Top Best Family Lawyers | 13996 Available

Katie (Kathryn) M. Moody (previously Kneissel) is the owner of Moody Family Law, PLLC in Hastings, MN.  Prior to owning her own firm, Ms. Moody worked an associate attorney at the Howard Family Law,  various legal aid services as well as in private practice where she practiced exclusively in the area of family law specifically focusing on issues regarding high-conflict divorce, negotiations, paternity, child custody, parenting time, child support, spousal maintenance, property division, antenuptial and post nuptial agreements, post-decree matters and qualified domestic relations orders.  Ms. Moody has also worked closely with victims of domestic violence and advocated for victim rights in conjunction with local shelters and advocacy programs.. Ms. Moody is a lifelong resident of Minnesota and has close ties to the community.  She grew up in Scott County, graduated from Burnsville High School, and is currently a resident of Dakota County.  Ms. Moody did some spend some in Wisconsin as she received her bachelor's degree of Univeristy of Wisconsin - River Falls.  In her free time she enjoys being with her dogs, going off-roading with her Jeep, ATV and side-by-side, camping, and spending time with her husband, friends and family.

As a graduate of William Mitchell College of Law I am a passionate advocate to all of my clients.  Whether it be criminal defence, family law, civil litigation, personal injury or estate planning you can count on to me represent you to my fullest capacity.

Thomas Tuft, a native of the Saint Paul, is a partner at Tuft & Lach, PLLC practicing primarily in family law. Mr. Tuft practices in all areas of family law, including complex divorce, child support, paternity, and child custody with an emphasis on interstate and international child custody cases. He has been a SuperLawyer® since 2002 and has been named one of the Top 40 Family Law SuperLawyers in Minnesota since 2006. He has been named to the list of Top 100 Superlawyers in Minnesota since 2006 and the Best Lawyers in America®. He is rated AV (the highest possible rating in both ethics and legal skills) by Martindale-Hubbell one of the nation’s oldest and most respected attorney listings. He is a member of the ABA, MSBA, RCBA, is a Fellow and current President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers — Minnesota Chapter, and is a past chair of the Second District Ethics Committee. He writes and speaks on the Uniform Child-Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, law practice management, and legal ethics.

Named the 2015 Minneapolis Area Family Law “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in America, Dan O’Connell has been guiding clients through the legal system for 30 years. Only a single lawyer in each practice area in each community is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year”. He helps his clients overcome the fear and uncertainty of divorce. He works hard to help his clients achieve a fair and amicable settlement, but if there is not a fair settlement to be had, Mr. O’Connell is a skilled trial attorney who will take the case to trial.. He helps clients make marriage dissolution decisions out of their highest aspirations instead of their worst fears and impulses. Dan is also a licensed CPA, so is able to understand, negotiate, and litigate complex financial and tax issues, business valuations, retirement, executive compensation, intellectual property, and other business issues, as well as non-marital asset issues. He has handled pre-marital and post-marital agreements, as well as cohabitation agreements. He represents clients in child custody, parenting time, grandparent visitation, and third-party custody/parenting time matters.. Dan’s calming demeanor and empathetic manner help him assist clients and lawyers toward amicable and dignified resolutions through ADR. He is also named by Best Lawyers in America for Family Law Mediation. Dan has been appointed by the courts to act as a neutral evaluator in dozens of cases involving financial issues and custody and parenting time issues. He is an arbitrator and CSM (private judge). He is a fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and a member of the Collaborative Law Institute and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. He is immediate past president of the Minnesota Chapter of the AAML. Dan practices law regularly in Ramsey, Hennepin, Washington, and Dakota counties, but has had cases in many other counties throughout Minnesota.. He mediates both civil law and family law disputes. He has represented lawyers, doctors, dentists and other professionals in licensing and ethics matters for over twenty-five years.

