Excelsior Lawyers

I love what I do! My entire professional career has focused on death, dying, and preplanning. It is not as macabre as you may think! I find peace in helping my clients and their family prepare for the "inevitable"? (death and taxes), and make life's transitions easier.

I help clients navigate estate planning, as they focus on asset growth, to long-term care planning, where the focus shifts to asset preservation and care. After a death occurs, I help resolve contested Will or Trust issues (litigation), counsel on Medical Assistance claims, and guide families through the probate process.

I love facing the challenges...

Rich is consistently named as a Super Lawyer by Minnesota Law & Politics magazine. Rich focuses his practice on cases involving car accidents, traumatic brain injury (TBI), food poisoning, premises liability, daycare liability, and product liability. He has represented hundreds of victims of various personal injury accidents. Rich has tried numerous cases to a jury with excellent results.

Minnesota Super Lawyers - 2003 – 2018
Rich was first selected as one of the 2011 Minnesota Lawyer Attorneys of the Year. This award is given to just a few attorneys across the State of Minnesota each year and is a great honor.

Rich then...

Patrick K. Kranz has been a partner with TSR Injury Law since 2018. His practice involves helping those who are injured as a result of a motor vehicle crash, dog bite, slip and fall, premises liability or wrongful death. He has handled a variety of cases, from strictly dealing with the insurance company or when a case is placed into litigation. He understands the difficulties the injured face and tries to make light of a difficult situation. However, he will work hard for his clients to hold wrongdoers responsible and accountable.

Patrick was born and raised in Hastings, Minnesota. He graduated...

Nate is known as one of the most fearless and skilled trial lawyers in the region. Nate’s peers have voted him a Top 100 Super Lawyer (top .5% of all attorneys) every year since 2014; The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers; Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (“ABOTA”); and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. About half of Nate’s work comes from other lawyers who ask him to either help try their client’s cases or to simply take the cases over for trial.

Nate has lectured and taught trial practice skills to lawyers all across the United States....

We are a team that cares about our clients. We handle Probate and Trust Administration, we draft Wills & Trusts, we create Health Care Directives and Powers of Attorney. Our focus is on you, helping you protect your family, and everything you love and have worked for. Wills, Trust, Health Care Directive, Powers of Attorney. We protect your assets, including your Pets. We also manage Probates and Estate Administration. Rebecca speaks on Estate Planning to a variety of local and national groups, and is is also a national speaker in the area of Equine Law.

The firm’s founder, Thomas R. Hurwitz has practiced law in multiple areas throughout his career. He is highly respected in the legal community for his work in numerous areas. He was chosen by his peers as a “Super Lawyer” – one of Minnesota’s Best Lawyers. Mr. Hurwitz is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Hennepin County Bar Association, and joined the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association in 1990. Mr. Hurwitz is listed in Who’s Who in Executives and Businesses and the National Registry of Who’s Who for his work as an attorney. Thomas Hurwitz has received numerous commendations...

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

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

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

I'm a trial lawyer. I'm grateful for the opportunity to fight for justice on behalf of individuals going through hard times against some of the largest corporations in the country.

After law school, I joined the Marine Corps and served as a judge advocate. There's no better training ground for a trial lawyer - I tried over 100 felony and misdemeanor cases. I'm proud of the results I got, including one of the first successful defenses of a Marine discriminated against based on sexual orientation. I deployed to Iraq in a nation building capacity to work with...

I practiced criminal law in California for 16 years and continue to practice criminal law in both the State and Federal Courts in Minnesota. I was honored as an attorney of the year from the San Diego Criminal Defense Bar Association in 2002. I have handled and tried cases to juries in everything from petty theft, DWI, and minor drug cases to very serious robberies, burglaries and homicides. I have won numerous cases and most recently won a felony sexual assault appeal and then won the jury retrial in the case in Washington County Minnesota in 2010. I...

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

Barry O’Neil is a trial attorney, who is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the Minnesota Bar Association. Mr. O’Neil’s practice involves the resolution of complex commercial disputes, professional liability claims, employment-related issues and insurance claims. A significant portion of Mr. O’Neil’s practice is in the area of professional liability defense with emphasis in legal malpractice. Mr. O’Neil is the practice group manager of the firm’s Trials and Litigation Practice Group, and he also heads Lommen Abdo’s entertainment litigation initiative. Mr. O’Neil has extensive experience in employment litigation including all types of employment discrimination claims, and he has additionally acted...

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

My education in the law happened at Yale, but before that I graduated from the University of Kansas and a high school in eastern North Dakota, in a class of twenty-five seniors. The variety of that experience has been replicated in my legal work, in which I have represented small- and medium-sized business owners, individuals, and corporate clients in the banking and pharmaceutical industries. Whether the client needs to show the fair valuation of a business, the meaning of a law or regulation, fraud, or the terms of a contract, I bring a careful, intentional approach that seeks to identify the...

