Category: News & Events
2019 Annual Minnesota Public Employers Labor Relations Association Winter Conference
December 18, 2018 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.BGS Shareholder Scott Lepak will be giving the closing address at the annual Minnesota Public Employers Labor Relations Association Winter Conference in Plymouth MN on February 14, 2019. Scott’s presentation will be ‘Public Safety Update – Could 2018 Have Gotten Any Weirder?’ Scott said that his presentation will cover the various public safety shenanigans from 2018. He said this will include the court decision overturning an arbitration ruling that reinstated a police officer, an arbitration award that overturned a termination for an officer who dragged an individual about 100 feet by the handcuffs and a court ruling that denied the City its ability to restructure a fire department. In his 30+ years of practice representing local government on law enforcement matters, Scott said that this was one of the more unusual years for law enforcement cases. MPELRA members who would like to sign up can do so at https://www.statenpelra.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3539
Read MoreBGS Attorney Scott Lepak Participates at Champlin's Heartsafe Community Training
December 12, 2018 | Scott M. LepakBGS Shareholder and Champlin City Attorney Scott Lepak participated in the City of Champlin’s Heartsafe Community CPR training during the November 13, 2018 City Council Meeting. The City of Champlin began its HEARTSafe Initiative to educate the community about Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) and increase the survivability of a person who has an SCA. HEARTSafe Champlin is a partnership between the Champlin Police Department, Anoka-Champlin Fire and Allina Health Services to provide training in CPR, access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and instruction in how to use them, as well as an outlet for purchasing these lifesaving devices. This is the third time Scott has been through CPR training. “When I had my first CPR class in high school, we learned the method of alternating chest compressions and mouth to mouth”, Scott said, “the mouth to mouth component always generated the most conversation and reluctance during the training. Now that we are taught to focus on chest compressions, this training is much easier and no longer contains the mouth to mouth element that many people hesitated to do.” Scott had his second training as part of our law firm’s commitment to this program. Scott said, “the AED equipment we have now is very user friendly – even for folks that have not done…
Read MoreBGS proudly celebrates Women Entrepreneurs
October 19, 2018 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.BGS attorney Carole Clark Isakson has been a volunteer attorney with Women Venture for almost a year now, and last week was wonderfully surprised to find that her first WV client, LaTonya Johnson (Minnesota Electrolysis LLC) won this year’s “Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained Emerging Business Award”! Ms. Johnson’s award was presented on October 12, 2018 at the 23rd annual Women Mean Business luncheon and marketplace. Carole spent several months working with Ms. Johnson (and Women Venture) negotiating the terms of the purchase of assets, setting up Minnesota Electrolysis LLC, drafting documents and handling employee and operational issues. It was a great experience for lawyer and client alike, and Ms. Johnson’s receipt of the well deserved reward was an additional confirmation that her business will continue to prosper. For Ms. Isakson’s part, she found great satisfaction in using her legal skills to assist a new business venture, and continues to work with Ms. Johnson and Women Venture. BGS encourages all of its attorneys to play positive roles in community organizations and to provide pro bono legal services. In fact, Carole has been named a North Star Lawyer five consecutive years by the MSBA as certified that she provided at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services annually. Women Venture has been around for…
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