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Aram V. Desteian

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Aram V. Desteian

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Practice Groups

Class Action/Multidistrict Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Data Privacy and Cybersecurity, Professional Liability/Claim Prevention

Industry Groups

Law Firms and Legal Organizations Industry

Overview

Mr. Desteian represents businesses in complex commercial litigation, and also counsels and defends other lawyers against a spectrum of professional liability claims.

Mr. Desteian’s commercial litigation practice includes representing businesses in a wide range of business disputes. As a professional liability attorney, he regularly helps other lawyers prevent and navigate lawsuits, investigations, board proceedings, and hearings involving legal ethics, legal malpractice, and other areas relating to the law of lawyering.

Mr. Desteian graduated magna cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law. Prior to entering law school, Mr. Desteian served as Deputy Finance Director to an incumbent U.S. Senator’s reelection campaign, as well as PAC and Political Director to a national advocacy organization with offices in Washington D.C. and Minneapolis.

Mr. Desteian is Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association Professionalism & Ethics Section and serves as Bassford Remele's General Counsel.

EDUCATION & ADMISSIONS

Education

  • William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2014
    • William Mitchell Merit Scholarship
    • Dean’s List
    • CALI Awards: Professional Responsibility; Agency, Partnerships, and LLCs; Introduction to Tribal Law and Constitutional Criminal Procedure
    • Award for Excellence in the Study of Employment Law, Minnesota State Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section, 2014
  • St. Olaf College, B.A., cum laude, 2005

Bar Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
  • Minnesota
  • Tribal Court of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community

Judicial Externship

  • Fourth Judicial District, The Honorable Regina M. Chu, Judicial Extern, 2013

NEWS & EVENTS

Aram Desteian to Present at National Legal Malpractice Conference

Bassford Remele General Counsel Aram Desteian will be a panelist for "When the Client's License is...

Seven Lawyers Named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch

Bassford Remele would like to congratulate the following attorneys named to the 2024 Edition of...

Seventeen Attorneys Selected to Super Lawyers Lists; Lew Remele is Top Vote-Getter

Bassford Remele is pleased to announce that Lewis Remele is the top vote-getter in the 2023...

Aram Desteian and Kiralyn Locke Publish Article on Steps to Take if Faced with an Ethics Complaint

General Counsel Aram Desteian and Attorney Kiralyn Locke recently published "Don't Panic: First...

Lewis Remele Receives Service to the Profession Award

Lewis Remele received Minnesota Lawyers' Outstanding Service to the Profession Award. He is the...

Aram Desteian and Kiralyn Locke to Present on Legal Ethics: Multijurisdictional & Cyberattacks

Bassford Remele General Counsel Aram Desteian and Attorney Kiralyn Locke will present “Legal...

Trust and Litigation Seminar featuring Amy Morris Hess on January 24, 2023

The Bassford Remele Trust and Estates Litigation Practice Group will host a lunch, seminar, and...

Casey Marshall and Aram Desteian Author "Four Things Closely Held Shareholders Should Know"

Bassford Remele Shareholders Casey Marshall and Aram Desteian, and Law Clerk Olivia Liz-Fonts...

Aram Desteian Authors Crypto Article

Aram Desteian wrote the cover story for the September issue of Bench & Bar of Minnesota:...

Bassford Brief: Tips for Minimizing the Risk of a Law Firm Data Breach

The Bassford Brief: Legal Issues for Lawyers | Attorney at Law Magazine | Vol. 12, No. 8 | August...

Bassford Brief: The Flat Fee Fable

The Bassford Brief: Legal Issues for Lawyers | Attorney at Law Magazine | Vol. 12, No. 7 | July...

Bassford Brief: First Steps to Take if Faced With an Ethics Complaint

The Bassford Brief: Legal Issues for Lawyers | Attorney at Law Magazine | Vol. 12, No. 4 | April...

Minnesota Supreme Court Issues Welcome Ethical Clarification and Practical Insights

On May 18, 2022, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued an Administrative Order in response to two...

Aram Desteian and Jessica Kometz Recognized as Up & Coming Attorneys

Aram Desteian and Jessica Kometz have been recognized as 2021 Up & Coming Attorneys by...

PROFESSIONAL & CIVIC

Professional Achievements

  • Douglas K. Amdahl Inn of Court, Barrister

Bar Associations

  • American Bar Association
  • Minnesota State Bar Association
    • Professionalism & Ethics Section, Member, 2015-present; Chair, 2022-present
    • Rules of Professional Conduct Committee, 2016-present
  • Hennepin County Bar Association
    • Awards Committee, 2021-2022

Professional Associations

  • Professional Liability Defense Federation
    • Lawyers Professional Liability Claims, Vice Chair, 2022-present
  • Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers

Civic Involvement

  • Minneapolis Club, Board of Governors, 2023-present
  • St. Paul Academy and Summit School, Alumni Council, Council Member
  • Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota, Board of Directors
  • Volunteer Lawyers Network, 2014-2018

ACCOLADES

  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation and Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions, 2022-present, Legal Malpractice Law, 2024 ed.
  • Up & Coming Attorney, Minnesota Lawyer, 2021
  • Attorney of the Year, as part of the Syngenta Legal Team, Minnesota Lawyer, 2017
  • Minnesota Rising Stars list, Super Lawyers, 2018-present
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Aram V. Desteian
Rated by Super Lawyers


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Publications

Seminars

  • The Ethics Compass – Guiding Principles for New Lawyers, presenter, Minnesota State Bar Association New Lawyers Seminar, November 3, 2023
  • Seminar Training Awareness, co-presenter with Element Technologies, October 3, 2023
  • The Client File and Responding to Subpoenas, presenter, Minnesota State Bar Association Professionalism and Ethics Section, July 25, 2023
  • Ethics: Representing Clients with Diminished Capacity, presenter, Probate and Trust Law Section Conference, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, July 18, 2023
  • Complying with New Developments in Ethics and Professional Responsibility, presenter, Civil Litigator's Annual Update, Minnesota CLE, April 27, 2023
  • Ethics: Who Do I Represent? The Close Corporation Attorney-Client Privilege Trap, presenter, Ownership Disputes in Closely-Held Businesses: Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Seminar, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, March 6, 2023
  • Legal Ethics: New Developments in Multijurisdictional Practice and Law Firm Cyberattacks, presenter, 2023 Midwest Legal Conference on Data Privacy and Cybersecurity, February 7, 2023
  • Navigating Workplace Well-Being, presenter, Minnesota State Bar Association, February 2, 2023
  • Hot Topics and Common Ethical Issues in Estate Planning, co-presenter with Amy Morris Hess, Bassford Remele A Loss of Trust: What Trust and Estate Litigators Think Estate Planners Need to Know, January 24, 2023
  • Seminar Training Awareness, co-presenter with Element Technologies, November 1, 2022
  • How Truly Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Panel Counsel Positively Impacts Your Case, presenter, Professional Liability Defense Federation, Chicago, Ill., September 16, 2022
  • The Impact of Technology on Legal Malpractice Claims and Lawsuits, presenter, Professional Liability Defense Federation, Chicago, September 15, 2022
  • The Legal and Ethical Implications of the Close Corporation Attorney-Client Privilege Trap, presenter, Business Law Institute, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, May 9, 2022
  • The Ethical Implications of Accepting Cryptocurrency for Legal Fees, Ransomware, and Other Technology-Related Issues in Legal Ethics, presenter, Workers' Compensation Institute, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, April 26, 2022
  • Ethical Implications of Accepting Cryptocurrency as Payment for Legal Services, presenter, Banking Law Institute, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, April 21, 2022
  • Law and Ethics Update, presenter, Torts, Litigation, and Ethics XI, September 17, 2021
  • Recovery of Attorneys’ Fees, presenter, Remedies & Damages in Commercial Litigation, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, July 30, 2021
  • Lessons Learned: Utilizing the Pandemic Experience to Avoid Legal Pitfalls and Cyber Security Risks as We Move to a Hybrid Workforce, panelist, Bassford Remele Ethics Seminar, June 23, 2021
  • Legal Ethics Updates and Hot Topics, presenter, Hennepin County Bar Association Ethics and Professionalism Section, February 12, 2021
  • Ethics: Who Do I Represent? The Close Corporation Attorney-Client Privilege Trap, Shareholder Disputes in Closely-Held Businesses, presenter, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, January 25, 2021
  • New Developments in Ethics and Professional Responsibility, presenter, 2021 Civil Litigator Half-Day Seminars, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, January 26, 2021
  • Law and Ethics Update, presenter, Torts, Litigation, and Ethics XI, August 28, 2020
  • Hot Topics and Common Ethical Issues in Estate Planning, co-presenter with Kathleen Buck of Minnesota Lawyers Mutual, Bassford Remele Mom Always Liked You Best: Tips from Experienced Trust Litigators for Estate Planners and Trustees, January 24, 2023
  • New Developments in Ethics and Professional Responsibility, co-presenter with K.P. Hickey, Civil Litigator's Annual Short Course, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, February 2020
  • Elements of Privilege: Made in Confidence, presenter, Attorney-Client Privilege: What Every Attorney Needs to Know Seminar, Minnesota CLE, December 11, 2019
  • Ethical Obligations of Listening to (or Ignoring) Client Requests, presenter, Lorman Education Services, October 2, 2019
  • What if You Get Hit By a Truck? aka Succession Planning is for Everyone, presenter, Minnesota Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company Defense Panel Seminar, August 6, 2019
  • Ethics, Technology, and You: Lawyer Ethical Obligations Relating to Technology and Cyber Security, panelist, Bassford Remele Ethics Seminar, June 18, 2019
  • Choice of Law & Causes of Action Against 3M Under Minnesota Law, presenter, 3M CAEv2 Earplugs Seminar, February 26, 2019
  • New Developments in Ethics and Professional Responsibility, co-presenter with K.P. Hickey, The Litigator's Annual Short Course, Minnesota State Bar Association, February 2019
  • Elements of Privilege: Made in Confidence, presenter, Attorney-Client Privilege: What Every Attorney Needs to Know Seminar, Minnesota CLE, August 30, 2018
  • Hot Topics in Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility - Torts, Litigation and Ethics VII, presenter, Eighth Annual Litigation and Ethics Seminar, April 6, 2018
  • New Developments in Ethics and Professional Responsibility, co-presenter with K.P. Hickey, Civil Litigator's Annual Short Course, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, February 2018
  • Fair Debt: Ethics in Consumer Collection Litigation, presenter, The National Creditors Bar Association Fall Conference, Washington, D.C., October 14, 2017
  • Hot Topics in Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility, presenter, Seventh Annual Litigation and Ethics Seminar, April 7, 2017
  • Common Ethical Pitfalls Facing New Lawyers, presenter, Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association New Lawyers Section, April 6, 2017
  • New Developments in Ethics and Professional Responsibility, co-presenter with K.P. Hickey, Civil Litigator's Annual Short Course, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, February 2017
  • The Ethics of Lawyer Mobility: How to Leave Your Law Firm and Live to Tell the Tale, co-presenter with C.E. Lundberg, Hennepin County Bar Association webinar, January 8, 2016