Top best Family Lawyers in ZIP 55402 | 52 available

Melissa J. Nilsson practices exclusively in all areas of family law. Melissa frequently works on cases involving spousal maintenance, child support, child custody, parenting time and the division of assets and liabilities, whether a case involves a non-acrimonious settlement or vigorous litigation. Melissa is able to assist in the division of high net worth marital estates, analyzing complex financial issues, such as business valuation, non-marital tracing and executive compensation valuation. Melissa represents clients in a variety of matters through mediation, arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution processes in order to settle matters, if possible. If a resolution cannot be reached, she strongly advocates for her client through the litigation process. In addition, Melissa has extensive experience with family law appeals if one does not agree with a court’s decision and has the ability to analyze the legal issues and develop creative and persuasive arguments to present to the appellate court. Whether mediating or litigating, Melissa strives to be a calm and considerate advocate for clients during this highly emotional and difficult time in their lives.

Marc Johannsen is admitted to practice in Minnesota state and federal courts, Wisconsin state court.. Marc Johannsen concentrates his practice in the area of family law and leads the firm’s family practice group. He routinely handles divorce/dissolution of marriage and separation proceedings, business valuation issues, custody disputes, parenting time, establishment and enforcement of child support and spousal maintenance, alternative dispute resolution and mediation, domestic abuse hearings, antenuptial agreements, paternity actions, adoption, grandparent rights, post-trial motions and tax aspects of divorce. Marc practices family law in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.. Before joining Lommen Abdo, Mr. Johannsen served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Doris Ohlsen Huspeni of the Minnesota Court of Appeals and the Honorable Dolores C. Orey of the Hennepin County District Court. Having worked in both the trial and appellate courts, he brings practical knowledge to the litigation process.. He was named as a Top 100 Lawyer by The National Advocates and is rated AV Preeminent® for the highest level of professional excellence by Martindale-Hubbell.. Marc Johannsen was the Mayor of Vadnais Heights from 2011 to 2016 and Acting Mayor from 1998 to 2011. Vadnais Heights was named one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live in America by Money Magazine. Marc is also an active leader in the Boy Scouts. He and his wife have twin teenagers.

Lisa T. Spencer represents clients in all areas of family law, working with her clients to reach resolution and settlement, and litigating only when settlement cannot be attained.  She brings a compassionate approach to the difficult transitions many of her clients face.. Lisa has substantial experience in cases involving complex financial issues including business valuation, executive compensation, intellectual property, and non-marital property.  She helps families create effective parenting plans, specifically suited to each family, with an eye towards minimizing the effects of divorce on children.  Lisa also assists clients in creating premarital and postnuptial agreements that address long-term financial settlement.. She is a member of Henson & Efron’s Management Committee.

Licensed Attorney since 2000 with substantial experience in the area of family law. High premium on ethical practices, rigorous representation and responsive advocacy.

Kathryn A. Graves practices in the area of family law, litigating in the trial and appellate courts on all family law issues, including custody, child support, third party custody, spousal maintenance, property division and complex valuation issues, and post-decree disputes. She provides Alternative Dispute Resolution services as a Mediator (Qualified Neutral under Minnesota’s Alternative Dispute Resolution – Rule 114), is a Financial Early Neutral Evaluator for Hennepin, Ramsey, and Dakota Counties and is on the roster for Moderated Settlement Conferences in Hennepin, Ramsey and Washington Counties.

Jenny is an attorney at Honsa & Associates, P.A., practicing exclusively in the area of family law.  Jenny represents her clients in all aspects of family law, including prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, divorce, legal separation, custody and parenting time actions, paternity actions, post-decree matters, and orders for protection.. Jenny is committed to solving her clients’ problems by listening carefully to the challenges they face and implementing sustainable solutions.  Jenny enjoys the combination of social and financial issues involved in the practice of family law, and she most enjoys complex asset valuation and non-marital tracing claims.. Jenny graduated summa cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law.  After graduation, Jenny served as a law clerk at the Minnesota Court of Appeals.. Jenny’s personal interests include running, reading, and music.

Jaime Driggs practices family law exclusively, representing clients in cases ranging from simple, uncontested divorces to complex proceedings involving non-marital tracing, business valuation, spousal maintenance, and division of high net worth marital estates. He also advises clients on issues that can arise after divorce such as modification of child support and spousal maintenance and modification of the parenting time schedule/custody arrangement. Where custody or parenting time is involved (whether part of a divorce, custody, or paternity case) Jaime will work to find creative solutions for resolving the issues and minimizing the harmful effects of conflict on children. If a successful settlement cannot be reached through mediation or other methods of alternative dispute resolution, Jaime is committed to professional and thoughtful trial advocacy.

