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Mr. Kurdi has been serving the electrical industry for over 30 years as an engineer, electrician and trainer. Mr. Kurdi has engineered (designed, specified and analyzed) government buildings (police stations, sheriff’s offices, fire stations, city halls, court houses, libraries, and jails), housing buildings (affordable, senior, assistant, memory care, adaptable use and student), hospitals, data centers, sport arenas, commercial office buildings, water/wastewater treatment plants and electric utility distribution and substations. Mr. Kurdi’s experience as an electrician includes estimating, laying out, wiring, installing and maintaining electrical systems for residential and commercial buildings. He has served as an engineer on construction projects in numerous locations in Texas, including San Antonio, Arlington, Bryan and Manor. He has developed and taught thousands of seminar hours over the years at Dunwoody College of Technology, Minnesota Electrical Association, IEEE and others. The seminars include NEC Code, electrician’s exam, MV system, electrical wiring, apprenticeship, estimation, electrical design, Revit MEP, and project management. Mr. Kurdi holds a BS degree in Electrical Engineering and a master’s degree in Adult Education. He is a registered electrical engineer (PE) in 37 states, including Minnesota and Texas. He holds a Class A master electrician license from the State of Minnesota. Currently, Mr. Kurdi is a senior electrical engineer and department head at BKV Group (A&E Firm with offices in Chicago, Dallas, DC & Minneapolis). Mr. Kurdi served as NCEL Board Member (Jan 2021 – present), IAEI MN Chapter president (Jan 2018 – Jan 2023), chair of IEEE Twin Cities PES/IAS (Aug 2019 – Jan 2023), Minnesota State Board of Electricity member (Jan 2018 – Jan 2020).

Mr. Bowles began working in the field of land surveying in 1978 and is certified as a registered professional land surveyor in the State of Texas. He has given seminars to lawyers, real estate professionals and other land surveyors on land surveying principles, practice and codified standards. Mr. Bowles has been an expert witness in a number of legal actions centering around boundary disputes and land surveyor negligence claims. He has given expert testimony regarding boundary resolution, minimum standards and minimum content regarding land surveys. Mr. Bowles is a member of the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors and a former member of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.

Prior to his service at TVA, Mr. Savage was in private survey practice for 10 years specializing in dispute resolution and expert witness services. He has surveyed several disputed state boundaries to resolve jurisdictional conflicts. Mr. Savage is an adjunct professor at Cleveland State Community College where he teaches courses in boundary law, geodesy, GIS, and surveying fundamentals. He has researched and retraced the historical surveys of Henry David Thoreau and has published several articles on the subject. Mr. Savage teaches exam review and continuing education seminars at various state and local conferences across the country.

Nickolas Guttman’s practice focuses on business and real estate transactions. He has represented various clients in real property matters, including complex mergers and acquisitions, energy siting and land use issues, as well as the negotiation of purchase agreements, leases, development agreements, and other commercial agreements. He also contributed to the American Arbitration Association’s Handbook on Arbitration Practice. Mr. Guttman earned his undergraduate degrees from Michigan State University’s James Madison College and Broad College of Business before attending Wayne State University Law School.

Steve M. Kelley was admitted to practice in Michigan in 1981. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and its Environmental, Insurance and Indemnity, and Appellate Law sections, and he is a past member of the Surface Water/Groundwater Committee of the Environmental Law Section. Mr. Kelley also is a member of the American Bar Association and its Environment, Energy & Resources, Litigation, and Tort Trial & Insurance Practice sections. He served as chair of the Environmental & Energy Policy Committee of the Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce (now Detroit Regional Chamber) for three years. Mr. Kelley has been named a Michigan Super Lawyer each year since 2008 and was elected a Life Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation. Admitted to all Michigan courts, he practices statewide from his office in St. Clair Shores. Mr. Kelley also served 16 years as a trustee of and four years as president of the Michigan Nature Association.

Ms. McLean joined Bolhouse, Baar & Hofstee in 2011 and became a partner in 2015. Prior to practicing law, she worked for a national mortgage lender and has over 15 years experience in this capacity. By combining her vast experience in the mortgage lending and real estate industries with the practice of law, Ms. McLean offers her clients a unique perspective as their advocate. She currently focuses her practice in the areas of real estate, family law, criminal defense, and civil litigation. She received her law degree from Michigan State University College of Law.

Ms. Patton is a member of the firm’s Real Estate, Energy Infrastructure, Business, and Eminent Domain practices. She counsels commercial and energy clients through complex contracts and business disputes; and on development matters including zoning, planning and land use; and real estate and permitting due diligence in mergers and acquisitions. Ms. Patton also assists energy, utility, communications, and state and municipal clients in acquiring rights through eminent domain for infrastructure projects throughout Michigan. When projects or companies are at stake, her attention to detail and ability to understand her clients’ highly technical needs and diverse experts help her craft solutions and win where it counts: the finish line. She began her career at a large Midwestern law firm, handling construction, employment, and other litigation matters before a foray into the consulting world, where she managed a team of attorneys while providing advice to banking institutions regarding securities and regulatory compliance. Ms. Patton earned her bachelor of arts degree in Economics & Management and Philosophy, magna cum laude, from Albion College and was a merit scholarship recipient prior to receiving her law degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School.

Alex R. Reuter Senior Counsel – Myers & Myers, PLLC
Alex R. Reuter has been litigating real estate, land use, and zoning cases across the state of Michigan for his entire career. He has successfully represented individuals and developers appearing before federal courts, state tribunals, municipalities, and agency boards. Mr. Reuter specializes in representing property owners in all facets of real estate matters, from constitutional and other federal claims to boundary disputes and enforcing easements and associated water rights (riparian rights). Mr. Reuter has helped countless landowners protect their rights under Michigan law and is an expert in both litigation and pre-suit resolution of property disputes. He has been selected as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers magazine from 2019-2020 in the area of litigation. In his spare time, he enjoys boating on Lake Michigan with his family.

Ms. Augustin practices elder law, probate litigation, estate planning, estate administration, and family law at Augustin Law Offices, PLLC, in East Lansing, Michigan. She is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Law and serves on several committees and council roles, including board member of the Ingham County Bar Association, member of the ICLE Elder Law Advisory Board, co-chair of the Ingham County Bar Association Probate Section, and State Bar of Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Council member. Ms. Augustin is also a member of the Greater Lansing Estate Planning Council and Michigan State University Inn of Court.

Mr. Boey is an associate in the Detroit office dedicated to representing clients in all areas of domestic relations and matrimonial law, including high-asset divorces, complex custody cases, child and spousal support matters, pre-marital and post-marital agreements, and enforcement actions. With a focus on designing comprehensive and personalized solutions for his clients, he navigates his clients — ranging from corporate executives to stay-at-home parents to physicians to business owners to other professionals — through the profoundly personal nature of family law cases. Mr. Boey devotes himself to minimizing the emotional toll on his clients’ families, especially children, while maintaining strict confidentiality and ensuring results-driven representation. He takes a practical approach to his client’s matters — maintaining a focus on obtaining favorable results outside of the courtroom, whether through informal settlement or at mediation, while at the same time being prepared to fully litigate the matter through trial. Throughout the case, Mr. Boey is dedicated to listening, connecting, and working with his clients by giving them the clarity they require to reach optimal outcomes through personalized solutions.

Ms. Boutell is an attorney in Taft’s Domestic Relations practice group. Her practice centers around all aspects of domestic relations law, including divorce, separation, custody, parenting time, child support, spousal support, paternity, post-nuptial and pre-nuptial agreements, change of domicile, post-judgment modifications, and other domestic relations matters. She is also a dedicated advocate for reproductive rights, with a particular focus on issues surrounding family building. Ms. Boutell practice encompasses cases involving assisted reproductive technologies, surrogacy, and parental rights, working to ensure equitable access to these services and to protect the legal rights of all parties involved. She maintains a personalized approach, working with men, women, and families to provide domestic relations and related guidance and advocacy.

