About Ross Pfund
Ross Pfund is the managing editor of Super Lawyers. He is the editor of the Minnesota, Colorado, Massachusetts, Louisiana and Southwest magazines. An award-winning editor and writer with more than 20 years of experience, he has a journalism degree from the University of Minnesota. His work has also appeared in the Star Tribune and the Norman County Index. As a child, he knew he was cut out for a career in journalism because he never once stuck his hand into his father’s printing press.
Articles written by Ross Pfund
The Not-So-Secret Origin of Joe Gushue
Talking comics with the Philly patent lawyerJoe Gushue still remembers the day in 1984 when his dad bought him his first comic book straight off a spinner rack in a mall bookstore. The Amazing Spider-Man #255 features Peter Parker contending with moldy bread before tangling with the evil Red Ghost and his Super-Apes. It might not be high on the list of storylines likely to be adapted for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it captured 4-year-old Gushue’s imagination. That was likely his dad’s plan all along. A long-time comics fan, …
Things to Know When Considering a Cabin Trust in Minnesota
When the time comes to pass down the family cabin to the next generation, Minnesotans have a few options. One of those is a cabin trust, in which the cabin and funds are placed into a trust. Following rules set by the creator of the trust, a trustee — often but not always a member of the younger generation — oversees the decisions related to use, maintenance, and more. Before deciding to set up a cabin trust, David W. Jacobsen of Jacobsen Law Firm in Northfield suggests taking a step back. …
Navigating the Legal System When You're Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Navigating the legal system can be tricky for anyone, but Minnesotans who are deaf or hard of hearing may face additional challenges. As the only attorney in the state who is a court-certified American sign language interpreter, Heather Gilbert has represented deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing, and hearing-impaired clients for years in matters like estate planning and employment law. She offers an example of how accessing the legal system can be more complicated for clients like hers. “If a …
What Is Disparate Impact Discrimination?
Disparate impact discrimination is employment discrimination when hiring practices have a disproportionate adverse effect on members of a protected class. Neutral policies can have a discriminatory effect even when there is no disparate treatment, as shown by statistical evidence and systemic bias. After an employee shows a prima facie case of disparate impact, the employer can avoid legal liability if they show a business necessity and job-relatedness of the workplace, without a reasonable …
Family Law in the Pandemic
From questions about co-parenting arrangements to delays in court proceedings to the shift to remote proceedings, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge effect on family law matters. As soon as the pandemic hit in early 2020, the questions started rolling in. “Family law lawyers are constantly dealing with emergencies and fires,” says Eliza Steinberg, a family law attorney at Griffiths Law in Lone Tree, Colorado. “Immediately, the phones started ringing off the hook with concerns about …
Critical Save
‘Pro Bono Paladin’ Mark Surprenant lives up to the monikerThere are pro bono partners and there are pro bono coordinators, but there’s only one pro bono paladin. Mark Surprenant had the title bestowed upon him by a fellow lawyer at Adams & Reese to honor Surprenant’s hands-on leadership. “It’s certainly different, that’s for sure,” he says with a laugh. The of counsel attorney at the firm’s New Orleans office has been involved in pro bono work since volunteering at the Rhode Island Legal Aid Society after his first year of law …
Cannabis Business in Arizona: The Basics
On November 3, 2020, Arizona voters passed Proposition 207 with nearly 60% of the vote. The initiative legalizes the adult use of recreational cannabis and allows for marijuana to be taxed on the state and local levels. Justin M. Brandt, who handles cannabis law and real estate matters at Bianchi & Brandt in Scottsdale, wasn’t surprised that Prop 207 passed. “All the polls that we were seeing, particularly in Arizona, indicated that it had a lot of support,” he says. “In the past …
How To Form a Union
Many workers may be interested in exploring how forming a union could help keep them safe in the workplace and protect their employee rights. Employment and labor attorney Joe LeBlanc of LeBlanc Law & Mediation in Minneapolis has seen increased interest amongst workers in starting up union-organizing campaigns. “A lot of the times,” LeBlanc says, “things that really get people motivated to organize a union campaign are safety issues... For example, are they getting the right …
Can You Sign and Notarize Legal Documents Electronically?
You can sign and notarize legal documents electronically in states that recognize electronic notarization. Remote appearance online notaries use audio-visual technology to witness the electronic signature, and provide a notarial seal digital certificate. Fraud prevention measures include knowledge-based authentication with credential analysis on a secure platform. State filing requirements for wills or real estate closings may include electronic record retention in an online notary journal or …
COVID Employment Questions Answered
Worker questions about COVID include unemployment benefits, severance packages, discrimination claims, hazard pay, labor standards, and how it affects employee rights and employer liability. Workers get paid sick leave for taking time under FMLA compliance, and OSHA regulations give workers whistleblower protections against wrongful termination for reporting public health guidelines or workplace safety violations. Employees can file a retaliation claim if employers do not provide reasonable …
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