Minnesota Lawyer

The Up & Coming Attorney recognition highlights lawyers who have distinguished themselves by their achievements.

After fewer than eight years as an attorney, Shannon Bjorklund is drawing accolades from colleagues. Bjorklund, who recently became a partner at Dorsey & Whitney’s Minneapolis Trial Group, “has distinguished herself as an exceptional lawyer with a deep commitment to ...

From the time when she was a grade school student, Shelby Knutson Bruce knew she wanted to be a lawyer. “I knew the career would be challenging and engaging,” Bruce told Minnesota Lawyer. Today, she is living her childhood ambition ...

Attorney Jamie Buskirk has taken the health care mergers and acquisitions world by storm since joining Lindquist & Vennum in 2015. “Jamie has already participated in several high-­profile transactions that have generated significant results for our clients in the past ...

Rob Courtney, a principal at Fish & Richardson, is a “triple threat” in handling patent-infringement disputes for his clients, who include some of the world’s largest technology companies. Courtney’s dossier includes extensive litigating before federal courts, the International Trade Commission ...

Minneapolis attorney Sam Diehl has distinguished himself handling First Amendment litigation for Twin Cities area churches. “I care deeply about religious liberty,” said Diehl, who primarily practices employment law. Just two years after graduating from law school, Diehl represented the ...

Attorney Holly Dolejsi enjoys representing plaintiffs in mass tort cases against some of the nation’s largest medical device and pharmaceutical companies. “It is like a neighbor taking on Goliath,” Dolejsi said of her job. “I like to help clients gain ...

Ryan Else, a combat veteran himself, is passionate about defending veterans in criminal cases, helping them to “hit reset” and get back on their feet while dealing with underlying physical, mental and adjustment problems of returning to civilian life. One ...

Charmaine Harris is a second-career attorney whose training and experience as a mechanical engineer dovetail into her practice in the areas of medical-device, products-liability defense and other complex litigation. At Blackwell Burke P.A., she is a lead associate for a ...

Eikoku Ikeno, one of three staff attorneys at the Children’s Law Center of Minnesota, calls his work advocating for abandoned, abused or neglected children his dream job. It’s why he went to law school. He graduated from the University of ...