New Hope Lawyers

Melvin R. Welch was born and raised in a small farm town in Minnesota. Following graduation, Melvin attended college at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, before joining the United States Navy in 1996. As a sailor, Melvin learned Russian and served aboard submarines. During his time in service, Melvin finished college and then worked as a translator in the NATO peacekeeping mission to Kosovo, translating for the United States Army and the Russian 13th Tactical Group in Kamenica, Kosovo.

Melvin R. Welch attended the University of Minnesota Law School and graduated in 2007. Melvin's first employ was with...

Attending the University of Minnesota, Duluth, Katherine was immediately drawn to the field of criminal justice. After obtaining her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, Katherine set her mind on becoming an attorney. Wasting no time, Katherine obtained her law degree from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law. While in law school, Katherine became intrigued with the various aspects of criminal law and the shortcomings of the criminal justice system. She gained valuable knowledge and experience as a certified student attorney at the Anoka Public Defender's Office where she represented clients with misdemeanor and gross...

Anna graduated from Winona State University with a degree in Law and Society. She then went on to pursue her degree in Paralegal Studies and began working as a litigation secretary. After working in the legal field for 2 years, she went on to pursue her law degree. Anna obtained her law degree from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. During law school, Anna clerked as a certified student attorney for the Washington County Public Defender's Office where she represented clients in bail hearings. After she left Washington County, Anna spent her final year of law school as a law clerk at...

Christa Groshek has excellent experience litigating cases to both judges and juries. She has an exceptional trial record, even getting some cases dismissed on constitutional grounds before trial. She has developed a solid reputation as a Minnesota trial attorney for successfully defending clients against a wide range of charges in criminal court. Christa Groshek graduated Cum Laude from William Mitchell College of Law. During law school, Christa was a law clerk for the Washington County Public Defender's Office where she received her first criminal defense experience. Christa later took a position as the law clerk for the Honorable Thomas Armstrong, Washington County...

Mr. Bittle is a cum laude graduate of William Mitchell College of Law, where he spent two years on the William Mitchell Law Review and took honors in Contracts, Insurance Law, and Labor Law. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota. With a dozen years inside the insurance industry, he will bring the insight and confidence necessary to any personal injury or insurance claim. The bulk of Mr. Bittle's career was spent in the insurance claims area handling personal injury liability claims in multiple U.S. jurisdictions. He has resolved thousands of claims, and negotiated dozens of mediations...

Kirk M. Anderson is the founder of Anderson Law Firm, PLLC, and focuses his practice primarily in the areas of criminal defense, personal injury, and appeals. Mr. Anderson has successfully defended criminal charges ranging from petty misdemeanors to felony level offenses in Minnesota, Wisconsin and United States District Court. He has litigated hundreds of civil disputes, and participated in more than 50 appeals.

Prior to his legal career, Mr. Anderson was a television reporter at KSAX-TV in Alexandria, MN, and Sports Director of KVSC-FM in St. Cloud, MN, where he was also the play-by-play announcer for the St. Cloud State University...

Bray Dohrwardt is an accomplished attorney with decades of experience representing businesses from start-ups to International Fortune 100 companies. He started his career in one of the Midwest's oldest and largest law firms and spent several years as a business litigator. Eventually, Bray focused his practice on business law and energy law. Bray spent fifteen years leading a large in-house legal, regulatory, and compliance team for one of North America's largest energy companies. Bray has built an impressive career, enabling business growth and commercial success for many startups, private and public organizations, and nonprofits. Bray's passion is partnering with business leaders...

Joseph Maternowski is a shareholder at the Hessian & McKasy firm in Minneapolis practicing in the areas of environmental, real estate and business law. Joe began his legal career in the Minnesota Attorney General's Office where he represented the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Joe focuses his private practice on environmental matters arising in real estate and business transactions. Joe has extensive experience with site investigations and cleanups, vapor intrusion assessments, state Brownfields programs and with federal and state environmental agencies. Joe assists real estate and business lawyers and in house counsel on transactions where environmental issues arise....

I'm Creig Andreasen, an attorney based in Minneapolis, working at Avisen Legal, P.A., where I focus on real estate and banking law. My career started in residential real estate, which provided me with a solid foundation in guiding clients through intricate processes, from property purchases to securing financial transactions. My practice primarily involves helping landowners with the acquisition, leasing, selling, or financing of real property, as well as advising financial institutions on due diligence, loan documentation, and managing troubled loans. I am a Certified Real Property Specialist, a recognition granted by the Minnesota State Bar Association that highlights my extensive knowledge...

Pamela Rochlin is a personal injury attorney who is deeply committed to helping injured victims and their families who have been harmed by the wrongdoing of others. She is among the few Minnesota women attorneys who represent injury victims. Pam has worked to maximize recovery for hundreds of individuals through settlement and trial, helping them through a difficult time in their lives. Pam Rochlin handles a variety of cases and injury claims. Practice areas include: -Serious car or truck crashes. -Drunk driving collisions. -Products Liability. -Construction or workplace accidents. -Dog Attacks or...