Mr. Keeler is a lifelong Michigander, raised in Plainwell, just north of Kalamazoo. He earned his undergraduate degree from Western Michigan University, majoring in History with a minor in Social Studies Education. After a brief period working at the high school level, Mr. Keeler pursued his passion for law, graduating from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2014. Initially starting his career in family law, he explored other practice areas but quickly realized that his background in education uniquely positioned him to support clients navigating divorce and custody matters. Mr. Keeler ability to explain complex legal concepts in a clear, compassionate manner has been invaluable to families facing emotionally charged situations. For the past several years, he has focused exclusively on family law, where he leverages his skills to help clients resolve issues efficiently and thoughtfully. Mr. Keeler is a solutions-oriented attorney who understands that no two families are alike. His approach is tailored to each client’s specific circumstances, recognizing the need for flexibility and creative problem-solving. Having a brother who is a combat veteran and children with special needs has made these issues deeply personal to him, driving his commitment to advocacy and support for families in challenging times.

Ms. Shadowens is a partner at Varnum LLP. Her practice is entirely devoted to family law matters, specializing in divorce, child custody and family law litigation including change of domicile, interstate and international child custody matters. Ms. Shadowens is also a trained mediator and collaborative lawyer. She adamantly advocates for her clients in Kalamazoo, Kent, Allegan, Berrien, Van Buren, St. Joseph, Barry, Calhoun, Eaton, Ionia, and surrounding counties. Her 26 years of experience lends itself well to complex high-asset cases involving closely held family businesses, and challenging child custody matters. Her knowledge of the law, diligence and tenacity help her accomplish her client’s goals in their family law matters. Ms. Shadowens has litigated cases in all levels of the court system, including the Michigan Supreme Court. Media outlets call on her to share her expertise. She is a former council member of the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section and currently serves as a board member for the Girls on the Run of Greater Kalamazoo.

Mr. Williams practices in the Southfield office of Foster Swift as a member of the litigation practice group, focusing on family law cases including divorce, child support, and spousal support, criminal defense, and criminal and family law appeals. Mr. Williams is a former Chicago violent crimes prosecutor where he prosecuted first-degree murders, child sexual assaults, aggravated driving under the influence, and other violent offenses. Mr. Williams is a co-author of the Physical and Scientific Evidence chapter of the Michigan Institute of Continuing Legal Education publication Introducing Evidence at Trial, and he is a regular contributor to Foster Swift’s Family Law Advocate blog. Mr. Williams is also a former presenter on DUI issues for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. He is an active member of the State Bar of Michigan’s Family Law Section and the Oakland County Bar Association. Mr. Williams is licensed to practice in the state courts of Michigan, Illinois, and California.

As an environmental lawyer with over 20 years of experience working on water, sanitation, energy, and environmental governance issues both nationally and internationally, Ms. Kirkwood serves as the organization’s lead on numerous Great Lakes advocacy work and education initiatives. Often testifying or speaking before public bodies, she has made frequent presentations to community organizations and professional and academic audiences on Great Lakes issues from Line 5 to water justice and infrastructure financing to water privatization to climate change. Ms. Kirkwood develops and oversees FLOW’s work on key Great Lakes environmental policies designed to promote healthy ecosystems, thriving communities, and access to safe, clean, affordable water for all. Prior to joining FLOW in 2012, she worked for USAID in Thailand as an environmental attorney to implement a regional environmental governance, water, and sanitation program in Southeast Asia. Ms. Kirkwood also worked as an environmental litigator at Farella, Braun & Martel in San Francisco where she represented clients on natural resource and energy-related matters. Ms. Kirkwood graduated from Williams College with a degree in Environmental Studies and History, and received her J.D. and Environmental Certificate from Lewis & Clark Law School. She currently serves as a member of the International Joint Commission’s Water Quality Board and a board trustee of the Americana Foundation.

Professor Lusch retired in 2017, after a 38-year career in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences at Michigan State University. Beginning in 1992 with the publication of the Aquifer Vulnerability Map of Michigan, He helped pioneer the use of geographic information systems for groundwater mapping and management in Michigan. Professor Lusch served as the Principle Investigator or co-PI on numerous applied grants and contracts, many funded by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). The Groundwater Inventory and Mapping Project, which he co-directed, won the MDEQ’s Excellence Award in 2005. In 2008, MSU awarded him the prestigious Distinguished Academic Staff Award and IMAGIN, Michigan’s professional geospatial organization, presented him with the Jim Living Geospatial Achievement Award. As a member of the team that developed the Michigan Groundwater Management Tool (MGMT), Professor Lusch received the annual Director’s Recognition Award from MDEQ in 2009. MGMT allowed MDEQ staff to rapidly produce 2,451 provisional wellhead protection areas for Type 1 and 2 water supplies at no cost to these public drinking water systems. He authored the Groundwater and Karst chapter in the 2009 Michigan Geography and Geology book. Professor Lusch was a co-PI of the 2013 – 2018 Ottawa County Water Resources Study which used process-based flow modeling, coupled with field sampling, historical data mining, geostatistical analyses, and geospatial visualizations to better understand the underlying mechanisms controlling the patterns of shallow groundwater salinization in the county. He co-authored the two papers describing the results of this study (Curtis, et al. 2018. Groundwater. 56 (3): 377–398) and (Curtis, et al. 2019. Groundwater. 57 (5): 784–806). In 2022, Professor Lusch co-authored a review paper entitled “Groundwater in Crisis? Addressing Groundwater Challenges in Michigan (USA) as a Template for the Great Lakes” (Steinman, et al. 2022. Sustainability. 14, 3008). He serves as a Technical Advisor to the Michigan Water Use Advisory Council which advises EGLE on the implementation of the Michigan Water Use Program.

Ms. DeWall is an experienced elder law and estate planning attorney who focuses her practice on Medicaid planning and asset protection.  Her practice is dedicated to providing comprehensive elder care services that prioritize her clients’ quality of life, asset preservation, and peace of mind.  Ms. DeWall’s commitment to empowering families during vulnerable times has made her a trusted advisor in the field. She is a member of the Elder Law and Disability Rights Section of the State Bar of Michigan, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and the Life Care Planning Law Firms Association.  She frequently speaks at conferences, sharing her expertise to help clients and fellow attorneys understand the intricacies of long-term care planning. Ms. DeWall earned her J.D. degree from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School.

Mr. Lynch focuses in the areas of estate planning, probate, business and corporate planning, elder law, asset protection, residential and commercial real estate, and related litigation. He represents many of the law firm’s transactional clients, helping individuals create estate plans, start businesses, and buy and sell real estate. Mr. Lynch enjoys working with clients across the wealth spectrum, helping them avoid a costly probate process and simplify the management of assets during their lifetimes. He has helped clients with hundreds of acres in land holdings, family camps, large investment and retirement accounts, vast firearms collections, family conflicts, special needs children, diverse business interests, and more. Mr. Lynch earned his B.S. from Northern Michigan University (with honors), and his J.D. degree from Michigan State University College of Law (with honors).

