****PRESS RELEASE****
January 21, 2010 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 2, 2009 Barna Guzy & Steffen announces Personal Injury/Criminal Attorney Adriel Villarreal was named a 2010 “Minnesota Rising Star” by Minnesota Law and Politics magazine. In 1998, the publishers of Law & Politics and Super Lawyers launched Rising Stars in Minnesota to recognize the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state — those who are 40 years old or younger, or who have been practicing for 10 years or less. Adriel joined Barna, Guzy & Steffen in 2004 as a Law Clerk. He became an attorney with the firm following his graduation from University of St. Thomas School of Law and admission to the bar in 2006. His practice now includes Personal Injury and Criminal Law. He is bilingual and able to assist both English and Spanish speaking clients. This enables him to offer assistance to the growing Hispanic population in the north metro suburbs of Minneapolis where BGS is located. Adriel has been an integral part of BGS’ expansion to serve our growing and changing community. BGS has been dedicated to serving the community for more than 70 years and the community is growing and changing in population. Due in equal parts to this philosophy and to the hard work of attorney Adriel B. Villarreal, our local community has…
Read MoreProper Use And Benefits Of The Commercial Unlawful Detainer
December 20, 2009 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.Proper Use And Benefits Of The Commercial Unlawful Detainer The legal action of “unlawful detainer” is brought for the purpose of removing a tenant who is in breach of a lease agreement. The breach can be the nonpayment of rent and operating expenses, or could be any breach of a lease such as a tenant who is using and improperly disposing of hazardous chemicals or due to a prohibited use of the space. The unlawful detainer entitles the landlord to a “writ of restitution” or return of the property. Self-help eviction of a tenant without an unlawful detainer is not allowed in Minnesota. The unlawful detainer only entitles the landlord to remove a tenant and retake possession of the rental property. The unlawful detainer court does not have authority to enter a judgment against the tenant and in favor of the landlord for the past due rent and operating expenses. That must be brought in a separate legal action in collection. Barna, Guzy & Steffen represents many commercial property managers and property owners for their unlawful detainers and collection needs. Most often we can file an unlawful detainer for our clients within 24 to 48 hours after we obtain the information we need to do the Complaint in unlawful detainer. We require: The…
Read MoreMinnesota Environmental Response and Liability Act
December 20, 2009 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.Minnesota Environmental Response and Liability Act Suppose you were an owner of real estate in the 1960’s. Suppose also that you leased the real estate you owned to an oil company in 1961. The oil company placed fuel tanks on the real estate. In 1962 the oil company spilled fuel on your real estate. It slowly seeped into the soil and eventually contaminated the ground water as well as the soil. In 1988 the city where the land is located condemned the property. Now fast forward to today. The city sues you for the cost of the clean up based on current real estate law. Can you be held liable to clean up your real estate today when the fuel spill is discovered? The answer, believe it or not, is quite possibly yes. Many real estate owners in Minnesota are facing these liability issues today as a result of the Minnesota Environmental Response and Liability Act (“MERLA”). MERLA is what is called a “superfund” law. It was enacted primarily to identify and clean up abandoned and existing sites contaminated by hazardous substances. The key features of MERLA are that it: 1. Imposes joint and several liability on responsible persons; 2. Imposes strict liability, that is, liability without regard to fault or negligence, on…
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