Excelsior Lawyers

I've been a defender since before graduating law school in 1994, and have more than 10K evidentiary hearings to my name, hundreds of bench and jury verdicts, several thousand civil hearings relating to criminal charges or family court impacts from criminal cases, forfeiture hearings in nearly twenty jurisdictions... I've received dismissals in federal courts in four different states, and I'm willing and able to travel ANYWHERE you or your family member needs assistance. My growing firm can handle any criminal, family, business-creation or contract-dispute matter you face, and if we do NOT handle your matter, we coordinate with multiple firms...

Mr. Sackett decided to become an attorney due to his desire to help others in a meaningful way. Since being admitted to practice law in Minnesota in 2014, Mr. Sackett has been successful in protecting his clients’ interests through foresight, preparation and zealous advocacy. Mr. Sackett has experience in a wide range of civil litigation practice areas including family law, breach of contract, breach of warranty, negligence claims, products liability, construction defect, insurance defense and insurance subrogation. Outside of his law practice, Mr. Sackett enjoys bicycling, golfing, watching movies and reading. He also enjoys taking long walks with...

Universidad Catolica Andres Bello: Abogada 1999. Hamline University Law School: Master of Laws 2001. William Mitchell College of Law: Juris Doctor 2003. Licensed to practice in Venezuela, and before the Minnesota Supreme Court and the United States District Court. Fluent in Spanish and English Faculty at National American University: Paralegal Program Currently serving as a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association Diversity Committee.

Mr. Swift is a Minnesota Lawyer practicing primarily in Criminal Defense and Juvenile Defense.

John C. Lillie, III practices in the areas of criminal defense and civil litigation within Minnesota and the surrounding region. John deals with a wide range of criminal matters, including petty misdemeanor traffic citations, gross misdemeanor DWI allegations and serious felony cases. John also focuses on handling a variety of civil cases, with an emphasis placed on those cases which must be tried. He is very aware of the fact that not all cases will be tried, but he prepares every case as if it will be with incredible attention to detail and leaving no stone unturned in...

Ms. Molinaro has several years experience practicing tax law, probate/estate administration, estate planning, guardianship/ conservatorship, and HRO/OFP law. Ms. Molinaro strives to provide sensible legal representation to her clients. With litigation experience but also a common sense approach to the law, Ms. Molinaro is an effective advocate both in and out of the courtroom. Ms. Molinaro is licensed to practice in Minnesota, Colorado and North Dakota.

Matthew Schaap is a shareholder at Dougherty Molenda and serves on the firm's board of directors. He focuses on personal and business litigation, offering clients seasoned guidance in and out of the courtroom. Starting his career as a Judicial Law Clerk to Judge Elizabeth Hayden in Minnesota, Matthew supported judicial decision-making with crucial research and writing. He gained valuable experience assisting in jury trials across criminal and civil contexts, observing winning trial techniques firsthand. Joining Dougherty Molenda in 2004 post-clerkship, Matthew dedicated his practice to litigation and trial advocacy. He aims to be a zealous advocate, ensuring thorough research on all pertinent...

Practicing education law on behalf of students for 29 years.

I joined the Government Law department at Barna, Guzy & Steffen in June 2023. With a solid background in criminal law and trial advocacy, I have developed a comprehensive understanding of the legal field through various roles. Prior to my current position, I served as an Assistant Public Defender and a Judge Advocate with the Minnesota Army National Guard for several years. My professional journey also includes several years in private practice, where I represented clients in criminal, civil, and business law matters. In addition to practicing law, I have been an adjunct faculty member at St. Cloud State University, teaching...