School of Law Alumni Board
The Hamline University School of Law Alumni Association Board is a working group of committed individual volunteers who perform and manage the operational, program and fundraising activities of the association. Their leadership and participation is critical to the continued growth and success of the alumni association.
President and Vice President
Sam Sigelman JD ’03, president, focuses his practice in banking and lending litigation, and receiverships. He has obtained multimillion-dollar awards for clients, both at trial and by summary judgment. Sigelman co-authored the bill, which became the new receivership law in Minnesota. Sigelman has been recognized as a Minnesota Rising Star the last six years. He lectures on receiverships and lending ligation issues and is currently an at-large officer of the Hennepin County Bar Association Creditor/Debtor Remedies Section. He previously served as a past chair of the Hennepin County Bar Association Real Property Section. Before pursuing his JD at Hamline, Sigelman was a producer for the Twin Cities sports radio station KFAN and for ABC/ESPN, where he earned a sports Emmy nomination for his work on ESPN baseball broadcasts.
Jen Randolph Reise JD ’07, vice-president, is an associate in the firm of Briggs and Morgan, P.A., practicing principally in the areas of securities regulation, corporate governance and corporate law. She graduated from Hamline summa cum laude in 2007.
Board Members
The Honorable Diane Alshouse JD ’84 was appointed to the Second Judicial District Bench in 2005. She’s currently the lead CJI judge in Ramsey County, and serves on the Minnesota Board of Continuing Legal Education and Minnesota Criminal Jury Instruction Guide Committee. She is also an adjunct professor at Hamline Law.
Jeffrey Boucher JD ’11 served as president of the Hamline Law Student Bar Association and student member of the alumni board. He participated in multiple moot courts, winning Best Petitioners Brief in the 2011 John R. Brown Admiralty Moot Court, and he was published in a maritime law journal. Boucher co-chaired the inaugural 3L class gift committee in 2011. He worked at the Office of the Ramsey County Attorney, where he served both as a law clerk and as an assistant county attorney. He lives in Roseville, Minn., with his fiancé Bridget.
A.L. Brown JD ’03, after graduating from Hamline Law, went on to clerk for U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis before joining the Business Trial & Litigation department in the Minneapolis office of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi. Currently, Brown is an attorney for Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC), a corporation that provides a range of services to students, schools and lenders participating in the Federal Family Educational Loan Program. Originally from Chicago, Brown has become an enthusiastic member of the Minnesota legal community. Not only does he contribute as a member of the Hamline Law Alumni Association Board, but he is also an active member of the Ramsey County Charter Commission and the former chairman of the Saint Paul Human Rights Commission.
Harleigh Brown JD ’02 graduated magna cum laude from Hamline Law. Brown is a shareholder at Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. and practices in F&B’s Corporate, Securities and International Practice Groups. Brown's corporate and securities practice involves assisting clients with a wide range of corporate finance transactions, including all aspects of public and private offerings of securities, as well as mergers and acquisitions. He also advises clients on entity formation, state corporate law matters and corporate governance issues.
Megan Sand Carr JD ’09, during her first two years in law school, worked full-time at an employment litigation firm and attended Hamline Law on the weekends. In her final year at Hamline, she was a full-time student and worked part-time for a construction, management, and real estate developer. Carr works for Jones Lang LaSalle on the Corporate Solutions account, focusing in finance and real estate. Prior to attending law school, Carr attended the College of St. Benedict where she was a member of the board of trustees, senate president, and co-captain of the Blazer golf team. Currently, Carr is a member of College of St. Benedict Alumnae Board, chair of the Resource Development Committee, and Young Alumnae President’s Circle Committee. In her spare time, she loves to golf, travel, and read. She is married to Charlie, and together they have two children.
Tom Cuthbert JD ’09 is relatively new to Minnesota, having grown up and worked most of his life in Idaho. On the advice of his wife, a native Minnesotan, Cuthbert looked into Hamline as an option for law school. After a tour of the school, and some time in the Twin Cities, Cuthbert was sold. He has a Bachelor's degree in public relations from the University of Idaho, and a Master's in communication from the University of Montana. Before moving to Minnesota, Cuthbert worked for several companies including Accenture and Capital One. He graduated summa cum laude from Hamline Law and works as an associate in Leonard Street and Deinard’s Construction Law department. When not working, Cuthbert likes to enjoy the outdoors with his wife Raina and two boys, Frank and Henry.
Michael Czarnik JD ’95, the sixth child of 10, chose a law career path that would help him fulfill his role as a middle child. After a few years at Homeline, a tenant advocacy hotline, he helped set up HousingLink, a non-profit housing information organization that was created out of the Holman consent decree. Continuing along the housing related path, Czarnik then worked for several organizations that helped manage affordable housing or find resources or services for those individuals and families who needed them. Currently, he volunteers with the Saint Paul Area Coalition for the Homeless and various homeless shelters around Saint Paul. He keeps himself busy by taking pro bono cases and taking care of his four children, Justis, Liberty, Honor and Hero.
