Breaking the Ice: Children’s advocate adds immigration pro bono work

Listen to this article

For Amy Conway, volunteering with Children’s Law Center of Minnesota fulfills her goal of promoting access to justice while working in Big Law as a partner in Stinson’s Minneapolis office.

Representing children and youths in sometimes emotionally and personally difficult matters for more than 15 years also helped prepare her for challenging new pro bono work.

“With everything that happened with Operation Metro Surge, I had an opportunity to do some immigration work, which I had not done,” Conway said. “The willingness of my firm and the legal community as a whole to learn something new and ensure the process is fair, is critical for the system to work and reminded me of why we do this.”

In labor and employment law practice, Conway fields many questions about Minnesota’s new paid family leave law.

But investigations, where she serves as the fact finder, is her favorite area. And a growing one, with disputes between employees over LGBTQ+ rights and religious rights the most common source of conflict now.

Name: Amy Conway

Title: Partner, Stinson, Minneapolis office

Education: B.A., journalism and writing-intensive English, Marquette University; J.D., University of Minnesota Law School

Q: Best way to start a conversation with you?

A: Bring up youth sports, theater or Taylor Swift. I could talk about any of those all day.

Q: Why law school?

A: We took a media law class at Marquette, which I loved. It was taught by somebody who had gone to the U of M Law School. I talked with him about it. I like to write, I like research. A lot of the things I liked about journalism were also part of the practice of law, so it shifted my interest that direction.

Q: What are you reading?

A: My fourth-grade daughter is reading the Harry Potter books, so I’m reading those with her. They’re fun to read with somebody who doesn’t know what happens, with her fresh eyes and reactions.

Q: Pet peeve?

A: Slow walkers.

Q: Best part of your work?

A: My colleagues. I’m lucky to work with great people, many of them for a long time. The work is fulfilling, when you can solve a problem with a client collaboratively. It’s good getting to a solution that doesn’t involve litigation, which I always try to do.

Q: Most challenging?

A: The always-on aspect of this job. Technology is great, but technology also makes us accessible all the time. It’s hard to turn off, so I struggle with that sometimes.

Q: Favorite activity away from work?

A: Being my kids’ biggest cheerleader. They’re in soccer, gymnastics, basketball, track, cross-country, cheer and probably things I’ve forgotten.

Q: Where would you take someone visiting your hometown?

A: In Chanhassen, there’s Paisley Park, if you’re a Prince fan. And, the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, which is beautiful and has something new and fun every season. My family has been members there for quite a while.

Q: Legal figure you admire?

A: The New York Times had a big story about the number of attorneys who have left the federal government since 2024. It was more than 10,000. A pretty significant number have left because they’ve been asked or directed to do something that was unethical or that they felt contravenes the rule of law and the oath that we take to uphold the law. I admire those who put their ethics and dedication to the rule of law above everything else.

Q: Misconception about your work?

A: That because I’m at “Big Law,” that I’m helping “the man” and trying to crush the little guy. That was a legitimate question and fear I had as a law student, about joining a big firm. But it’s not true. My work and experience have been that the clients we help want to do the right thing, and it’s my job to help them.

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

A: “Legally Blonde.” I let my fourth-grader watch it with me, and it’s still great. I love the courtroom scene at the end, when she comes into her own power.