Family Law

I have a full time practice in Collaborative Law and mediation. I handle legal separation, divorce, reconciliation work, paternity and support. I work in the areas of probate, elder law and planning for incapacity.

• Mediation/Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

• Child Abuse
• Domestic Violence
• Elder Abuse
• Sexual Abuse

• Adoptions
• Child Support
• Children's Rights
• Custody
• Paternity
• Visitation

• Civil Unions
• Domestic Partnerships
• Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender Rights
• Living Together/Cohabitation
• Marriage
• Power of Attorney
• Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements

• Age Discrimination
• Competency Hearings
• Guardianships & Conservatorships
• Long-Term Care
• Nursing Homes
• Powers of Attorney
• Medicaid & Medicare Planning
• Advanced Health Care Directive
• Healthcare Power of Attorney
• Healthcare Proxy
• Tax Planning
• Nursing Home Negligence

• Grandparent Rights

Divorce

I have a full time practice in Collaborative Law and mediation. I handle legal separation, divorce, reconciliation work, paternity and support. I work in the areas of probate, elder law and planning for incapacity.

• Alimony/Palimony/Spousal Support
• Annulment
• Child Support
• Custody/Visitation Rights
• Delinquent Support Payments
• Division of Property
• Mediation/Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR)
• Uncontested Divorce
• Collaborative Law

MN, Oct 1981
Bar Number: 0132809

Rule 114 Minnesota Supreme Court Facilitative Neutral.

U.S. District Court for Minnesota.

• Minnesota Bar Association: Elder Law Section, Family Law Section, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section
• Collaborative Law Institute of Minnesota
• Southern Arizona Collaborative Practice

• 2007 Intermediate Interdisciplinary Training Tesler-Annual Meeting
• 2007 Advanced Interdisciplinary Training Peggy Thompson
• 2006 Advanced Interdisciplinary Training Gamache
• 2006 Advanced Interdisciplinary Training Jackson-Gamache
• 2005 Advanced Collaborative Law Training IACP Atlanta Forum
• 2005 Advanced Collaborative Law Training IACP Annual Meeting
• 2004 Advanced Collaborative Law Training Chip Rose
• 2003 Advanced Collaborative Law Training IACP Vancouver Forum
• 2003 Advanced Collaborative Law Training IACP Annual Meeting
• 2002 Advanced Interdisciplinary Training Collaborative Team (ca)
• 2001 Advanced Collaborative Law Training Medicine Hat Model
• 2001 Basic Collaborative Law Training CLI-MINN (Stu Webb)
• 1999 Advanced Interdisciplinary Training Domestic Abuse - Erickson Med
• 1990 Mediation Training Erickson Mediation

• "Building Hope for Your Family's Future"
• "Toward a Theology of Divorce"
• www.collaborativelaw.com
• www.collaborativedivorceminnesota.com

I specialize in collaborative team practice (sometimes called collaborative divorce). In this model, child psychologists, adult psychologists and financial analysts are made an integral part of a team which helps couples make some of the best and most important decisions of their lives. The cost of this process is reduced where couples feel comfortable working one-on-one with a child specialist regarding their parenting plan or with a financial analyst on their financial plan.

6

Minnesota

I have been a trained mediator since 1990 and I have a full time alternative dispute resolution practice.

Every client needs access to good basic legal advice before considering divorce or separation. I offer an initial consultation for charitable contributions (up to 2 hours of time) for clients to use before they take any action on their case. I recommend that they write down their questions, so that there isn't anything they forget to ask. We use this time in whatever way is most helpful to the client and to their families. Every family is unique. Every family deserves a unique solution. My objective is to help my clients gather the best available information and best professional services available to help them meet their needs. I keep two offices to meet with clients; one office in the Collaborative Alliance space in Edina on 494 and Xerxes Avenue South and one office downtown with my law partners at Speeter and Johnson, 120 S. 6th St. #1515, Mpls., MN 55402
(Phone: 612-339-7566).

• Associate attorney with a firm called Parker and Parker from 1981 to 1989
• Partner with Speeter and Johnson from 1990 to the present time.
• Former member of the board of directors for the Minnesota Association of Mediators
• Former member the board of directors for the Collaborative Law Institute of Minnesota
• President of the Collaborative Law Institute of Minnesota in 2007

My general practice has included probate and estate planning, civil rights litigation, business defense litigation, workers' compensation and personal injury.

I've taught continuing legal education including the professional ethics of alternative dispute resolution for the State Bar of Minnesota. I am also a chairman of Team Practice Development for the State of Minnesota.

To reach administrative assistance please call Molly at (952) 405-2020 or Naomi at (612) 339-7566.

(952) 405-2024

Monday through Friday
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Yes

Minneapolis, MN
120 South 6th Street
Suite 1515
Minneapolis, MN 55402
(612) 339-7566

For drafting purposes in unbundled legal assistance, $850 dollars plus costs, to get the entire case completed through entry of Judgment (this is for clients who are able to reach full agreement on their own). When full collaborative process is needed, most collaborative attorneys in Minnesota ask for a retainer of $1,500 dollars at the beginning of the process and bill against that retainer at their regular hourly rate.

$250 per hour.

I offer an initial consultation of up to 2 hours to clients who are willing to come in and see me, and make a donation to Sharing and Caring Hands, the homeless shelter program in downtown Minneapolis.

$1,500.