Class Notes September 2008

If you have career or personal news to share with the Hamline Law community, please feel free to drop us a note at lawalum@hamline.edu.

 

Nathan Hansen ‘07 is a judicial law clerk on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals with Judge Terrence O’Brien in Cheyenne, WY.

Melisa Lopez Franzen ‘06 has been appointed by the Hispanic National Bar Association as the national representative to the Council of the American Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division (ABAYLD). Lopez Franzen is a senior specialist for government affairs with Target Corporation.

Heidi Nau ‘04 became a member of the State Bar of California in 2007.  She currently works at Haight, Brown & Bonesteel, LLP in Los Angeles, CA.

Jonathan Trexler ‘03 has been named a candidate for LL.M in Taxation at New York University School of Law.

David Schultz ‘92 has been appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the Rules of Civil Appellate Procedure.

Allen Eskens ‘91 has been named a finalist by Governor Tim Pawlenty for the trial court bench vacancy in the 1st Judicial District in Le Sueur County. Eskens is an attorney and senior partner with the Eskens, Gibson and Behm law firm in Mankato.

Class Notes Summer 2008 (June-August)

Betsey L. Lund ‘08 has been offered a Judicial Clerkship with the Honorable Jodi Williamson of the Third Judicial District in Rochester, MN.

Christine E. Hlavac ‘07 was recently hired as Corporate Counsel for Buffet's Inc. in Eagan, Minnesota.

Mark J. Mrnak ‘07 is a new associate at Winthrop & Weinstine, PA.  He will focus his practice on commercial litigation.

Dawn O'Rourke ‘07 was hired as an assistant county attorney for the Carver County Attorney's Office Criminal Division. She previously served as a law clerk for the Honorable Margaret Daly in the Hennepin County District Court and also was a law clerk in the Washington County Attorney's Office and the Tenth Judicial District Public Defender's Office.

Jill K. Baker-Jueneman ‘06 has been in private practice at the law firm of Blethen, Gage & Krause in Mankato since graduation, where she practices primarily in the areas of corporate law, real estate, and employment.  She also recently accepted an adjunct teaching position in the College of Business at Minnesota State University Mankato where she will be teaching business law.  She is still enjoying running and bicycling and participated in her first triathlon this summer!

Jessica Intermill ‘05 has joined the law firm of Jacobson Buffalo Magnuson Anderson and Hogen.  She represents Indian tribes, tribal members, and businesses in litigation regarding sovereignty, taxation, reservation boundaries, and tribal jurisdiction.

Michelle Basham ‘04 has been offered and accepted the position of Executive Director at Genesis II for Families.  She is excited and honored to be joining this organization with a great mission serving children and families since 1976.  Her last day at DHS will be July 24th and my first day at Genesis will be Monday July 28th.

Thomas Evenson '02 has joined the law firm of Lind, Jensen, Sullivan & Peterson, P.A. located downtown Minneapolis. He specializes in the areas of products liability and insurance defense.

Candice Ciresi ‘00 will be graduating and receiving ordination from One Spirit Interfaith Seminary in New York.  She continues to practice as Senior Corporate Counsel at MTS Systems in Eden Prairie, MN.

Kyle Kauffman ‘00 has been named Vice President of the Heiser Automotive Group in Glendale, WI.  He and his wife, Krista, reside in Shorewood, WI with their two children, Charlie and Eleanor.  Their third child is expected in September.

Kathryn R. Burke ‘99 is a new associate at Bassford Remele.  She will focus her practice on litigation, including construction litigation, personal injury, no-fault, and general civil litigation.

Nancy J. Stewig ‘98 has become a shareholder of the firm Bavol Judge, P.A., located in Tampa, Florida.  Her practice emphasizes mass tort litigation and is concentrated in the areas of pharmaceutical and medical device products liability litigation, representing corporate entities.

Daniel J. Koes ‘97 has been named a Southern California Super Lawyer Rising Star for the fifth consecutive year.  He continues to practice appellate law, exclusively.

Patrick T. Harrigan ‘95 has been appointed as Senior Vice President of M& I Exchange Services LLC.  He will be responsible for the Minneapolis market.

Michelle A. Dietrich ‘94 has been appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty to a Fifth Judicial District trial court bench vacancy certified by the Supreme Court for chambers in Lincoln and Lyon Counties.

