1967

Gerald T. Laurie was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in a feature titled “Two Partners.” He is an attorney and founder at Laurie Law & ADR in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

1969

Judith L. Oakes received the Myra Bradwell Award from Minnesota Women Lawyers in 2019. She is of counsel at Rogness & Field in Oakdale, Minnesota, where she practices family law and represents clients in divorce or parentage proceedings where issues of asset valuation and division, nonmarital tracing, spousal maintenance, and child support or custody are in dispute. 

Richard B. Solum joined the WGCU Public Media Advisory Board. He previously served as a trial lawyer specializing in financial and commercial business litigation and as a Minnesota District Court judge.

1977

Edward J. Cleary retired from the Minnesota Court of Appeals on May 1, 2020, and was selected by Minnesota Lawyer as a recipient of its Outstanding Service to the Profession Award for 2020. He continues to serve as a senior judge on the court.

Mark G. Mishek was recently named one of the most admired CEOs of 2020 by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. He is the CEO of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

1978

Cathy E. Gorlin was included in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for her family law and family law arbitration practices. She is a member of Best & Flanagan’s family law practice area in Minneapolis.

1979

Bibi Black was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in the 2020 Election category. Black is with the offices of the Minnesota secretary of state and Minnesota attorney general.

1980

Scott H. DeLisi published a book titled The Ambassador’s Dog, a fictional story based on real events. He is a former ambassador to Nepal and Uganda and previously served as deputy chief of mission of the American embassy in Botswana.

Corey L. Gordon was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in a feature titled “Two Partners.” He is a partner at Blackwell Burke in Minneapolis.

1983

Robert (Bob) Anderson was nominated by President Biden to serve as solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior.  Anderson was a law professor at the University of Washington for 20 years, directing its Native American Law Center. He has been the Oneida Indian Nation Visiting Professor of Law at Harvard Law School for the past 12 years. He grew up in Ely, Minnesota and is an enrolled member of the Bois Forte Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe.

1985

Susan E. Flint joined Troutman Pepper in Minneapolis as a partner in the consumer financial services practice group. She previously worked for more than 25 years at Wells Fargo, overseeing a variety of complex litigation and regulatory issues for the bank. 

1986

Wade R. Wacholz has been elected shareholder at Avisen Legal in Minneapolis. He works with business owners, farms, and families as a trusted legal counselor and advisor on business and transition issues.

1987

Jonathan D. Jay joined Hinshaw & Culbertson in Minneapolis as a partner in the firm’s business litigation practice. He is a seasoned trial attorney and defends businesses accused of alleged infringement in a wide variety of intellectual property disputes. 

1988

Jan M. Conlin was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in a feature titled “Two Partners.” She is a founding partner at Ciresi Conlin in Minneapolis.

Andrea M. Walsh, president and CEO of HealthPartners in Minneapolis, was elected to Electromed’s board of directors and has been named the 2021 Executive of the Year by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. The award recognizes the outstanding personal and professional accomplishments of the individuals who lead Minnesota’s largest companies

1990

Keith M. Ellison and the Ellison family were cited by Twin Cities Business among the 100 people who will shape 2021. Ellison is currently serving as the 30th attorney general of Minnesota.

1991

Chad E. Baruch was named a Texas Super Lawyer for 2020. His appellate work also placed him on top-100 lists for the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the state of Texas.

1993

Wendy Tien has been appointed chief judge of the Minnesota Tax Court. Tien has served on the Minnesota Tax Court since November 2019 .

1994

Steve J. Ryan was cited by Twin Cities Business among the 100 people who will shape 2021. Ryan is the partner-in-charge of Taft Stettinius & Hollister’s Minneapolis office.

David P. Swenson joined Patterson Thuente in Minneapolis, where he has been named litigation practice chair. Swenson brings with him more than 25 years of experience as a preeminent trial and appellate advocate.

1996

Kassius O. Benson was chosen to lead the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office. Benson previously ran his own firm in Minneapolis.

Elizabeth A. Brown joined Pierce Atwood’s Portsmouth, New Hampshire, office as counsel in the firm’s trusts and estates practice group. Brown has more than 20 years of experience representing individuals and businesses in estate planning, business succession planning, business formations, commercial transactions, and corporate governance issues.

Steve Simon was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in the 2020 Election category. Simon is the Minnesota secretary of state.

Mike P. Sullivan Jr. was cited by Twin Cities Business among the 100 people who will shape 2021. Sullivan is partner-in-charge of the Minneapolis office of Lathrop GPM.

1997

Matthew D. Rowe was named president of Ruder Ware. He joined the firm in 1997 and has focused his practice on corporate finance and securities, mergers and acquisitions, and representation of financial institutions. Based in Ruder Ware’s Wausau, Wisconsin, office, Rowe will continue to provide legal services to clients in addition to serving as the sixth president in the 101-year history of the firm.

1998

Andrew M. Carlson was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer. He is a partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister in Minneapolis, where he focuses his practice in state tax litigation, commercial litigation, and telecommunications.

