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Introduction - Real Estate Bio
John has more than 30 years of experience assisting clients with all types of real estate transactions including commercial and industrial sales and acquisitions, brokerage agreements, commercial lease negotiations, tax and business planning, and construction and permanent real estate financing. He also has substantial experience in bankruptcy, debtor/creditor law, and real estate-related litigation. John is President of Fredrikson & Byron, a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and its Board of Directors, and a shareholder in Fredrikson & Byron’s Real Estate Group.
John is certified as a Real Property Law Specialist by the Real Property Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association. He is also co-chair of the Minnesota State Bar Real Property Certification Council, a member of the Governing Council of the Real Property Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association, and a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. He frequently lectures and writes about real estate, real estate litigation, and bankruptcy issues for professional groups, including lawyers, accountants, lenders, and real estate professionals, and has taught courses on real estate law for law students. He is listed in Law and Leading Attorneys, various Superlawyer lists, Chambers USA, and The Best Lawyers in America.
Education
- Yale Law School, J.D., 1978
- North Dakota State University, B.S., 1975, with honors
Bar Admissions
- North Dakota, 1978
- Minnesota, 1979
- U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 1979
- U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, 1980
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 1984
Practice Areas
- Litigation
- Real Estate Litigation
- Real Estate
- Bankruptcy, Restructuring & Workouts
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Private Equity & Venture Capital
- Construction
Selected Publications & Presentations
- Author and Speaker, Annual Real Estate Institute, Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (MCLE), 1995-2007, 2009-2012
- Author and Speaker, The 2012 Mortgage Foreclosure Conference, “How to Avoid Running in Place in Workout Negotiations,” Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (MCLE), June 2012
- Speaker, Hennepin County Bar Association Real Property Section Lunch, “What Lenders and Borrowers Look for in a Receivership; and a Preview of the Proposed New Receivership Statute,” Hennepin County Bar Association, October 2010
- Speaker,
- Speaker,
- Speaker, Representing Builders and Developers in Troubled Times, “Loans and Default: Workouts from a Borrower’s Perspective,” MN CLE, September 2008
- “Preparing for a Real Estate Workout: What lenders and borrowers should know in today’s environment,” Minnesota Real Estate Journal, September 2008
- “Preparing for a Workout: The Borrower’s Side,” Fredrikson & Byron Real Estate Conference: Troubled Real Estate Loans in a Down Market, April 30, 2008
- Author and Speaker, Mortgage Foreclosures in
- Author and Speaker, Purchase and
- Author and Speaker, Hennepin County Bar Association Real Property Section Lunch, “The Bankruptcy Abuse, Prevention and Consumer Protection of 2005,” Hennepin County Bar Association, October 2005
- Author and Speaker, Mortgage Foreclosures in Minnesota, “Counseling the Debtor or Lender,” MCLE, March 2004
- Author and Speaker, Hennepin County Bar Association Real Property Section Lunch, “Recent Developments in Homestead Law,” Hennepin County Bar Association, January 2004
- “Developments Concerning Minnesota’s Homestead Law May Have You Looking for New Neighbors,” co-authored with Brian S. McCool, Fredrikson & Byron’s Real Estate Focus Newsletter, November 2003
- Author and Speaker, Managing Troubled Tenancies, “Procedures for Tenant Default,” University of St. Thomas/Shenehon Center for Real Estate Education, April 2003
- Author and Speaker, New Developments in Real Estate, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education (MILE), 1995-2002
- Co-Author and Speaker, 2001 Real Estate Convenience Series, “What Happens to Business Property When the Money Runs Out: Real Estate Issues in Commercial Bankruptcies,” MN CLE, June 2001
- Author and Speaker, Mortgage Foreclosure in Minnesota, “Bankruptcy Issues in Mortgage Foreclosures,” Lorman Education Services, May 2001
- Author and Speaker, Real Estate Convenience Series, “Real Estate Lending 101 - Key Document Provisions,” MCLE, June 2000
- Author and Speaker, Alternatives to Foreclosure, “Foreclosure & Repossession,” National Business Institute (NBI), May 2000
- Author and Speaker, Ethical Issues & Elimination of Bias, “1999 Changes to the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct,” MILE, October 1999
- Author and Speaker, Ethical Issues, “1999 Proposed Changes to the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct,” MILE, June 1999
- Author and Speaker, Purchase & Sale of Commercial Real Estate, “Ethical Dilemmas in the Purchase and Sale of Commercial Real Estate,” MCLE, February 1999
- Author and Speaker, Mechanic’s Liens: Don’t Get Nailed, “Redemption Issues After Foreclosure of a Mortgage,” Minnesota Law & Politics, October 1997
- Author and Speaker, Purchase and Sale of Commercial Real Estate, “When the Deal Falls Through - Rights and Remedies of Buyer and Seller,” MCLE, May 1997
- Author and Speaker, 1997 American Bar Association Spring Meeting, “Drafting and Negotiating Real Estate ADR Clauses - Leases,” May 1997
- Author and Speaker, Bankruptcy Institute, MCLE, 1997, 2002
- Author and Speaker, 1996 American Bar Association Annual Meeting, “Judicial Deferences to Creative Solutions,” August 1996
- Author and Speaker, Commercial Leasing Conference 1996, “ADR and Lease Litigation,” MCLE, March 1996
- Author and Speaker, Real Estate Practice 1995, “New Federal Law Affecting Real Estate Practice - Case Law and Statutory Update,” MCLE, May 1995
- Author, The Practical Real Estate Lawyer, “Resolving Disputes with the RTC and FDIC,” October 1993
- Author, The Practical Real Estate Lawyer, “Counseling the Client on a Troubled Real Estate Project (with Checklist),” July 1992
- Author, Hennepin Lawyer, “Lenders’ Claims Surviving Foreclosure,” March 1992
- Author, Minnesota Real Estate Journal, “Petition for Help - Bankruptcy Aids Troubled Partnerships,” July 1987
Professional Activities
- President, Fredrikson & Byron P.A.
- Minnesota State Board of Law Examiners
- American Bar Association
- Minnesota State Bar Association, Real Property Section, Bankruptcy Section, and Rules of Professional Conduct Committee
- State Bar Association of North Dakota
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- Volunteer Lawyers Network
- Fellow,
- Fellow,
- Minnesota Board of Legal Certification, Supreme Court of Minnesota, Member (1994-1999); Chair (1996-1999)
- Co-Chair, Real Property Certification Council of the Minnesota State Bar Association (1990-present)
- Chair, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Committee of the Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law of the American Bar Association (1995-1998)
- Has taught courses on real estate law for law students
- Clerk for Honorable Robert Vogel, North Dakota Supreme Court, 1978
- Clerk for Honorable Gerald W. Vande Walle, North Dakota Supreme Court, 1978-79
Honors & Distinctions
- 200 Minnesotans You Should Know list, Twin Cities Business Magazine, 2011
- REDA Star Award
- Lawyer’s Professional Responsibility 2004 Volunteer of the Year
- Real Property Law Specialist, certified by the Real Property Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association
- Listed in various Super Lawyer lists
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America
- Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year, 2013
- Listed in Law and Leading Attorneys
- Ranked in Chambers USA; America’s Leading Lawyers for Business
- Phi Kappa Phi
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Community Involvement
- Board member and Treasurer, Saint Paul Riverfront Corporation