Jake G. Peterson
Having been in the trenches litigating deals gone bad, I’m here to prevent that at the outset.
Contact: P /612.604.6405E /[email protected]
Administrative Contact: Deanna Dwyer P /612.604.6777E /[email protected]
Education
University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., with distinction, 2011
- Journal of Corporation Law, Articles Editor
- Appellate Advocacy, Moot Court Board Judge
Hamline University, B.A., Legal Studies & Political Science, summa cum laude, 2008
- Presidential Scholar
Bar Admissions
Minnesota, 2011
U.S. District Court, D. Minn., 2016
My Approach
Building a relationship with my clients and understanding their goals and risks is what gets me up in the morning. For me, the foundation of that relationship is trust; I want clients to know they can trust me, both as a lawyer and as a person, and I work hard to build that trust.
Coming from a background in a blended litigation and transactional setting, I understand that working toward a productive outcome, whether in a merger, an acquisition, or any other type of transaction, is worth more than unnecessarily getting caught in the weeds. I don’t bow down to conflict and am ready to engage my former litigator hat if needed, but I will always keep my clients’ end goals in mind. Fighting over the small stuff doesn’t typically help to get the deal done – understanding what matters to my clients and what doesn’t is always my primary focus.
Outside of the office, I enjoy reading classic fiction whenever I can (ask me anything about F. Scott Fitzgerald, Kurt Vonnegut, or John Steinbeck) and picking up new languages. I’m proficient in German, conversational in Spanish, and just started learning Swedish. I’m also a true lover of the outdoors and spend as much time as I can camping, fishing, and hiking.
Practice Areas
Practicing General Corporate
My Experience
I represent clients of all sizes on a wide variety of corporate matters, including day-to-day legal advice, drafting and negotiation of commercial contracts, large-scale mergers and acquisitions, commercial real estate transactions, and other business matters. I have experience working in law firms of varying sizes and can handle all aspects of a transaction, whether that be leading the negotiation on a multi-million dollar transaction or running to a local FedEx office with an important mailing.
I previously served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Stoney L. Hiljus of the Tenth Judicial District of Minnesota and believe that my past experience in litigation (both from private practice and through this clerkship) helps guide my corporate counseling practice today.
Representative Matters
- Represented manufacturing, fabricating, automotive, and retail companies in multi-million-dollar asset and stock sales.
- Represented community banks and credit unions in financing, compliance, contract negotiation, and litigation, including mortgage foreclosures.
- Represented buyers and sellers in commercial and industrial real property transactions.
- Advised corporations as general counsel on regulatory compliance, employment matters, contract disputes, and real property issues.
- Represented companies and individuals in shareholder disputes, up to and including trial.
- Represented construction companies financing, workouts, payment disputes, and lien rights.