Posted January 7th, 2020 in Top Stories
Adding More Deep Expertise, Nilan Johnson Lewis Welcomes Largest Group of Laterals in History, Promotes Experienced Associates to Shareholders
MINNEAPOLIS (January 2, 2020) – Minnesota law firm Nilan Johnson Lewis (NJL) announces it has added four new attorneys and promoted three attorneys to shareholder, effective immediately. The additions represent the firm’s largest acquisition of talent in its history and brings its employee count to 56 attorneys and 36 other professionals.
As of February 10, the entire firm, including the new attorneys, will work out of NJL’s new downtown Minneapolis office located at 250 Marquette Avenue South.
The addition of the laterals and the new office space are both part of the firm’s commitment to remaining a fiercely independent, Minnesota-based firm despite the growing trend of law firm mergers.
“We’re pleased to be in a position to welcome and advance such a talented group of attorneys,” says Heidi Christianson, president of Nilan Johnson Lewis. “Each one of them not only broadens our deep bench of offerings but also shares our commitment to diversity, innovation and excellence while remaining passionate about partnering closely with clients.”
Joining the firm are:
- David Schooler, shareholder – Schooler has been elected into numerous elite national trial organizations, including ABOTA, FDCC and IADC. He is listed by Benchmark Litigation as a top 30 employment lawyer in Minnesota and listed in America’s “top 100 high-stakes litigators” for Minnesota. Schooler brings 27 years of experience to NJL’s business litigation and product liability/mass tort groups. He has litigated more than 500 cases for a broad range of industries, trying 50 cases to verdict. Admitted into the state bars of Minnesota and North Dakota, as well as to federal district courts in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, Schooler received his B.A. from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. and graduated cum laude from the William Mitchell College of Law.
- Ellen Brinkman, shareholder – Brinkman joins NJL’s business litigation and labor and employment practice groups, having litigated hundreds of cases in state and federal courts and demonstrated an affinity for collaborating with business owners, HR executives and in-house counsel. She routinely provides day-to-day employment counseling to her clients, and she’s been named to Benchmark Litigation‘s Minnesota list of Employment Stars in 2018 and 2019. Ellen has state bar admissions in Minnesota and North Dakota, and is also admitted to the U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit and U.S. District Court District of Nebraska. Brinkman earned her B.A. from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. and graduated magna cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law.
- Daniel Supalla, special counsel – Supalla joins NJL’s business litigation team, having a long track record of representing financial service firms, financial advisors, and banks in litigation, arbitration and regulatory matters. He also represents employers in non-compete cases, tip-pooling class actions, and compensation disputes. Supalla maintains a robust appellate practice and has argued cases before the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Minnesota Supreme Court, and 8th Circuit. He’s also admitted into Minnesota State and federal district courts as well as the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Second and Eighth Circuits. Supalla graduated magna cum laude from both the University of Minnesota (B.A.) and William Mitchell College of Law.
- Erin Conlin, associate – Conlin is an addition to NJL’s labor and employment practice group, having previously served as a law firm associate, paralegal and legal assistant at firms in Boston and Minneapolis. She graduated magna cum laude from Boston College and earned her J.D. cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School, and is admitted to the Minnesota State Bar.
Newly promoted shareholders at NJL are:
- Pablo Orozco – A member of the firm’s labor and employment group, Orozco focuses his practice on class and collection cases, including wage-and-hour, worker misclassification, discrimination, and ERISA matters. Admitted to the Minnesota and California State Bar, to federal district courts in Minnesota and California, and to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, he has a wealth of experience in complex litigation, having litigated numerous high-profile and high-stakes cases. He earned a B.A. from Reed College in Portland, a M.A. in political theory from the University of Chicago and a J.D. from the UCLA School of Law.
- Jeremy Robb – Part of NJL’s labor and employment practice group, Robb has tried numerous cases involving whistleblower, discrimination, and retaliation claims, succeeding with complete defense verdicts in court and in arbitration proceedings. Robb is admitted to the Minnesota State Bar and to federal district courts in Minnesota and Nebraska. He received his B.A. from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn. and graduated magna cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law.
- DJ Warden – Participating in both NJL’s business litigation and product liability/mass tort practice groups, Warden has a strong track record for defending complex product liability cases and favorably resolving commercial disputes. He is admitted to the Minnesota bar and the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. He received his B.A. from Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School.
About Nilan Johnson Lewis
Founded in 1996 and proud to be an independent law firm, NJL has earned a reputation for being innovative, forward-thinking and bringing deep expertise and a total partnership approach to serving clients. The firm is committed to diverse hiring, advancement, and retention of women, people of color, and those with different backgrounds and lifestyles. The firm focuses on five areas of law: product liability/mass tort litigation, business litigation, labor and employment, health care and corporate and transactional services.
# # #
CONTACT: Aaron Berstler, Kohnstamm Communications
aberstler@broadheadco.com
651.617.7931