Elliot B. Kula ‘93 has been named a 2008 Florida Super Lawyer in the appellate practice category.  Only 5% of South Florida attorneys have been named to the list.  Kula is currently a partner in the Miami office of Greenberg Traurig, P.A. and a member of the firm's appellate practice group since 1999.  He resides in Miami Beach with his wife Ellen, and two children Hannah and Max.

Christine A. Gimber ‘92 has been named Managing Partner of Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci S.C., of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  Christine has been with Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci S.C. since 1996 and has been a partner there since 2001.  Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci S.C. has 34 attorneys with practice sections in Litigation, Labor and Employment Law, Business and Real Estate, and Governmental Relations.  Christine practices in the firm's Litigation and Business and Real Estate Sections.

David Schultz ‘92 has been appointed by the Ramsey County Bar Association (RCBA) Board of Advisors to serve on a newly created Judicial Election Campaign Conduct Committee.  The committee has been formed to monitor and comment on judicial campaign conduct for the purpose of encouraging responsible campaign behavior, assisting voters to reach an informed decision on the candidates for judicial office, supporting appropriate conduct by individuals running for judicial office, and keeping judicial elections fair and nonpartisan.

Van Tran ‘92 has taken a new position with the law firm Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. to be the "as of counsel." In this role, Tran will be the point person in building relationships with the representatives of the numerous Asian and Pacific Islander communities in California.

Nancy Bostrack ‘91 has been appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty to the Third Judicial Court in Winona County.

Scott Miller ‘90 published his most recent article, "Atrophied Rights: Maximum Hours Labor Standards under the FLSA and Illinois Law," in the Spring 2008 issue of the Northern Illinois University Law Review.  He practices union-side labor law in Chicago, Illinois, as legal counsel for AFSCME Council 31.

Leo I. Brisbois ‘87 will serve as president-elect of the Minnesota State Bar Association for 2008-09.  He is an attorney at the law firm of Stich, Angell, Kreidler & Dodge PA in Minneapolis and is the first Hamline law graduate to serve in the role.  He is on track to become the first MSBA President of known American Indian descent during the 2009-10 bar year.

James C. Snyder, Sr. ‘87 is one of eight lawyers competing for a rare open judgeship, with the retirement of Judge John T. Finley, in Ramsey County.

Susan Rhode ‘85 is one of the hosts for the new radio program "Minnesota Law" on WCCO Radio.  The show will air Saturday afternoons from noon-1:00 p.m. and will focus on law facts, new developments in the law, and other topical information.

Mark W. Malzahn ‘83 has been named a finalist for a Tenth Judicial District trial court bench vacancy.  He is an attorney with Malzahn and Associates in Anoka.

Glen E. Schumann ‘80 has been appointed as an Adjunct Director for 2009 at his firm of Moss & Barnett, A Professional Association.  He is a member of the firm's intellectual property practice group.  He will serve a one year term while continuing to practice law on a full-time basis.

Ted Sullivan '80, partner at Lind, Jensen, Sullivan & Peterson, P.A., has been named a 2008 Super Lawyer for Business Litigation in Minnesota Law & Politics, MPLS/St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Monthly. This list was published in the August issue of all 3 magazines. Only the top 5 percent of Minnesota's licensed attorneys made the list of 2008 Super Lawyers.

Jeffrey S. Johnson ‘79 has been reelected President and Chairman of Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.

David L. Ayers ‘78 as he approaches 30 years of practicing law, announces that he was selected for inclusion in both ATLA's Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Minnesota and The Best Lawyers in America.  Dave continues to office in Mendota Heights, Minnesota and can be reached at daveayers@ayersriehm.com

Steven A. Sicheneder ‘78 has joined the Forest Lake law firm Johnson & Turner, PA, as an attorney.  He will practice exclusively in the area of family law.

Joseph J. Dudley, Jr. ‘77 has been appointed by the Ramsey County Bar Association (RCBA) Board of Advisors to serve on a newly created Judicial Election Campaign Conduct Committee.  The committee has been formed to monitor and comment on judicial campaign conduct for the purpose of encouraging responsible campaign behavior, assisting voters to reach an informed decision on the candidates for judicial office, supporting appropriate conduct by individuals running for judicial office, and keeping judicial elections fair and nonpartisan.

Rick Lind '76, partner and president of Lind, Jensen, Sullivan & Peterson, P.A., has been named a 2008 Super Lawyer for Civil Litigation in Minnesota Law & Politics, MPLS/St. Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Monthly. This list was published in the August issue of all 3 magazines. Only the top 5 percent of Minnesota's licensed attorneys made the list of 2008 Super Lawyers.

