Sapientia

Sonia Miller-Van Oort speaks on panel, “Revising the Rules: Finding Solutions for Gender Equity and Diversity in the Legal Workplace,” at William Mitchell College of Law

law — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:52:55 +0000

William Mitchell College of Law, Twin Cities Diversity in Practice, the Minnesota State Bar Association, and Minnesota Women Lawyers co-hosted a program called “Revising the Rules: Finding Solutions for Gender Equity and Diversity in the Legal Workplace” on April 25, 2012. The purpose of the program was to discuss the 2011 SAGE Report Summary of Findings and how both in-house counsel and law firms are responding to the the continued disparity of women and minorities in private practice as compared to their peers, as reflected in the SAGE report. Sonia Miller-Van Oort sat on the distinguished panel along with Joseph West (President and CEO of Minority Corporate Counsel Association), Gaye Adams Massey (Senior Deputy General Counsel), Kathleen Edmon, (Chief Ethics Officer at Best Buy), Ellen Sampson (Shareholder of Leonard Street & Deinard), and Adonis Neblett (Shareholder Fredrikson & Byron).

SLG Attorney and Executive Coach Sarah Oquist Speaks at the University of St. Thomas

law — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:55:31 +0000

SLG Attorney and Executive Coach Sarah Oquist Speaks at the University of St. Thomas Multicultural Forum on Workplace Diversity. The forum, presented by the Opus College of Business at the University of St. Thomas, is designed for professionals who manage a diverse workforce, are responsible for diversity within their organization, or work with a multicultural clientele. The diversity awards are given to individuals or organizations that show exemplary effort in addressing workplace diversity issues.

For additional information, click here.

Sapientia Law Group Celebrates First Year Anniversary and Announces the Creation of Innovation Advisory Board

law — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:34:42 +0000

For the full press release click here.

Sapientia Law Group is celebrating its inaugural year of operation with an Open House on March 1st, 2012, and is pleased to announce the creation of an Innovation Advisory Board. The advisory board is an elite group of business leaders, in-house counsel, and community innovators. A rarity in the legal industry, Sapientia (pronounced “say-PEN-chee-a”) developed this advisory board of clients and non-clients to seek input and advice regarding progressive business practices from outside of the legal industry.

“Law firms have been slow to employ fresh approaches to the business of law because of internal constraints and a general lack of need to try something different. We hope to tap into the innovative approaches of successful businesses and apply them to our legal practice to add value to our services,” said Sapientia attorney, Jeff Brown.

The members of Sapientia’s Innovation Advisory Board are:
Tom Bock, President, Bock & Associates
Jason Booth, Vice-President of Development and Communications, Indian Land
Tenure Foundation
Allyson Bouldon, Vice-President and Chief Compliance Officer, Chiquita Brands
International
Jacqueline Byrd, President, Creatrix
Richard Copeland, Chairman/Owner, Thor Construction
Professor William Henderson, Indiana University– Mauer School of Law
Val Jensen, Executive Director, Twin Cities Diversity in Practice
Bob Seng, Associate General Counsel, Target
Mary Cullen Yeager, Assistant General Counsel, Global Litigation and Dispute
Resolution, 3M

“I believe Sapientia has a unique chance to shape the evolution of law practice in the Twin Cities and beyond. Their diversity adds to our landscape and can strengthen the bar. As a consumer of legal services, it is in my best interest to see them succeed.” explains Bob Seng regarding his willingness to serve on the firm’s board. Allyson Bouldon adds that she sees value in serving on Sapientia’s Board because it “presents an opportunity to devote thought to current legal services models and how these models can continue to grow and evolve over time.”

One year ago, Sapientia was formed by a team of experienced and diverse lawyers who purposely left their previous firms for the opportunity to do business differently. The firm’s founders believe that traditional law firm hierarchies, value systems, compensation models, and emphasis on billable hours limit lawyers’ abilities to creatively, collaboratively, and efficiently solve their clients’ problems. The founders believe Sapientia’s creative approach to legal practice will lead to happier clients and happier attorneys.

Sapientia is one of the few women and minority-owned law firms of its size in Minnesota and the Midwest. This group of professionals has a unique multi-cultural composition from African American, Asian American, Caucasian, Latino, and Native American backgrounds. The Midwest Minority Supplier Development Council recently recognized this diversity and certified Sapientia as a “Minority Business Enterprise”.

The firm’s 10 attorneys—many of whom are local bar leaders and have been recognized as “Up-and-Coming Attorneys” in the community— have a broad range of legal experience spanning from two years to thirty years. The Sapientia team includes attorneys Jonathan A. Strauss, Lori D. Semke, Chris E. Royal, Sarah Oquist, Diana Young Morrissey, Sonia Miller-Van Oort, Matthew J. McClenahan, Kenn H. Fukuda, Lorenz (Larry) Fett, and Jeffrey C. Brown. This growing law firm provides legal representation and consulting services in business transactions and litigation, product liability matters, employment litigation, real estate, intellectual property, estate planning, trusts and probate, government relations, and executive coaching.

About Sapientia Law Group:

“Sapientia” means wisdom in Latin. The unusual firm name embodies the firm’s conviction that there is value in learning from traditional law practices, and wisdom in adapting and improving upon those practices. The firm’s name also captures its belief that the collective wisdom of Sapientia’s diverse attorney team provides extraordinary value to clients – at no additional cost. For more information, visit www.sapientialaw.com.

