The Briefing Room: June 2025
Featured Post: Cultivating Legal Arguments: How Writing a Brief Is Like Planting a Seed As attorneys, we often think of legal writing as a technical, precise process—and it is. But sometimes, it helps to step back and see our work through a different lens. Imagine, for a moment, that writing a legal brief is like […]
Elder Financial Abuse: Lessons from My Father’s Story
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network defines elder financial abuse (EFE) as “the illegal or improper use of an older adult’s funds, property or assets.” [1] According to AARP’s 2023 report, EFE causes Americans over 60 to lose an estimated $28.3 billion annually.[2] Perhaps most concerning is that 72% of this theft—$20.3 billion—comes from someone known […]
The Briefing Room: May 2025
Writing a Successful Brief in Support of a Summary Judgment There are many ways to write a successful summary judgment brief, but there are some common best practices you can utilize to help you. Here is a look at our process: I. Introduction This is your first impression. Do not start with the “Plaintiff moves […]
Will a Waiver Protect My Business from Lawsuits?
Why Minnesota Businesses Need to Reevaluate Their Liability Waivers After the Lund Decision If you own a gym, fitness studio, adventure park, or any business where physical risk is involved, you’ve probably asked: Will a liability waiver actually protect my business from a lawsuit? A new decision from the Minnesota Supreme Court—Lund v. Calhoun Orange, […]
Can an Insurance Company Be Wrong About What Its Own Policy Covers?
A coverage dispute can happen for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, the policy language is not clear enough to determine what coverage applies. To limit coverage or to apply an exclusion, the language in the policy must be “clear and unambiguous.” If there is any ambiguity in the Policy, it must be interpreted in favor of the […]
Employment – Minneapolis Expands Protected Classes
The City of Minneapolis has recently expanded the list of protected classes beyond those recognized in the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA).[1] Employers within Minneapolis must now consider the following additional factors as protected and cannot use them when making employment decisions: Housing Status Refers to the stability or security of an individual’s living situation. […]
New Junk Fees Rules and Statutes Protect Consumers and Honest Businesses Alike
The FTC’s Junk Fees rule, formally titled the “Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees,” becomes effective on May 12, 2025. Designed to promote transparency in consumer contract pricing, the rule is the outcome of a years-long study of deceptive or hidden pricing in consumer contracts, including apartment, hotel, and car rentals, concert tickets, mortgages, and […]
The Briefing Room: April 2025
Neven and Brendan Present to Hennepin and Ramsey County Bar Associations on AI and Legal Writing On March 26, we presented a CLE on legal writing and AI for the Minnesota State, Hennepin County, and Ramsey County Bar Associations. We provided an overview on how to harness the power of artificial intelligence to enhance your […]
Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late!
Act Now to Protect Your 2023 Property Damage Claim August 11, 2023, was one of the costliest hail losses in Minnesota, making NOAA’s list of “Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters” with preliminary damage totals in excess of $1.5 billion. Generally, most Minnesota property owners have up to two years to finalize their storm damage claim […]
The Briefing Room: March 2025
Brian Garner’s “Redbook: A Manual of Legal Style”—An Indispensable Tool. Welcome to the March 2025 Edition of the Newsletter! If you haven’t familiarized yourself with Mr. Garner or his Redbook, we think it’s time to change that! Bryan Garner is a prominent figure in legal writing and has written numerous influential books, including recent editions […]