Category: Real Estate Law
Counsel Now Required for Business Entities Involved in Commercial Evictions in Hennepin County Housing Court
February 15, 2019 | Tammy J. SchemmelCoauthored by Tammy Schemmel and Karen Kurth For years, commercial landlords in Hennepin County have filed eviction actions against tenants in material default of leases in Hennepin County Housing Court. Rule 603 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice allowed the principals of business entities to file eviction actions without counsel and permitted commercial tenants to appear and defend the business entity without counsel in Hennepin County Housing Court. In 2018, the Minnesota Court of Appeals issued a decision holding that the Hennepin County Housing Court lacks authority to hear and determine any matter that is not related to residential rental housing. Likely in an attempt to salvage years of common practice, the Hennepin County District Court Chief Judge issued a Standing Order authorizing the Housing Court to hear civil cases involving commercial property evictions, but also requiring those commercial property evictions to be filed in District Court, not in Housing Court. [maxbutton id=”1″ ] Practically speaking, now commercial landlords that are business entities must hire counsel to file all commercial eviction actions in Hennepin County District Court and tenants must hire counsel to represent them in those eviction actions if they are business entities. The commercial eviction actions are still heard in Housing Court, but all business entities must appear through counsel….
Read MoreNew Associate Attorney Thomas M. Caturia Joins Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.
May 29, 2018 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.Barna, Guzy & Steffen LTD. announces the addition of a new associate to our firm. Thomas M. Caturia has joined the firm’s Real Estate and Banking departments. He will be working closely with attorneys practicing in the firm’s growing Real Estate and Banking areas serving existing clients and enhancing the firm’s ability to serve new areas of the community. He joined BGS as law clerk in 2016 prior to receiving his J.D. at Mitchell Hamline School of Law and passing the bar. Before that, he also clerked for the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and was a volunteer with the Minnesota Justice Foundation. He will be practicing in a variety of real estate related areas, including: commercial leasing, real estate financial structures, transactions, and real estate management as well as commercial banking. He is excited about this new opportunity in his legal career and says, “It’s truly a blessing to be working with such a great group of attorneys and staff here at BGS. I look forward to a long career working alongside them serving the Minnesota real estate and banking communities.”
Read MoreBGS Adds a New Associate in Real Estate Law
October 3, 2017 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.Barna, Guzy & Steffen LTD. announces the addition of a new associate to our firm. Andrew C. Thompson has joined the firm’s Real Estate department. He will be working closely with attorneys practicing in the firm’s growing Real Estate area serving existing clients and enhancing the firm’s ability to serve new areas of the community. Andrew received his J.D. in New York in 2013 and was most recently practicing law in St. Paul as a solo practitioner. Before that, he clerked for Washington County District Court Judge Ellen L. Maas. He is experienced in a variety of real estate related areas, including: commercial leasing, real estate financial structures, transactions, and real estate management. His experience attending law school, and living and working in New York has enhanced his law practice with a foundation in the City’s vibrant and busy real estate market. Andrew graduated cum laude from New York Law School in 2013 where he ranked in the top 12{a0c01d20c42349884e67ff80c137866b0a9fe47aaae8f8a86a605a369ae487c3} of his class. He was a John Marshall Harlan Scholar, recipient of the Law Review Outstanding New Member award and on the Dean’s List four of six semesters. He is excited about this new opportunity in his legal career and says, “I am very much looking forward to working with the experienced attorneys…
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