Annual Report

MSBA Construction Section
Annual Report

2020-21 

Section Membership

As of June 24, 2021, the Section has 303 members.

Financial Status

The Section had an account balance of $26,910.78 as of May 31^st, 2021.

CLEs & Events

The Section hosted eight events in fiscal year 2020-21. 

 Annual Meeting and Election Results

The Section’s Annual Meeting was held on June 23, 2021, and 84 people participated.

The following council members were elected to serve on the Section’s Governing Council from 7/1/2021 to 6/30/2023:

• Lincoln Loehrke, Dorsey & Whitney LLP
• Robert Shainess, Capstone Law LLC
• Elise Radaj, Moss & Barnett
• Thomas Schram, Fabyanske Westra Hart & Thomson PA
• Erin Neils, Egan Company
• Peter Doely, Maslon LLP
• Corey Bronczyk, Arthur, Chapman, Kettering, Smetak & Pikala P.A.
• Miranda Slaght, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (New Lawyers Liaison) 

The following officers were elected to serve on the Section’s Governing Council from 7/1/2021 to 6/30/2022:

• Chair: Hugh Brown, Fabyanske Westra Hart & Thomson PA
• Vice Chair: Scott Andresen, Bassford Remele
• Treasurer: Connie Armstrong, McGough Construction
• Secretary: Sarah Roeder, Wunderlich-Malec Engineering Inc.
• Past Chair: Tom Radio, Felhaber Larson

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
What diversity, equity and inclusion goals did the Section include in the 2020-2021 work plan, how did you approach these goals, and what was the result?

• The Section approved and launched a Section Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) Plan and announced it to the Section during the November CLE to promote transparency and accountability.
• The Section created a Recruiting Committee to implement various steps of the DEI Plan, including reaching out to non-Section members who attend the Section’s CLEs.
• The Recruiting Committee revised the application to serve on the Construction Law Section Council, making it anonymous and adding a question about DEI, expanding the information available when selecting new leadership.
• The Section held CLEs with diverse panelists ranging from diversity in gender, ethnicity, and practice area. For example, this year’s Annual Symposium focused on the intersection of the construction industry and government, and creating opportunities for under-represented communities in government construction projects. The Section also held a CLE on Construction in Indian Country - Labor and Employment Issues.

 Other Section Accomplishments

• The Section continued its annual law student writing competition and received the highest submission rate yet. Our winner’s article was published in the MSBA Bench and Bar.
• The Minnesota Supreme Court issued an opinion consistent with the Construction Law Section’s position in the case of Moore v. Robinson Environmental and cited the Construction Law’s amicus curiae in the opinion.
• The Section met its goal to hold 10 educational events.
• The Section maintained its membership and cohesiveness during a difficult time.
• The Section challenged its member to be better persons, lawyers, and citizens.

Submitted By:

THOMAS J. RADIO, Section Chair

Date: June 30, 2021