We are excited to announce that five of our attorneys have been selected for distinction by Super Lawyers Magazine, a publication of Thomson Reuters, in 2021. Partners Katie Lammers and Michael Lammers have both been selected as Super Lawyers, Katie for her eighth year after two years as a Rising Star and also as one of the Top 50 Women practicing in Minnesota and Michael honored with his second year as a Super Lawyer after seven years as a Rising Star. Partner Jenna Eisenmenger and Attorneys Scott Kruger and Bria Walling have been selected as Rising Stars.
Super Lawyers are selected through a process which involves nomination and evaluation by their peers and independent research to decide who receives honors. These evaluations include 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Lawyers represent only 5% of attorneys per state. Rising Stars must be either 40-years-old or younger or have been practicing for 10 years or fewer and represent 2.5% of attorneys per state.
We sat down with our honorees to get a little insight on their thoughts regarding their practice, views on representation, and what it means to be selected for distinction.
Katie, you have earned accolades as being among the Top 50 Women practicing in Minnesota for two years and have been a Super Lawyer for eight (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) (Rising Star 2011 and 2012) years. What is the mindset you bring to your cases to achieve this level of representation?
Every situation is unique. We often encounter people who have never had to work with a lawyer before. Often people can be scared, angry or feel vulnerable. Clients trust us with their children, their finances and their futures. I never take that for granted. I strive for excellence every day with professionalism, communication and we produce consistent, quality legal work. Our family law group has developed a well-tested team approach to cases where the entire team are all using their expertise to ensure that each client feels heard, informed and well-represented. So, needless to say, I can’t do this alone!
Mike, you have been very willing to take on serious injury cases. What motivates you to do this?
Catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases bring what is important into focus. These kinds of cases can impact entire communities and generations of people – rippling out from the person harmed to their family and friends and everyone they’ve touched in their life. Bringing justice and accountability in the face of tragedy requires teamwork and humility and hard work and forces us to be our best. In the end, it is rewarding and worthwhile to be able to tell our clients’ stories and bring closure to life-changing events.
Scott, what do you want a client to know about you?
Clients should know I bring real world experience with me to their claims. I’m a father of three so I understand juggling family responsibilities. I didn’t go straight to law school, so my understanding of the world isn’t limited to what school taught me. I try to be patient, understanding, and try to educate my clients so that they feel like they are a part of their claim. I am always happy to try to explain something, so I encourage my clients to call in with questions.
Jenna, why did you choose family law?
I have witnessed situations where people were negatively impacted by family conflict in some form or another. I knew I wanted to help people in these tough situations and to make their lives better in whatever way I can. It motivated me to pursue a career in family law and to be a voice for people who needed it. I am truly passionate about helping families, especially in navigating through challenging and emotional times.
Bria, what is the most rewarding part of your work?
I find any case involving children to be the most rewarding, but especially adoption cases. I love helping a family to navigate the tricky legal landscape of adoption. Nothing beats a final adoption hearing, where the newly created or expanded family is made official. But I also love the tough adoption cases. No matter the outcome, I feel deeply privileged when a client trusts me with the most important part of their life. Whether I am representing adoptive parents, a birth parent, foster parents, or another relative, I take nothing more seriously than advocating for my client regarding the welfare of a child.
Katie, what is your first priority in a case?
Really listening to clients and understanding their motivations is really important so we can get on the same page with objectives, concerns and desired outcome. Because I assist clients through a transition period, we talk about short and longer term goals and how best to move on to the next chapter of life.
Mike, what was the driving force to you becoming an attorney?
I became an attorney because I sincerely believe I can help people and I can use the law to hold wrongdoers accountable.
Scott, why did you choose injury law?
Personal injuries will impact almost everybody, but usually only once. It is usually an unexpected, frightening, and disruptive incident. Personal injury gives me an opportunity to meet people of all walks of life in every stage of life and provide clarity. I don’t expect people to be an expert, so it is satisfying to make a bad situation as easy as possible.
Jenna, you are part of a group that represents only 2.5% of attorneys in Minnesota. Professionally, how does it feel and what does it mean to you?
There are so many Minnesota lawyers that I respect and look up to, so I feel truly honored that I would be nominated by my peers to be a part of this group. When I think of how selective this group is, it motivates me to work even harder to become a better lawyer today than I was yesterday. It means the world to me to receive such a high honor and to know that the work I’m doing is making an impact.
Bria, how has growing up in a family of family law lawyers shaped you as an attorney?
Both being adopted myself and growing up with family law attorneys in my family, I have been a witness to family law issues and family law lawyering my whole life. This has given me insight to the circumstances that clients are going through and the behind the scenes of the practice of family law. I think that experience allowed me to go into my own practice with eyes wide open. I have an appreciation for the highs and lows of this work, both for clients and for myself as a practitioner. I knew what I was getting into, and I think that gives me a deeper appreciation for the work.
If you need family or injury law representation, give us a call for a free consultation at (612) 294-2200.
