KAREN COLE

Premium Legal Writing

Email me: karen@premiumlegalwriting.com

Call me: (612) 547-8572​

ABOUT ME

I am able to draw on my experience to help you.

After law school, I clerked for a year for a Minnesota Supreme Court justice – M. Jeanne Coyne.  And then I clerked for two more years for a U.S. District Court judge – Robert G. Renner.  Those three years gave me a feel for how much authority and power trial and appellate judges have in making decisions – and where those decisions are vulnerable and can be attacked.  Those years gave me a foundation for my work representing clients in a law firm.

I found I loved practicing law.  I was an associate and then partner at a large law firm (that no longer exists).  And then I was an associate and then partner at a firm focused on municipal law and litigation.  Both positions involved working with other lawyers on civil cases.  At the administrative level, at the district court, and at the appellate level.

I bring that experience to my work with other lawyers now.

Please contact me for help with research, analysis and writing.

more about me

EDUCATION

Carleton College, BA. 1975
Mitchell Hamline School of Law, J.D. 1986, summa cum laude, first in class

JUDICIAL CLERKSHIPS

Judge Donald Alsop, U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota. Intern.
Justice M. Jeanne Coyne, Minnesota Supreme Court
Judge Robert G. Renner, U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota

LAW FIRMS

Associate and Partner, Popham Haik Schnobrich & Doty
Associate and Partner, Kennedy & Graven
Owner, Premium Legal Writing

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Civil litigation
Appellate practice
Administrative law
Municipal law and litigation

Some examples:

  • Contracts law
  • Family law
  • Probate
  • ERISA
  • Land use litigation
  • Data Practices Act work

CLE Presentations

Presented many CLEs for bar groups:

  • Appellate practice
  • Civil litigation
  • Public law

Some examples:

  • Amendments to the Court Rules: What You Need To Know, with M. Johnson and P. Busch, RCBA, Oct. 22, 2020.
  • Legal Writing Practicum: Interactive Hands-On Training, with K. Ciano, Minn. CLE, Jan. 23, 2020.
  • The Nuts and Bolts of an Appeal. How to Keep Your Appeal from Falling Apart, with T. Radio, Appellate Practice Institute, March 15, 2019.
  • What’s So Special About “Special Proceedings”?, with R. Mason and T. Radio, Minn. CLE, May 17, 2018.
  • Appellate Skills: Writs of Certiorari – Challenging Administrative Law Decisions, with S. Orbovich, Minn. CLE, Aug. 17, 2017.
  • Writs of Certiorari under Chapter 606, Appellate Practice Institute, March 13, 2015.
  • Preserving the Record for Appeal: Tips for Trial and Appellate Attorneys, with J. Schmidt, A.Van Oort and J. Young, MSBA, May 1, 2015.
  • Can I Appeal? Should I Appeal? How?, with J. Schmidt and M. Bradford, MSBA, Mar. 30, 2012.
  • Post-Trial Motions, with J. Schmidt, J. Baker, and K. Nord Hunt, Appellate Practice Institute, March 4, 2011.
  • Winning Approaches for Land Use Matters; When, Where and How to Appeal; March 30, 2010, with K. Marty, Minn. CLE, March 30, 2010.

PUBLICATIONS

Published many articles and blog posts on legal topics.

Some examples:

  • Challenging Administrative Law Decisions via a Writ of Certiorari, for the MSBA Appeals Self-Help Clinic, Jan. 2017.
  • Appellate Motion Practice, MSBA practicelaw, revised June 2017.
  • Appellate Brief Templates for Minnesota State Court Appeals, MSBA practicelaw, revised Mar. 2017.
  • Appellate Brief Templates for the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, MSBA practicelaw, revised Mar. 2017.

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

Served on many bar association committees.

Some examples:

  • Member, MSBA Appellate Practice Council. 2008 to 2017.
  • Chair, MSBA Appellate Practice Council. June 2013 to June 2014.
  • Volunteer, Minnesota Appeals Self-Help Clinic. 2017 to present.
  • Member, MSBA Judiciary Committee. 2014 to present.
  • Co-Chair, Voter Outreach and Education Committee, and Member, Judicial Endorsement Committee, Minnesota Women Lawyers. 1992 to 2010.

OTHER THINGS

  • Winner of the “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” news quiz on National Public Radio. 2008.
  • Have taken many oral histories of older family members, and have two family history blogs
  • Like to experiment as a baker.