Email MeJessica J.W. Maher
Vice President
Shareholder and Attorney
Location:
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Phone:
612-326-3453
888-340-9311 (Toll Free)
888-340-9311 (Toll Free)
Fax:
612-340-1154
Email:
Paralegal:
Practice devoted exclusively to all areas of practice in family law, including: third-party custody and visitation litigation; paternity and child custody/parenting time issues; and dissolution of marriage actions. All areas of adoption law including birth parent representation, adoptive parent representation, and litigation in adoption issues; juvenile court practice including termination of parental rights and Children in Need of Protection or Services (CHIPS) matters; Assisted Reproductive Technology (ARTs) practice, and guardianship/conservatorship proceedings. Appellate practice in the same areas.
Year Joined Firm
- 2000
Areas of Practice
- Adoption
- Appeals
- Custody
- Juvenile
- Marital Dissolution
- Paternity
Bar Admissions
- Minnesota, 1999
- Lower Sioux Tribal Court, 2011
Education
- University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- J.D. cum laude - 1999
- Honors: Dean's List With An "A" Average, 1998 - 99 and 1997 - 98
- Honors: National Moot Court, Administrative Director 1998 - 99, Member 1997 - 98
- Honors: Legal Writing Student Instructor
- Honors: Honor Code Council Representative
- Honors: Kenneth and Lillian Smith Scholarship
- Honors: Judicial Externship with The Hon. Gary Larson (4th Judicial District)
- Honors: G.P.A.: 13.494/16.0
- Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minnesota
- B.A. summa cum laude - 1996
- Honors: G.P.A.: 3.947/4.0
- Honors: Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities (1995-1996)
- Honors: Honors Program, University Scholar Designation
- Honors: Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority, Secretary, Education Director, House Manager
- Honors: Phi Alpha Theta (History Honor Society)
- Major: History
Published Works
- Editor, "Focus on Family Law", Hennepin Lawyer, March/April, 2015
- Editor, "Focus on Estate Planning", Hennepin Laywer, May, 2013
- Editor, "Focus on Transitions: Planning for the Future", The Hennepin Lawyer , September, 2011
- Editor, "Focus On Professionalism", The Hennepin Lawyer, September, 2008
- Editor, "Focus On Family Law", The Hennepin Lawyer, May, 2007
- Presenter, NBI Paternity Claims and Defenses, March 15, 2011
- Presenter, Upper Midwest Immigration Conference, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter and The Advocates For Human Rights, April 30, 2009
- Presenter, NBI Adoption Law: Start to Finish; , 2009, March 5, 2009
- Presenter, Legalities in Adoption, Children's Home Society & Family Services, June, 2007
- Presenter, Legalities in Adoption, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Seton Services, June, 2007
- Presenter, Legalities in Adoption, Walling Berg & Debele, P.A, June, 2007
- Presenter, Legalities in Adoption, Healtheast Care System, June, 2007
- Adjunct Professor, for Adoption Law class, University of St. Thomas School of Law, Spring Semester, 2007
- Teaching Assistant, to Wright S. Walling, Esq, University of St. Thomas School of Law, Spring Semester, 2006
- Co-Author, with Melissa J. Chawla, The Affordable Care Act's Impact on Divorced, or Never-Married parents in Minnesota, Hennepin Lawyer, September, 2013
- Co-author, with Wright S. Walling, Esq, Birth Father?s Rights in Adoption:A Minnesota Perspective, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education seminar materials, February 19, 2003
- Birth Father's Rights in Adoption: A Minnesota Perspective, (Co-Author with Wright S. Walling, Esq.), Minnesota Institute of Legal Education Seminar Materials, February, 2003
- Special Immigrant Juvenile Status: A Helpful Option For Some Children in Difficult Circumstances, The Hennepin Laywer Magazine (vol. 81, no. 5), May , 2012
Representative Cases
- Heidbreder v. Carton, 645 N.W.2d 355 (Minn. 2002)
