Minnesota Icons 2024: Lowell Noteboom

Stinson LLP

In his nearly six-decade career, Lowell Noteboom has led a national law firm that today has more than 450 attorneys, while serving on the boards of some of the nation’s most prestigious classical musical organizations.

And somehow, he found time to learn to play the cello as an adult. The 82-year-old started playing cello at the age of 40 and took lessons at MacPhail Center for Music for 13 years, where he later chaired the board.

“While you can’t start an instrument late in life and ever realize your full potential — it’s like starting skating when you’re 45 years old — I did well enough to eventually attend summer music camps and enjoy weekly sessions with my quartet,” Noteboom said.

He joined (and chaired) the boards of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and other classical organizations, including the League of American Orchestras. He built affinity groups of orchestra board chairs that allowed them to share knowledge, and he became so well-regarded that the League’s governance center was named after him. 

As a construction attorney, Noteboom represented architectural firms and contractors involved in building the Mall of America, Regions Hospital, Denver International Airport and dozens of other projects. As a law firm leader, he served as Leonard, Street & Deinard president from 1994 to 2006. Noteboom recognized law firms had become  business enterprises and needed to be led and managed from both perspectives. During his 12 years of leadership, he expanded Leonard, Street & Dinard’s footprint to Mankato, St. Cloud and Washington, D.C.

In 2014, while then serving as general counsel to his firm, he helped to shepherd a merger with Stinson LLP. Noteboom also has recognized and supported the need for mental health and wellness support for attorneys and staff members.

Today, he serves as assistant general counsel for Stinson. “I joke with some of my partners that they are so much more willing to take my advice as general counsel than they ever were as managing partner,” Noteboom said.

Meanwhile, he has reduced his involvement on nonprofit boards. “I’m still active but not as much as I once was,” he said.