Winthrop & Weinstine corporate attorneys Ryan Schildkraut and Zachary Robins were profiled and quoted in the November 11, 2014, StarTribune article “State can’t afford to wait for feds on crowdfunding.”  Schildkraut and Robins are co-authors of proposed legislation, MNvest, which aims to legalize securities crowdfunding in Minnesota.

Winthrop & Weinstine was featured in an article appearing in Attorney at Law magazine, highlighting the firm’s strong bench of women lawyers, and profiling the experiences of four individual women at the firm. Laura Pfeiffer, Aimée Dayhoff, Christianna Finnern and Tammera Diehm discussed what led them to become lawyers, how the culture of the firm is welcoming to female attorneys, and where they see the profession headed in the future, especially for women.

To read the full article, please click here.

Winthrop & Weinstine attorney Tony Moch’s comments at the Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota Annual Conference were quoted in the October 2014 issue of NW Financial Review. A pre-convention directors’ seminar featured a presentation by attorneys and accountants with expertise in bank acquisitions. At the seminar, Tony commented that “The market for troubled banks has diminished considerably,” and that “organic deals, resulting from mutual discussions between bankers, are growing more common. This is a change from previous cycles when most transactions took place after a competitive bidding process.”

Article
“M&A Counsel from ICBM Meeting.” NW Financial Review, October 2014.

Winthrop & Weinstine was profiled in Minnesota Business where they were noted for their commitment to client service, and deep experience in the health care industry.  The health law practice group, led by co-chairs David Aafedt and Christianna Finnern, was the recipient of Minnesota Business magazine’s Leaders in Health Care Award in the “Dream Team: Law Firm” category, which recognizes excellence in legal services provided to the health care industry in Minnesota.

Erlien, Wendy. November 2014. Health Initiative Business Profile. Minnesota Business.

Winthrop & Weinstine was profiled in a case study on law firm efficiency by Canon, following the firm’s implementation of a workflow system designed to handle the tremendous amount of copying, scanning and filing of legal documentation that is a constant across all law firms. The new solution includes extra security features and efficiency measures that allow for customization, and ultimately maximize productivity, all of which result in an increased ability to respond to and serve clients in a fast and cost-effective manner.

To read the full case study, please click here.

Dean D. Willer offers Upsize’s Growth Challenge winners advice on how to grow their businesses. The Growth Challenge is a contest created by Upsize magazine, and presented by Winthrop & Weinstine, to match business owners with industry experts to reach their business goals. This year’s Growth Challenge winners were AutoData Systems and Cheryl Alexander & Associates. Dean offers advice and suggestions to the CEOs of the winning companies, including on the importance of focusing just on the most important, highest-level activities, rather than wearing all the hats in the company.

Article
Ewen, Beth. “Next Up.” Upsize August/September 2013: 14-19.

Thomas H. Boyd, shareholder in the Business & Commercial Litigation group, recently appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, to argue that Minnesota’s Next Generation Energy Act is unconstitutional.  The hearing took place in a suit by the State of North Dakota and several utilities and other interests challenging the constitutionality of the statute, which prohibits purchases of coal-generated electricity from other states. Tom, who represents North Dakota and these utilities in the suit, argued the statute seeks to regulate generation activities and transactions that occur entirely outside of Minnesota.  Moreover, “this is a resource-elimination statute.”  While many states have laws to encourage utilities’ use of clean energy, “the difference between Minnesota’s renewable energy law and laws in other states is that the other laws talk about diversifying electricity sources,” whereas the NGEA seeks to entirely eliminate a form of generation from the interstate marketplace altogether.  As such, the statute violates the Commerce Clause of the federal constitution, and it is also preempted by the Federal Power Act and the Clean Air Act.

Articles
Shaffer, David. “Judge Raises Questions about Minnesota’s Anti-Coal Law.” StarTribune. 17 October 2013.

Dunbar, Elizabeth. “Fate of Minn. Renewable Energy Law in Judge’sHands.” Minnesota Public Radio News. 17 October 2013.

A tribute to the Honorable Edward J. Devitt authored by Thomas H. Boyd, shareholder in the Business and Commercial Litigation practice, has been cited and entered in the Congressional Record. The tribute was cited by Representative Collin Peterson (D-MN) in support of H.R. 2251, a bill to designate the United States courthouse in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, as the “Edward J. Devitt United States Courthouse.” To read the full text of the bill and Mr. Boyd’s tribute to Judge Devitt in the Congressional Record, please click here.

David M. Aafedt was quoted in “Co-op’s Planning Process Doesn’t Fly with Minnesota Regulators,” in Midwest Energy News, “Regulators Reject Great River Energy’s Business Plan,” in the StarTribune and “Rethink Coal Dependency, PUC Tells Great River Energy,” in MPR News on July 18.  The articles review the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC) decision to reject Great River Energy’s resource plan because it did not examine whether the electric cooperative should close one or more coal plants.  “We are hoping that this leads the GRE board to more closely scrutinize the cost and expense side of its business,” he said when representing two ethanol producers who had complained to the PUC about Great River’s electric rates and investments.

To read the articles, please click below.

Articles

Haugen, Dan. “Co-op’s Planning Process Desn’t Fy with Minnesota Rgulators” Midwest Energy News. 18 July 2013.

Shaffer, David. “Regulators Reject Great River Energy’s Business Plan” StarTribune. 18 July 2013.

Hemphill, Stephanie. “Rethink Coal Dependency, PUC Tells Great River Energy” Minnesota Public Radio News. 18 July 2013.

David M. Aafedt was quoted in “Ethanol Makers Complain About Rising Great River Energy Rates,” which appeared in the StarTribune on June 2, 2013. The article discusses a recent challenge to Great River Energy by two ethanol companies, who accuse Great River Energy of poor planning for future power needs and wasteful spending, which has led to rate hikes. David is representing the two ethanol producers. “The companies are simply no longer able to sit on the sidelines in light of the massive spike in their rates over the last few years,” he said. “[Great River’s] highest-in-the-State of Minnesota electric rates have been … largely driven by significant, questionable, and in some cases wasteful, costs and projects,” he wrote in a filing.

To read the full article, please click here.

Article
Shaffer, David. “Ethanol makers complain about rising Great River Energy rates.” StarTribune. 2 June 2013.