Ms. Patterson, Esq. is a distinguished attorney who is the Principal Attorney of the esteemed law firm Patterson Justice Counsel, PLLC. She is also the President and Director of Research at The PuLSE Institute, a nationally renowned independent, nonpartisan anti-poverty think tank. Both organizations are headquartered in the historic city of Detroit, Michigan USA. Driven by conviction that the law is an important instrument of justice that can make a positive difference, Ms. Patterson began her legal career as a United States Federal Government Attorney, working for the Social Security Administration (SSA). Serving in one of the Federal Government’s key agencies that administers benefits for millions of Americans, Attorney Patterson trained at SSA Hearing and Appeals Division Headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia, just outside the nation’s capital. In her role at the Social Security Administration, she was designated as an Attorney Advisor to Administrative Law Judges across the United States and United States Territories, including Puerto Rico. Ms. Patterson advised judges and wrote judicial opinions concerning Title II and Title XVI Social Security Benefits, which ensured judicial integrity and the legitimacy of the adjudicative process in the application of the law in granting relief to Social Security beneficiaries. As a veteran legal practitioner, Attorney Patterson leads clients on the transformational journey of becoming the legacy pioneers of their generation through properly and appropriately planning, preparing, protecting, preserving, and passing their valuable assets, financial wealth, and wisdom for the benefit of succeeding generations.

Committed to her craft, Ms. Patterson holds a Certificate of Completion in the Probate and Estate Planning Certification Program through the Institute of Continuing Education in Michigan. A skilled advocate in the courtroom, she is also dedicated to helping clients navigate the difficulties presented by legal challenges and effectively guides and represents them when confronting conflicts in the complex court process. 

Armed with a decade of legal expertise that has placed her at the center of solving some of the most complex legal issues for clients, as well as serving as a public advocate on the issues, Ms. Patterson has built and led influential businesses and nonprofit organizations that have made meaningful and lasting impact. Her work has established her as a prominent woman in executive leadership, including being one of the handful of Black women leading major national think tanks and among the rare 2% of Black women lawyers in the United States. A frequent analyst and sought after speaker on law, public policy, and leadership, Ms. Patterson regularly serves as a panelist and keynote speaker advocating for equitable policies and women in government and business leadership, including The PuLSE Institute’s Global Women’s History Month program with keynote by UN Under-Secretary General, Dr. Natalia Kanem. Her passion for the law, legacy, and leadership, stems from her love of history, and how it can be applied to contemporary issues in order to create a future for the betterment of humanity. Ms. Patterson is the author of many published articles on estate planning, economic policy, and public leadership, and is the author of an upcoming book on the principles to apply for leaving a lasting and transcending legacy, due for release soon.

Mr. Quinn is a distinguished attorney with over 20 years of expertise in Estate Planning, Probate and Elder Law. His remarkable career is marked by numerous accolades, including multiple recognitions as a Top 10 Attorney in Michigan for Estate Planning and being named one of the Top 100 Attorneys in Michigan by the National Black Lawyers for consecutive years. Beyond his legal accomplishments, Mr. Quinn leadership journey began during his college years when he played football for the University of Michigan. As an active member of the 1997 National Championship football team during his senior year, he demonstrated the same dedication and teamwork that he now brings to his legal practice. He currently serves as the Chair of the Real Property Trusts and Estates Section of the National Bar Association and has been a consistent contributor to Michigan’s Institute for Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), where he also served on the Executive Committee for years. Mr. Quinn’s role as a sought-after speaker by bar associations, Continuing Legal Education organizations and churches nationwide underscores his passion for sharing his extensive knowledge and expertise. In addition to his professional achievements, he is deeply committed to his community, serving as an ordained pastor. Mr. Quinn personal life is equally inspiring, having been married to his beloved wife, Adrienne, for over two decades. Together, they have two wonderful children, Titus and Jaida. His life and career are a testament to high achievement, leadership, and a deep commitment to making a positive impact. Mr. Quinn journey from a national championship football player to a top-tier attorney and community leader exemplifies the heights one can reach with dedication, passion, and a drive to serve others.

Mr. Yonkers main areas of practice are elder law and estate planning. Prior to becoming a lawyer, he worked as a Legal Clerk and has focused his education and practice in the areas of Estate Planning and Elder Law. He is a NAELA member. Mr. Yonkers is passionate about the outdoors and volunteers with the Friends of Harlow Lake trail builders group, the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy, and the 906 Adventure Team, a youth cycling group where he has served as a coach and on the Board of Directors. Mr. Younkers earned his undergraduate degree in Public Administration from Ferris State University and completed his Juris Doctorate at Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

Mr. Carey is committed to providing high-quality legal services at a fair price. He is a northern Michigan native who understands the nuances of practicing law and operating businesses here in the great north. Mr. Carey practices in the areas of real estate, environmental and water, estate planning, zoning, property taxation, and business organizations and startups.

Ms. Flanagan joined the Alliance for the Great Lakes staff in April 2015 as vice president for Policy after seven years as senior program officer at the Joyce Foundation. Ms. Flanagan is responsible for leading all aspects of the Alliance’s strategic policy, advocacy, and reform efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes. Ms. Flanagan has been a regional leader in preventing Asian carp and other aquatic invasive species from reaching the Great Lakes. Under her leadership, the Alliance has expanded its efforts to develop policy solutions to deeply-rooted problems in Lake Erie and move toward a more inclusive Great Lakes policy agenda that strives to ensure all residents of the basin have access to safe, clean, and affordable drinking water. While with the Joyce Foundation, Ms. Flanagan led critical work that transformed the ability of the Great Lakes region to respond to its most significant water challenges. Prior to the Joyce Foundation, Ms. Flanagan worked with the National Wildlife Federation to lead state-by-state coordination of policy advocacy. She worked to secure support from every Great Lakes state legislature and governor to pass the Great Lakes Water Resources Compact, and pass the Compact into federal law through Congress. Earlier in her career, she developed deep roots within the Ohio non-profit and government sectors through her work with the Ohio Environmental Council. Ms. Flanagan received her B.A. degree in Environmental Studies from Denison University.

Mr. Glenn is a partner at Kuhn Rogers PLC, Northern Michigan’s largest law firm. Mr. Glenn practices in the areas of real property, construction, business, and environmental law. Mr. Glenn represents clients in both transactional and litigation capacities. He is a graduate of the University of Detroit School of Law with a J.D. degree in 2011 and Central Michigan University with a B.S. degree in 2007. Mr. Glenn has been recognized as “One to Watch” by Best Lawyers (2021, 2022, 2023).

Ms. Hlywa Topp has been actively involved in environmental and natural resource law in the state of Michigan since 1980. With 13 years employment as a conservation officer with the Michigan Departments of Natural Resources and Environmental Quality, and over 30 years of private law practice, she has the experience to see an environmental issue from many sides. Ms. Topp is a 1978 cum laude graduate of Wayne State University Law School and the principal of Topp Law PLC. She is the past chair of the Environmental Law Section Council of the State Bar of Michigan. Ms. Topp is a frequent speaker and published author on environmental, natural resource, and oil and gas law issues and has been selected as a Super Lawyer since 2017.

Mr. Opalewski is a partner at Dalton & Tomich. He focuses his practice on land use and zoning litigation, including riparian rights, as well as constitutional litigation. He has significant experience in all aspects of litigation and has represented individuals, religious institutions, small to mid-size businesses, large businesses, and municipalities. The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) is an area of particular interest. Additionally, Mr. Opalewski has successfully supported developers seeking approval from local planning commissions across the state of Michigan.

 Mr. Sniadecki is a MSUe certified zoning admin and master citizen planner. He got his master of science degree in Business Administration from Indiana University (South Bend). Mr. Sniadecki retired after 37.5 years of service in a nation-wide governmental agency. He was the lead and consolidated petitioner in the Eagle Lake contested permit process involving a boating access site (BAS). He is a frequent contributor of timely articles for the MLSA Newsletter and The Michigan Riparian since 2012. In 2012, he achieved MLSA Riparian of the Year.

