I'm a trial lawyer. I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to fight for justice on behalf of people going through hard times against some of the largest corporations in the country. Background I started practicing law by fighting tough cases on behalf of some very desperate people. As a law student at New York University School of Law, I advocated on behalf of battered women trying to find protection, unemployed workers trying to make ends meet, and immigrants seeking asylum from torture. During my summers, I worked as a litigator in complex business litigation at two of the best litigation firms in the country Faegre & Benson LLP (Now Faegre Baker Daniels) and Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP (now Robins Kaplan). After I graduated law school, I joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served as judge advocate. There is no better training ground for a trial lawyer I tried over one-hundred felony and misdemeanor cases. I spent most of my time defending young Marines who had made bad mistakes and were facing many years in prison. I tried a lot of contested jury trials, and I’m proud of the exceptional results we got for these Marines and Sailors, including one of the first successful defenses of a Marine who was discriminated against based on sexual orientation. In 2005, I deployed to Iraq and worked with the State Department, Justice Department, United Nations, European Union, and Iraqi judges and attorneys to help establish the rule of law in Iraq. I served as a prosecutor when I got back from deployment in 2006 and got even more trial experience. Legal Experience I joined Robins Kaplan as a business and intellectual property litigator after my time in the Marine Corps finished. There, I gained experience representing both large corporations and small mom and pop storefront businesses. After running for Congress in 2008, I started this firm because I believe in the rights of individuals to have a tough advocate in their corner against powerful interests. Since opening the firm, I've been humbled and honored to represent some of the most decent people I've ever met, and to win fights on behalf of people who have suffered disability discrimination, racial discrimination, retaliation, sexual orientation discrimination, sexual harassment, age discrimination, and excessive force. EDUCATION Juris Doctor (J.D.), 2002 New York University School of Law Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), 1999 University of Minnesota Twin Cities President, Minnesota Student Association High School Diploma, 1995 Osseo Senior High School PRACTICE AREAS Trial Practice Employment Law Civil Rights Business Litigation Securities Litigation Pension Plan and ERISA Litigation. PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS Minnesota State Bar Association National Employment Lawyers Association, Minnesota Chapter University of Minnesota Alumni Association BAR ADMISSION & COURTS Minnesota Supreme Court United States District Court District of Minnesota United States District Court Eastern District of Michigan United States Court of Appeals 8th Circuit
