Christopher M. McShane

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Leaders in Law endorses Christopher M. McShane as our exclusively recommended Commercial Litigation Law expert in the USA – North Dakota. If you wish to get in touch with Chris, please use the contact information provided above.

Chris practices in the area of civil litigation addressing issues including breach of contract, corporate dissolution, and estate disputes.  His primary focus is the acquisition of property rights necessary to construct public projects.  Chris has successfully tried civil cases to juries and judges. He is also experienced in appellate practice, having represented clients on numerous appeals.

Outside of the office, Chris and his family enjoy the outdoors.  They enjoy hunting, fishing, skiing, snowshoeing and camping – including winter camping.  Chris also enjoys cooking and eating interesting food.  He is willing to travel anywhere for a good meal.

Education and Licensure

  • Undergraduate: University of North Dakota – Commercial Aviation
  • Law School: University of North Dakota School of Law – Juris Doctor
  • Licensed to practice in North Dakota, Minnesota, and the United States Federal District Court for the District of North Dakota
  • Holder of a multi-engine land commercial pilot certificate, certified flight instructor and flight instructor of instruments

Christopher has achieved the following honours and distinctions:

  • Past chairman of the Inquiry Committee Southeast of the State Bar Association of North Dakota
  • Graduate of the chamber of commerce leadership development program

As an attorney, Christopher actively participates in the following organizations:

  • Member of the State Bar Association of North Dakota and the Cass County Bar Association
  • Volunteer for the adaptive ski program at H.O.P.E. Inc.
  • Active member of Lutheran Church of the Cross in West Fargo
  • Moderator of the West Fargo legislative forums.

FIRM DESCRIPTION

The law firm of Ohnstad Twichell, P.C., was founded in 1939, by Manfred R. Ohnstad.  In 1955, the firm partnered with Daniel R. Twichell, and the name has remained since then.  The firm has deep roots in the Red River Valley, with offices in Casselton, Hillsboro, Page and West Fargo, ND, and Barnesville, MN.

Ohnstad Twichell has grown to become one of the largest law firms in the region, yet continues to remain committed to its core values:  Integrity, respect, teamwork, communication, and excellence.  As the firm grows, its employees remain anchored to its core values to provide clients exceptional legal service in a number of practice areas.

Ohnstad Twitchell P.C. is competent in the following fields of practice:

  • Real Estate
  • Business & Corporate Law
  • Estate Planning, Probate, & Trust
  • Civil & Criminal Litigation
  • Family Law
  • Municipal & Water Kaw
  • Public Finance, Bonding, & Partnerships
  • Energy Law

The staff at Ohnstad Twichell are a team of dedicated and talented professionals committed to improving the lives of their clients and creating strong communities by providing custom legal solutions with integrity and excellence.

With the move of its West Fargo office to the new location at 444 Sheyenne Street in West Fargo, Ohnstad Twichell is poised for future growth and remains the community-minded law firm that provides personalized, broad-ranging legal services that meet the needs of its clients.

Timothy G. Richard

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Tim Richard has been a shareholder at Serkland Law Firm since 2006. Before joining the firm in 1999, he served as a law clerk to U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen K. Klein in Fargo from 1997–1999.

Areas of Practice:

  • Estate Planning and Probate
  • Real Estate
  • Business and Commercial Law

Professional Associations and Memberships:

  • Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
  • Certified as an Accredited Estate Planner designee by the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils
  • Red River Valley Estate Planning Council
  • State Bar Association of North Dakota
  • Minnesota State Bar Association
  • Cass County Bar Association
  • Pheasants Forever

The Estate & Trust Law Practice:

At Serkland Law Firm, our estate planning and probate attorneys regularly represent professionals, executives, business owners, and families in protecting and passing on wealth from generation to generation.

