Minnesota's Best Lawyers 2015
Photo by Jerry Sliwowski, Fotolia.com
The Best Lawyers® are found through referrals.
The best attorneys are fair, confident, prepared, professional, accessible, and good at cooling down overheated situations. Regardless of why you need to hire a lawyer, you want to make sure you have the best lawyer representing you and your case.
The Best Lawyers in America (bestlawyers.com) is an annual referral guide that has stood the test of time. Since 1983, it has proven to be a leading benchmark of the very best legal counsel in the U.S. More than 2,000 law firms and over half of the Fortune 1,000 companies utilize this guide.
What makes this directory so unique is that it’s a respected and unbiased peer-review publication based on 5.5 million exhaustive evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers around the country. Lawyers are not required, nor are they allowed, to pay a fee in order to be included. They are nominated and voted in by their peers. Because of this unique referral process, a list in Best Lawyers is regarded within the legal profession as a source of honor and pride, a testament to exemplary work.
Minnesota Monthly has teamed up with Best Lawyers to provide a consistent and reliable resource for readers. In the following pages, we highlight the best lawyers listed in Minnesota, an exceptional group of attorneys who go above and beyond in areas of administrative/regulatory law to worker’s compensation and everything inbetween.
WILLIAM D. HARPER & PAUL PETERSON
Concentration: Personal injury law
At the law office of Harper & Peterson, PLLC, Bill Harper and Paul Peterson, both named as 2015 “Best Lawyers,” work hard to protect the rights of personal injury victims and hold wrongdoers accountable. They are highly selective in the cases they handle in order to dedicate their energy and efforts into getting results. Bill and Paul have extensive courtroom experience and the two are board-certified as Civil Trial Specialists by the Minnesota State Bar Association and the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA). They have tried hundreds of cases between them. Their firm has successfully obtained millions of dollars in recoveries for their clients. They will settle their clients’ cases for full and fair compensation, or take the claims to trial. Most cases come as referrals from former clients or other attorneys, a testament to their excellent reputation within the field.
Harper & Peterson, PLLC
3040 Woodbury Drive, Woodbury, MN 55129
Office: 651-738-8539 • wdharper@hpinjurylaw.com
hpinjurylaw.com
DAN O’CONNELL
Concentration: Family Law
Named the 2015 Minneapolis area family law “Lawyer of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America, Dan has been helping clients navigate the legal system for more than 30 years. He is a licensed CPA, lawyer, and qualified ADR neutral. He helps clients overcome the fear and uncertainty of divorce by guiding them through a respectful, streamlined process. His legal and mediation experience, combined with a calming demeanor and empathetic personality, is beneficial in working toward amicable and dignified resolutions. If a fair settlement isn’t available, he’s a skilled trial attorney. From 2011-13, he served as president of the Minnesota chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a carefully selected group of experienced family law practitioners who have dedicated their careers to the practice of matrimonial law.
Tuft, Lach, Jerabek & O’Connell, PLLC
2109 County Road D East, Maplewood, MN 55109-5444
651-771-0050 • dan@tuftlaw.com
tuftlaw.com
THOMAS R. WILHELMY
Concentration: Litigation and controversy tax
Thomas R. Wilhelmy of Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. has practiced property tax and real estate law since 1978, and has been a Minnesota State Bar Association certified specialist in real property law since the inception of that designation. He brings to his clients expertise in real property valuation and commercial property tax appeals, and is frequently invited to address the most significant issues in those areas.
Thomas was recently included in The Best Lawyers in America© 2015 in the fields of litigation and controversy-tax, has been named one of “Minnesota’s Top Rated Lawyers” by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell, and was again named a “Super Lawyer” by Minnesota Super Lawyers Magazine. He was also named “Corporate Tax Lawyer of the Year” for the United States in 2013 and 2014 by Lawyer Monthly Legal Awards. Thomas holds the “AV Preeminent” rating by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.
Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
200 South 6th Street, Suite 4000, Minneapolis, MN 55402
612-492-7058 • twilhelmy@fredlaw.com
fredlaw.com
LAURA DANIELSON
Concentration: Immigration law
Immigration is changing the face of America and Laura Danielson is inspired to be working with immigrants and their employers as part of that change. Whether you are an employer of immigrants or an individual artist, investor, or employee seeking assistance navigating the complex regulatory maze, Laura’s team at Fredrikson & Byron provides critical and caring representation. They have won national awards for their pro bono work and have been active in advocating for changes that will allow our nation’s undocumented workers to work lawfully. With the assistance of Laura’s team, companies will finally be able to bring many of their long-term immigrant employees into compliance. Having taught immigration law at the University of Minnesota Law School for many years, Laura is also co-author of Immigration Law in a Nutshell and co-editor of the award-winning Green Card Stories (greencardstories.com).
Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
200 South 6th Street, Suite 4000, Minneapolis, MN 55402
612-492-7148 • ldanielson@fredlaw.com
fredlaw.com
LAURA K. FRETLAND
Concentration: Family law
Most divorces and custody disputes are settled out of court, yet there is no substitute for the insight and leverage an experienced family law attorney brings to each case. For more than 25 years, Laura Fretland has been helping people face divorce and other personal, challenging, and complex family law disputes. She provides careful guidance and quality legal representation customized to the unique needs of her clients, whether that means litigation, negotiated settlement, collaborative law, or mediation. Her goal is fair and efficient resolutions, but she’s a fierce and aggressive litigator when necessary, working hard to safeguard the rights of her clients.
Laura graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School and is well-versed in Minnesota law. She has lectured and published materials for lawyers including elder law, divorce, and antenuptial agreements.
Dove Fretland & Van Valkenburg
5881 Cedar Lake Road, Minneapolis, MN 55416
952-545-9000 • lfretland@dfvvlaw.com
dfvvlaw.com
JANE VAN VALKENBURG
Concentration: Family law
As a family law attorney with over 25 years of experience, Jane Van Valkenburg will work with you to receive top legal representation, matching the needs of you and your client. “I am experienced working through collaboration, mediation, negotiation, and litigation,” she says. “In the process that is right for you, my role is to guide you with legal experience and expertise. My goal is to give to you the tools and support necessary in the legal process and for you to move to the next stage of your life.”
In addition to being named a “Best Lawyer,” she has been named a “Super Lawyer” for the past 13 years, lectures and publishes materials for lawyers on custody, support, and elder law dissolutions, and has been appointed as a special magistrate in Hennepin County Family Courts.
Dove Fretland & Van Valkenburg
5881 Cedar Lake Road, Minneapolis, MN 55416
952-545-9000 • jvanvalkenburg@dfvvlaw.com
dfvvlaw.com
JEFFREY S. SHERIDAN
Concentration: DWI and criminal defense
Jeffrey S. Sheridan of Sheridan & Dulas, P.A., one of the most recognized and respected criminal defense lawyers in Minnesota, has a long list of successes in Minnesota’s courts. His achievements include an impressive list of landmark Minnesota Supreme Court decisions which have resulted in the Court striking down major portions of the DWI laws as unconstitutional. Jeff’s innovative arguments and tenacious nature have proven successful in trial courts, courts of appeal, and before the Supreme Court throughout his 27-year career. In addition to being named a “Best Lawyer in America” every year since 2007 and named the 2013 “Lawyer of the Year” in DWI defense, he’s also been repeatedly recognized as a “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers and been named an “Attorney of the Year” three times by Minnesota Lawyer.
Personal philosophy: Jeff believes that a lawyer is not supposed to be someone in a suit who just stands next to you while you plead guilty. A good lawyer fights to protect your rights and fights to win every time.
Free advice: “If you’ve been stopped for DWI and had your license revoked, see a lawyer immediately. The worst thing you can do is wait around for your first court appearance. Important rights that may determine the ultimate outcome of your case will disappear soon after your arrest.”
