J. Dennis O’Brien

Engelmeier & Umanah Recent News

• Sheila Engelmeier will be participating in a panel discussion with Martin Ho and Nick May, “Tips and Tricks for Successful Employment Mediations” on Tuesday, September 13 from 12:00PM to 1:00PM via Zoom as part of MN-NELA monthly CLE presentations.
• •Engelmeier & Umanah, P.A. is pleased to announce that Sheila was recently inducted into the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (NADN), as one of only two women among its Minnesota members. Sheila has served as an ADR neutral relating to a wide range of disputes, from estate planning and malpractice to non-compete disputes and business breakups. However, she focuses on employment and shareholder matters in mediation. She is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Engelmeier & Umanah. In her representation of clients, she focuses her practice on the full panoply of employment matters, including executive compensation, shareholder issues and the challenges facing the early childhood education industry. Sheila is an MSBA Employment Law Specialist, an experienced litigator and has tried many high profile cases. Sheila is also a highly skilled mediator having mediated more than 300 civil disputes in the past five years and was named “Lawyer of the Year” in 2015 by Best Lawyers, one of Minnesota Monthly’s Best Lawyers in 2020, a “Top 50 Woman Super Lawyer,” a “Top 40 Employment Super Lawyer,” and a “Top 100 Super Lawyer” by Minnesota Law & Politics, and was selected by the Business Journal as a “Woman to Watch” in the Twin Cities’ business community.The National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals is a professional association whose membership consists of ADR professionals distinguished by their hands-on experience in the field of civil and commercial conflict resolution. Membership is by invitation only and all Academy members have been thoroughly reviewed and found to meet stringent practice criteria. Members are amongst the most in-demand neutrals in their respective states, as selected by their peers and approved by local litigators.“We’re delighted to recognize Sheila Engelmeier Esq.’s induction to the Academy’s Minnesota Chapter in recognition of Excellence in her mediation practice,” commented Darren Lee, Executive Director of NADN.
• •Click here to request a mediation with Shelia: NADN
• •How to Walk the Talk on Diversity: an Employment Law CLE on Recruiting & Hiring Best Practices. Click here to view.
• •Sheila Engelmeier will be presenting Diversity and Inclusion Without Discrimination on Thursday, February 25, 2021 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. via Zoom as part of the 2021 MSBA Labor & Employment Law Continuing Education series
• •Sheila Engelmeier quoted in Minnesota Lawyer regarding Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Click here to view.
• •On Wednesday, November 18, 2020, Sheila Engelmeier will be participating in a panel discussion, Employment Law at the (Minnesota) Supreme Court in 2020, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. via Live Webinar (Zoom) as part of the MSBA Labor and Employment Law Section.
• •And Now There Are 5! Congratulations to E&U’s Super Lawyer Quintet – 2020 Super Lawyers®
• •Sheila Engelmeier and Sue Fischer conducted Respect Effect® respectful workplace training for the Minnesota House of Representatives staff and supervisors on Friday, February 14, 2020. For more information on Respect Effect®, click here. For Respect Effect and any other training needs your organization may have, please contact one of the legal professionals at E&U.
• •Sheila Engelmeier and Heather Tabery article featured in Minnesota Bench & Bar: Severe or Pervasive: Just How Bad Does Sexual Harassment Have to Be in Order to Be Actionable? An in-depth review of sex harassment case law
• •Sheila Engelmeier profiled on Leventhal PLLC Minnesota Litigator
• •On Thursday, November 21, 2019, Sheila Engelmeier will be moderating Effecting Cultural Change Within an Organization: Strategies, Practice Tips, and Common Principles from 1:30 to 2:30 pm as a part of The 46th Annual Labor and Employment Law Institute at the Minnesota CLE Conference Center.
• •Jacqueline M. Schuh will be presenting Litigating the Case in Probate Court at the NBI seminar The Probate Process from Start to Finish at Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Maple Grove NW Mpls-Arbor Lakes on October 18, 2019 from 3:05 to 3:50 p.m.
• •MN veteran’s billion dollar legal battle – The saga continues . . .
• • Jackie Schuh presented “The Use of Trusts in Estate Planning” on August 6, 2019 at the 2019 Strategic Solutions for Solo & Small Firms Conference in Duluth, MN.
• • Sheila Engelmeier will be presenting “The Termination Meeting – A Step by Step Guide” at the MN CLE Employee Discipline & Discharge seminar on October 28, 2019 from 2:45 pm to 3:45 pm . The MN CLE Conference Center is located at 600 Nicollet Mall, #370, Minneapolis, MN 55402.
