Excelsior Lawyers

Corwin R. Kruse, Esq.

EDUCATION

J.D., William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, magna cum laude
Editor: William Mitchell Law Review

M.A., Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
Major: Sociology

B.S., University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
Honors: Dean's List
Major: Sociology

B.B.A., University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD.

Honors: Dean's List

Major: Business Administration


BAR ADMISSIONS

Minnesota, 2004

U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, 2005

PRIOR EMPLOYMENT

Katz & Manka, Ltd., Family Law Attorney, 2010-2019

William Mitchell College of Law, Adjunct Professor, 2005-2016

Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Associate, 2005-2009

Minnesota Court of Appeals, Judicial Law Clerk to...

Throughout his legal career, Luke Smith has practiced primarily in the area of workers’ compensation. Luke has in the past represented employees, employers, and insurance carriers in all stages of litigation. He now is focused on representing employees in workers’ compensation matters. Luke Smith worked at a law firm that practiced employee-side workers’ compensation throughout law school. He graduated from Mitchell Hamline School of Law in 2016, summa cum laude (highest honors). Luke received several awards for academic performance in law school, participated in law review, and participated in moot court. He represented injured workers in workers’ compensation litigation following law...

Kate is an associate attorney at Keegan Law Office. Kate discovered her passion for criminal defense through personal experiences and finds fulfillment in assisting clients navigate the criminal process. Prior to joining Keegan Law Office, Kate worked as an associate attorney at a Twin Cities law firm. There, she worked with clients facing a variety of state and federal criminal charges, including criminal sexual conduct, assault, murder, and drug offenses. Kate has prepared and helped conduct jury trials, which have resulted in an acquittal of Domestic Assault by Strangulation and a hung jury in a First Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct...

Bart Torvik is a skilled personal injury and foodborne illness attorney, with years of experience in litigation. After graduating at the top of his class from the University of Minnesota Law School, he clerked for Judge James M. Rosenbaum, the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. Following this position, Bart worked at a large Minnesota firm where he handled every aspect of litigation, from initial consultations to jury trials. In 2010, Bart moved to Evanston, Illinois after his wife Laura became a Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. In...

Wil H. Florin was born in Salzburg, Austria and raised in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. He received his B.A. from Ball State University. He obtained his Juris Doctorate from Stetson University College of Law in 1980. Wil was recently selected to serve a four (4) year term as a member of the Stetson University Board of Trustees. In addition, he is serving his second three (3) year term as a member of the Stetson University College of Law Board of Overseers.

In October 2018, Wil became only the 89th inductee to the Stetson University College of Law’s Hall of Fame in the...

Nathan M. Maus is another outstanding addition to our team of personal injury attorneys. His experience includes auto accidents, dog bites, premises liability, wrongful death and other personal injury matters. Nathan understands the impact an injury or death has on individuals and families. Therefore, he works hard for his clients to hold those responsible accountable.

Nathan was born and raised in Minnesota. He received his undergraduate degree from St. John’s University. He attended William Mitchell College of Law, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 2013. While at William Mitchell, Nathan earned the prestigious Endowed Burton Award for Excellence in Legal Writing and...

When people are injured, the last thing they want to worry about is complex insurance claims and unpaid medical bills. Aria’s method to representing clients is the “if I were the client, what would I want” approach. From the initial meeting and assessment of the case, Aria works diligently to ensure her clients are treated fairly. She focuses on clients' needs and fights to get the compensation they deserve. She believes that quality service is a top priority and she understands the importance of communicating with clients throughout the different stages of their case.

Aria has dedicated her 100% of her...

Michael Joyce joined TSR Injury Law in 2017. He brings valuable experience handling claims involving motor vehicle crashes, dog bites, premises liability, wrongful deaths, brain injuries, and other personal injury matters. Michael understands how the lives of families can be turned upside down in an instant after a serious injury or death and works tirelessly so that his clients get the type of legal representation they deserve in holding at-fault individuals responsible.

Michael was born and raised in Minnesota. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles before graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2017 from...

Ben has been an associate with Lindell & Lavoie, LLP, since 2004, and he law clerked at the office in the two summers prior to that. Since that time, he has become an integral piece in the firm’s ongoing success. He has a varied practice, primarily focusing on personal injury and workers’ compensation cases, but he loves appellant work and has a special interest in Section 1983 Civil Rights cases. He has recovered millions of dollars for his clients over that period and has been significantly involved in notable and important cases. In 2012, Ben partnered with...

