B. Steven Messick - Woodbury, MN

Overview

Awards and Honors

Super Lawyers® Selectees

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B. Steven Messick included in a Super Lawyers® list

Education

• Legal Education

  • Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota
    J.D.
    Honors: magna cum laude
    Law Journal: Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy, Associate, 2007 - 2008
  • Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota
    Certificate in Dispute Resolution

• Non Legal Education

  • Hamline University, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 2003
    B.A.
    Major: Political Science

Current Employment Position(s)

• Owner / Attorney

Past Positions

• Honorable Judge Thomas M. Neuville, Judicial Law Clerk
• Assistant to U.S. Congressman John Kline, Legislative Assistant
• J. Scott Braden, P.A., Attorney / Shareholder, 2012 - 2020
• Third Judicial District, Law Clerk, 2010 - 2012

Languages

• English

Classes and Seminars

• Presenter: Understanding Partition Actions, 2024 Family Law Institute
  
• Presenter: Civil Practice in Minnesota State District Court Deskbook Seminar, 2024
  
• Presenter: Minnesota CLE Litigating Probate and Trust Disputes in 2022
  
• Presenter: Trust Issues? 2022 MSBA Agricultural and Rural Law Institute
  
• Panelist: Delicate Issues in Asset Distribution, 2022 Elder Law Institute
  
• Minnesota State Bar Association – Greater Minnesota Practice Section – The Greatest Practice, Presenter – Webcast, April 15, 2021
  
• The Probate Process from Start to Finish, National Business Institute, 2017 - 2018
  
• Guest Lecturer: Access to Justice Coalition, St. Thomas School of Law, 2017 and 2018
  
• Minnesota Lawyers Mutual Family Law Webcast, Presenter – Minneapolis, MN - August 20, 2015

Pro Bono Activities

• Ethics Investigator, Fifth District, 2012 - Present
• Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS), Volunteer Attorney, 2012 - Present
• Minnesota Youth Ski League (MYSL), Member of the Board of Directors, 2020 - Present
• Minnesota Youth Ski League (MYSL), Coach, 2020 - 2023
• Five Oaks Community Church, Member of Governing Board, 2013 - 2019
• St. Thomas School of Law, Mentor, 2016 - 2017
• Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM), Board of Directors, Member, 2009 - 2016
• Vice-Chairman of Public Relations Committee Organization supporting Burmese refugees living in Minnesota June 2009 to December 2016, 2009 - 2016
• Rice County Conciliation Court, Referee, 2019 - 2023

Representative Cases

• Highly contested family trust involving farmland and equipment. Significant pre-trial litigation and motion hearings, which were resolved in client’s favor.
• Multi-year and multi generation litigation contesting a decedent’s will and trust, resulting in favorable settlement for client.
• Multi-week trial defending challenge to a decedent’s will, trust, and non-probate transfers resulting in judgment in favor of client.
• Proceeding to protect emotionally and financially exploited person. Contested trial involving expert and lay witnesses leading to appointment of Guardian and Conservator. Multiple post-trial hearings resolved in Petitioner’s favor.
• Secured emergency and general guardianship for children after the tragic death of their parents, resulting in general guardianship and conservatorship and third party custody for client.
• Successful appeal of the dismissal of client’s complaint.
• Collected from judgment debtor who covertly transferred real property to avoid collection by fraudulent transfer.
• Reopened four-decade old Court Order in Estate to correct legal description of real property, which allowed current beneficiaries to sell property and to collect proceeds.

Published Works

Articles

• Editor: Prefiling Considerations, Minnesota State District Court Civil Practice Deskbook 2023 Update
  
• One Size Does Not Fit All – Blended and nontraditional families raise the stakes for creating and managing estate plans, Minnesota Bench and Bar, September, 2020
  
• AIA 2007 Standard Contract Documents: A Positive Step Towards Fair, Transparent, and Collaborative Resolution of Disputes on Construction Projects, Hamline Journal of Public Law and Policy, Spring, 2008
  

Bar Admissions

• Minnesota, 2009
• North Dakota, 2009
• Minnesota Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 2019
• U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 2019
• United States Supreme Court, 2022

Other Affiliations

• Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA), Governing Council, former Member, 2017 to 2024
• The Supreme Court of Minnesota Board of Continuing Legal Education, 2021 - Present (Member)
• Trustee, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, 2023 to Present
• American Bar Association (ABA), 2015 - 2017 (House of Delegates, Member)
• Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA), 2017 - Present (Judiciary Committee Member)
• Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA), Fifth District Ethics Committee, 2017 - Present (Investigator)
• Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA), Greater Minnesota Section, 2016 - Present (Council Member)
• Minnesota State Bar Association, 2015 - 2017 (Delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates)
• Fifth District Bar Association, 2013 - 2016 (President, Vice President, Treasurer)
• Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) - Fifth District, 2013 - 2016 (President, Vice President, Treasurer)
• City of Cottage Grove, MN, 2007 - 2012 (Planning Commissioner)
• City of Cottage Grove, MN, 2009 - 2011 (Chairman)
• City of Cottage Grove, MN, 2011 - 2012 (Vice-Chairman)