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Michael E. Molenda

Email MolendaM@seversonsheldon.com

Phone (952) 953-8831
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Legal Assistants

Teresa McGovern
telephone (952) 953-8814

Tammy Mecus
telephone (952) 953-8836

Attorneys

Michael E. Molenda | Shareholder

Mike was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1950. He grew up in the Milwaukee suburb of Greenfield where he attended high school and participated in swimming, golf, and drama. After high school, Mike attended the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse where he continued to swim and where he met his wife Linda.

Upon graduating from UW-La Crosse, he accepted a position as a physical education teacher at Rosemount Middle School; he also served as head swimming coach for Rosemount High School. He served in both of these roles until 1978 when he left coaching and pursued a law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul. Mike graduated from law school, cum laude, in 1982.

Mike currently practices in the areas of family law, criminal law, and personal injury. He also serves as a mediator, parenting time expeditor and consultant in the family law area.

When he is not at work, Mike enjoys golfing and traveling with his wife Linda. Mike is a licensed pilot and also enjoys flying in his spare time.

Representative Experience

  • Chief City Prosecutor for the City of Apple Valley, Minnesota since 1983.
  • City Attorney for Coates, Minnesota since 1993.
  • Appointed as guardian ad litem by Dakota County District Court judges in approximately 100 cases before State-wide guardian ad litem program went into effect.

Professional Memberships

  • Minnesota State Bar Association
    • Representative to the MSBA General Assembly
    • Member of the Governance Committee
  • Dakota County Bar Association
  • First Judicial District Bar Association, Board of Directors
  • American Bar Association
  • Minnesota Association for Justice

Professional Recognition

  • From 2004 to 2010 Mike's peers in the Minnesota bar have selected him for recognition on the Minnesota Super Lawyers® list for his work in Family Law.

Representative Cases

  • Lisser v. Lisser, 2006 Minn. App. Unpub. LEXIS 1389 (Minn. App. 2006).

  • Knudtson v. City of Coates, 519 N.W.2d 166 (Minn. 1994).

  • McDonnell v. Commissioner of Public Safety, 460 N.W.2d 363 (Minn. App. 1990).

  • Radke v. Radke, 1990 Minn. Ct. App. LEXIS 540, (Minn. App. 1990).

  • V.G. v. Bates, 1997 Minn. App. LEXIS 430 (Minn. App. 1997).

  • Kelm v. Kelm, 1988 Minn. App. LEXIS 145 (Minn. Ct. App. 1988).

  • Wood v. Schlagel, 375 N.W.2d 561 (Minn. Ct. App. 1985).

  • State v. Powell, 357 N.W.2d 146 (Minn. Ct. App. 1984).

Court Admissions

  • State of Minnesota
  • State of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota.

Community Involvement

  • Rosemount Lions Club
  • Minnesota Lions Eye Bank, Inc., Past Chairman of and current Legal Advisor to the Board of Directors. The Minnesota Lions Eye Bank, Inc., encourages cornea donations following death and processes the donated corneas to exacting federal standards. The corneas are used to return the gift of sight to individuals in need of corneal transplants.
  • Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce, three-year Member of Board of Directors
  • Hastings Chamber of Commerce, Member
  • Airplane Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Member.

Education

  • William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., cum laude
  • University of Minnesota, M.Ed.
  • University of Wisconsin at La Crosse, B.A.