Crawford Law Office is committed to providing skilled and effective legal representation in divorce and other family law and civil litigation matters throughout the Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan area. At Crawford Law Office we employ exceptional legal expertise with common sense in our work. We offer our clients the advice and counsel they need in order to make informed decisions about their legal matters while making every effort to cost-effectively resolve their case. We understand that each client we represent faces a unique situation and with that in mind we...

Kristy helps her family law clients achieve exceptional results by focusing on their needs and objectives. She thinks outside the box to tailor solutions with client goals. Kristy is a powerful negotiator and seasoned litigator. You can count on Kristy and her team to come through in a pinch and handle your issues in a professional and thorough manner. As Kristy says, “we got this.”

Michelle Gibbons practices exclusively on behalf of employees who have been subjected to discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other unlawful treatment in the workplace. While in law school, Michelle honed her legal skills as Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Mitchell Hamline Law Review. She also worked as a Judicial Law Clerk in Ramsey County district court and completed over 150 hours of volunteer work through the Minnesota Justice Foundation’s Law School Public Service Program.

Paul Sortland is one of the area's prominent legal malpractice attorneys. He focuses on professional negligence, legal, accounting, and medical malpractice, business lawsuits and cases involving significant personal injury.

Jim Lavoie exclusively practices personal injury law. He is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been voted to the Super Lawyers list by his peers. Jim's experience is diverse, including helicopter pilot in Vietnam, crop duster, University of Minnesota honors graduate from both undergraduate and law school, Mille Lacs County Attorney 1979-1985, private practice in St. Cloud and Minneapolis, and high school mock trial coach. Qualifications: Admitted in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Federal courts; certified civil trial specialist; qualified neutral arbitrator and mediator. Member: Minnesota State Bar Association, American and Minnesota Trial Lawyers Associations, and the Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers.

Minnesota criminal defense lawyer Hillary Parsons practices as an associate attorney at the Caplan & Tamburino Law Firm. Attorney Parsons has been with the firm for nearly half a decade. Prior to joining the firm, she was an associate at another firm. Her responsibilities at Caplan & Tamburino include conducting the firm’s research and writing. Ms. Parsons is a graduate of George Washington University and the University of Minnesota Law School. For a free case evaluation, contact her firm today.

Mike is an experienced workers comp, injury, insurance, and disability attorney who believes his clients deserve a tireless advocate to secure the benefits they deserve. He has recovered millions of dollars in unpaid and denied benefits for his clients. Mike is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School, where he specialized in injury law, insurance law, employment law, and employee benefits law. Since graduating, Mike has pursued his client’s disability benefits in hundreds of federal ERISA lawsuits against insurers like Cigna, MetLife, Lincoln, Aetna, Guardian, Standard, Reliance, and Hartford. In addition to fighting for long and short term disability benefits,...

I am a family law attorney that helps clients in Minnesota navigate the next step forward in their divorce, custody, paternity, support, harassment (HRO) or domestic violence (OFP) case. I help clients figure out their goals and what would work best for their family within the context of the family law system. I then guide clients in implementing those goals so they can move forward in their lives. I understand how difficult (financially, emotionally, and sometimes even physically) this process can be. I take care of the papers and letters and phone calls that come along with the process so...

Luke J Blahnik is the founder of Law Firm of Luke J Blahnik. Mr. Blahnik was born in the city of Rochester, Minnesota and graduated from Caledonia High School, in Caledonia, Minnesota. In 1998 he received his Bachelor of Science in History from Winona State University, in Winona, Minnesota. He then went on to receive his Juris Doctor degree from Hamline University School of Law in 2001 and was admitted to practice law in the State of Minnesota in 2002. From 2001 through 2004 Mr. Blahnik was a Judicial Law Clerk for the Koochiching County Courthouse, where he...

Mr. Kishish has practiced law since 1992. He has worked both as an In-House attorney and in Private Practice. He has worked with thousands of clients throughout the years and associates with some of the best law firms in the country. His counseling has ranged from assisting Fortune 500 companies with recovering from class action settlements, to his early work with individuals fighting discrimination issues. It is this background that informs his practice today. Mr. Kishish's knowledge of both sides of the table makes him better able to fight for your interests.

Mr. Joseph J. Dudley, Jr. was born in Washington, D.C. in 1945 and has practiced law in the state of Minnesota since 1978. Mr. Dudley served in the U.S Air Force (Vietnam) and graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1972. He received his law degree in 1977 from Hamline University, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Mr. Dudley is a member of the Ramsey County Bar, Minnesota State Bar, Federal Bar and American Bar Associations. Mr. Dudley’s main areas of practice include Corporate, Commercial Litigation, Franchising, Transportation and Environmental Law. Dudley and Smith, P.A. is a Minnesota law firm practicing in most...