• • Sheila Engelmeier quoted in article on disclosure of sexual assault victim’s identity by former DOC official
• • Breaking the Ice: Learning from both sides in employment cases
• • Sheila Engelmeier to speak at the NCSL 2019 Legislative Summit in Nashville, Tennessee on Monday, August 5, 2019, from 3:15 pm to 5 pm on The Evolution and Legal Considerations of Workplace Harassment Policies. Today’s legislative workplace harassment policies aren’t the policies of 20 years ago. State legislatures are evolving to keep current with new legal considerations and increased awareness and understanding of harassment issues. Examine the evolution of these policies and the legal implications of implementing them, along with training requirements and disciplinary procedures.
• •Congratulations to E&U’s Super Quartet – 2019 Super Lawyers®
  Engelmeier & Umanah, P.A. is pleased to announce Sheila Engelmeier*, Thomas E. Marshall*, Charles V. Firth and Susanne J. Fischer were named 2019 Minnesota Super Lawyers®. At E&U, we believe all of our attorneys and legal professionals are Super, and we are especially proud of Sheila, Tom, Charlie and Sue for being recognized by their peers over multiple years for their leadership and professional achievements. The Minnesota Super Lawyers® listings are published annually and are a supplement in Twin Cities Business and Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazines.
  At Engelmeier & Umanah we truly believe that providing outstanding service means more than just addressing clients’ current legal needs. Our detail-oriented and client-focused approach involves working closely with our clients to uncover creative and practical solutions to their individual, business and legal needs, now and in the future. This approach is what makes E&U Super! Please feel free to contact Sheila, Charlie, Tom, Sue or any of our other legal professionals to assist you.
• •Ivory Umanah presented “How to Handle Creditors’ Claims Against the Estate” on June 10, 2019 at the 2019 Probate & Trust Law Section Conference in St. Paul, Minnesota.
• •Minnesota’s Wage Theft Law Takes Effect July 1, 2019!
• •MN veteran’s billion dollar legal battle
• •Sheila Engelmeier spoke at the 2019 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, as follows:
  • •May 20, 2019 on Sex Harassment After #MeToo – The Latest Cases, Laws and Practice; and
  • •May 21, 2019 on Reasonable Accommodation or Undue Hardship.
• •Tom Marshall to present – Civil Litigation A to Z: Case Management – E-Discovery Tips – a MN CLE Webcast on Friday, May 17, 2019 at 9:00 a.m.
• • Attorney Jacqueline Schuh Continues the David and Goliath Battle against the VA
• • Tom Marshall quoted on his case, Wise v. Stonebridge, in Minnesota Lawyer
• •Senate bill backs ‘severe or pervasive’ harassment standard
• •On March 15, 2019, Sheila Engelmeier testified before the Minnesota Legislature on S.F. 2295 (Housley) Sexual harassment definition clarification bill. Her testimony starts at 4:33.
• •On February 25, 2019, Sheila Engelmeier was a part of a panel discussion on The Bully – The Law and Where It’s Heading at the Minnesota CLE Conference Center.
• •Sheila Engelmeier and Susanne Fischer, the minds behind the RESPECT EFFECT workplace training program, conducted a workshop with the members of the House of Representatives on January 10, 2019. The session included creating a respectful work environment free of harassment, discrimination and retaliation. House Speaker Melissa Hortman described this workshop as, “really excellent live training.”
• •Sheila Engelmeier and Sue Fischer to present MN CLE Webcast: Employment A to Z: Terminating an Employee: Considerations, Communications and Aftermath on Thursday, February 21, 2019 from 9:00 AM TO 11:00 AM.
• •Sue Fischer and Tom Marshall to present Employment Practices to Consider: Is Your Workplace Safe? for USI Insurance Services on Wednesday, November 14, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
• •Sheila Engelmeier will be on a panel discussion at the ABA Fall 2018 National Legal Malpractice Conference on September 27, 2018 from 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm.
• •Sheila Engelmeier to present “Workplace Safety” at the Minnesota Governmental Relations Council, a Minnesota CLE Event on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Minnesota Senate Building, 95 University Avenue W., Suite 1150, St. Paul, Minnesota.
• •Sheila Engelmeier and Sue Fischer to present at the MDLA – Making Diversity Work, Practical Steps for Implementing Cultural Change on Tuesday June 19, 2018, 6:15 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. at Target Field, 1 Twins Way.
• •E&U Attorneys at the 2018 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute
• •Sheila Engelmeier Quoted in Blomberg Law
• • Sheila Engelmeier & Susanne J. Fischer will be speaking at the Business Law Institute on May 7, 2018 at 12:20 p.m. on the “Changing the Culture of Business: Workplace Lawyers’ Perspectives” at the Minnesota CLE Conference Center, 600 Nicollet Mall # 370, 3rd Floor, City Center, Minneapolis, MN 55402.
• • Thomas E. Marshall will be speaking at the Business Law Institute on May 7, 2018 at 1:15 p.m. on the “Use and Enforcement of Non-Compete and Confidentiality Agreements” at the Minnesota CLE Conference Center, 600 Nicollet Mall # 370, 3rd Floor, City Center, Minneapolis, MN 55402.
• • Ivory Umanah and Jackie Schuh to present When Legal and Family Matters Collide, a Routine Probate Turns Ugly at the 44th Annual Probate & Trust Law Section Conference on Tuesday, June 5 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, 199 Kellogg Blvd W, St Paul, MN 55102.
• • Sue Fischer to present MSBA Investigator Training – An Update on the Challenges of Mental Health and Disabilities in the Workplace
  Monday, April 30, 2018 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, Glacial Lakes Room / Minnesota State Bar Association Minneapolis, MN
• • Sheila Engelmeier quoted in the Minneapolis Star Tribune
• • Ivory Umanah to present A Good Way to Give: Irrevocable Trusts 2:15 – 3:30 p.m. on March 15, 2018 for the Understanding Trusts CLE at the Minnesota CLE Conference Center, 600 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN. Ivory will discuss the importance of irrevocable trusts as important estate planning tool requiring careful preparation in light of the potential transfer tax consequences. His presentation will cover the appropriateness of utilizing an insurance trust and how such trusts escape estate taxation. He will also discuss the use of common gift trusts such as cabin trusts in estate planning.
• • Sheila Engelmeier to present “Investigator’s Training – An Update on Sexual Harassment” at a Minnesota State Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Section seminar, on Friday, February 16, 2018 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the law office of Dorsey & Whitney, 50 S. 6th Street, Suite 1500, Seattle Room, Minneapolis, MN 55402.
• • Sheila Engelmeier to present “The State of Sexual Harassment: How the Courts Are Dealing with These Claims, Tips for Successful Prosecution, and How To Improve the Law” at a Minnesota NELA Event on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Minnesota Association for Justice, MAJ Classroom, Baker Building, 706 2nd Avenue S., Suite 140, Minneapolis, MN 55402.
• • Jordana Green Interviews Sheila Engelmeier on the Weinstein allegations and sexual harassment, October 10, 2017
• • Sheila Engelmeier presented at the Careers in Labor & Employment Law, “Hybrid Practice, Plaintiffs’ Work and ADR/Mediation”, University of St. Thomas School of Law, November 2, 2017 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., Downtown Campus, 11th & LaSalle, Room 328.
• • A precedential win for E&U’s “David,” attorney Jacqueline Schuh and client against “Goliath,” the Department of Veterans Services.
• •Ivory Umanah to present Is Probate Necessary?/Probate vs. Non Probate Assets 10:00 – 10:30 and Proving Will Validity, Petitioning and Top Problems, 11:00 – 11:30 for the Probate Boot Camp Video Webcast on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 from Eastern: 10:00 am-5:00 pm Central: 9:00 am-4:00 pm Mountain: 8:00 am-3:00 pm and Pacific: 7:00 am-2:00 pm.
  Probate Boot Camp
• •Sheila Engelmeier to present “Employment Law Series: The Workplace Bully – The Law & Practical Tips for Managing the Conduct Webcast”, MN CLE, July 26, 2017 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM, CLE Conference Center, 3rd Floor City Center, 7th Street & Nicollet.
• • Sheila Engelmeier and Sue Fisher attended the 2017 MWL Conference for Women in the Law, Radisson Blu Hotel, Minneapolis, Friday, April 21, 2017 7:30 AM-4:30 PM.
• • Sheila Engelmeier and Sue Fischer to speak at the Minnesota Early Childhood Educator’s Conference – The Nuts and Bolts of Minnesota Break & Leave Laws Including New Sick Leave Policy on March 17, 2017 from 1:45 pm – 3:45 pm, Concordia University, 1282 Concordia Avenue St. Paul, Minnesota 55104
• • Jacqueline Schuh and Ivory Umanah to present at the NBI Live Teleconference “5 Steps to a Better Probate” on March 3, 2017 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST (10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. CST).
• • Sheila Engelmeier will be speaking at the MSBA / CLE Presentation, “Solo 201 – The Next Steps in Growing & Maintaining a Successful Practice” on March 1, 2017 from 2:10 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. at the MSBA, Presidents Room, 600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 380, Minneapolis, MN
• • Sheila Engelmeier and Sue Fischer to present Exempt or Non-Exempt: Employer’s Wage and Hour Law Obligations at the 2017 MnAEYC-Mn SACA Annual State Conference on Friday, February 3, 2017 from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Saint Paul RiverCentre, 199 Kellogg Blvd W, St Paul, MN 55102.
