The Official Publication of the Hennepin County Bar Association
Since 1933, The Hennepin Lawyer has been a respected resource for articles about the legal profession and developments in the law—particularly as they relate to practice in Hennepin County, as well as providing news on the local legal community and bar association. HCBA members receive copies of the current digital edition via email.
Free Yourself From the Billable Hour
Oct 27, 2023
Jess Birken is a solopreneur attorney at Birken Law Office. She helps nonprofits solve problems so they can stop worrying and get back to their mission.
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10 Questions with Emily Zambrana
Aug 07, 2023
Emily Zambrana is an in-house regulatory counsel for Whole Foods Market. She advises the company on labeling and related regulatory issues for food, cosmetics, and other consumer products. Here, she shares how her family's blueberry farm led her to agribusiness and food law, the trends in food label regulation that she's seeing, and what Whole Foods sparkling water flavor she can't live without.
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Jul 25, 2023
Attorney Ben Kwan started helping out at his family's restaurant at five years old, washing dishes while perched on a five-gallon soy sauce bucket. Although he didn't always see the value in spending his weekends behind the counter, Kwan has grown to fully appreciate the opportunities and the education he received from being involved in the family business. From identifying specialties to checking implicit biases, Kwan credits his family's restaurant with making him the lawyer—and person—he is today.
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Litigating "Forever Chemicals"
Jul 25, 2023
Imagine yourself in the aisle of your favorite big box retailer. Confronted with a shelf of products, would it influence your purchase if one of the products or its packaging contained a “forever chemical,” such as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), known to cause significant harm to human health and the environment? Welcome to the world of PFAS litigation, where courts are tackling complex issues—and coming to entirely disparate conclusions.
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Our Year of Living Wonderfully
Jul 18, 2023
Retired Judge Mel Dickstein spent a year living in Paris, indulging in all that the City of Lights had to offer: captivating streets, culinary delights, and cultural wonders. Recounting his year abroad, Dickstein experienced the joys—and challenges—of immersing himself in a different culture, and shares what the French can teach us in America about work, rest, balance, and simplicity.
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2023 Excellence Awards: Hon. Denise Reilly
Jul 17, 2023
The Hon. Denise Reilly was selected for the 2023 Excellence Award for Career Contributions to the Profession. She reflects on her career on the bench and what she hopes to see from the legal profession in the future.
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Five Takeaways from the Minneapolis Police Department Investigations and Findings
Abigail Cerra, Paul Ostrow
Jul 11, 2023
Two attorneys with experience in public safety reform, Abigail Cerra and Paul Ostrow, provide five observations on the recent investigations into the Minneapolis Police Department.
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2023 Excellence Awards: James Poradek
Jul 10, 2023
Meet 2023 Excellence Award winner James Poradek. Poradek was selected for Improving Access to Justice for his work with individuals facing housing instability across the state.
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2023 Excellence Awards: North Hennepin Community College & The Legal Revolution
Jul 10, 2023
Mary Fenske, Maya Johnson, and Jon Geffen of answer questions about their 2023 Excellence Award for Improving Access to Justice on behalf of North Hennepin Community College and The Legal Revolution.
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North Star Lawyers of Hennepin County 2022
Jun 27, 2023
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2023 Excellence Awards: Amanda Kruse
Jun 27, 2023
Meet Amanda Kruse, recipient of the 2023 Excellence Award for Providing Pro Bono Service. Kruse is an associate at Lathrop GPM and a dedicated volunteer with Volunteer Lawyers network.
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2023 Excellence Awards: Mary Kaczorek
Jun 20, 2023
Meet 2023 HCBA Excellence Award winner Mary Kaczorek. Kaczorek, the managing attorney at Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, was awarded an Excellence Award for Improving Access to Justice.
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2023 Excellence Awards: Caitlinrose Fisher & Virginia McCalmont
Jun 20, 2023
Meet 2023 Excellence Award Winners Caitlinrose Fisher and Virginia McCalmont. Fisher and McCalmont are partners at Forsgren Fisher McCalmont DeMarea Tysver.
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2023 Excellence Awards: Logan Drew
Jun 14, 2023
Get to know 2023 Excellence Award Winner Logan Drew. Drew is a partner at Robins Kaplan and chair of the firm's pro bono committee. He was instrumental in helping launch the firm's name-change clinic.
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Excellence Awards 2023: Dee Baskin
Jun 14, 2023
Get to know 2023 Excellence Award Winner Dee Baskin. Baskin is the executive director of the Loan Repayment Assistance Program of Minnesota.
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President's Page: Thank You for a Wonderful Year
Jun 06, 2023
HCBA President Landon Ascheman says some "thank-you's" as his presidential term comes to a end.
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Chat GPT: Your New BFF or the End of Lawyering?
May 30, 2023
Eric Cooperstein examines the potential ethical pitfalls for lawyers using Chat GPT in their practice.
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The Consequences of 24/7 Culture
May 23, 2023
Joan Bibelhausen, executive director of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, writes about how a culture of being online "24/7" is damaging the mental health of the legal profession.
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End of COVID-19 Emergency Declarations: Group Health Plan Changes and Actions for Employers
May 10, 2023
Attorney Stephanie K. Schmid writes about what the end of the official emergencies related to the COVID-19 pandemic mean for group health plans.
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Newfangled Lawyering: A Call for Innovation in the Practice of Law
May 09, 2023
In his column, "Newfangled Lawyering," attorney Patrick Patino puts out a charge to his fellow attorneys to innovate the ways they practice law. He shares how his firm has adapted new technologies to create a more efficient and healthier practice.
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