Our attorneys understand that your most important goal is to secure a financially sound future for you and your loved ones. From trusts to guardianships to wills, our lawyers will work with you to create specifically tailored estate planning documents. They will also help you create appropriate healthcare and financial directives, including medical powers of attorney, living wills, and durable powers of attorney and appointment. Our goal is to ensure your personal matters and financial affairs are properly structured and handled.

The Serkland Law Firm:

The Serkland Law Firm was founded in 1888. The firm’s first office was located in Sheldon, North Dakota. The office was moved to Fargo in 1903 by partners, Edmund Pierce and B.G. Tenneson.

Our team is licensed to practice in North Dakota and Minnesota.

We may not be biggest law firm in the area – and we like it that way. We remain small by design in order to allow our attorneys to truly get to know our clients and understand how to best meet their needs. With our broad range of experience, we provide superior, personalized legal services to our clients in a manner that is both efficient and cost-effective.

Whatever reason brings you to our office, you can be assured that our attorneys are experienced and talented. We encourage our clients to stay in close contact with us, which is why we are available evenings and weekends by appointment to answer questions or address any concerns you may have regarding your case. If you are unable to come to our office, our attorneys can be available to make home and hospital visits.

Lisa Edison-Smith

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Lisa Edison-Smith practices exclusively in the area of employment and labor law and litigation, and is a MSBA Certified Labor and Employment Law Specialist. She focuses her practice on providing practical advice to North Dakota and Minnesota private and public sector employers, including schools and higher education, on a variety of issues related to discrimination and harassment, state and federal compliance issues, wage and hour law, employment contracts, policy review, hiring and termination, internal investigations, and employee benefits. She frequently provides training on harassment and other current issues in employment law to employers throughout the area. Lisa also represents employers in labor matters, negotiations, and arbitrations.

Lisa is a qualified neutral under Rule 11 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice and is included in North Dakota’s ADR Neutral Roster maintained by the North Dakota Supreme Court Administrator’s Office.

Lisa is an editor of the North Dakota Employment Law Letter, a monthly newsletter designed to provide proactive advice and the latest employment law news to North Dakota employers.

Lisa is a graduate of Hamline University School of Law, where she was awarded the Lyons Award as the graduate with the highest academic standing. Before joining the firm, she served as a law clerk to the honorable Chief Justice A.M. Keith of the Minnesota Supreme Court and worked for over eight years for GTE corporation in finance and accounting.

She graduated summa cum laude from North Dakota State University with an undergraduate degree in accounting and business administration and passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant exam with national distinction.

The Employment Law Practice:

Vogel Law Firm’s labor and employment attorneys provide comprehensive services in this technical area of the law. Our attorneys routinely appear before all federal and state agencies in North Dakota and Minnesota and represent a variety of businesses and industries, including health care, energy, transportation, utilities, long-term care, manufacturing, warehousing, retail and service establishments, food and beverage wholesaling, professional, banking and lending, hotel and motel, municipal governments, counties, and school districts.

Our mission is to understand our clients’ industries and to provide them with practical advice to solve their legal and business needs based on our knowledge and experience in the labor and employment field.

Vogel Law Firm:

Vogel Law Firm traces its roots back to 1880 when William Barnett came to Fargo to practice law. He hired Seth Richardson in 1905 and soon their partnership expanded and prospered. Through brothers Charles, Philip and Mart Vogel, the Vogel family became associated with the group in the late 1920’s. They expanded the firm’s practice into North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota, providing a range of legal services.

With offices in Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks, Moorhead and Minneapolis, Vogel Law Firm offers sophisticated legal representation to businesses and individuals throughout North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana. We are one of the largest law firms in northwestern Minnesota and North Dakota and serve a diverse group of clients in matters ranging from sophisticated commercial transactions to criminal defense law and personal injury.

Our litigation team has vast experience in all of the region’s state and federal courts, as well as before tribal courts and administrative agencies. We have a team of lawyers who concentrate their practice in medical malpractice defense and complex commercial litigation. Our insurance defense, personal injury, wrongful death, family law and criminal defense lawyers are among the region’s leading litigators.