Ms. Volzer executes policy analysis, advocacy, and project implementation under the Agriculture and Water Restoration sections of the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ strategy. She implements work across the Basin, particularly in Ohio, to achieve the Alliance’s agriculture and water goals. Prior to joining the Alliance, Ms. Volzer served as an attorney at the Ohio Legislative Service Commission for over a decade. In that role, she provided legal research, bill analysis, and legislative drafting services on natural resources, agriculture, environment, transportation, and public safety matters to members of the Ohio General Assembly. Ms. Volzer holds a B.A. degree in Political Science and International Studies from Wright State University and a J.D. degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

Mr. Buch is a 30 year veteran of the construction industry. In 1992 the University of Iowa graduate began promoting geosynthetic and erosion control materials throughout the Midwest. Mr. Buch moved to Wisconsin in 1995 to head up the environmental specialty precast division of Modern Building Materials, Inc., based out of Kenosha, Wisconsin. His responsibilities included the start-up, promotion, manufacturing, and installation of articulating concrete block/mats (ACB/M’s) and precast stormwater treatment tanks throughout the Midwest. In February of 2000, Mr. Buch went to work for Armortec as its national sales manager. In the fall of 2006, he was recruited to vice president of Business Development for Submar, Inc., a position he undertook until he launched the PaveDrain System in the fall of 2009.

Ms. Morreale has over 27 years’ experience as a civil engineer, working in the field of hydraulics and hydrology, and is a manager in HRC’s civil engineering department. Ms. Morreale performs municipal water, stormwater and sanitary sewer system analysis and computer modeling for small to complex systems. She graduated in 1998 from the University of Windsor (Canada) with a Bachelor of Applied Science Honours Civil Engineering, is a P.E. in the State of Michigan and a certified floodplain manager.

Ms. Novaes works with clients on a wide variety of green infrastructure concepts and design and streambank and shoreline restoration design, as well as hydraulic modeling of stormwater and sanitary collection systems and stormwater policy development associated with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Program (NPDES) permits. She also serves as manager for the group’s Environmental Planning & Restoration work and service leader for the firm’s lakes and streams water quality initiative, where her key responsibilities include growing related service areas and managing their technical teams. Ms. Novaes strives to build a reputation for OHM Advisors as experts in water quality and help the firm’s clients understand how technology and the use of data can help meet their needs more efficiently. She has a particular talent for coordinating multi-disciplinary teams on all project scales and is recognized for her unique ability to balance the art of design, the technical aspects of construction and the emotion of public engagement. The holder of a master’s degree in Biosystems Engineering from Michigan State University, she is a member of several professional associations including Engineers without Borders, Michigan Water Environmental Association and Engineering Society of Detroit. Ms. Novaes is an adjunct instructor at Lawrence Technological University.

Ms. Rivette has an Environmental Engineering degree from Michigan Technological University. For the stormwater world, she spent over 10 years with the City of Grand Rapids, where she managed their Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit. This included revising their stormwater code, reviewing land development permits, and leading the City’s green infrastructure initiatives. She also worked closely with MS4 managers across the state to work jointly on MS4 permit compliance and ensure consistency of programs in West Michigan.

Dr. Shuster is an expert in the area of wastewater and stormwater management, with specialized experience in landscape hydrologic and hydraulic assessments so that design and management actions are based on actual data, thereby reducing assumptions and supporting effective engineering practice. Dr. Shuster has worked in various capacities for USEPA, USDOJ, US Dept of State, then came to Wayne State University to the Civil and Environmental Engineering Dept. in 2019, and after serving a full-term as Department Chair, is currently a professor teaching courses in urban hydrology, hydrologic analysis, and technical communication; and researching urbanized soils, advanced techniques to monitor evapotranspiration and other hydrologic fluxes in urban areas, and retrofit strategies for onsite stormwater management.

Ms. Cooper is a member of Cooper, Riesterer, & Gross PLC, Attorneys at Law, located in Brighton, Michigan. She specializes in real estate and municipal law, counseling commercial and residential property owners, sellers, buyers, landlords, tenants, and brokers on all aspects of real estate and zoning law. Ms. Cooper is municipal counsel to a general law township and municipal water authority in Livingston County. She advises clients on their simple and complex transactional and litigation issues including purchase and sale agreements, land contracts, leases, site acquisition, development, financing, quiet title, riparian rights, easements, boundary disputes, variances, and zoning approvals. Complicated issues are often referred to her for creative solutions. Ms. Cooper is a frequent speaker, presenter, and moderator for various realtor groups and brokerages, the State Bar of Michigan’s Real Property Law Section, and various other community organizations. She is a certified instructor for CE Marketplace, Michigan’s continuing education center for real estate professionals. Ms. Cooper has been practicing law for 22 years, graduating from Wayne State Law School in 2003 cum laude and Michigan State University’s James Madison College in 1998 with high honors.

Ms. McKay is a recognized leader in environmental policy with more than two decades of experience at the intersection of science, law, and public policy. She has built a career advancing water resource protection through strategic advocacy, coalition-building, and deep engagement with regulatory and legislative frameworks. Her work is known for bridging technical expertise and policy solutions to address complex environmental challenges across the Great Lakes region. Until recently, she served as chief policy and government affairs director for the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, where she led the organization’s comprehensive policy agenda to strengthen water resource protections at the local, state, and federal levels. Earlier in her career, Ms. McKay worked with the Public Interest Research Group and in the Michigan Legislature. She was appointed by former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to the Michigan Pipeline Safety Advisory Board. She currently serves on the Great Lakes Commission, the Michigan Underground Storage Tank Authority, the Land Information Access Association Board of Directors, and the Northern Michigan Area Committee. She also serves on the Environmental Council Board of Directors, rising to its chair from 2022 to 2024. Ms. McKay holds dual degrees in Environmental Studies and Political Science from Michigan State University.

Ms. Rivette has an Environmental Engineering degree from Michigan Technological University. For the stormwater world, she spent over 10 years with the City of Grand Rapids, where she managed their Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit. This included revising their stormwater code, reviewing land development permits, and leading the City’s green infrastructure initiatives. She also worked closely with MS4 managers across the state to work jointly on MS4 permit compliance and ensure consistency of programs in West Michigan.

Ms. Isely is a veteran of the West Michigan legal and environmental communities and has held a number of positions in the nonprofit and academic sectors focused on research, policy implementation, and collaboration. She’s served in leadership and as the interim executive director, deputy director, and director of water programs at the West Michigan Environmental Action Council; as project manager for West Michigan Strategic Alliance’s Green Infrastructure Initiative; research associate for the Annis Water Resources Institute at Grand Valley State University; Sea Grant Fellow with the Great Lakes Commission; and litigation attorney for Legal Aid of Western Michigan and the Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project, Inc. Ms. Isely has more than 30 years of experience in law, water policy, research, outreach, and public speaking. She holds a J.D. degree from Wayne State University Law School, an M.S. degree in Biology from Grand Valley State University, and a B.S. degree in Finance from the University of Maryland. She is appointed to the Michigan State Waterways Commission and serves on the Community Advisory Group for the PFAS contamination at the various Wolverine Worldwide contaminated sites in Northern Kent County (MI). She has published several academic and technical papers on environmental and collaborative management topics.

An economist focused on the intersection of sustainable watershed management and urban planning, Ms. Viars employs a strategic blend of policy instruments and financial tools to forge innovative solutions for pressing urban water challenges. Rooted in collaboration, her approach prioritizes diverse social and cultural values of nature to foster equitable participation and resource allocation, building both climate resilience and economic prosperity for all communities. Ms. Viars holds both an M.S. degree and a B.S. degree in Economics from the Belk College of Business at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. She previously served as an adjunct professor in Economics at Grand Valley State University and participates in various regional environmental advisory committees and as a Great Lakes Senior Environmental Leadership Fellow.