FAMILY

Brian Gryth ‘06 and Stacie announce the birth of their daughter, Lydia Armstrong Gryth, born July 31, 2008 at 11:27 a.m.  She weighed 10 lbs. 2 oz. and was 20 ½ inches long.

Amy Hunt Tjornhom '06 and her husband, Tad Tjornhom, are excited to announce the birth of their first child, a daughter, Ava Ruth Tjornhom.  She was born on March 7, 2008.

Sarah Carlson-Wallrath ‘06 announces the birth of daughter Addison Grace Wallrath on May 22, 2008.  Sarah has been working as the Tax Committee Administrator for the Minnesota House of Representative since January 2007.

Angela (Bennett) Olson ‘05 and her husband, Erik, welcomed the birth of their twin boys, Conner Jack and Colin Riley, on February 4, 2008.

Melissa (Berglund) Westervelt ‘05 was married to Ryan Westervelt on May 3, 2008.  She currently works as an assistant attorney in Isanti County.

Jennifer (Natzke) Gaecke ‘04 and husband Jeffrey Gaecke are excited to announce the birth of their first child, Alexander Jeffrey Gaecke born June 12, 2008.

Agri Verrija ‘02 and Sharon announce the birth of their beautiful new daughter, Beatrix Eloise Verrija, born on June 6, 2008.

Rachel M. (Aderman) Learman ‘01 and her husband Paul welcomed the arrival of their first child, a daughter they named Cadence Grace, on December 4, 2007.  Rachel was also recently promoted in June to Assistant Vice President at M&I Bank FSB in Milwaukee, WI.

Karin Simonson ‘01 and her husband Brian welcome the birth of their second child, daughter Alicia.

Debra A. Filteau Begley ‘00 and Bruce Begley were married on May 26, 2007 in Duluth, Minnesota.  Bruce is a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy and is currently stationed at the Navy Yard in Washington D.C.  In July Debra started working as a trial attorney for the United States Department of Justice Civil Division, Office of Vaccine Litigation in Washington D.C.  Her and her husband live in Springfield, Virginia.

Alba Romero ‘99 and husband Marcos welcomed the birth of their son, Marcos Andres Montero-Romero, on July 7, 2008.  He weighed 6 lbs., 7 oz., and was 20 inches long.  His parents report that he "is healthy and cute as his parents."

Amy E. Palmer ‘98 and Douglas H. Ellis (Williams College; Univ. of Michigan Law) were married on May 10, 2008 in Manchester, Vermont.  Amy is a partner with the law firm of Jacobs, McClintock & Scanlon in Bennington, Vermont.  Doug is an investment manager for private clients.  Amy and Doug reside in Williamstown, Massachusetts.

Peter A. Lippmann ‘97 and Danielle (Flakne) Lippmann are happy to announce their marriage on April 5, 2008 in Edina, MN.  They currently reside in St. Louis Park, MN.

David J. Schaibley '97 and Ann M. (Lentner) Schaibley '97 are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth Clare, born May 4, 2008.

Shawn Betts ‘96 and his wife Heather had their first baby on July 20, 2008.  Caleb Michael arrived at a whopping 10 lbs., 5 oz. and 23 inches long.

OBITUARIES

Richard "Brian" Bates ‘91 passed away June 12, 2008 at the age of 60.  He was an environmental lawyer who fought against tobacco company advertising aimed at young people, and worked to ban or limit the proliferation of billboards in St. Paul and other cities.  He was also a passionate advocate for the Mississippi River and various other local rivers, streams, and wetlands.  At various times he was a member of many groups and boards, including Scenic Minnesota, the Sierra Club, and the Macalester-Groveland Community Council.

Thomas Bennett Wilson, III ‘80 passed away May 19, 2008, just short of his of 62^nd birthday. He had a successful civil trial practice and was instrumental in expanding the rights of the elderly, mentally ill, and children. In 1986 the Mental Health Association and the State U.S. Veteran Hospital Advocates honored him with the Dwight V. Dixon Award. In 1987 the MN Mental Health Association recognized him with the Outstanding Legal Services to Adolescents award. He was named to Who's Who in American Law in 1991, and MN Law and Politics recognized him as a "Super Lawyer" in employment, social security, and elder law in 1998.