Bassford Remele chief operating officer and consumer finance defense practice group co-chair Jessica Klander has been selected as an Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer. Jessica and two colleagues were recognized in the Outstanding Service to the Profession Category for their work on a petition to adopt parental leave rules. 

Background:

Minnesota Supreme Court Order | New Personal Leave Rule

The Minnesota Supreme Court recently adopted the Minnesota State Bar Association's (MSBA) proposal to Amend the General Rules of Practice, as modified by the Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the General Rules of Practice, as a 2-year pilot project to provide for presumptive personal leave of court/scheduling order deadlines of up to 90 days contingent on a qualifying event. They also adopted a parallel rule and 2-year pilot project for the Minnesota Rules of Civil Appellate Procedure. A copy of the Order can be found here.

Jessica Klander's Involvement

Jessica served on the MSBA Parental Leave Task Force. The task force was asked to look at the 2017 National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being and consider whether amendments to the Minnesota Rules of General Practice should be considered to address the need for parental leave. The task force spent over a year gathering information and rules from other states, stories from Minnesota attorneys, and crafting a recommendation for change. Ultimately, the task force created a report and recommendation to the MSBA to amend the General Rules of Practice to allow for a presumptive personal leave continuance. The recommended rule would allow a 90-day presumptive leave continuance of trial, evidentiary hearings, pretrial, and other scheduling order deadlines if an attorney substantially involved in the representation experienced a (1) health condition; (2) birth/adoption of child; (3) need to care for a sick family and/or household member; or (4) death of a family and/or household member.

The MSBA general assembly approved the recommendation, which then went to the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on the General Rules of Practice. The Committee recommended that the Supreme Court adopt a rule substantially the same as the requested one. On April 30, 2024, the Supreme Court Order Promulgating the Amendment was filed.

A summary of the New Personal Leave Rule can be found here.

Jessica Klander's practice focuses on defending lawyers, financial entities, healthcare providers, and other organizations against consumer financial protection claims, malpractice, and professional liability claims. In particular, she counsels organizations on privacy, data security, and governmental and regulatory affairs. She advises and represents healthcare organizations, collection agencies, and law firms against state and federal regulatory inquiries, civil investigative demands, and consumer lawsuits. Jessica serves as president-elect of the Hennepin County Bar Association and is on the insideArm Legal Advisory Board.

Bassford Remele proudly serves as local and national counsel for many major corporations and Fortune 500 Companies and is a go-to litigation firm representing local, national, and international clients in state and federal courts across the region. The firm provides comprehensive counsel and representation in litigation and dispute resolution, family law, and corporate matters, ensuring prompt and effective service for its clients.

Established in 1882, Bassford Remele is proud to be the oldest top-25 law firm based in Minnesota.

Bassford Remele | January 17, 2025