Jane Binder is the owner of Binder Law Offices, P.A. Throughout her career, she has tackled a wide range of family law issues, including divorce, child custody and parenting time, property division, spousal maintenance, and domestic violence. She has a comprehensive understanding of the legal complexities and emotional dynamics involved in family matters. As a mediator, Ms. Binder acts as a neutral third party, helping parties communicate effectively and reach mutually acceptable agreements. Through her skillful facilitation and calming demeanor, she helps find creative solutions that consider the unique circumstances and priorities of each party. Ms. Binder also serves as an arbitrator, where she makes legally binding decisions when parties are unable to reach agreements. Her strong analytical skills and deep understanding of family law enable her to render fair and informed decisions, helping parties avoid the potential pitfalls of lengthy court battles. Ms. Binder is highly regarded for her compassionate approach and her ability to guide and support parties through the often challenging and emotionally charged process of family law disputes. Her dedication to achieving fair outcomes for all parties involved makes her a valuable asset to those seeking alternative methods to traditional litigation. Every year since 1996, she has been recognized as a Super Lawyer. Ms. Binder has also been named one of the top 50 Women Attorneys in Minnesota. She has twice been named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in Family Law in the Twin Cities. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, where she served as the president of Minnesota Chapter. She serves on the Minnesota ADR Ethics Board, and she frequently lectures on family law topics. Ms. Binder is admitted to practice in the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Charley Good is an attorney in Pemberton Law’s Alexandria office. He focuses his practice on family law which includes divorce, child custody, spousal maintenance, post decree motions, child support, school choice issues, parenting time, adoption and all related issues. Mr. Good is a rule 114 certified neutral and enjoys mediating family law cases. Additionally, he handles Guardian and Conservatorships. He graduated magna cum laude from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota with a B.A. degree in Legal Studies and Philosophy. He received his J.D. degree from William Mitchell in St. Paul, Minnesota, graduating cum laude. While attending William Mitchell, he made numerous appearances in district court as a certified student attorney logging over 300 hours of courtroom experience. Mr. Good is a past president of the Douglas County Bar Association and has co-authored and updated Chapter 13 of the Minnesota Civil Practice Deskbook on Depositions.

Katie Kelley is a partner with Chestnut Cambronne, practicing mainly in the firm’s Family Law Practice Group. Admitted to the bar in 2017, she has experience throughout the family law spectrum, including domestic abuse orders for protection, marital dissolution, post-decree matters, custody and parenting time disputes, third party custody, and financial support. While in law school at Loyola University Chicago, she worked as a student attorney on the domestic violence team at Chicago’s Legal Aid Society. Ms. Kelley represented exclusively Spanish-speaking clients there and continues to represent the Spanish-speaking community in her current practice. She majored in International Studies and Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Ms. Kelley strongly believes in making the legal system as accessible as possible. She volunteers with Tubman and the Volunteer Lawyers Network and has regularly been named a North Star Lawyer by the Minnesota State Bar Association for her pro bono service. Ms. Kelley is also involved in the local family law legal community. She is the past-president of the Family Law League organization and involved with the Family Law Council of the newly merged MSBA/HCBA/RCBA family law sections. She has been named a Rising Star attorney by Super Lawyers since 2021.

Carole Pasternak is a partner at Klampe Law Firm and has been with the firm since 1999. Her practice focus is family law, a dynamic field involving all aspects of divorce, custody, child support, parenting time, step parent adoption, and domestic abuse. She is Rule 114-neutral providing family mediation services. While attending law school, Ms. Pasternak was associate editor of the Seton Hall University School of Law Constitutional Law Journal and authored Victims Once Again: The New Jersey Supreme Court’s Unwillingness to Provide all Marital Tort Victims the Right to a Jury Trial. She was selected to be a research assistant to Professor Jack M. Sabatino, Deputy Presiding Judge for Administration, New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division. During law school, Ms. Pasternak worked with the State Division of Mental Health and Guardianship Advocacy involving the rights of children in juvenile psychiatric civil commitments. She interned for The Honorable Donald W. de Cordova as an assistant law clerk and clerked for Honorable Herbert S. Glickman; both positions focused exclusively on family law matters. Ms. Pasternak was active in the Center for Social Justice at Seton Hall and represented underprivileged clients in family law matters as a student attorney through a mentorship program. She also served as a mediator in the special civil part of the district court handling landlord/tenant issues and other conciliation court matters. Ms. Pasternak earned her B.A. degree from Rutgers University and her J.D. degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Nicole J. Tabbut is a partner at Pemberton Law’s Detroit Lakes office. She is a member of the Family Law group and primarily practices in the areas of divorce, child custody and parenting time, spousal maintenance and child support, adoption, and family law appellate matters. Ms. Tabbut also maintains a neutral practice where she is a Rule 114-qualified mediator, parenting time expeditor, parent consultant, and custody evaluator. She also practices in the areas of Guardianship and Conservatorship. Ms. Tabbut is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association and the MSBA Family Law Section where she has held the positions of vice chair and chair of the statewide Family Law Section. She is also active on the Board of Directors for A Place to Belong, having held the position of vice president and president. Ms. Tabbut is a member of the Otter Tail and Becker County Bar Associations and has held the positions of secretary/treasurer, vice president, and president in Becker County. Additionally, she mentors law students from Mitchell Hamline School of Law’s hybrid program. Ms. Tabbut is a past member of the Minnesota Lavender Bar Board of Directors and helped plan the MLBA’s annual conference for several years. She has earned the distinction of North Star Lawyer since 2018 and has been named as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers since 2021. A native of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, Ms. Tabbut graduated summa cum laude from Minnesota State University (Moorhead) with a Bachelor of Social Work degree. She then attended Mitchell Hamline School of Law, where she was an associate and senior editor on law review, served as vice justice and justice of the Monroe Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, and Chairperson of the Student Bar Association’s Social Committee. Ms. Tabbut was named to the dean’s list every semester during law school, received numerous CALI awards, and graduated summa cum laude.

Matthew Yost is an associate attorney at Chestnut Cambronne, PA, representing clients in all types of family law cases. He prefers a creative, collaborative approach and prioritizes case resolutions based in certainty and equity. Mr. Yost obtained his B.A. degree in English from the University of Minnesota and his law degree from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Before entering private practice, he worked as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Richelle M. Wahi in Minnesota’s First Judicial District. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline, assisting a tenured professor in Constitutional Law and Civil Procedure courses. Mr. Yost serves on a number of boards and organizations, including the Family Law League and the Association of Family and Conciliations Courts, and he is a volunteer attorney with Tubman and the Children’s Law Center.

Ms. Dahl’s practice focuses on regulatory and energy law matters, as well as condemnation and eminent domain. Ms. Dahl is part of a team advising utilities and independent power producers on siting, routing, permitting and other regulatory matters. Ms. Dahl also assists condemning authorities and private owners in acquisition negotiations, eminent domain actions and the various land rights matters and disputes that go along with the construction of infrastructure. Prior to joining Fredrikson, Ms. Dahl worked for the University of St. Thomas Legal Services Clinic as an appellate clinic certified student attorney on a case in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Knaak has been practicing law for nearly 45 years in Minnesota and 30 in Wisconsin and Colorado. He is the head of Municipal and Real Estate Development Law with Northstar Law Group. Mr. Knaak has tried cases and argued appeals throughout the country in both State and Federal Courts. For nearly that whole period he has been a city attorney. Past clients include the Minnesota cities of Fridley, Maplewood, Lake Elmo, Newport and Afton. He is currently city attorney for Ramsey and Taylors Falls, Minnesota, and continues to represent private clients on a variety of matters. Mr. Knaak also has considerable experience in litigation involving title insurance claims and title insurance. He served ten years in the Minnesota Senate, representing a district in the northeastern suburbs of the Twin Cities. Mr. Knaak was Special Counsel to the Minnesota Secretary of State in redistricting litigation and was lead counsel on the Senator Norm Coleman election recount. He is a frequent commentator on Twin City news programs on political matters and is a frequent guest political panelist of the Twin Cities Public Television Almanac program. Mr. Knaak also regularly teaches in national seminars on municipal law and has published a number of essays and articles on various topics. His article “Using Development Agreements to Further Environmental Ends: A Case Study” will be published this summer in the ABA’s Probate and Real Property Section magazine. Mr. Knaak earned his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from John’s University, and his J.D. degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Mr. Morphew is 1998 graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Law. He has been practicing primarily in the areas of real estate law, eminent domain law and relocation benefits law for the past 23 years. Mr. Morphew has done numerous bench trials, jury trials and appellate litigation cases on in these areas of law and has been a featured presenter at numerous seminars on these topics. He currently serves as the Vice-President of the Monticello Economic Development Authority and is the past President of the Minnesota Eminent Domain Institute, as well as a past board member of FiberNet Monticello, a community-owned fiber optics telecommunications company.

