Minnesota Lawyer names its ‘Attorneys of the Year’ for 2007
by Michael Krieger
Five singled out for
outstanding service
Minnesota Lawyer is also recognizing the work of five people who have provided outstanding service to the profession. These individuals have strengthened the state’s legal community through many years of dedicated service. Honorees were chosen by Minnesota Lawyer’s editorial staff.
The 2007 “Outstanding Service to the Profession” award recipients are:
• Bruce Beneke — led Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services for 30 years as executive director;
• Sam Hanson — served six years on the Minnesota Supreme Court and more than three decades with Briggs and Morgan;
• Jim Krieger — helped the poor and disadvantaged during four decades in the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office;
• Thomas M. Neuville — supported the legal community while serving in the Minnesota Senate; and
• Victor Vieth — strived to eliminate child abuse by designing training programs for prosecutors on a national level.
Minnesota Lawyer is pleased to announce the recipients of its ninth-annual “Attorneys of the Year” award.outstanding service
Minnesota Lawyer is also recognizing the work of five people who have provided outstanding service to the profession. These individuals have strengthened the state’s legal community through many years of dedicated service. Honorees were chosen by Minnesota Lawyer’s editorial staff.
The 2007 “Outstanding Service to the Profession” award recipients are:
• Bruce Beneke — led Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services for 30 years as executive director;
• Sam Hanson — served six years on the Minnesota Supreme Court and more than three decades with Briggs and Morgan;
• Jim Krieger — helped the poor and disadvantaged during four decades in the Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office;
• Thomas M. Neuville — supported the legal community while serving in the Minnesota Senate; and
• Victor Vieth — strived to eliminate child abuse by designing training programs for prosecutors on a national level.
This award is reserved for a select group of attorneys who have distinguished themselves in 2007 through exemplary work. Criteria for selection includes leadership in the profession, involvement in major cases or other newsworthy events, excellence in corporate or transactional services, and public service.
Nominations were submitted by bar association representatives, judges, lawyers and other members of the legal community. Honorees were chosen by Minnesota Lawyer’s editorial staff.
The 2007 “Attorneys of the Year” award recipients are:
• Joseph W. Anthony; Anthony Ostlund & Baer, P.A. — achieved a $130 million verdict on behalf of 115 dentists;
• Robert Bennett; Flynn, Gaskins & Bennett, L.L.P. — achieved a $4.5 million settlement against the Minneapolis Police Department;
• Dominic J. Cecere and Daniel Oberdorfer; Leonard, Street and Deinard, P.A. — the team who represented the Pioneer Press in its successful confidentiality and noncompete case against the Star Tribune and its former publisher, Par Ridder;
• Susan Fauver; Sherman Associates, Inc. — excelled in providing real estate-related corporate legal services;
• John Keller; Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota — advocated zealously on behalf of immigrants following raids in southwestern Minnesota;
• David R. Kelly; Bowman and Brooke, L.L.P. — successfully defended the automotive industry in numerous cases nationwide;
• Brian Melendez; Faegre & Benson, L.L.P. — served as president of the Minnesota State Bar Association, authored the Quie Commission’s minority report and was involved in numerous other professional public service activities;
• Kathleen Flynn Peterson; Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, L.L.P. — took the helm of the American Association for Justice;
• Lewis A. Remele Jr.; Bassford Remele, P.A. — achieved a fee award of more than $11 million on behalf of the former CEO of Metris Companies;
• Timothy J. Scallen; Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly, L.L.P. — managed more than a dozen substantial merger and acquisition transactions;
• Jonathan E. Singer; Fish & Richardson, P.C. — achieved a $65M settlement against ImClone Systems;
• Timothy R. Thornton; Briggs and Morgan, P.A. — defended Canadian Pacific Railway against thousands of personal injury claims;
• Daniel R. Tyson; Best & Flanagan, L.L.P. — represented people who lost their homes due to predatory lending practices; and
• Terry L. Wade; Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, L.L.P. — successfully argued that the Minnesota Supreme Court should recognize a new cause of action for negligent credentialing.
An upcoming special section of Minnesota Lawyer will highlight the accomplishments of these award recipients, and a dinner celebration will take place on Feb. 21, 2008, at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. Look for more details on our website and in forthcoming issues.
