Over a 25-year career, Mr. Becker has represented international engineering firms, architects, design-builders, owners, construction managers, and specialty subcontractors on major horizontal infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, tunnels, and pipelines, and vertical infrastructure projects such as stadiums, convention centers, hospitals, and dams. He has also worked on industrial projects including process plants, power plants, grain elevators, and commercial and residential projects. He is a Fellow of the American College of Construction Lawyers, a former chair of the Construction Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association, a director of the Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, and a frequent speaker on construction law topics. Mr. Becker is nationally recognized as a leading advocate in the field of early resolution of complex construction disputes through mediation, many times without the need for a lawsuit for formal legal proceedings. He earned his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from Northwestern University, cum laude, Tau Beta Pi, and his law degree from the University of Iowa with high distinction.

Founder at Fantastic IP ConsultingMr. Drake is founder and chief intellectual property (IP) strategist at Fantastic IP Consulting.  He has been a registered patent attorney for nearly 20 years.  Mr. Drake adds value to businesses not only by expanding the thinking of executive leadership and top innovators, but also by building proactive IP protection systems and providing sound IP risk management and counseling.  He serves clients in all aspects of intellectual property law, including licensing and due diligence.  His focus is patenting disruptive technologies of all kinds, including social-networking, business-method, computer-software, internet, green, medical and consumer-product innovations.  He is admitted to practice in Minnesota. Mr. Drake received a J.D. degree from the University of Virginia after working on radar systems for GE.  He has been a “Super Lawyer” from 2005-2012.

Principal of the Kubes Law Office, PLLCKubes serves the legal needs of design and construction professionals.  She concentrates her work on professional liability defense/ litigation, contracts, and proactive construction counseling, which involves addressing and cooperatively resolving project management, risk management, payment and surety issues.  Integrated with her legal practice, Ms. Kubes is a qualified neutral who mediates construction and design disputes.  A graduate of the College of St. Catherine and the University of Minnesota Law School, she is the Chair-Elect of the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law.  Ms. Kubes is a frequent lecturer on legal issues on professional liability and ethics for the design professional.  She is an affiliate member of ACEC, AIA, and ASID.  Governor Pawlenty appointed Ms. Kubes to serve as a public member on the MN State Board of AELSLAGID in 2005; she served as the Board’s Chair from 2009 to 2011 and completed eight years of service on the Board in 2013.

Member with DeWitt Mackall Crounse & MooreMs. Roeder focuses her practice in general civil litigation, with an emphasis in construction law.  She regularly represents general contractors and design professionals on cases related to residential and commercial buildings, associations, and data centers.  In her general litigation practice, Ms. Roeder has represented individual and corporate clients in a variety of matters ranging from wrongful death to products liability/warranty to debt collection in courts across Minnesota and the country.  She earned a J.D., cum laude, from the University of St. Thomas School of Law and a B.A., summa cum laude, from Drake University.  She is a member of the Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, the Minnesota Builders Exchange, and the Association of Women Contractors.  Ms. Roeder has been recognized as a Minnesota Super Lawyers Rising Star in Construction Litigation (2016-2017).  She has also been certified as a North Star Pro Bono Lawyer since 2015, focusing her volunteer efforts on helping veterans.

Partner with Best & FlanaganMr. Short is a partner in the firm’s Construction, Real Estate and Litigation practice groups where he represents prime contractors, subcontractors and commercial landowners.  Mr. Short specializes in construction claims relating to highway and bridge projects, Department of Transportation claims, federal MATOC agreements, mechanic’s liens, surety and bond claims, bid protests, indemnity obligations, construction contract disputes and commercial and multi-family residential construction defects.  He has represented contractors on these construction matters throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Arizona, Texas and Colorado.  Mr. Short is recognized as a Rising Star by Minnesota Law & Politics and is a national lecturer on construction and real estate industry topics.

Member with DeWitt Mackall Crounse & MooreMr. Thomas concentrates his practice in the area of general civil litigation with an emphasis in construction law and product liability litigation.  He also has experience with professional liability litigation, secured transactions, creditors’ remedies and bankruptcy.  He represents clients in a variety of industries, including large corporations, general contractors, design professionals and insurance companies.  Mr. Thomas has also successfully litigated and tried to verdict a creditor’s nondischargeability fraud action against former investment advisor in Bankruptcy Court adversary proceeding. Mr. Thomas received a J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law and a B.A. degree from Xavier University.  He is a member of the Board of Directors Citizens Bancshares of Hutchinson Inc., the Defense Research Institute (DRI), the Hennepin County Bar Association, the Minnesota Bar Association and the Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association.