Attorney Malee M. Ketelsen is an elder law and immigration attorney in Minneapolis who is ready to take on your case and provide you with the representation you need at this pivotal time in your life. Come to Ketelsen Law Office, where you can have confidence in the help and support you can receive. Attorney Ketelsen received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa. She later obtained her Juris Doctorate at Drake University School of Law. She has a membership with several well-known associations, including the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Elder Law Section of the National...

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

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

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

Charles Clas gained considerable experience in criminal law before he even graduated from law school. He participated in the Misdemeanor Prosecution Clinic at the University of Minnesota School of Law, and served as an instructor and member of the Civil Rights National Moot Court team. Charles also worked as a law clerk at Caplan & Tamburino Law Firm, P.A. before joining the firm as a full time attorney in 2014. Charles has successfully tried many criminal cases for the firm, such as marijuana possession, DWI, felony expungement, and 3rd degree assault. If you need experienced and knowledgeable criminal defense you...

Matt is a knowledgeable attorney practicing in the area of family law. Matt blends empathy, practicality, diligence, and respect to advocate for outcomes that serve clients in the long term and defuse tension among families of all types. Matt favors a creative, collaborative, and results-focused practice style and is keenly aware that every case requires its own unique approach. Matt has worked as an attorney editor at Thomson Reuters, as an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, and as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Richelle M. Wahi in Dakota County. In addition to judicial duties, Matt assisted...

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

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

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

Heimerl & Lammers LLC welcomes Angela Streit as an associate to the firm’s family law department. With her combined 11 years of experience in the legal field, Angela is very knowledgeable in multiple areas of law including family law, appellate litigation, railroad law, motor vehicle accident law, and premises liability. She has settled into her newfound passion for family law.

Before joining Heimerl & Lammers, Angie worked as a judicial law clerk for the Minnesota Court of Appeals. She also has 6 years of experience with an international legal research and publishing company. This work has made her proficient in finding...

Kyle Prouty is an experienced family law attorney. Kyle is skilled at providing families with the advice and knowledge needed to go through the family court process in Minnesota. He recognizes that each case brings unique challenges and is passionate about providing tailored legal services to each client.

Kyle graduated magna cum laude from St. Cloud State University. He earned his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law (now Mitchell Hamline) in St. Paul. Since graduating, Kyle has worked exclusively in family law and has represented clients in the areas of divorce, custody, domestic abuse, third-party custody, and other areas of...

Mallory Moen is an associate attorney at Hellmuth & Johnson, focusing her practice on Estate Planning, Trust Administration, Probate Administration, and Real Estate matters. She is client-focused and enjoys assisting clients in the preparation of their estate plans and guiding clients through the administration of the estates of their loved ones.

Barton C. Gernander is a partner at Burns & Hansen, P.A., who practices in the areas of civil and commercial litigation, with a focus in construction and real estate issues. In addition to representing business clients involved in standard and complex litigation in both state and federal courts, he serves emerging and mid-size companies in a general counsel capacity - assisting clients on achieving business solutions while minimizing exposure to liability. Gernander is licensed to practice law in the state and federal courts in Minnesota, the United States Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Eleventh Circuit Court of...

Chantell Bergquist is an associate attorney at Burns and Hansen and focuses on family law and civil litigation. At a young age, Chantell knew that she wanted to become an attorney because she saw the need for empathic attorneys, not the robotic kind of attorneys people generally picture. Before graduating from Bemidji State University, Chantell was already attending Mitchell Hamline School of Law so she could take the fast track into practicing family law. Chantell is also a published author in Mitchell Hamline's Law Review. She is thoughtful and meticulous, leaving no stone unturned as she maneuvers through the case toward...

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

I have 17 years of experience, and have been practicing in the area of family law since 2004. I have represented hundreds of clients (mothers, fathers, wives and husbands) in complex and simple divorce actions, custody/parenting time actions, child support proceedings, grandparent visitation actions, and a myriad of other family law actions. I am a zealous advocate for my clients, but I also provide my clients with knowledgeable legal advice about their options so that my client can make an informed decision about how he or she wants to proceed. I do my best to resolve my cases outside of...

Ben represents businesses and individuals against the Internal Revenue Service, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and the Minnesota Department of Revenue in audits, collection cases, court actions, and administrative appeals. With each case he handles, Ben strives to develop practical solutions to achieve the best possible outcomes for his clients.

Staying active in the legal community, Ben is involved with several associations. He is a member and former Chair of the Tax Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association Tax Section (Tax Section). He currently serves as the Legislative Co-Chair for the Tax Law Section. Ben was an...

I am an attorney in private practice since 1973. I have experience in Minnesota State and Federal courts, as well as Minnesota appellate practice. I charge reasonable fees. I have represented hundreds of clients and I have handled a wide variety of client matters since 1973.

Ms. Kugler practices exclusively in the area of family law. Karen works toward equitable settlements, but is skilled in trial advocacy. Karen discusses the risks and expense of litigation with her clients. She is a knowledgeable, empathetic, and assertive legal advocate and handles all family law issues: spousal maintenance, child support, property division, and custody at the trial and appellate levels. Karen is past Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) Family Law Section and is a past Co-Chair of the RCBA Family Law Section. She is a frequent writer and speaker regarding family law, co-authoring the Child Support...