Breaking the Ice: From file clerk to Henson Efron president

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Rochelle Hauser has worked her way up from file clerk to president of Minneapolis-based Henson Efron.

“I’m one of the few people who can say I’ve done every aspect of this job, pretty much,” Hauser said.

Hauser this month succeeded Lisa Spencer as firm president. Spencer, the firm’s first woman president, had served in that role since 2020 and continues with the firm. Both women have spent their entire legal careers there.

“This continuity matters,” Hauser said. “We know what the firm’s built on, and we want to continue to evolve with that.”

Hauser started out in the firm’s file room as an undergraduate in 2000. She moved up to law clerk while in law school and became an attorney and shareholder in 2007.

As president, Hauser’s priorities are “our people, our clients and our firm’s long-term health,” amid “some difficult and complex times” and the proliferation of AI.

Henson Efron plans to celebrate the firm’s 50th anniversary this summer, after last year completing a brand discovery process. The firm has 36 attorneys and 26 paralegals and staff.

Hauser specializes in mergers and acquisitions, citing an example where she worked with a team to close more than 55 transactions last year for a private equity-owned client.

Name: Rochelle Hauser

Title: Attorney, president and shareholder, Henson Efron

Education: B.A., Spanish and Latin American studies, Hamline University; J.D., William Mitchell College of Law

Q: Best way to start a conversation with you?

A: Talk about travel. Before becoming a lawyer, I worked in travel for almost 10 years. I was a travel agent then went into the wholesale side at MLT Vacations. I traveled around the world. I haven’t hit every continent but I’ve hit several.

Q: Why law school?

A: It kind of flowed through the Spanish/Latin American studies. I had been talking to my adviser after I graduated. I thought I was going to be a teacher but didn’t have the patience for that. She mentioned that I had the Spanish background, and I took immigration law in law school. But then, I wanted to work here, and we don’t do immigration law.

Q: What are you reading?

A: For the second time, “Leaders Eat Last.” Ina Garten’s “Be Ready When the Luck Happens,” will be my pleasure reading.

Q: Pet peeve?

A: It’s part of our current environment — egocentricity. We need to take more viewpoints into consideration and listen to others.

Q: Best part of your work?

A: The challenge of finding the solution. Sometimes you have difficult situations, so in the negotiation, trying to come to the resolution, I’ve always said, I build things together. It’s finding that sweet spot where you get the deal done.

Q: Most challenging?

A: Everybody expects things quickly, so sometimes you’re not able to get all the thought or time you want. It’s the challenge of everything having to be done so immediately.

Q: Favorite activity away from work?

A: I like hiking, walking with friends. I work out regularly with a semi-private personal trainer. They do some gym outings. On one we hiked the Manitou Incline. Fantastic experience.

Q: Where would you take someone visiting your hometown?

A: The Stone Arch Bridge. It’s just a perfect place to stop and enjoy the beauty around you.

Q: Legal figure you admire?

A: Ruth Bader Ginsburg. As a woman, she broke a lot of barriers. But, in current times, it means a lot to me that she had a friendship with Justice Antonin Scalia, who was on the opposite side, at least judicially.

Q: Misconception about your work?

A: I don’t think anybody understands what an M&A attorney is. There’s lots of paper, lots of phone calls, lots of drafts going back and forth. What’s funny about it is there’s a lot of adrenaline. It starts slow, you start building into it, get this rhythm and then at the end, it’s frantic, getting every last detail wrapped up.

Q: Favorite book, movie or TV show about lawyers?

A: “Suits” was fun, but the real one for me is “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Atticus Finch shows a lot of courage, integrity. If it’s on, I’ll watch it.