Robins Kaplan LLP, over the last 85 years has reinvented itself to stay abreast of changing times and clients’ needs. Robins Kaplan is a nationally recognized trial firm that has been around for 85 years. It is a place that young lawyers aspire to, because it’s where the most important legal battles are fought and won. And where there are endless opportunities for meaningful career paths. The firm is one that welcomes all types of change, and the progressive spirit can be seen in its increasing number of attorneys from diverse backgrounds, whose fresh ideas and varying perspectives are what drive its greatest successes. Robins Kaplan has recently recruited many women. Here, we introduce four rising stars.
Casey Matthiesen
Casey Matthiesen’s experience as an adoptive child inspired her to want to be an “adoption attorney” from a young age. “I thought that a lawyer was someone I wanted to emulate, since I saw how they helped my parents and me become a family. My childlike perception of the law has evolved over the years into a passion for justice, which is not limited to adoption. “To know that I’m the third member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe to ever become an attorney in history is a dream, and difficult for me to describe.”
Matthiesen began her career at Robins Kaplan in law school as a summer assistant. She quickly adopted the firm as her home. Her practice includes personal injury/medical negligence, business litigation and American Indian policy & law. With just two years’ experience, I had the pleasure of taking depositions and defending them, independently arguing on motions and co-counseling at trial. All of this wouldn’t be possible without the mentorship, advocacy, and support I receive daily from the senior lawyers I work with. The firm invests a lot of time and money in my professional growth, including trial advocacy programs for associates.
Matthiesen, as president of the Minnesota American Indian Bar Association(MAIBA), commends Robins Kaplan’s commitment to social advancement in the community. The firm is proud of her pro bono efforts. The firm devotes resources and energy to initiatives and causes that are in line with our values and reflect our diversity. “I am proud to say that we bring the same passion and dedication to this endeavor as we do to serving our clients.”
She continues, “I’m excited to continue growing within the legal community. I hope to make a small difference every day.”
Greta Wiessner
Greta Wiessner taught fifth grade in a bilingual Texas school program before becoming a lawyer. She became aware of the systemic barriers that students face after working with families who were under-resourced. She became an lawyer to change the broken systems of society.
Wiessner, a Minnesota native who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School after completing two federal clerkships, returned to her home state. She sought out Robins Kaplan’s civil rights group. When I moved to Minnesota and began networking, everyone who I asked about civil right lawyers in Minneapolis told me I should work with Bob Bennett. So I did. Robins Kaplan is home to some of the most talented trial lawyers in the business. The firm does not hesitate to take cases all the way through. “I was thrilled to be working with incredible lawyers on groundbreaking cases.”
Wiessner says that her experience in the civil right and mass tort practice group has exceeded her expectations. She was given opportunities many young lawyers do not get until they are years into their practice. Senior attorneys also provided her with mentoring and support. I’ve had the opportunity to work on civil rights cases such as our two cases against Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police department and representing journalists, protestors and victims of police violence. I also litigated on behalf of families and incarcerated people who have lost a loved in the criminal justice systems. I was on the team that represented the State of Minnesota in the case against Juul Labs Inc., Altria, the tobacco company and Juul’s investor.
Wiessner offers some advice to other young lawyers seeking advancement. Ask for the opportunities you desire. My fellow attorneys have been willing to help me when I let them know that I’m ready and willing. Ask for the opportunity and let your team know the support you need. Then go ahead.
Rashanda Bruce
Rashanda Bruce works as an associate with the firm’s mass torts and personal injury group, where she represents individuals and families involved in personal injury and wrongful deaths cases. She began her career at Robins Kaplan as a paralegal/case assistant five years before attending law school. “I worked first in the mass torts department, then the business litigation department. I was inspired in both departments by the women attorneys I supported. “I was proud to support these women and hoped to join their ranks someday.”
Bruce was a standout student at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. She then worked as a judicial intern. She was thrilled to be able to return to Robins kaplan after working at a prestigious firm. It felt good to return to Robins Kaplan and do meaningful work with the people I looked up to.
Bruce has worked to bring justice to those who have suffered injury or loss of a loved one since his return. Her advocacy focuses on giving her clients a voice and an opportunity to speak out.
Bruce, a woman of colour, describes the culture at his firm as one where he feels “accepted and seen”. My opinions are valued in my team meetings. I am given many opportunities to improve my skills as an attorney. I am always seated at the table during client meetings and settlement negotiations. These groups offer me support and a place where I can be myself. These groups value my professional and personal development and mentor me both formally and informally.
She says, “The most exciting thing about being an attorney by 2023 is the fact that it will continue to grow in diversity.” Growing up, I didn’t know any black female lawyers. I didn’t know any lawyers. Things are slowly changing and I’m optimistic that they will continue. “I have a group of black female lawyer friends and mentors. I want to let little girls like me know that they can also become lawyers, or even United States Supreme Court justices.”
Morgan Voight
Morgan Voight, a second generation attorney, has modeled her legal career after her grandmother. A single mother, she was driven by her resolve to rise from her small farming community, through law school, and eventually, into her own law firm. The same strength and tenacity which propelled my grandmother to success was passed down to me. She saw my passion for law and encouraged me to pursue it. “I continue to be motivated by her legacy as I represent victims of medical malpractice, especially those whose voices were ignored or marginalized.”
Voight said she chose Robins Kaplan for its reputation of excellence in the medical malpractice/personal injuries group. She says her expectations were exceeded when she was invited to work with senior attorneys on important matters. She is a compassionate advocate and counselor for those who are most vulnerable. Her practice focuses on victims of medical malpractice. “My mission is not only to obtain compensation for the physical injuries of my clients, but to restore their faith in the integrity and professionalism of the medical profession as a group by showing that justice will ultimately prevail.”
Voight, like so many of colleagues, donates her time and expertise to help the community. Voight, following in the footsteps my grandmother’s work in pro bono, has had the privilege of empowering women and girls who have been victims of domestic violence or human trafficking. RK prioritizes this work and provides all the resources necessary to ensure justice for these life changing causes.
Voight is optimistic about the future of law, both at Robins Kaplan as well as beyond. “The legal industry is rapidly changing, and we’re uniquely positioned to help usher in the new age. The old models of law office administration, dominated by antiquated notions of how attorneys should act, are no longer common. “The best firms have accepted the idea that innovation requires change and have adapted.”
The post Recent Recruits of Robins Kaplan LLP : The Future of Law is Female first appeared on Attorney at Law Magazine.