Melanie Nelson

Philip R. Schenkenberg is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Philip R., who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Philip R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Brian practices primarily with the firm’s litigation group and focuses on commercial, landlord-tenant, real estate, and employment litigation. He also draws upon his litigation experience to counsel his clients on methods of avoiding litigation in the first place. Brian represents a wide range of businesses and individuals involved in a variety of disputes, including disagreements over partnership, real estate, and asset purchase agreements, leases, mortgages, mechanic’s liens, an...

Lauren Nuffort is a civil litigator practicing in the areas of insurance law, insurance coverage disputes, personal injuries and wrongful death, transportation law, professional liability, and construction law. She represents insurance companies and their insureds in subrogation claims against third parties for property losses. She has obtained significant recoveries for her clients in losses involving fires, water intrusion, and structural failures. She is also retained to investigate and pu...

Karen D. McDaniel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property, Litigation - Patent, Patent Law, Trade Secrets Law and Trademark Law. Karen D., who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2015. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Karen D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Peter is a commercial litigator known for distilling complicated subject matter into clear, compelling narratives that resonate with judges, juries, and opposing parties. He represents clients on both the plaintiff and defense sides of high-stakes litigation. On the plaintiff side, Peter has secured verdicts and settlements in the hundreds of millions of dollars. On the defense side, he has represented major financial institutions and companies in government enforcement actions and commercial...

Michael Schwartz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Health Care. Michael, who practices law in Oakdale, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Nick wins cases for clients and helps them favorably resolve disputes, including complex partnership, corporate governance, finance, and deal disputes. As a first-chair trial lawyer who has tried more than 30 jury trials, bench trials, and arbitrations, when a rare business case goes to trial, other law firms and clients ask him to join or lead the trial team. Nick splits his time between Barack Ferrazzano’s Minneapolis and Chicago offices, although he regularly appears in courts across...

Ashley Bennett Ewald is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property. Ashley Bennett, who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ashley Bennett is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Court J. Anderson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Court J., who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Court J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Chuck has over 30 years of experience litigating complex commercial cases, with particular emphasis on the trial and appeal of insurance coverage disputes, including breach of contract, declaratory judgment and bad faith actions. Chuck was named in 2025, 2021, and 2016 by The Best Lawyers in America as its Minneapolis Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action – Defendants “Lawyer of the Year.” He was also named as its 2019 and 2014 Minneapolis Insurance Law “Lawyer of the Year...