Todd Gardner began his professional life as a middle school teacher but opted to go to law school in his mid-twenties. During his time in law school, he clerked in the contracts department at Wells Fargo during the merger with Norwest Bank, clerked for five judges in the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings Workers' Compensation Division and interned with a Hennepin County District Court judge. Following law school, he began working in a Minneapolis small firm representing injured workers and injured persons and later experienced representing insurance companies with a medium-sized law firm in St. Paul. In 2002, he...

Kelly J. Keegan has been lead defense counsel on hundreds of cases of all types and levels, ranging from serious felonies to minor traffic offenses. Additionally, Kelly handles post-conviction matters such as expungement, probation violations, Department of Human Services background study disqualifications, reinstatement of the right to possess firearms, and sentence modification motions. She has represented clients under investigation prior to being formally charged, as well as clients facing grand jury indictment. Kelly is admitted to practice in Minnesota State Court as well as Federal United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. She enjoys working in the courtroom...

After 15 years of experience working as a prosecutor, I've made the switch to criminal defense because I want to use my skills to help people. I've handled tens of thousands of criminal cases of every kind, and I truly believe I have the skills to help people and make a difference. My goal is to craft a unique and personalized approach to defending every case. Every case and every client are different, with different circumstances, and they should be treated that way.

Nick Sperling has over a decade of experience in business litigation and transactions, nonprofit law, real estate litigation and transactions, and technology/IT law. Nick takes a pragmatic approach to legal representation and focuses on obtaining the best possible results for his clients.

Brendan leads the firm’s labor law practice. He has handled numerous judicial, administative, and arbitration proceedings, including many high-profile appellate cases. Brendan also has drafted legislation and policies adopted by State and Local governments, and he routinely develops cutting-edge organizing strategies for the firm’s union clients. Brendan has served on the Governing Council of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Law Section. He also has taught at Northwestern University School of Law, the University of Minnesota Law School, and William Mitchell College of Law. In addition, Brendan has published articles in the American Bar Association Journal of Labor &...

Susanne Gad is a renowned advocate for vulnerable and marginalized groups. After a successful, decade-long career as an attorney for the United Nations, Susanne's sister decided to join forces with her sister Sarah and crusade for justice. Susanne is among the most sought-after immigration advocates in the country due to her exceptional track record of success when it comes to asylum status, identifying paths to citizenship, and appealing cases lost by other immigration and human rights attorneys. In fact, a large number of Susanne's immigration clients turned to her in order to fix mistakes caused by their previous immigration...

As a partner at SiebenCarey, Mike has earned a reputation for being a strong advocate for the rights of injured workers. He has achieved success in the areas of workers' compensation, personal injury, and auto accident insurance litigation.

Mike graduated from Hamline University School of Law after working for more than 15 years with government, nonprofit and education organizations. Mike was admitted to the Minnesota State Bar in 1997, the Federal District Court in 2004, and is qualified as a mediator by the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Every year since 2014, Mike has been selected as a Minnesota Super...

Rajin is a partner in Thompson Hine's Intellectual Property & Technology Litigation group. He focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation, including patent, trade secret, copyright, and licensing disputes. He is dedicated to securing practical, business-driven solutions for clients, whether through strategic negotiation, litigation or trial advocacy. He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes technology disputes involving some of the world’s largest companies. His experience spans a broad spectrum of technologies, including mobile communications, semiconductors, IT network management, video streaming, speech coding, and software. As a registered patent attorney, he also handles inter partes review proceedings before the Patent...

Beth E. Bertelson is the founder of Bertelson Law Offices, P.A., located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Focusing her practice on labor and employment law, she represents employees in the Twin Cities metropolitan area and throughout Minnesota in litigation and pre-litigation negotiations in matters involving severance, employment and noncompete agreements, and related issues. Certified as a specialist in labor and employment law by the Minnesota State Bar Association, Ms. Bertelson also mediates employment disputes and has been designated as a "qualified neutral" under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice for the District Courts. She also assists clients in a...

Carl Christensen founded Christensen Sampel PLLC. Previous to that he clerked for the Honorable Kenneth Sandvik in the Sixth Judicial District, Lake and Cook Counties and had a short stint as a prosecutor in outstate Minnesota. Carl's scholarship includes multiple presentations and publications on foreclosure, collection, and consumer law. As a student, Carl also contributed to various textbooks on intellectual property and domain name law. He acquired his extensive knowledge of intellectual property and domain name law while a student law clerk at the National Arbitration Forum, a ICANN-designated domain name dispute resolution provider. While in law school, Carl's...

Rob Shainess is a trial lawyer with a particular focus on resolving real estate, construction, and business disputes. Rob’s clients range from individual property owners to national banks, and everyone in between. Rob is proud to have been named a Rising Star each year from 2012-2017 by Super Lawyers Magazine.

Before founding Capstone Law, Rob spent seven years as a real estate and construction litigator with one of Minnesota’s largest elite law firms. In 2011, Rob set out to start his own firm, believing that he could offer his clients better value if he shed the bloat associated with large firms.