Sheridan & Dulas, P.A. Attorneys at Law
320 Eagandale Office Center
1380 Corporate Center Curve, Eagan, Minnesota 55121
651-686-8800 Phone • 651-686-7870 Fax
jsheridan@ssdpa.com • ssdpa.com
These lists are excerpted from The Best Lawyers in America® 2015, which includes listings for more than 52,000 lawyers in 137 specialties, in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Woodward/White Inc. has used its best efforts in assembling material for this list but does not warrant that the information contained herein is complete or accurate, and does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. All listed attorneys have been verified as being members in good standing with their respective state bar associations as of July 1, 2014, where that information is publicly available. Consumers should contact their state bar for verification and additional information prior to securing legal services of any attorney.
Copyright 2014 by Woodward/White Inc., Aiken, S.C. All rights reserved. This list, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission. No commercial use of this list may be made without permission of Woodward/White, Inc. No fees may be charged, directly or indirectly, for the use of this list without permission. “The Best Lawyers in America” and “Best Lawyers” are registered trademarks of Woodward/White, Inc. The Best Lawyers in America® is published by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, South Carolina and can be ordered directly from the publisher. For information call 803-648-0300; write 237 Park Ave., SW, Suite 101, Aiken, SC 29801; email info@bestlawyers.com; or visit www.bestlawyers.com. Online subscriptions to Best Lawyers® databases are available at www.bestlawyers.com
Methodology for Best Lawyers®
This list is excerpted from the 2015 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America, the pre-eminent referral guide to the legal profession in the United States. Published since 1983, Best Lawyers lists attorneys in 137 specialties, representing all 50 states, who have been chosen through an exhaustive survey in which thousands of the nation’s top lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The 2015 Edition of Best Lawyers is based on more than 5.5 million evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers.
The method used to compile Best Lawyers remains unchanged since the first edition was compiled more than 30 years ago. Lawyers are chosen for inclusion based solely on the vote of their peers. Listings cannot be bought, and no purchase is required to be included. In this regard, Best Lawyers remains the gold standard of reliability and integrity in lawyer ratings.
The nomination pool for the 2015 edition consisted of all lawyers whose names appeared in the previous edition of Best Lawyers, lawyers who were nominated since the previous survey, and new nominees solicited from listed attorneys. In general, lawyers were asked to vote only on nominees in their own specialty in their own jurisdiction. Lawyers in closely related specialties were asked to vote across specialties, as were lawyers in smaller jurisdictions. Where specialties are national or international in nature, lawyers were asked to vote nationally as well as locally. Voting lawyers were also given an opportunity to offer more detailed comments on nominees. Each year, half of the voting pool receives fax or email ballots; the other half is polled by phone.
Voting lawyers were provided this general guideline for determining if a nominee should be listed: “If you had a close friend or relative who needed a real estate lawyer (for example), and you could not handle the case yourself, to whom would you refer them?” All votes and comments were solicited with a guarantee of confidentiality-a critical factor in the viability and validity of Best Lawyers surveys. To ensure the rigor of the selection process, lawyers were urged to use only their highest standards when voting, and to evaluate each nominee based only on his or her individual merits. The additional comments were used to make more accurate comparisons between voting patterns and weight votes accordingly. Best Lawyers uses various methodological tools to identify and correct for anomalies in both the nomination and voting process.
Ultimately, of course, a lawyer’s inclusion is based on the subjective judgments of his or her fellow attorneys. While it’s true that the lists may at times disproportionately reward visibility or popularity, the breadth of the survey, the candor of the respondents, and the sophistication of the polling methodology largely correct for any biases.
For these reasons, Best Lawyers lists continue to represent the most reliable, accurate, and useful guide to the best lawyers in the United States. Best Lawyers lists are available at bestlawyers.com.
Best Lawyers lists are available at bestlawyers.com.
"The Best Lawyers in America" and "Best Lawyers" are registered trademarks of Woodward/White, Inc.