Sarah J. Griffiths joined LOTUS Legal Clinic Inc. as an attorney at its Fox Valley, Wisconsin, location. LOTUS provides comprehensive legal services for victims of gender violence and labor and sex trafficking, along with related policy advocacy and training.

1999

James R. Cho was appointed a U.S. magistrate judge in the Eastern District of New York. Cho previously served for more than 12 years as an assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. He is the former president of the Asian American Bar Association of New York, and the first Korean American to serve on the Eastern District bench.

Adam C. Furber was named Investment Funds Lawyer of the Year as part of The Asian Lawyer’s 2020 Asia Legal Awards. He was also honored for advising Alibaba in its Hong Kong IPO, which was named Securities Deal of the Year: Equity, and for advising SoftBank in its $30 billion transaction involving Z Holdings Corporation—the parent company of Yahoo! Japan—and its business integration with LINE Corporation, recognized as the M&A Deal of the Year: North Asia. Based in Hong Kong, Furber is the head of Simpson Thacher’s Asia investment funds practice.

Tiffany W. Killoren published her second novel, Good Will, in February 2020. Killoren is an internal communications manager with a national law firm, a local columnist, and author.

2000

Philip A. Duran was included in Pollen’s 50 Over 50 List in the Disruptor category. Duran is a director of advocacy, research, and education at JustUs Health.

2001

Ben J. Butler, a managing attorney with the Office of the Minnesota Appellate Public Defender, was appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court to a three-year term on the Lawyer’s Board of Professional Responsibility, as a nominee of the Minnesota State Bar Association.

Joseph T. Ortiz was appointed a judge in the San Bernardino County Superior Court by California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Ortiz had been a partner at Best Best & Krieger since 2012. He began with the firm in 2008 and  held several positions, including of counsel and associate.

Michael A. Rosow was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in a feature titled “Two Partners.” Rosow is a shareholder at Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis, with focuses in financial services litigation and construction and real estate litigation.

2002

Kathy Allen became a shareholder at Moss & Barnett in Minneapolis, where she represents lenders, borrowers, and servicers in connection with complex real estate and other commercial transactions.

Jean M. Farmakes, general counsel at LHB, was appointed to serve on the company’s operations team, which oversees all operational policy including project performance, budgeting, insurance, liability, and other key areas of functionality.

Teresa A. Lavoie was appointed to the board of trustees of Providence College. She is a principal and a management committee member for Fish & Richardson.

2003

Cherée Johnson joined W.R. Grace as general counsel. In addition, she was chosen as an advisory board member to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and named to Law.com’s 2020 Women, Influence & Power in Law list. The list honors women who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the empowerment of women in law.

Nicole N. Morris was awarded Professor of the Year by the Emory Black Law Students Association in 2018. She is a professor at Emory University School of Law with expertise in patent law, patent litigation, and IP licensing and strategy.

2005

Angela Behrens was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in the 2020 Election category. She is with the Minnesota attorney general’s office.

2006

Edward S. Little was elected as counsel at Richards, Layton & Finger in Wilmington, Delaware. He handles commercial transactions and insurance regulatory matters.

Oleh Vretsona was named partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Washington, D.C. He focuses on white-collar criminal defense, internal investigations, regulatory inquiries, and corporate compliance.

2007

Rhiannon C. Beckendorf was promoted to counsel at Faegre Drinker in Minneapolis. She advises clients on labor and employment matters.

Joseph J. Cassioppi was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in a feature titled “In re: 20 Day Revocable Trust Trial.” He is a shareholder at Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis.

Masha M. Yevzelman was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer. She is a shareholder at Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis, where she practices in tax disputes and litigation, trusts and estates, and property tax appeals.

2008

Betsy M. Flanagan was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year 2020 by Minnesota Lawyer as a member of the Mayo Clinic/Fish & Richardson team. She is a principal at Fish & Richardson in Minneapolis. 

Julie N. Nagorski was appointed to the Minnesota State Bar Association Real Property Certification Board. She is a partner at DeWitt’s Minneapolis office, where she co-chairs the litigation practice group.

2009

Jared K. Cook joined the law firm of Vahey Getz in Rochester, New York, as an associate attorney. He is experienced in employment law, handling both large class and collective actions and single-plaintiff cases.

2010

Paul C. Dworak was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer as part of a feature titled “Two Partners.” He is a trial attorney with Newmark Storms Dworak in Minneapolis.

Bethany M. Owen was cited by Twin Cities Business among the 100 people who will shape 2021. She was named president and CEO at ALLETE Inc. in 2019 and has served more than 18 years with the company.

2011

Scott L. Halbur was promoted to counsel at Faegre Drinker in its Des Moines, Iowa, office. He represents clients in food and agribusiness litigation, including product liability, environmental and natural resources litigation, agricultural contracts, and regulatory disputes.

Cicely R. Miltich was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in two categories: the 2020 Election and Creating Peacetime Emergency Precedent. She works in the Minnesota attorney general’s office.

Michael M. Sawers was elected partner at Faegre Drinker. He practices in the business litigation group in the firm’s Minneapolis office.