"I’m Josh Johnson. I provide first-rate Minnesota legal representation at reasonable rates. I have extensive experience in the 12 counties in and around the Twin Cities Metro area, and have represented hundreds of clients in criminal defense, personal injury and bankruptcy cases. If you have been injured in an auto accident, charged with a crime, or need advice about debt or bankruptcy, call me - initial consultations are always free. I received my Juris Doctorate from William Mitchell College of Law and my bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. I am admitted to the Minnesota Bar...

Jim Lindell (University of Minnesota, 1977) is a litigator focused on personal injury cases, including product liability, medical malpractice, wrongful death, liquor liability and workers' compensation. He is a certified civil trial specialist and is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell. He is past dean of the Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota. Lindell feels his broad work experience prior to law school, including construction, firefighting, teaching, and service in the U.S. Army, allows him to relate well to his clients of highly varied backgrounds. He practices in Wisconsin as well as Minnesota and is a qualified arbitrator and mediator.

Margaret Koberoski was admitted to the Minnesota Bar in 1996 and admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota in 2005. She received her Juris Doctorate degree from Hamline University School of Law. While in Law School, Margaret served as Managing Editor the Hamline Law Review. She is also a graduate of the University of Minnesota where she obtained a B.A. in Spanish and Political Science. Margaret is currently a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association, the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), and Minnesota Women Lawyers (MNL).

David Rochlin is a litigator with more than 20 year's experience helping hundreds of businesses and people get paid what they are owed. Cases include breach of contract, manufacturers agreements, sales rep agreements, returns issues between retailers and third parties, general collections, insurance disputes, car accident injuries, and more.

Bankruptcy and Consumer Rights Attorney

Daniel S. Schleck’s varied career has involved many areas of transactional law including environmental law and policy; renewable energy projects; commercial real estate development; financing and corporate matters; municipal and land use law; and eminent domain proceedings. More specifically, Mr. Schleck has experience in structuring complex transactions and financing packages for all aspects of property development. He has successfully secured significant public grant funds including TIF, PACE and TBRA funds for clients that choose to redevelop contaminated property—using these funds in creative and successful financing structures. As a former city attorney for Mendota Heights, Minnesota, Dan’s unique...

Jerri Adams Belcher is a fearless and tenacious advocate for employees’ rights. She represents individuals who have experienced discrimination, retaliation, and harassment in the workplace. Prior to joining Engelmeier & Umanah, P.A. Jerri litigated and tried employment, insurance, and construction-defect cases. During law school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she developed her advocacy skills as a judicial intern for then Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Further, she completed externships at the Wisconsin Department of Justice in its Civil Litigation unit, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in Washington, D.C. Jerri also...

Legal Experience—Solving Complex Business Problems Ms. Lockner is a partner in the firm's business litigation department who works with business leaders facing legal disputes that cause financial exposure and other risks to their business. Using her extensive litigation and trial experience, Ms. Lockner offers strategic legal guidance on how to use litigation—either defensively or affirmatively—to meet their business objectives. As a trial attorney, she has the skills and expertise to wield the threat of trial as a sword, but understands and appreciates her clients’ need to use it only as weapon of last resort. Ultimately, Ms. Lockner’s goal is to further...

Christopher D. Jozwiak is a skilled litigator who has won striking victories on behalf of his clients in a diverse range of employment issues. He is a founding partner of Baillon Thome Jozwiak & Wanta LLP and has been recognized as a Rising Star since 2011 and a Super Lawyer since 2014 and was named to the Best Lawyers in America 2018 list for his work in employment law. Chris works tirelessly for his clients in cases involving whistleblower retaliation, sexual harassment, wage and hour violations, reprisal, discrimination, and wrongful termination. He also represents employees and consumers in national class...

David Tanabe is an attorney in the business litigation group with Messerli Kramer, where he focuses on all aspects of bankruptcy law, business restructuring, and insolvency. His clients include financial institutions, lenders, receivers, asset purchasers, trade creditors, and businesses. He also works closely with transactional attorneys on an array of matters, including sales of assets, financing, real-estate purchases and sales, commercial leasing, and workouts. As a ten-year veteran of the NHL, David understands the importance of teamwork and the power of operating efficiently and cohesively. Whether learning the game from Hall-of-Famers as a 19-year-old first-round draft pick or learning the law...

Robert Kouba takes pride in working hard for his clients and delivering successful results. Prior to joining the firm, Robert worked as a criminal defense attorney in Minneapolis, developing his trial advocacy and litigation skills. While in law school, Robert was a member and coach of the Phi Alpha Delta Mock Trial Team, competing nationally, where he gained litigation skills that he continues to use today to serve his clients. Robert is able to put that knowledge and experience to work now for the firm's business, real estate, and consumer litigation clients. He approaches his client's situations with a down-to-earth...

HOW I HELP I support employees separating from employment under less than ideal circumstances, provide guidance to business owners experiencing messy business divorces or other legal challenges, and support small employers by providing on-demand employment advice. MY EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE I am an experienced trial lawyer--having conducted multiple trials before both state and federal juries. I am also an experienced litigator, negotiator, and advisor with extensive experience in Minnesota's state and federal courts, as well as courts across the country. I have represented both businesses and individuals in wrongful termination, retaliation, discrimination, non-competition, and non-solicitation cases; fought on behalf of companies...