In difficult times of transition, like those facing many family law clients, I work to help my clients make sense of a legal system that can often seem disconnected from the realities of their lives. I believe in working closely with clients to help them understand the range of possible legal outcomes so that together we develop a strategy best tailored to meet the client’s needs and objectives. Often that will include pursuing alternative dispute resolution, but may also require litigation to ensure that the client’s rights are protected and that their voice is heard. At base, my central goal is providing the client with value-added expertise and advocacy, whether in the courtroom or the conference room, so that they can make informed and rational decisions in a challenging time of personal and family change.

I am a shareholder in the firm of McGrann Shea Carnival Straughn & Lamb, Chartered, and have practiced exclusively in family law for over 30 years.  I am one of only two Minnesota Diplomates of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers (membership obtained by invitation only, and limited to 100 of the top family law trial lawyers in the country) and am one of only six lawyers in Minnesota certified Family Law Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. I have a bachelor's degree in child psychology, and specialize not only in custody litigation but also in hight net worth estates with complex dissolution issues, including business valuation, real estate valuation, non-marital tracing, hidden and dissipated assets, spousal maintenance and child support.  I have successfully challenged and circumvented unfair antenuptial agreements, have argued in favor of substantively fair antenuptial agreements and have drafted antenuptial agreements which can withstand challenge.  I am also an experienced advocate of victims of domestic abuse, and served on the board of directors of Cornerstone Advocacy Service from 2002 through 2010.  I have extensive appellate experience, and have participated in some 80 appeals during my career, successfully arguing cases both in the Minnesota Court of Appeals as well as in the Minnesota Supreme Court.  I am a fellow of both the American and International Academies of Matrimonial Lawyers.   I served as Administrative Vice President of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers from 2009 to 2012 and currently serve as the National Delegate to the Board of Governors.  I was the 2002-2003 co-chair of the Hennepin County Bar Association Family Law section.  I have lectured on various family law topics, and also mediate family law cases.

Elizabeth is an attorney at Henson Efron in Minneapolis. Her practice is focused exclusively on family law, including divorce, child custody, child support, post-decree matters, domestic violence, and third party custody.. Elizabeth is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), comprised of the top family law attorneys in the nation who are recognized as having the highest levels of knowledge, skill, and integrity. She is board-certified in family law trial advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Elizabeth is also a Qualified Neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice and has frequently worked as a Parenting Consultant, custody evaluator, and court-appointed neutral. A skilled writer and negotiator, she enjoys crafting creative solutions and is always prepared to advocate for her clients and their children both in and out of the courtroom.. Elizabeth graduated cum laude from St. Olaf College and earned her J.D. from the University of St. Thomas, where she was an editor of the Law Journal. She is a Past President of the University of St. Thomas School Alumni Advisory Board.. Before moving her practice to Minnesota, she practiced family law for nearly 12 years in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she was Managing Partner of her former firm. She is experienced at handling parental child abduction cases and is a member of the International Child Abduction Attorney Network and the Association of Family & Conciliation Courts.. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys spending time with her family and is a freelance singer and cellist. She also serves on the Boards of Directors of Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF/Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), Minnetonka Theatre Curtain Call Club, and Lutheran Summer Music.

Anne is one of the premier family law attorneys in Minnesota. She has been selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® and has been selected as a "Super Lawyer" in Minnesota Law and Politics every year since 2003. She has also been chosen as a TOP 100 Attorney and as a Top 3 Family Law Super Lawyer in 2007.. With over 28 years' experience practicing exclusively in the area of family law, Anne is known for her professionalism, meticulous personal case management, thorough preparation and exceptional knowledge of the law. Most notably, Anne is a dedicated advocate for her clients and is recognized for her expertise in dealing with the many complex issues of family law including finances, business, property and asset valuation, non-marital property and spousal maintenance.. Anne is Board Certified in Family Law Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA).. Her personal interests include biking, marathon running, traveling and golf.

Alan C. Eidsness’ experience includes trial work focusing on family law, specifically cases involving business valuations and other cases involving significant assets and/or incomes. As part of his family law practice, he also provides services in Alternative Dispute Resolution – both as a Mediator and as a Special Master. His business work includes representing entrepreneurs and companies in commercial matters and also includes work with tax-free non-profit corporations. Alan has additional experience in estate and tax planning for individuals.

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