After graduating from the University of Minnesota Law School, Ms. Pivec began her legal career in the corporate world, first at a Minneapolis-based real estate management company and then in the legal division of a large Minnesota corporation. In 2013, Ms. Pivec joined Siegel Brill as an associate attorney with an emphasis on business and real estate transactions. Leveraging her corporate experience, Ms. Pivec works primarily in the areas of closely-held businesses and real estate development. She also works with clients in estate planning and probate matters.

Mr. Roston’s practice includes a broad real estate litigation and transactional focus. His clients include both international and local individuals and companies involved in real estate. He has successfully tried scores of condemnation cases, before both court appointed commissioners and juries, and he has obtained excellent results for his clients. Mr. Roston has handled real estate transactions and disputes involving commercial and industrial sales, acquisitions, leasing and land use. As a real estate investor in addition to being a lawyer, Mr. Roston’s advice is both legally astute and pragmatic. He recognizes that most clients have a business concern, not just a legal issue to resolve. Mr. Roston has substantial condemnation law experience, representing both landowners and taking authorities. In addition to his condemnation practice, Mr. Roston represents clients in matters involving real estate including foreclosures and receiverships, zoning and land use, landlord/tenant, leasing, lien law, real estate tax protests, real estate transactional law and construction dispute resolution.

Ms. Smerud is an associate in Dorsey’s Regulatory Affairs Group, where she partners with clients to navigate the complexities of environmental and energy litigation. Ms. Smerud leverages her strong communication skills to distill intricate technical and scientific matters, empowering clients to overcome regulatory challenges and implement successful projects. Ms. Smerud represents clients in proceedings before FERC, state public utilities commissions, administrative agencies, and in state and federal court. Prior to joining Dorsey, Ms. Smerud clerked for the Honorable Chief Judge Susan Segal at the Minnesota Court of Appeals, where she honed her legal research and analytical skills. Before entering the legal field, Ms. Smerud also worked as a natural resource manager. Her experience implementing and managing conservation projects equips her with a unique perspective that enhances her ability to provide guidance on environmental and energy regulatory compliance.

Mr. Squires received his B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth and his J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law. Prior to founding RASW, he was an associate and shareholder at Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A.  Mr. Squires represents school districts, counties and cities throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. His primary areas of practice and experience include general municipal and school law, real estate, land use and zoning, condemnation, construction disputes, and municipal litigation, including appellate work.  Mr. Squires has argued over 50 cases to Minnesota’s Appellate Courts. He has been a frequent presenter to professional groups and organizations in the areas of his practice.  Mr. Squires is a Real Property Specialist certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association and is licensed to practice in both federal and state courts in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Mr. Knaak has been practicing law for nearly 45 years in Minnesota and 30 in Wisconsin and Colorado. He is the head of Municipal and Real Estate Development Law with Northstar Law Group. Mr. Knaak has tried cases and argued appeals throughout the country in both State and Federal Courts. For nearly that whole period he has been a city attorney. Past clients include the Minnesota cities of Fridley, Maplewood, Lake Elmo, Newport and Afton. He is currently city attorney for Ramsey and Taylors Falls, Minnesota, and continues to represent private clients on a variety of matters. Mr. Knaak also has considerable experience in litigation involving title insurance claims and title insurance. He served ten years in the Minnesota Senate, representing a district in the northeastern suburbs of the Twin Cities. Mr. Knaak was Special Counsel to the Minnesota Secretary of State in redistricting litigation and was lead counsel on the Senator Norm Coleman election recount. He is a frequent commentator on Twin City news programs on political matters and is a frequent guest political panelist of the Twin Cities Public Television Almanac program. Mr. Knaak also regularly teaches in national seminars on municipal law and has published a number of essays and articles on various topics. His article “Using Development Agreements to Further Environmental Ends: A Case Study” will be published this summer in the ABA’s Probate and Real Property Section magazine. Mr. Knaak earned his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from John’s University, and his J.D. degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Mr. Morphew is 1998 graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Law. He has been practicing primarily in the areas of real estate law, eminent domain law and relocation benefits law for the past 23 years. Mr. Morphew has done numerous bench trials, jury trials and appellate litigation cases on in these areas of law and has been a featured presenter at numerous seminars on these topics. He currently serves as the Vice-President of the Monticello Economic Development Authority and is the past President of the Minnesota Eminent Domain Institute, as well as a past board member of FiberNet Monticello, a community-owned fiber optics telecommunications company.

Ms. Ostlie has been a real estate attorney for over twenty years with a career spanning both litigation and transactional practices. She is a board-certified real property specialist through the Minnesota State Bar Association. Ms. Ostlie began her legal career with title examination and facilitating residential, commercial and new construction closings. Thereafter, she moved to a real estate boutique law firm where she became a recommended attorney for title curative work and insurance claims. She subsequently managed the litigation department at a major Minnesota foreclosure and creditors’ rights law firm, handling hundreds of cases concerning foreclosure, eviction, and creditor’s rights. Ms. Ostlie has argued and won real estate cases before the Minnesota Supreme Court and the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. In 2018, she began working as senior underwriting counsel at a national title insurance company, where she collaborated with fortune 500 companies and national law firms to close commercial real estate transactions across the country. Most recently, Ms. Ostlie returned to private practice to handle real estate litigation with a former colleague and top real estate attorney. Effective April, 2024, she took the leap to begin her solo practice law firm to continue helping clients with real property law matters. She has significant experience with easement and land disputes, purchase and sale transactions, commercial leasing, contracts for deed, quiet title actions and Torrens proceedings, partition actions, lien priority disputes, foreclosures, evictions, and complex title problems. Ms. Ostlie earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota-Morris, and her J.D. degree, cum laude, from William Mitchell College of Law.

Mr. Squires received his B.A. degree from the University of Minnesota, Duluth and his J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law. Prior to founding RASW, he was an associate and shareholder at Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A.  Mr. Squires represents school districts, counties and cities throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. His primary areas of practice and experience include general municipal and school law, real estate, land use and zoning, condemnation, construction disputes, and municipal litigation, including appellate work.  Mr. Squires has argued over 50 cases to Minnesota’s Appellate Courts. He has been a frequent presenter to professional groups and organizations in the areas of his practice.  Mr. Squires is a Real Property Specialist certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association and is licensed to practice in both federal and state courts in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

 Mr. Steinhoff focuses his practice on civil litigation, real estate and land use. He represents parties in civil litigation in both state and federal court relating to many different types of real estate and debtor-creditor issues, including, but not limited to, landlord-tenant disputes, debt collection, mortgage foreclosures, lien foreclosures, title registrations, title defects, boundary disputes, insurance coverage, breaches of contract, construction defects, property damage, condemnation, inverse condemnation, property taxes, special assessments, and all manner of land use issues. In addition to his litigation practice, he assists clients in the preparation and submission of many types of land use applications, including, but not limited to, re-zoning applications, re-guiding applications, conditional use permit applications, interim use permit applications, variance applications, preliminary and final plat applications, appeals from administrative decisions, and wetlands applications. As noted, he represents parties in trial and appellate court litigation relating to land use and zoning approvals, denials and enforcement actions. Mr. Steinhoff is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and was formerly an infantry officer in the United States Army. He is also a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School.

