Admitted to Practice in:

Minnesota

New York

U.S. District Court, Dist. Of Minnesota 

Areas of Practice:

Family Law

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Business Litigation 

Education:

B.A., magna cum laude, Carleton College

J.D., cum laude, University of Minnesota 

Biography:

I have practiced primarily in the area of family law since 1982.  I have substantial experience in high net worth cases involving complex assets that are difficult to value, such as closely-held business entities, commercial real estate, and intellectual property.  I am skilled in both litigation and alternative dispute resolution, and I have a high success rate both in trying cases to a conclusion and in reaching settlements through mediation.  I have extensive appellate court experience before both the Minnesota Court of Appeals and the Minnesota Supreme Court, and I am listed on the Minnesota Supreme Court Roster of Qualified Neutrals.

Notable Representations:

I have:

Successfully represented celebrities in the entertainment business and other prominent public figures;

Successfully litigated the value of closely-held business entities worth, or claimed to be worth, millions, tens of millions, and even hundreds of millions of dollars;

Successfully represented clients in highly contested custody disputes, including disputes involving one parent’s request to move with the children out of state;

Successfully litigated the validity, enforceability, and interpretation of prenuptial agreements;

Successfully litigated the amount and duration of spousal maintenance in highly contested cases; and

Successfully represented the prevailing parties in two landmark Minnesota Supreme Court Cases -- McKee-Johnson, which established standards for prenuptial agreements in Minnesota, and Antone, which reaffirmed the formula for determining the marital portion of appreciated premarital real estate. 

Awards and Recognitions: 

Recognized as a “Super Lawyer” since 2003 by Minnesota Law & Politics and Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine.

Included in the 2014 edition of Best Lawyers in America.

Affiliations:

Member - Minnesota State Bar Association

Member - New York State Bar Association

Fellow – Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers