firm,” he said. “I think we do great work for people in Minnesota.

He has trial practice in a variety of personal injury cases and in both state and federal courts. He is a certified civil trial practitioner and a life member of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and a former officer in the Minnesota Association for justice. Continuing the jury trial tradition established when Whalen was sworn in, trial practice at Sieben Carey is robust.

Like many lawyers, Whalen would like to get back into court, which is still partially virtual for many cases. But Chief Justice Natalie Hudson recently announced that the judicial branch had cleared up its COVID-induced backlog.

But also like many lawyers, Whalen is concerned about the education and experience afforded new lawyers in recent years when in-person lawyering didn’t always happen. He fears lawyers missed out on too many opportunities for learning trial skills and courtroom etiquette. He also fears that lawyers working from home are too isolated. As he told a new law clerk, “You’ve got to be present.”

Also, Whalen notes, taxpayers have a right to see the courts in action.