Ms. Baker practice focuses on elder law (including Medicaid and asset protection planning), disability law (including special needs trust law), and estate planning. She is licensed in Minnesota. Ms. Baker earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and her J.D. from the University of St. Thomas School of Law.

Mr. Estle is practices in the areas of elder law, Medical Assistance planning, probate and trust administration, and general estate planning. He routinely represents clients with elder law issues, focusing on the costs and considerations of long-term care and elder health. Mr. Estle practices with an exclusive estate planning and administration and elder law focus. He received his B.A. from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and his J.D. from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law in Tucson, Arizona. Mr. Estle is admitted to practice in Minnesota and is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association. He is a Board member on the Minnesota Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).

Ms. Frasier practices and counsels clients about elder law issues, such as long-term care and asset preservation planning, medical assistance and veterans benefits, as well as guardianship and conservatorship, special needs and disability planning, estate planning, and probate and trust administration. She received her B.A. from Carleton College and her J.D. from the University of St. Thomas School of Law. Ms. Frasier is licensed to practice law in Minnesota State Court and is an accredited attorney for veterans benefits before the Department of Veterans Affairs.

In his thirty years of practicing law, Mr. Rephan has focused his practice primarily in the areas of elder law, disability law (including special needs trust law), government benefits law, and veterans law. He has successfully litigated class actions and individual actions on behalf of government benefits recipients. Mr. Rephan has also participated in successful legislative initiatives to increase the rights of persons appealing to the Minnesota Department of Human Services, as well as other rights of government benefits recipients.

Ms. Brown Holmen represents clients who have been injured, or family members of those killed, in car crashes, injured by slip and falls, dog attacks, boating and snowmobile crashes, downed powerlines, sexual abuse victims and other people injured by the wrongful acts of others. She is a strong advocate for people who have suffered injuries because of another person’s negligence and is always keen to fight for justice on their behalf. Ms. Brown Holmen also acts as a Conciliation Court Referee in both Ramsey and Dakota Counties. She has been an Arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association for many years. Ms. Brown Holmen was a member of the Ramsey County Ethics Committee for 6 years. Thereafter, she was appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court to the Board of Professional Responsibility, an organization that is responsible for the oversight and administration of the Minnesota lawyer discipline system. She was recently honored as a Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyer in Minnesota by the exclusive National Trial Lawyers organization. Ms. Brown Holmen earned her B.A. degree from the College of St. Benedict and her J.D. degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law.

 Mr. Garner has nearly 25 years of experience in representing the injured. During his time in law school, he 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 left defending insurance companies and opened Gardner Law Office, LLC, focusing on serving the needs of the injured. He earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and his J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law.

Ms. Keller is the managing partner of Keller, Woods & Thompson, P.A. She is an impassioned advocate for her clients. Ms. Keller’s clients view her as caring, compassionate, and thoroughly knowledgeable about insurance law and the full range of avenues for redress of their injuries. Her competitive nature, knowledge of insurance law, work ethic, tenacity, and strategic aggression in a courtroom or negotiation setting has allowed her to successfully close hundreds of cases through settlement, jury trial, arbitration, or appeal. Aside from her litigation practice, Ms. Keller was appointed to the governing committee of the Minnesota Automobile Insurance Plan. She is a qualified ADR neutral on the State of Minnesota Roster, and serves as mediator for both civil and family law cases. Ms. Keller also frequently serves as a FINRA financial dispute arbitrator and chairperson, as well as a Minnesota No-fault arbitrator. She has been named as a Super Lawyer from 2023 to present, and a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2015 to 2022. Ms. Keller recently earned a Certificate of Completion for Women and Power, which she attended at the John F. Kennedy School, Harvard University. She is a past chair of the Civil Litigation Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association and continues to serve on the governing council. Ms. Keller is also the president of the Richard T. Oakes American Inn of Court. She taught as an adjunct professor at William Mitchell College of Law and the University of St. Thomas Law School, where she developed courses on insurance law.

Mr. Kestner has extensive experience with truck accident cases, both as a private attorney and representative for trucking insurers. He is the current chair of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA), past chair American Association of Justice’s (AAJ) Interstate Trucking Litigation Group, he is a member of the Amicus Committee for AAJ’s Interstate Trucking Litigation Group and he also holds a Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) professional designation in insurance. has litigated truck accident cases in 24 different states in both State and federal Court. Mr. Kestner is also Board Certified in Truck Accident Litigation in Minnesota by the National Board of Trial Advocates (NBTA). He earned his B.S. degree from Skidmore College and his J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law.

Mr. Mulligan applies a practical approach to each case he works on. He  knows what it is like for his clients who find themselves involved in a lawsuit with no idea about the many moving parts of the legal system. In each case, he takes a pragmatic approach to ensure the best results for his clients. Mr. Mulligan first started his legal career working in primarily construction law before broadening his practice to include insurance defense, personal injury defense, wrongful death claims, insurance coverage analysis, trucking accidents, property appraisals, and subrogation actions. He is admitted to practice law in the Minnesota State Bar, Wisconsin State Bar, and is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association as well. Mr. Mulligan earned his undergraduate degree from Marquette University and his J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law.

Mr. Palmer’s is a seasoned trial lawyer with Keller, Woods & Thompson, P.A. In a world where many personal injury lawyers shy away from the courtroom, he is known for his eagerness to take cases to verdict when necessary. His reputation for securing significant jury verdicts has established him as one of the premier personal injury litigators in Minnesota. Mr. Palmer focuses his practice on truck collisions and catastrophic injury. He has represented families that have lost loved ones in fatal collisions and also people that have endured life-altering injuries. No matter the circumstances, he strives to tell each the impactful story of each client in a sincere and compelling way. In 2023, Mr. Palmer was recognized as Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer, the largest legal publication in the state. He was also named Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Minnesota Association for Justice, Minnesota’s largest collective of plaintiff’s attorneys. These honors arrived after Mr. Palmer secured multiple significant jury verdicts for his clients, including the largest personal injury verdict in Sherburne County history. Through his compassionate engagement, he understands the injuries and their impact on each client’s life. He often pays home visits and walks collision scenes to fully immerse himself in the situation. Mr. Palmer also regularly leads technology-driven collision reconstruction and vehicle inspections to assure a complete understanding of the collision specifics. This level of understanding is part of how he tells the personal story of each client. He earned his undergraduate degree from St. Olaf College and his J.D. degree from the University of St. Thomas School of Law.

Mr. Weimer’s main areas of practice include personal injury, insurance defense and construction defect litigation. He earned his B.A. degree from Truman State University and his J.D. degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Mr. Paulsen is a licensed civil engineer with over 20 years of experience in stormwater management, flood control, and resilient infrastructure design. He currently serves as a Senior Managing Consultant at Engineering Systems Inc. (ESi), where he leads forensic investigations and advises public agencies and private clients on complex water infrastructure and flood risk projects across the country.

Prior to joining ESi, Mr. Paulsen served as the Executive Director of the Metro Flood Diversion Authority, where he successfully led the $3.2 billion Fargo-Moorhead Flood Diversion project, the first U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Public-Private Partnership (P3) of its kind. His leadership included land acquisition, permitting, climate resilience planning, and large-scale BMP integration across municipal boundaries.