Letty M-S Van Ert is an associate with the Maplewood law firm of Tuft, Lach, Jerabek & O’Connell, PLLC and a Rule 114 qualified neutral. She practices family law, estate planning and probate.. Ms. Van Ert received her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law where she graduated cum laude and served as an editor of the Law Review.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish/Portuguese, English, and International Relations from the University of Minnesota where she graduated magna cum laude.. She is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and has received recognition for public service, most notably for her work with prisoners, the elderly, and victims of domestic abuse. Ms. Van Ert has published articles regarding family caregiver legislation, deathbed deeds and estate planning for digital assets.. Ms. Van Ert is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association, Family Law League, Ramsey County Bar Association, Hennepin County Bar Association and Minnesota Women Lawyers.

Lindsey O’Connell practices in the areas of family law and general civil matters. She is admitted to practice in the State of Minnesota and is a Qualified Neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice.. While at William Mitchell College of Law, Ms. O’Connell worked as a Certified Student Attorney at the Washington County Public Defender’s Office and as a Judicial Extern for the Honorable Diane R Alshouse in Ramsey County. Throughout law school, she was a volunteer with Minnesota Women Lawyers, World Without Genocide, and with the Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault.. Ms. O’Connell was a volunteer Guardian ad Litem in Ramsey County from 2012 until 2015 where she represented the best interest of children in need of protection or services in Juvenile Court. She has continued her work with the Guardian ad Litem program by representing Guardians in court in cases involving abused or neglected children since 2015. Ms. O’Connell has also completed the Pro Bono Safety Project training through Tubman and is a volunteer attorney with that program.. Current Employment Position:. Bar Admissions:. Education:. Professional Associations and Memberships:. Volunteer/Pro Bono Activities:

Robb Olson has represented clients in the Twin Cities metro area since 1984. After graduating cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School, Robb joined a Minneapolis firm in its business litigation and construction claims group. He has since honed his legal career in on handling family law, probate and estate planning, and municipal law matters. He has gained extensive courtroom experience through his private practice and his years spent as the lead prosecutor for the cities of White Bear Lake, Lino Lakes and Gem Lake.. When it comes to representing clients, Robb takes a pragmatic, goal-oriented approach. He understands that a legal issue is often the most important thing happening in a client’s life, so he focuses on providing the attention and time needed to ensure each client understands what is going on. He provides clear, easy-to-understand options so his clients can make informed decisions about their representation.. In addition to his success as a lawyer, Robb has experience owning, managing and selling his own company. He understands the intricacies of running a business and knows the complications a business or professional practice can face during a divorce. This first-hand knowledge is especially useful when handling high asset divorces that require business valuations and related matters.

I focus my practice primarily in family law, appeals, guardianships, child welfare law, and estate administration.  I represent clients in litigation, mediation, and collaborative law and also serve as a guardian ad litem in the Probate and Family Court and court investigator in the Juvenile Court.  I am also a member of the trial and appellate panels of the Children and Family Law Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, where I represent children and indigent parents in termination of parental rights, care and protection, and guardianship matters.  I have also been appointed to represent children in the Probate and Family Court as part of the Attorneys Representing Children (ARC) program

Attorney Jordan A. Phelps joined The Law Office of Kathleen P. Ryder in 2012 before becoming a partner of the firm, subsequently renamed to Ryder & Phelps, P.C in 2017. Attorney Phelps graduated from Merrimack College with honors in 2008 as well as Suffolk University Law School in 2012. During his first year of Law School he was admitted to the Rehnquist Inn Chapter of Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity and was an active participant in the Merrimack College Pre-Law Society which mentored college aged students interested in attending law school post graduation. Since graduating from Suffolk Law School he has purposefully concentrated his practice primarily in the field domestic relations.. In addition to handling divorce litigation, 209 C paternity actions, contempt actions, complaint for modifications, and 209 A restraining orders he has also been appointed by Judges as a Guardian ad litem and a special master to assist them in the administration of justice. Attorney Phelps routinely volunteers his time providing free legal services for programs such the Lawyer of the Day program in the Middlesex Probate and Family Court. In addition, he is a regular guest speaker at the Lowell Fatherhood program sponsored by the Middlesex County Probate and Family Court Probation Department. He has recently been admitted to the board of Directors at the Kimi Nichols Center which supports adult individuals with developmental disabilities.