Thomas J. Evenson '99, JD ’02 has been on the Hamline Law Alumni Association Board since June 2009 and currently serves as the vice-chair of the nominations committee. He graduated from Hamline University in 1999 and the School of Law in 2002. He is employed at Lind, Jensen, Sullivan & Peterson, P.A., and focuses his practice on civil litigation, primarily handling lawsuits related to fraud, arson, wrongful death, defective products, school law, and quadraplegia/paraplegia. He is licensed in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Prior to joining Lind Jensen, Evenson was a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Kurt J. Marben in the Ninth Judicial District and a senior associate attorney at Hanson, Lulic & Krall, P.A.
Ronald K. Gardner JD ’94 is the managing partner of Dady and Gardner, P.A. Gardner's practice is limited to representing franchisees, associations, dealer/distributors in disputes with their franchisors and manufacturers. He is the immediate-past chair of the ABA Forum on Franchising. Gardner also serves on the Franchise Advisory Counsel of the North American Securities Administrators Association. He is an author and lecturers on topics related to franchise/distribution law. Gardner is listed as a "Best Lawyer in America," one of Minnesota’s 2012 Top 100 Super Lawyers, and has been recognized by Chambers USA as “the premier franchisee lawyer” in America.
J D Haas JD ’84 has a general practice law firm in Bloomington, Minn. His firm does bankruptcy, criminal law, family law, personal injury, general litigation, and trust and estate law. He graduated from Hamline Law in 1984 was admitted in Minnesota in 1985. Haas has been admitted in five states in the intervening years. He became a nationally board certified trial lawyer in 1991 and has held that honor since that time.
JaPaul Harris JD '03 was born and raised in Upstate New York. He attended Syracuse University. Currently, he serves as a Referee in the 4th Judicial District. In addition to this experience, Harris has spent time working as the supervising attorney of the Senior Law Project at the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis, at the Minneapolis Public School District, and as a staff attorney at Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, Inc., working in its Housing Equality Law Project (H.E.L.P). Harris completed a Humphrey Institute Public Policy Fellowship at the University of Minnesota Humphrey School Of Public Affairs. He is an active member of the legal community. In addition to his bar activity, Harris serves as chair of the Saint Paul Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Commission and coaches youth football.
The Honorable Krista Jass JD ’93 was appointed as a District Court Judge on December 3, 2012 to serve in the Fifth Judicial District, chambered in Blue Earth County. Prior to being appointed to the bench, she served as the Chief Public Defender for the Fifth Judicial District. Judge Jass is a 1993 graduate of Hamline University School of Law.
Jessica Johnson JD ’08 currently is a National Account Representative for Thomson Reuters, where she works exclusively with large law firms to train attorneys and staff on best practices and cost effective research on Westlaw. Johnson has a background in private practice with extensive experience in appellate practice as well as general civil litigation, real estate and municipal work.
Stephen W. Korstad JD ’80 is the Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of Coronal LLC, a renewable waste-to-energy company. Prior, he was president and CEO of Korridor Capital, a family based real estate development company. Korstad’s educational background is a JD degree from Hamline University School of Law; a LLM degree in tax law from University of Miami School of Law; a MPA degree from University of Texas at Austin, LBJ School of Public Affairs; and a BA degree with honors in economics from Grinnell College.
Jennifer Lauermann Golla JD ’10 currently works in the postconviction group at the Minnesota State Appellate Public Defender’s Office. She also clerked at the Second District Public Defender’s Office. Golla also enjoys showing horses and spending time outdoors. She is active in the Twin Cities Alumni Chapter of Phi Alpha Delta law fraternity.
Caitlyn Lothian JD ’12 is a proud 2012 Hamline Law graduate. Before graduating, she was the symposium editor for the Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy, and she hopes to increase the connectivity between current students of Hamline Law and Hamline Law alumni. She is the recipient of the Bakken Leadership Award, the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University Excellence in Leadership Award, and the Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship. In her spare time, she is the first-chair bassoon in the Festival Community Orchestra.
Pam Marentette JD ’08 is a third-year associate in the Regulatory Affairs Group at Dorsey & Whitney LLP with a focus on energy law and additional experience in commercial civil litigation and appellate work. While in law school, she clerked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota in the civil and criminal divisions. Prior to starting her career as an attorney, Marentette worked at the Minnesota Senate assisting the Public Safety Budget Division and for the Northwest Area Foundation regarding economic development on American Indian reservations and in rural communities. Marentette attended Hamline Law from 2005 to 2008 in the both the day and weekend programs, and she has been a member of the Hamline Law Alumni Board since 2011.