Media Contact: Sonia Miller-Van Oort
612.756.7125
soniamv@sapientialaw.com

Sapientia attorney Jon Strauss to speak at the Minnesota State Bar Association

law — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:57:50 +0000

On February 8, 2012, Jon Strauss will be speaking at the Minnesota State Bar Association Practice Management & Marketing Section CLE about successfully communicating an image to the public and clients through the creation of new firm names, logos, taglines branding and websites.

Sapientia Law Group Certified as a Minority Business Enterprise

law — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:14:24 +0000

After an extensive application and due diligence process, the Midwest Minority Supplier Development Council (MMSDC) certified Sapientia Law Group as a Minority Business Enterprise in February 2012. This certification verifies that any Minority Business Enterprise is at least 51% ethnic minority owned and that the ethnic minority owners are actively involved in management and daily operations of the company. MMSDC is one of 37 regional councils of the national accreditation organization, the National Minority Supplier Development Council.

Sapientia Announces Innovation and Advisory Board

law — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 22:13:47 +0000

Sapientia Law Group created an Innovation Advisory Board—a group of nine business leaders, in-house counsel, and community innovators who will be providing advice and insight to Sapientia regarding successful innovative business practices. Sapientia will collaborate with its Innovation Advisory Board to further the firm’s mission of developing adaptable billing structures that align with clients’ interests, a unique compensation system tied to client satisfaction, and an office setting designed to promote creativity and collaboration.

The members of Sapientia’s Innovation Advisory Board are:

Tom Bock, President, Bock & Associates
Jason Booth, Vice-President of Development and Communications, Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Allyson Bouldon, Vice-President and Chief Compliance Officer, Chiquita Brands International
Jacqueline Byrd, President, Creatrix
Richard Copeland, Chairman/Owner, Thor Construction
Professor William Henderson, Indiana University– Mauer School of Law
Val Jensen, Executive Director, Twin Cities Diversity in Practice
Bob Seng, (Target) Associate General Counsel
Mary Cullen Yeager (3M,) Assistant General Counsel, Global Litigation and Dispute Resolution

The Board convened its first meeting on December 9, 2012 in Minneapolis.

Diana Young Morrissey Selected a Best Lawyer in America

law — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:52:50 +0000

Sapientia attorney Diana Young Morrissey, has been selected by her peers for inclusion into the 2012 edition of The Best Lawyers in America for her work in insurance law. Selection to the The Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive and rigorous peer-review survey, and is considered by The American Lawyer as “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”

“Innovation: A Place in Big Law,” an article authored by Sonia Miller-Van Oort, was published in November 2011 issue of The Hennepin Lawyer.

law — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:59:10 +0000

Sonia Miller-Van Oort recently authored an article for the Hennepin Lawyer. This article, titled “Innovation: A Place in Big Law,” was published in the November 2011 edition, and may be found here.

Sapientia Law Group’s Attorneys Make a Difference Through Bar Leadership

law — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:04:07 +0000

PRESS RELEASE — October 31, 2011

Several lawyers at Sapientia Law Group have taken leadership roles in the various local and state bar associations for the new 2011–2012 bar year. Recent elections and appointments include:

Jon Strauss, who is on the presidential-leadership track as the newly elected Secretary of the Hennepin County Bar Foundation — the charitable arm of the Hennepin County Bar Association.

Sonia Miller-Van Oort, who was named to Co-Chair both the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Governance Committee and Diversity Implementation Task Force and elected to serve on the Hennepin County Bar Association’s Board of Directors.

Diana Young Morrissey, who was elected to serve on the 2011–2012 Hennepin County Bar Association Board of Directors.

Kenn Fukuda, a member of National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, was also appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of the Hennepin County Bar Association.
Lori Semke, was appointed to Chair the Minnesota State Bar Association Day Convention Planning Committee for the 2012 Minnesota State Bar Convention. She is also the Vice-Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association Children & the Law Section.

Strauss explained how this active board service fits with Sapientia’s core values of making a difference in the community: “Our attorneys firmly believe that providing leadership in our bar associations is not only a great way to connect with other lawyers, but, more importantly, to make certain that the bar is serving the public’s interest.”

Sapientia is one of the few women-owned and minority-owned law firms of its size in Minnesota and the Midwest. This group of professionals has a unique multi-cultural composition of attorneys from African American, Asian American, Caucasian, Latino, and Native American backgrounds. Sapientia also offers alternative billing structures that align with clients’ interests, a unique compensation system tied to client satisfaction, and an office setting designed to promote creativity and collaboration. The founders believe this creative approach to legal practice will lead to happier clients and happier attorneys.

This growing law firm provides legal representation and consulting services in the following areas: business transactions and litigation, personal injury and product liability defense, employment litigation, real estate, intellectual property, estate planning, trusts and probate, autism and disability law, government relations, and executive coaching.

For more information, visit www.sapientialaw.com.

Media Contact:

Sonia Miller-Van Oort

612.756.7125

soniamv@sapientialaw.com

Sonia Miller-Van Oort’s co-authored article, “Time to Dive In? Understanding the Ebb and Flow of Alternative Fee Arrangements,” was published in the Fall edition of the national publication, Litigation Management Magazine.

law — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:16:25 +0000

Sonia Miller-Van Oort recently co-authored an article for the national publication, Litigation Management Magazine. This article, titled “Time to Dive In? Understanding the Ebb and Flow of Alternative Fee Arrangements,” was published in the Fall 2011 edition of the magazine and may be viewed in full here.