- In The Matter Of The Petition Of T.D. and J.D. to Adopt N.T.K., and B.L.W. as mother and natural guardian of D.J.F., a minor, and D.J.F., individually, v. A.K., as mother and natural guardian of J.M.K., a minor, and J.M.K. individually, 677 N.W.2d 110 (Minn. Ct. App. 2004)
- In Re The Welfare Of The Children Of J.L.H., 2005 WL 3470525 (Minn. Ct. App. 2005)
- Zeidler v. Zeidler, 2004 WL 1326778 (Minn. Ct. App. 2004)
- Brennan v. Braun, 2003 WL 21694157 (Minn. Ct. App. 2003)
- Sundboom v. Keul, 2002 WL 1613866
- Gergen v. Gergen, 2012 WL 3101282 (Minn. Ct. App. 2012)
- Rabideau v. Rabideau, 2012 WL 4476597 (Minn. Ct. App. 2012)
- In Re Welfare of R.L.Z., 2009 WL 2853281 (Minn. Ct. App 2009)
Classes/Seminars
- Presenter, The Roads to Possible Special Immigrant Juvenile Status Relief, MN CLE, November 17, 2015
- Presenter, Understanding the Interplay of Juvenile Court Rules and Family Court Rules, MN CLE, November 10, 2015
- Small Group Facilitator, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers - MN Chapter "Divorce Camp" series, September 10-12, 2015
- Presenter, Amendments to the Minnesota Supreme Court Rules of Juvenile Protection and Adoption Procedure, Family Law Institute, March 23, 2015
- Presenter, Amendments to the Minnesota Supreme Court Rules of Juvenile Protection and Adoption Procedure, MN CLE, November 12, 2014
- Presenter, Affordable Care Act Impact in Family Law Cases, MN Legal Services Coalition, October 22, 2014
- Presenter, How to Deal With Difficult Clients, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys annual conference, paralegal track, New Orleans, LA, May 8, 2014
- Presenter, Intercountry Adoptions - When Immigration and Family Law Intersect, Legal Services State Support, April 16, 2014
- Presenter, Intersection Of The Affordable care Act And Family Law, Cooperative Practice Network, February 19, 2014
- Presenter, Affordable Care Act Considerations in Family law cases, MN CLE's Advanced Family Law Seminar, November 21, 2013
- Presenter, Alternative Issues in Family Law, Minnesota Paralegal Association, May 18, 2012
- Presenter, WBD Adoption Symposium, April 20, 2012
- Keynote Presenter, 2nd Annual Honors Program Luncheon, Minnesota State University Mankato, April 15, 2012
- Presenter, International Adoption: Highlights, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), April 30, 2009
- Paternity Claims and Defenses, NBI Adoption Law: Start to Finish, March 5, 2009
- Presenter, Essentials of Adoption Law, NBI Adoption Law: Start to Finish, March 5, 2009
- Presenter, Legalities in Adoption, Children's Home Society & Family Services, 2007
- Adjunct Professor, Adoption Law Class, (Teaching Assistant, to Wright S. Walling, Esq.), University of St. Thomas School of Law, 2006 - 2007
Honors and Awards
- "Rising Star" in Family Law, Minnesota Super Lawyers , 2012 - 2013
- Fellow, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, 2006 - Present
- "Rising Star" in Adoption Law, Minnesota Law & Politics, 2005
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Minnesota Supreme Court Juvenile Protection Rules Committee, Member, 2008 - Present
- Minnesota State Bar Association, Member, 1999 - Present
- Hennepin County Bar Association, Member, Nominating Committee, 2011 - Present
- Hennepin County Bar Association, Co-Chair, Juvenile Law Section, 2005 - 2011
- Hennepin County Bar Association, (Bar Association Magazine), Chair, The Hennepin Lawyer Committee, 2009 - 2011
- Hennepin County Bar Association, (Bar Association Magazine), Active Member, The Hennepin Lawyer Committee, 2002 - Present
- Hennepin County Bar Association, Member, Finance & Planning Committee, 2011 - 2012
- Hennepin County Bar Association, Member
- Minnesota Women Lawyers, 1999 - Present
- Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), Member, 2011 - Present
Past Employment Positions
- The Hon. Gary Crippen, Minnesota Court of Appeals, Judicial Law Clerk, 1999 - 2000
- Office of the General Counsel, University of Minnesota, Law Clerk, 1998
- Legal Research and Writing, University of Minnesota Law School, Student Instructor, 1997 - 1998
Fraternities/Sororities
- Phi Alpha Theta