Sally Qin was made partner at BakerHostetler in Washington, D.C. She works in the firm’s litigation group with experience in areas of antitrust investigations and litigation.

2012

Tennille C. Hoover joined U.S. Bank as senior corporate counsel in Atlanta. She was previously employed at The Employment Law Solution: McFadden Davis, a boutique employment law firm that focuses on serving business clients. 

Brian E. Jacobson was elected partner at Faegre Drinker. He practices in the investment management group in the firm’s Minneapolis office.

Emily A. Unger was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in a feature titled “In re: 20 Day Revocable Trust Trial.” She is a shareholder at Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis and advocates for companies and individuals in a variety of trust, estate, and business disputes.

2013

Aalok K. Sharma has been named chair of the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries. He is an associate in Stinson’s Minneapolis office.

2014

Brittney M. Miller has become a shareholder in Moss & Barnett in Minneapolis. She assists clients in all family-related matters, including parenting, division of assets, stepparent and same-sex adoptions, and many other issues confronting modern families.

Bryce D. Riddle joined Bassford Remele in Minneapolis. He focuses his practice in the areas of complex commercial litigation, insurance coverage, construction, general liability, and tort litigation.

2015

Caitlinrose H. Fisher launched a boutique firm, Forsgren Fisher, in Minneapolis in January. The firm focuses on litigation and trials, investigations, and intellectual property law.

Alex R. Schoephoerster has become a shareholder in Moss & Barnett in Minneapolis. He provides strategic advice to clients in the areas of contract law, commercial transactions, estate planning and succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, and general business practices.

2016

Steven P. Groschen was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in a feature titled “Two Partners.” He is an associate attorney at Kohlmeyer Hagen Law Office in Mankato, Minnesota. Groschen is actively involved in the community, serving on the board of LEEP and coaching a Special Olympics basketball team.

Christopher S. Land has become general counsel and policy advisor for U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) in Washington, D.C. He left his position as general counsel of the Wyoming Division of Banking in late December, after completing the build-out of Wyoming’s laws, rules, and supervisory manual for bank digital asset activities. 

Sukanya Momsen was elected president of the Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association. She is an associate corporate counsel at Best Buy in the advertising and marketing law group.

2017

Paul R. Gaus joined Downey Brand, in Sacramento, California, as a bankruptcy litigation associate. He focuses on all forms of complex business matters, including intellectual property and trade secret litigation, shareholder derivative suits, and other business torts in both federal and state court.

Alec Sloan was named a 2020 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in the category Creating Peacetime Emergency Precedent. He works in the Minnesota attorney general’s office.

2018

Chelsea J. Bodin joined the labor and employment team at Nilan Johnson Lewis in Minneapolis. She represents employers in cases involving labor relations, FLSA/wage-and-hour, and employment and disability discrimination, as well as providing employment counseling and preventive advice.

Macey L. Muller joined the multifamily and commercial real estate finance and real estate teams at Moss & Barnett in Minneapolis. She is primarily focused on representing lenders who originate and sell loans secured by multifamily real estate projects to secondary market investors, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Christopher T. Ruska joined the labor and employment team at Nilan Johnson Lewis in Minneapolis. He focuses mainly on litigation matters, including employment discrimination, trade secrets, and noncompetes. After graduating from the Law School, Ruska spent a few years clerking for three judges at the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

2020

Samantha F. Carmickle joined the business and commercial litigation practice at Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis. She served on the Minnesota Law Review during law school. 

Caleb T. Holtz joined the tax credit financing and syndication practice at Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis. He served as a managing editor of the Minnesota Journal of Law, Science, and Technology during law school. 

Rachel Lochner joined the tax credit financing and syndication practice at Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis. She served as the student director for the Federal Immigration Litigation Clinic at the Law School.

Kelsey Lutz joined Bodman in the firm’s Ann Arbor, Michigan, office as an associate in the business practice group. As a law student, she served as managing editor of the Minnesota Law Review and as a student attorney with the Federal Immigration Litigation Clinic. 

Alexander S. Park joined the intellectual property practice at Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis. He served as a managing editor for the Minnesota Law Review at the Law School. 

Corissa Pennow joined Ogletree Deakins’ Milwaukee office as an associate in the employment law practice. She served as the clinic director of the Law School’s Consumer Protection Clinic and externed with Judge Thomas Fraser of the Minnesota 4th Judicial District Court during her 3L year. 

Lindsey M. Schwalbach joined the commercial lending practice at Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis. At the Law School, she served as managing editor for the Minnesota Journal of International Law. 

Alexander K. Shaner joined McGrath North in Omaha, Nebraska, as a litigation associate. At the Law School, he was a managing and research editor for the Minnesota Law Review while serving as a student director for the Insurance Law Clinic. 

Megan A. Square joined the tax credit financing and syndication practice at Winthrop & Weinstine in Minneapolis.. She was a managing and research editor for the Minnesota Law Review in addition to serving as a student director for the Indian Law Moot Court at the Law School. 

Xu Zhou joined Caldwell Cassady & Curry in Dallas. He provides experience in international investment laws, banking regulations, and environmental regulations.