When I thought about becoming a lawyer more than 40 years ago, it wasn't common for women to enter the legal profession. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, a career detour took me to the business world, but In 1977 I followed my dream and entered Hamline University School of Law. Today, I own my own practice in Minneapolis practicing adoption and assisted reproduction law exclusively on adoption and assisted reproduction law. As part of a successful family law practice, I did many adoptions. I was at the forefront of this complex area of law, completing the first co-parent adoption in the state by a same-sex couple in 1991 and representing the birth mother in the only reported case in Minnesota on the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children. While many people consider adoption part of family law, I realized that this area had become increasingly complex. As a result, in 2004 I decided to focus exclusively on adoption and assisted reproduction law.

I have been recognized with the Myra Bradwell Award given by Minnesota Women Lawyers to the lawyer who most exemplifies promoting women in the legal profession and in the community, and honored with the Distinguished Service Award from the Minnesota Justice Foundation for my volunteer work, particularly for the Minnesota Aids Project. I served as Chair of the Minnesota and Hennepin County Bar Associations Family Law Sections, and President of Minnesota Women Lawyers. I served as an Administrative Law Judge, Conciliation Court Referee, Guardian Ad Litem and on the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights.

I enjoy mentoring lawyers in my areas of expertise and teaching continuing legal education classes.

My practice as a lawyer isn't simply a career but a vocation. I started my own practice with the goal of helping families and children. I represent prospective adoptive parents and birth mothers throughout Minnesota.

I represent Assisted Reproduction Law Intended Parents throughout the world, who are working with gestational carriers or traditional surrogates residing in Minnesota.

If you're thinking of adopting a child and have questions about where to begin, I can set you on the right track. Preparation and current, up-to-date information regarding adoption, procedures and regulations is necessary to avoid complications and unnecessary set-backs.

Areas of Practice

• Adoption

Bar Admissions

• Minnesota, 1980
• U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1980
• U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1984
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1997

Education

• Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1980
  J.D.
  Law Review: Hamline University Law Review, Primary Editor, 1979 - 1980
  
  
• University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1977
  B.A.
  
  

Published Works

• In re Hatzopoulos, Hamline L. Rev., 1979

Representative Cases

• Wick v. Wick, 670 N.W.2d 599 (Minn. App. 2003)
• In re: C.M.A., 557 N.W.2d 353 (Minn.App. 1996)
• In re: Guardianship of Kowalski, 478 N.W.2d 790 (Minn. App. 1991)
• Kulla v. McNulty, 472 N.W.2d. 175 (Minn.App. 1991)
• Nohner v. Anderson, 446 N.W.2d 202 (Minn.App. 1989)

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Facility, Family Law Institute, Minnesota CLE, 1995 - 1996
• Facility, Adoption Practice, Minnesota CLE, 1995
• Adoption Law and Procedure, Minnesota CLE, January 20, 2006
• Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual and Transgender Issues in Family Law, Minnesota CLE, September 18, 2006
• Estate Planning for Non-Traditional Families, Minnesota CLE, December 2, 2002
• Introduction to Adoption Law & Practice, Minnesota CLE, July 23, 2003
• Assisted Reproduction Law, Minnesota CLE, March 30, 2006
• Basic Adoption, Hennepin County Bar Association, January 26, 2006
• Access to Adoption Records, April 21, 2006

Honors and Awards

• Minnesota Women Lawyers Myra Bradwell Award, 1998
• Minnesota Justice Foundation Distinguished Service Award, 2000 - Present
• Super Lawyer, Minnesota Journal of Law and Politics, 2000 - Present
• Recipient, Minnesota Women Lawyers Myra Bradwell Award, 1998

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Hennepin County Bar Association, Family Law Section
  Member, Executive Committee
  
  
• Minnesota State Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1985 - Present
  Chairperson
  
  
• Minnesota State Bar Association, 1999 - 2000
  Member, Multidisciplinary Practice Task Force
  
  
• Minnesota Women Lawyers, 1985 - 1986
  President
  
  
• Minnesota Supreme Court, 1998 - 2000
  Parental Cooperation Task Force
  
  
• Minnesota Continuing Legal Education Family Law Institutes, 1999 - 2000
  Co-Chair
  
  
• Minnesota Women Lawyers, 1977 - Present
  Member
  
  

Past Employment Positions

• Hon. John F. Thoreen, Tenth Judicial District, Minnesota, Judicial Law Clerk, 1980 - 1983
• Stone & Zander, Partner, 1983 - 1985
• Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights, Commissioner, 1987 - 1993
• Office of Administrative Hearings, Child Support, Contract Administrative Law Judge, 1989 - 2000
• Hennepin County Family Court, Guardian Ad Litem, 1984 - 2002
• Hennepin County Conciliation Court Referee, 1995 - Present

Pro Bono Activities

• Volunteer Lawyers Network, 1980 - Present
• Chrysalis, 1980 - 2005
• Minnesota AIDS Project, 1985 - Present
• Minnesota AIDS Project, June 1, 1991 - Present