To join a committee or inquire about a committees activities or meeting schedule, please contact the committee chair(s).
Banking Law
The Banking Law Committee hosts the annual Banking Law Institute in conjunction with Minnesota CLE and holds CLE lunch meetings throughout the year.
The Banking Law Institute and luncheon CLEs feature national and local attorneys on current issues in banking law, valuable handouts, and lively discussions. The committee also reviews and/or drafts new Minnesota legislation affecting financial institutions.
Co-Chairs: Karen Grandstrand and Joe Green
Business/Professional Corporations
The Business/Professional Corporations Committee works closely with the Section’s Legislative Coordinator and the Secretary of State’s Office to monitor, react to, and testify regarding any proposed changes to the Business Corporation Act and/or the Professional Corporation Act.
The committee periodically sponsors working groups to study and recommend changes to the Business Corporation Act and the Professional Corporation Act. The committee also sponsors periodic Noon time seminars.
Chair: Michael Stanchfield
Vice-Chair: Stephen Quinlivan
Co-op Committee
The Co-op Committee presents periodic luncheon seminars on issues relating to cooperatives as business entities in Minnesota.
Chair: Dave Swanson
Franchising and Product Distribution
The Franchising and Product Distribution Committee is concerned with legislative, judicial and regulatory issues relating to systems for distribution of goods and services, particularly through franchised businesses and business opportunities. The committee also focuses on the interests of the legal and business community involved in franchising.
Chair: Joseph Fittante
Membership and Member Services
The Membership and Member Services Committee was formed to help the Section enhance the value of being a member of the Business Law Section and to explore opportunities for increasing section membership, especially among newer lawyers. Becoming a member of this committee would be a great way to increase your involvement in the Section.
Chair: William Klein
Nonprofit Corporations Committee
The Nonprofit Section of the BLS meets three times per year, both in person and virtually. Our most important role is to watch over the laws of the State of Minnesota that govern and impact nonprofits to ensure they represent best practice, support the efficient operation of nonprofits in Minnesota and are consistent with other business statutes. In particular, we pay careful attention to:
Minn Stat. 317A the Minnesota Nonprofit Corporations Act,
Minn. Stat. 309, Regulation of Charitable Solicitations and UPMIFA
Minn Stat. 501B Supervision of Charitable Trusts
We regularly facilitate discussions with the Charities Division of the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office related to legislative proposals. We invite a representative of the Minnesota Secretary of State and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits to our meetings to facilitate good communication among stakeholders in the sector and regularly work with other MSBA Committees whose work impacts the nonprofit sector (Trust, Tax, etc.). Our meetings always provide an opportunity for networking and sharing experiences. The Nonprofit Section of the BLS also organizes educational opportunities for members of the MSBA related to nonprofit legal issues.
Co-Chairs: Jennifer Reedstrom Bishop and Heidi Neff Christianson
Partnerships/Limited Liability Companies
The Partnerships and LLCs Committee focuses on partnership issues and issues arising under the Limited Liability Company Act.
The committee also from time to time either appoints or co-sponsors subcommittees to deal with specific issues. Currently the committee is reviewing the Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act prior to its proposed enactment in Minnesota.
Co-Chairs: William Klein and Wade Wacholz
Private Business Governance
The Private Business Governance Committee works closely with the Business/Professional Corporations Committee, the Partnerships and LLCs Committee, other committees of the Business Law Section, and with the Section’s Legislative Coordinator and the Secretary of State’s Office to monitor, react to, and testify regarding any proposed changes to Minnesota Statutes insofar as those statutes impact the governance rights and responsibilities of private business owners.
The committee periodically participates in working groups formed by other committees to study and recommend changes to the such statutes. The committee also sponsors periodic noon time seminars.
Chair: Janel Dressen
Vice-Chair: Wallace Hilke
Pro Bono
The Pro Bono Committee is committed to raising awareness of pro bono opportunities and increasing pro bono participation by Minnesota business law attorneys. The committee works closely with LegalCORPS, a nonprofit organization which provides pro bono business law services to low income entrepreneurs and small nonprofits throughout Minnesota.
Co-Chairs: Martin Rosenbaum and Alysia Zens
Securities Law
The Securities Committee monitors developments in Federal and State Securities Law and takes positions or recommends positions to be taken by the Section with regard to proposed changes in the law.
Chair: Jonathan Levy
UCC
The UCC and Commercial Finance Committee monitors developments, both statutory and case law, regarding or affecting the Uniform Commercial Code, and presents periodic luncheon seminars on UCC issues and documentation.
The committee is presently reviewing Revised Article 9 of the UCC relating to proposals regarding safe harbor rules for debtor names for individuals on financing statements.
Co-Chairs: James Pfau and Peter Nelson