Mr. Paulsen is a Certified Floodplain Manager and an expert in the application of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), construction-phase BMPs, and regulatory permitting under Minnesota’s MS4 and CSWGP programs. He frequently works with watershed districts, local governments, and developers to address erosion control, stormwater reuse, and long-term system maintenance. He has also served as a municipal elected official and continues to advocate for integrated, cost-effective stormwater solutions that benefit both infrastructure and the environment.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from North Dakota State University and resides in Moorhead, Minnesota.

Judge Cutter was a district court judge in Hennepin County from January 2013 – March 2022. She was the assistant presiding judge in the Criminal Division, the presiding judge in Probate Mental Health Court, and assigned in Family Court. Since retiring, Judge Cutter has been a mediator, arbitrator, and special master with Gilbert Mediation in Eden Prairie. She works primarily in Family and Probate law. Before joining the bench, Judge Cutter worked for the Minnesota Attorney General and the Hennepin County Attorney. She has done training for judges, prosecutors, and NGOs in several countries as a volunteer for the Advocates for Human Rights and Global Rights for Women. Judge Cutter continues to work as a senior judge throughout the state.

With over 20 years of experience in the legal field, Ms. Homan has worked in a variety of practice areas, but her true passion lies in probate and trust administration. At Maslon, she is involved in all phases of trust and estate administrations – from the initial client meeting to preparation of the final account and closing documents. Prior to joining Maslon, Ms. Homan worked at Bremer Bank as a trust and estate administrator in their estate settlement team.

Ms. Johnson has over 25 years of experience assisting with all aspects of estate and trust administrations, including drafting probate documents, transferring assets, and preparing annual accountings, as well as preparing and filing estate tax and fiduciary income tax returns. She is Certification Ambassador Chair for the Minnesota Paralegal Association and serves as the NFPA Director of Paralegal Certification. In 2020, Ms. Johnson received the MPA Barb Peppersack Lifetime Service award for her dedication, leadership, and years of experience as a paralegal. In addition, she actively presents on topics related to probate and trust administrations for the Minnesota CLE, including updating chapters within the Estate Administration Deskbook.

Ms. Taylor is admitted to practice in Minnesota. She focuses primarily on estate planning and probate and trust administration. Prior to joining Cummins & Bonestroo, Ms. Taylor represented clients in family law litigation matters. As a result, she understands the importance of listening to a client’s goals and concerns, while brainstorming practical solutions that will work for their families. Ms. Taylor lives on a hobby farm in Wisconsin with her husband and daughter, and their cats and goats.

Before forming his own firm, Mr. Blackledge’s professional career included work at several Mississippi Gulfcoast defense firms, where he focused primarily on real estate, corporate law and litigation, corporate risk assessment, complex transactional drafting/management, healthcare compliance and litigation, estate planning, probate, family law, and general litigation. During his professional career, he also served as general counsel to multiple healthcare corporations, overseeing the legal aspects of a critical access hospital, skilled nursing facilities, a comprehensive outpatient rehabilitative facility, and a durable medical equipment company. He also has represented the public sector, having served several public entities in contract formation, negotiation, interpretation, and adoption; competitive bidding; statutory interpretation; construction lending; litigation; and eminent domain. Mr. Blackledge has a strong background in financial matters, having graduated magna cum laude with general and senior honors in accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi. He earned his certified public accountant (CPA) designation while in law school and has served as an adjunct professor of accounting at William Carey University.

Mr. MacMenamin has experienced many different facets of the industry and appreciates the historical significance of the survey profession and the challenges it faces as technological advancements shape its future. He has performed various types of surveys ranging across multiple states and specialties, including the removal and rebuilding of the Volcanoes at the Mirage in Las Vegas and the demolition of the Galleria Mall in New Orleans and its subsequent replacement, Championship Square. Additionally, he has worked on industrial, commercial, and residential projects throughout the state of Louisiana as well as projects in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Nevada. With 20+ years of experience and a passion for surveying, Mr. MacMenamin provides the highest level of client satisfaction on every project.

Over the years, Mr. McNally has mostly focused on probate and estate/trusts litigation, HOA and covenant enforcement, criminal defense, consumer bankruptcy, real estate and evictions and foreclosures, however, he does often pursue other types of matters on behalf of his clients. While maintaining his own practice, he has also served in many roles to many coast law firms and served as in-house counsel for the Diamondhead Property Owners Association. He has also served as an assistant prosecutor and pro tempore public defender. Mr. McNally’s journey began at St. Stanislaus College, followed by his graduation from Long Beach High School. He earned a full athletic scholarship to Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, where he played on the basketball team and obtained his bachelor’s degree. Owen went on to earn his Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi School of Law (Ole Miss Law) in Oxford, Mississippi, laying the foundation for his legal career. He briefly played basketball professionally in Europe. Mr. McNally is a trusted advocate for his clients and is licensed to practice in all Mississippi state courts and the federal district court for the Southern District of Mississippi. He is a member of The Mississippi Bar and the Harrison County Bar Association, staying connected to the legal profession and its developments. Residing in Harrison County with his wife and four children, he values family and community.

Prior to his service at TVA, Mr. Savage was in private survey practice for 10 years specializing in dispute resolution and expert witness services. He has surveyed several disputed state boundaries to resolve jurisdictional conflicts. Mr. Savage is an adjunct professor at Cleveland State Community College where he teaches courses in boundary law, geodesy, GIS, and surveying fundamentals. He has researched and retraced the historical surveys of Henry David Thoreau and has published several articles on the subject. Mr. Savage teaches exam review and continuing education seminars at various state and local conferences across the country.

Mr. Yentzen has worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a legislative affairs specialist in our nation’s capitol. Mr. Yentzen spent the prior year serving the Honorable Senator from Mississippi, Trent Lott, as a Legislative Fellow specializing in technology and space issues. He knows the adage that “it doesn’t take a rocket scientist” personally as he was an engineer for NASA for almost 12 years prior to his graduation from the Loyola University Law School in 2002. During his NASA career, he was acknowledged as an expert on the compatibility of materials with oxygen-enriched environments and was an instructor for an internationally recognized American Society of Testing and Material (ASTM) course on the subject. Mr. Yentzen began attending law school in the evening program at Loyola in 1998 while working a full-time job as an engineer for NASA at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. He received numerous academic awards and was a member of the Law Review at Loyola. He was designated a William S. Crowe Scholar upon graduation and was ranked first in his evening school class. Mr. Yentzen has experience in civil litigation, trusts and estates, corporate transactional work, bankruptcy, commercial and residential real estate closings and condominium formation work. In fact he was one of the first attorneys on the Mississippi Coast to file a property report on a condominium project with the Department of Housing and Urban Development under the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act (ILSFDA). He formed Esplanade Land and Title Company, LLC, which he named after his street address when he lived in New Orleans during law school, to focus on commercial and residential real estate projects, including preparation of contracts, assistance with local, state and federal compliance and closing purchase and sale agreements. He has taught a continuing legal education (CLE) course on easements to an audience of attorneys and other professionals, and has taught several continuing education course to realtors and agents on contracts and other real estate matters. Mr. Yentzen is licensed to practice law in Mississippi, Louisiana and Washington DC.

Mr. Iliff has been a certified building official for 10+ years serving communities in Texas, Illinois, and Missouri. He has taught classes on the residential, building, and property maintenance codes with a focus on preparing students for certification exams and effective administration. Mr. Iliff has 30+ years of experience as a city planner, floodplain manager, and code enforcement officer. He earned an undergraduate degree in Urban Planning and Development from Ball State University.