I am the Owner and Principal Attorney of Paden Legal Services. Professionally, I have worked in the healthcare industry for over 20 years in various roles such as: Compliance, Medical Staff Services, Behavioral Health, Human Resources, and Finance. My experience in the healthcare industry has shaped my approach to working with clients. Like patients, clients are the center of my focus. I truly enjoy helping my clients and creating solutions for them. I graduated Cum Laude from Upper Iowa University with a bachelor's degree in business administration, and graduated Cum Laude from Mitchell Hamline School of Law with a juris...

Omeed Berenjian is the co-founder of BK Law Group as well as a dedicated attorney for the firm. With more than twelve years of experience, Omeed helps clients with their legal needs by understanding every aspect of a case. He has helped hundreds of clients with an array of legal matters. He believes that every client should have pride, confidence, and trust in the lawyer helping them through their legal battle. According to Omeed, “by understanding clients and their unique legal situation, I believe I can be a better advisor and help them make the most of their case.” Omeed has continuously...

Zorislav Leyderman moved the U.S. from Ukraine (former Soviet Union) when he was 11 and grew up in St. Paul. He obtained his B.A. degree at the University of Minnesota, where he studied politics and the American criminal justice system. After college, Zorislav continued his education at the William Mitchell College of Law, where he obtained his J.D. and graduated with honors. While in law school, Zorislav Leyderman worked for the Legal Assistance to Minnesota Prisoners (LAMP) Clinic and the William Mitchell Law Clinic, representing low-income people and Minnesota prisoners in both criminal and civil cases. Zorislav also worked for...

A trial attorney for more than 30 years, Paul Otten practices in the areas of Personal Injury and Criminal Defense. He represents individuals and families who have suffered a personal injury or the loss of a loved one; including those involved in automobile collisions, medical malpractice claims, slip and fall cases, and dog attacks. Otten has achieved awards for his personal injury clients, both through negotiated settlements and jury trials. Since the establishment of the Otten firm, Criminal Defense was added to the foundation in Personal Injury.

A native of northern Minnesota, Otten received his Doctor of...

Paul Godfread is a Minnesota attorney with a practice focusing on trademark, copyright, technology and business law.

Ryan has dedicated his entire legal career to representing people injured by foodborne illness. His passion is holding food producers accountable when they poison their customers. His unending goal is to make the food we eat safer. Ryan has a decade’s worth of experience in foodborne illness litigation. He has represented people in every major foodborne illness outbreak during that time. Ryan gravitated to the science-driven foodborne illness practice in part because he comes from a medical family. His sister is a neonatologist at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital, his mother is a former nurse practitioner and his father is...

He has worked as an investigator, public prosecutor and private counsel. Mr. Neff has served on the Hennepin County Public Defender's Conflicts Panel, the Hennepin County Juvenile Justice Panel, and various bar association committees. He handles complex litigation including multi-district litigation, wrongful death, large employment cases and qui tam cases.

I have assisted in various matters including, but not limited to: - Receivership and Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Reorganizations - Out-of-Court Loan "Workout" Negotiations - Bankruptcy Preference Actions - Administrative Arbitrations and Federal Appellate matters - Real Estate Acquisitions, Sales, Development, and Leasing matters - Drafting and Negotiating Agreements: Supply Agreements, Service Agreements, Software Agreements, Recruiting Agreements, Printing Agreements, Confidentiality and Non-disclosure Agreements, and other business contracts - Merger and Acquisition matters ranging in size from $2MM to $150MM - Trial and Pre-trial Litigation matters - Creating Checklists for Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Compliance - Organizational Documents, Amendments, and Agreements for Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, and Partnerships

Justin Duffy is a skilled criminal defense attorney and trial lawyer with The Law Office of John J. Leunig who represents clients in both state and federal court in Minnesota. Mr. Duffy's zealous advocacy on behalf of his clients has resulted in victory at trial, complete dismissals prior to trial, and victory on appeal. He defends clients charged with all levels and types of crimes, including, but not limited to, DWI, assault, theft, drug possession, criminal sexual conduct, prostitution, criminal vehicular homicide, murder, and white collar crimes. For more information on The Law Office of John J. Leunig and Mr....

About Benjamin

Benjamin Tarshish is a partner attorney at the Tarshish Cody law firm. He prides himself on providing his clients with practical legal advice. He is a passionate, aggressive, and ethical lawyer.

Benjamin was raised in a suburb of Minneapolis. He is a graduate from Carleton College in Northfield, MN and received his law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, MN.

Benjamin is licensed to practice law in both Minnesota and Illinois.

Unlike the stereotype for many lawyers and attorneys, Benjamin is outgoing, friendly, and has a sense of humor. This makes working with him on a particular legal...