Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A.

Join Government Relations Specialist Haley Cobb on November 14th at Minnesota Brownfields' “State of Brownfields” event. Haley joins fellow state lobbyists as they discuss policy reflections from the election and analysis of the upcoming session. This in-person gathering, taking place from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at the State Capitol Building in St. Paul, will feature a welcome address from Debra Shore, Regional Administrator & Great Lakes National Program Manager, Region 5, for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as well as insightful legislative and agency update sessions from industry and legislative leaders. Learn more and register: https://lnkd.in/gKfh8MN8 #TeamWinthrop #EnvironmentalLaw

As cannabis legalization, home cultivation, and dispensary openings kick into high gear in Minnesota and in several other states across the nation, business owners and operators, home growers, and insurers may be curious – what does cannabis’s differing legal status (federally v. locally) mean for insurance coverage and enforcement of insurance policies?   Winthrop attorneys Kyle R. Kroll and Michael Petschel address these questions head-on in their recent article in Defense Research Institute ™ In-House Defense Quarterly, where they shine a (grow) light on recent development in federal case law and provide practice pointers for legal practitioners to consider when handling matters within the commercial cannabis industry. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gmqMyUwJ #InsuranceLaw #CannabisLaw #TeamWinthrop

Please join us in congratulating Todd B. Urness, shareholder in our Tax Credit Financing & Syndication practice, who has been named as a 2024 Honoree of the Minnesota ICON Award by Finance & Commerce and Minnesota Lawyer. The Minnesota ICON Awards celebrate local leaders over the age of 60 who have an established list of achievements and successes, and are recognized for their ability to lead and inspire others. Todd has been instrumental in shaping Winthrop’s tax credit practice, the trajectory of our firm as a whole, and both the local and national landscape for affordable housing. Congratulations, Todd, for this well-deserved honor! Read more about Todd and this recognition: https://lnkd.in/gctBG36b See the full list of honorees: https://lnkd.in/gUydCutk #TeamWinthrop #LegalExcellence

We’re pleased to welcome back the following 8 associate attorneys to #TeamWinthrop: Elle Borden, Business & Commercial Litigation Mike Fadden, Corporate & Transactions Jack Heinsch, Tax Credit Financing & Syndication Emily Lauer, Trademark & Brand Protection and Data Privacy, Cybersecurity & AI Quinn Milligan, Securities & Corporate Finance Michael Petschel, Business & Commercial Litigation Morgan Phelps, Tax Credit Financing & Syndication Abby Sokolowski, Business & Commercial Litigation Each brings fresh energy, new perspectives, and unique talents and experiences to the firm and we’re excited to have them! Learn more about them! https://lnkd.in/gt9FNUrm #NewHires #LegalExcellence

We're thankful to count Erin Mathern as part of #TeamWinthrop! Her dedication to the legal profession, her colleagues, and the communities she serves - both inside and outside the firm - is truly admirable.

To close out #ProBonoWeek, we'd like to highlight the 23 Winthrop attorneys recognized by the Minnesota State Bar Association as 2023 North Star Lawyers: Thomas H. Boyd Bill Burdett Olivia Cooper Tami Diehm Maggie Green Cianna Halloran Tom Hanson Cynthia Hegarty Devon Holstad Katherine Johnson Kyle R. Kroll Tim Marx Erin Mathern Jordan Mogensen Alyssa Namken Tess Olinger Miles Patton Elizabeth Schmiesing Timothy Sitzmann Michele Vaillancourt Steven Vogel Jeremy Walls Alex Wilkie Each individual attorney recognized as a "North Star Lawyer" has dedicated 50+ hours of pro bono services over the past year -- that's over 1,000 hours contributed by this group alone! We're proud of their continuing commitment to the many communities, causes, and organizations supported by these efforts. #TeamWinthrop #ProBono #CelebrateProBono #PBW2024

Giving back to the community is a critical part of the Winthrop way. While our attorneys and staff give of their time and skills to our local communities in a myriad of ways, in honor of Pro Bono Week, we’d like to highlight a volunteer program particularly dear to our hearts: Wills for Heroes, a program started in South Carolina following September 11th, provides free estate planning services to local first responders, including police officers, firefighters, paramedics, EMTs and others. Minnesota’s program was founded by the Minnesota State Bar Association Probate and Trust Section in 2007. Winthrop’s engagement with the organization has grown steadily over the years – beginning with involvement by Max Shapiro, attorney in our Specialty Tax Credits & Incentives practice, and growing to the 6+ attorneys who volunteer their time at Wills for Heroes’ workshops. Max’s involvement alone has touched the lives of 75+ first responders over the years. From Max’s perspective, “while everyone coming to the program – volunteer or first responder – has a different viewpoint and a different life story, we’re all coming together for a common good.” If you’d like to learn more or participate, visit: https://lnkd.in/gvaFwxkt #TeamWinthrop #ProBono #CelebrateProBono #PBW2024

Happy National Paralegal Day! Please join us in celebrating all of Winthrop’s exceptionally dedicated, supremely organized, and remarkably unflappable paralegals, whose hard work helps keep the #TeamWinthrop ship afloat. Our genuine and heartfelt appreciation for all that you do, today and every day! #WinthropMpls #NationalParalegalDay #Paralegal

In her recent conversation with Laura Brown of Minnesota Lawyer, Winthrop attorney Lisa Ellingson, JD, CIPP/US, CIPM discussed the use of AI in human resources - how it’s currently being used (and what may be coming down the pipeline), employer-cited benefits, and potential legal pitfalls to watch for. Read the full article and connect with Lisa if you’re curious to learn more. 

This year, the American Bar Association’s theme for #ProBonoWeek is: “Making Justice a Reality in Our Communities.” In honor of this theme, we’d like to highlight the great work being done by Amy Peterson and The Congregation Detroit. The Congregation, located in a renovated church building in the Boston-Edison neighborhood of Detroit, is a bustling community space, coffee house, bar, restaurant, and home to a variety of local events. Situated at the epicenter of Detroit’s 1967 Rebellion (aka the 1967 Detroit Uprising/Riot), a site long-connected with civil rights and the struggle for economic justice, the neighborhood and the building itself have witnessed half-a-century of activism, change, growing desolation and, most recently, new-found renewal, revitalization and entrepreneurialism. Amy and fellow co-founder/co-owner Betsy Joye M. recognized the ever-present sense of community in this vibrant neighborhood and the need for a local gathering space. They spent the next 4+ years bringing their dream to life. Encountering a few bumps along the way, not the least of which was The Congregation’s opening in March 2020 – a mere 9 days before the arrival of Covid-19, they’ve worked closely with Winthrop shareholder Bill Burdett to navigate and resolve legal challenges that might otherwise have stalled a similar project. When asked about Bill’s contributions to The Congregation, Amy noted that Bill has been a “silent warrior who stepped in when [they] really needed it.” Bill’s commitment to small business and willingness to advocate on The Congregation’s behalf has allowed Amy and Betsy to focus more keenly on what really matters to them – their continuing commitment to the community and neighborhood. Learn more about The Congregation here: https://lnkd.in/gQ_dmz9 #ProBono #CelebrateProBono #PBW2024