Ronald M. Otten JD ’82 is a senior associate attorney with the law firm of Kalina, Wills, Gisvold & Clark in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Prior to his current position, he was an associate attorney with the law firm of Henningson & Snoxell and operated his own solo law practice in Edina, Minn. Otten has been involved in the general practice of law with an emphasis in probate, estate planning, trust administration, business and corporate, business succession planning, charitable giving, guardianship and conservatotorship law, medicaid planning, taxation and real estate. Otten also has a ten-year medical background, serving as a medical corpsman in the United States Air Force and as a paramedic for Hennepin County, Minn.
Becca Peterson JD ’10 is an associate attorney with Maschka, Riedy & Ries Law Firm in Mankato, Minn. Her work focuses on bankruptcy debtor, creditor, and trustee representation; real estate; estate planning; and civil litigation. Peterson is a 2007 graduate of UW-Eau Claire and a 2010 graduate of Hamline University School of Law. She lives in Mankato with her husband, Dave.
Amy Schwarz JD ’09 works for the Office of General Counsel at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Minneapolis. Schwarz graduated cum laude from Hamline University School of Law in May 2009. During her time at Hamline Law, she served as the editor-in-chief of the Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy and program chair of Hamline Women’s Legal Caucus. Schwarz graduated summa cum laude from the College of St. Benedict with her Bachelor's degree in English. Prior to law school, Schwarz worked at a nonprofit housing provider in Chicago.
Patrick C. Smith JD ’90 has operated a solo practice since 1996 in Uptown Minneapolis’ Lake Calhoun Professional Building, which boasts eight other Hamline Law alumni out of seventeen professionals working there. His practice focuses on small business start-ups, including obtaining equity/debt financing; and all areas of real estate, which today includes work-outs seeking debt refinancing for both commercial and residential portfolios. Business litigation and estate planning are also key focus areas. Smith enrolled in the JD/MBA program Hamline Law offered with St. Thomas University and was the first graduate of the JD/MBA program in December 1993. He and his wife Laura live in Mendota Heights with three daughters.
Dan Voss JD ’88 is a Minnesota native who grew up in Rochester, Minn. Previously, he worked at Larkin, Hoffman, Daly & Lindgren, LTD., focusing on land use and real estate litigation, construction disputes, mechanic’s liens, mortgage foreclosures, and commercial landlord tenant disputes. He then worked for Robert E. Boyle & Associates, P.A. where his practice expanded into forming business entities, mergers and acquisitions, representing telephone equipment and computer equipment dealers, metal manufacturers, plastics manufacturers, and other closely held businesses. In January 2000, Voss became a solo practitioner. Largely, his practice remains a commercial practice, drafting commercial real estate purchase agreements, commercial leases, equipment sales contracts, real estate and commercial litigation, collections, and forming businesses.
Curtis Zaun JD ’96 clerked for Judge Kalitowski on the Minnesota Court of Appeals after graduating from Hamline Law. After his clerkship, he worked for the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. Zaun then spent over a decade working in-house where he was responsible for litigation and compliance. In April 2011, he went into private practice where he specializes in litigation and issues related to consumer protection laws and student loans. Zaun also has a Master's degree in Public Administration from Hamline. He has been on the alumni board since 2004, and was previously chair of the nominating committee, vice president (2006-2008) and president (2008-2010).
Student Representatives
Zachary Clifton is a 3L student at Hamline Law seeking certificates in health law and health care compliance. Clifton has served as vice president of the International Law Student Association and the philanthropy chair of Delta Theta Phi; he currently serves as vice president of Hamline's chapter of the Student Bar Association (SBA). His areas of interest are health law, international law, and international medical device regulation.
Anna Gunderson is a 1L student at Hamline Law. After graduating in 2011 from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, she spent the last year working as a legal assistant at the Minneapolis law firm of the Zamansky Professional Association. She is currently interested in several possible future career tracts, the most prominent of which is estate planning.
Kassandra Heinrich, 2L, is a law student in the Health Law Institute. In addition to serving as a student representative on the alumni board, she is also the fundraising chair for Hamline Women's Legal Caucus and the secretary for the Hamline Law Veteran's Association.
Michelle Travers, 3L, has worked primarily in family law since 1993. She joined M. Sue Wilson Law Offices, P.A., in 1997 as a paralegal and was promoted to senior paralegal in 2001. Travers is an honors graduate from Bethel University and received her paralegal certification from the Minnesota Paralegal Institute in 1996. She is currently a part-time law student at Hamline Law with an expected graduation date of May 2014. Prior to law school, Travers was a paralegal instructor at the Minnesota School of Business/Globe College. She is a frequent speaker at colleges throughout the state that offer paralegal programs promoting the paralegal profession and providing insight into family law to paralegal students. Travers is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association.