• • Ivory Umanah to moderate “Working with Clients from Other Cultures” presented by the MSBA Probate & Trust Law Section on Tuesday, December 6, 2016 |12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Faegre Baker Daniels LLP, Century Room, 21st Floor, Minneapolis, MN.
• • On Wednesday, December 8, 2016 from 1:10 p.m. to 2:10 p.m., at the University of Minnesota – St. Paul Continuing Education Center, Sheila Engelmeier and Tom Marshall will present Prayer Breaks and other Religious Accommodations. This session will discuss issues regarding religious accommodations in workplace including how an employer can respond to religious accommodation requests and work to balance business needs with employee desires.
• • Engelmeier & Umanah founder/attorney Ivory Umanah featured in the November/December 2016 issue of Hennepin County Lawyer
• • Engelmeier & Umanah attorney featured in the November/December 2016 issue of Hennepin County Lawyer
• • Third Biannual Fall Seminar – What’s Your Plan? Sensible Strategies for Navigating Your Challenging Choices on November 17, 2016
• • Sheila Engelmeier presented The Bully – The Law and Where It’s Heading at the Minnesota Continuing Legal Education Center on November 15, 2016
• •2016 Super Lawyers^® CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2016 SUPER LAWYERS^®!
• •Sue Fischer and Tom Marshall presented “The Nuts and Bolts of Minnesota Break and Leave Laws” on July 20, 2016.
• •Sheila Engelmeier presented at the American Conference Institute’s 8th Annual Forum on Defending and Managing Employment Discrimination Litigation – Expert Strategies for Leading Litigators and In-House Counsel, in Chicago, IL at the Omni Chicago Hotel on July 28-29, 2016.
• •Sheila Engelmeier presented “The Changing Nature of Accommodation – Pregnancy, Disability and Religion” at the Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute conference on May 24, 2016.
• •Sheila Engelmeier and Thomas Marshall presented “Prayer Breaks and Other Religious Accommodation Questions” at the Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute conference on May 23, 2016.
• •Sheila Engelmeier presented “E-Discovery Checklist: Effectively Communicating a Litigation Hold to Your Client”, as a part of the Minnesota CLE’s webcast seminar series, streaming live on May 5, 2016.
• •Jacqueline M. Schuh received an Honorable Mention in an April 2016 news article, regarding representation of a veteran.
• •Sheila Engelmeier and Sue Fischer will be presenting at the Minnesota Childcare Conference Association (MCCA) at the Colonial Church of Edina on April 19, 2016.
• •Ivory Umanah will be a panelist at the MABL CLE on the importance of having an estate plan, tax implications, possible ways to avoid estates and trusts litigation, and what to do should you find yourself in that situation (these are topics that are rarely talked about among the various affinity bars). The CLE will be held and hosted by Stinson Leonard Street on Thursday, April 7, 2016.
• •Sheila Engelmeier was interviewed about gender pay and inequity on March 23, 2016.
• •Sheila Engelmeier & Sue Fischer to present Effective Performance Management, Discipline & Discharge at the Minnesota Lutheran Early Childhood Educators Conference on February 19 and 20, 2016.
• •Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdictional Act, NBI, Inc. webcast, January 28, 2016. (Ivory Umanah)
• •Data Detective Helps Solve Legal Cases
• •Minnesota Lawyer Selects Four From E&U for Attorney of the Year 2015!
• •Ivory Umanah and Jacqueline M. Schuh to present on the “Ethical Considerations in planning and administration” on December 8th, 2015 as part of CLE’s December Webcast Series.
• •Sheila Engelmeier will be presenting “Managing (Mis)Behavior in Executives, Key Employees, and Board Members” at the Minnesota CLE Board Governance seminar on December 7, 2015.
• •Sheila Engelmeier presented “The Changing Nature of Accommodation – Pregnancy, Disability and Religion” at the 2015 Labor & Employment Law Institute, on November 19, 2015.
• •Tom Marshall and Sue Fischer presented Unjust and Embarrassing – Minnesota Workplace Pay Equality from the landmark Equal Pay Act case of Ewald v. The Royal Norwegian Embassy, on November 11, 2015 as part of the Minnesota Paralegal Association Litigation Sectional from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. at the Nilan Johnson law firm.
• •Blast from the Past: An Old Cause of Action Finds New Life in Minnesota Courts article by Sheila Engelmeier and Colin Thomsen featured in the October issue of Attorney at Law magazine.
• • Sheila Engelmeier and Tom Marshall presented a reprise of “The Nuts and Bolts of Minnesota Break and Leave Laws” on October 7, 2015 as part of the MN CLE’s October Employment Law Webcast Series.
• • Sheila Engelmeier Comments on Delta Employee’s Claim She’s Being Denied Adequate Space to Express Milk