Michael Pfau is a litigator, focusing his practice in the areas of construction, real estate, business and commercial litigation, and employment litigation/advice.

Michael has experience in conducting research, drafting legal documents, conducting and defending depositions, and managing written discovery. He has first-chair trial experience and has conducted oral arguments at the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Michael also has experience in administrative appeals with both the Minnesota Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service. He has also successfully settled multiple disputes before the need for litigation.

Michael graduated from the University of St. Thomas School of Law, where he was a certified student attorney for the Trademark Practice Clinic and the Bankruptcy Litigation Clinic. While in the Trademark Practice Clinic he conducted clearance searches of marks clients intended to register and drafted opinion letters for clients, filed trademark applications for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and responded to USPTO office actions and opposing marks and drafted written discovery requests. During his time with the Bankruptcy Clinic, Michael prepared answers, drafted written discovery requests, drafted complaints, conducted client interviews, and drafted responses to comprehensive written discovery requests. Michael also has experience volunteering for Volunteer Lawyers Network in landlord-tenant matters and tax disputes.

Education

• University of St. Thomas School of Law, J.D., cum laude
  • Dean’s Scholarship
  • Dean’s Awards, Lawyering Skills III, Administrative Law and Employment Discrimination
  • Journal of Law and Public Policy, Chief Articles Editor
• North Dakota State University, B.A., magna cum laude
  • Université de Caen

Bar Admissions

• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
  
• United States Tax Court
• U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
• Minnesota
• North Dakota

Bar Associations

• American Bar Association
  • Forum on Construction Law, Division 1 - Litigation
• Federal Bar Association
• Minnesota State Bar Association
  • Construction Law Section
  • Labor and Employment Law Section
• Hennepin County Bar Association
• Minnesota Lavender Bar Association

Professional Associations

• Associated General Contractors of Minnesota
• Association of Women Contractors
• NAIOP Minnesota | Commercial Real Estate Development Association

• Construction Industry Economic Forecast for 2025, co-author with J. Holper, Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, October 2024
• Adapting to The Uncertainty of Construction Costs: Why Price Escalation Clauses are More Vital Than Ever, co-author with J. Holper, Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, July 2024
• "Slander of Title": The Counter-Punch to a Mechanic's Lien, author, Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, January 26, 2024
• SCOTUS Hears Oral Argument on Landmark Employment Law Case, author, Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, January 12, 2024
• Minnesota Bans Non-Compete Provisions and What It Means for Minnesota Construction Companies, co-author, Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, June 23, 2023

The Work Week with Bassford Remele

• More Employers are Pushing for Return to Office Policies, author, October 21, 2024
  
• Gratuity Laws in Minnesota, author, September 3, 2024
  
• Additional Minnesota Legislative Updates, author, August 12, 2024
• Recent Case Law Construing the Minnesota Human Rights Act, author, July 15, 2024
• The Federal Trade Commission Faces Legal Challenges Against its Ban on Noncompete Clauses, author, June 24, 2024
  
• Supreme Court Unanimously Rules that Courts Must Stay, Not Dismiss, Lawsuits During Arbitration, author, May 20, 2024
• Minnesota Legislature Considers Banning Restrictive Covenants in Service Contracts, author, April 8, 2024
• NLRB Rules Employee's "Black Lives Matter" Marketing on Home Depot Apron Was Protected, author, February 26, 2024
  
• Minnesota AG Sues Evergreen Acres Dairy Alleging Wage Theft and Substandard Housing Conditions, author, January 16, 2024
• SCOTUS Hears Oral Argument on Landmark Employment Law Case, author, December 11, 2023
• The Tricks to Making the Workplace Halloween Party a Treat, author, October 30, 2023
  
• Department of Labor Introduces New Proposal to Increase Salary Exemption Threshold, author, September 11, 2023

• Mitigating the Risk of New Technology, presenter, Bassford Remele Construction Law Summit, February 8, 2024
• Minnesota Litigators’ Discovery Playbook: Depositions, E-Discovery, Subpoenas, and More, co-presenter, National Business Institute, May 2023
• Real Property Law Update, co-presenter, Minnesota State Bar Association, September 2022