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Emily A. Unger
Shareholder
Email: eunger@fredlaw.com
Office: 612.492.7470
Assistant: Jan Stahura, 612.492.7881

Overview
Emily advocates for companies and individuals in a variety of trust, estate and business disputes. She applies the procedural expertise and insight gained as a law clerk to a federal judge to help clients navigate the litigation process and achieve successful outcomes.
As a shareholder in Fredrikson & Byron’s Litigation Group, Emily zealously advocates for her clients in a wide range of civil disputes and counsels them through the litigation process. Emily represents individuals and institutions as trustees, beneficiaries, guardians and personal representatives in a variety of trust and estate disputes, including trust and will contests, guardianships, inheritance disputes, contested administrations, creditor claims, and other trust and probate disputes. She also defends and prosecutes complex litigation involving breaches of contract, insurance coverage disputes, business torts and real estate disputes.
Prior to joining Fredrikson & Byron, Emily worked as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Richard H. Kyle in the United States District Court of Minnesota.
Experience
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
- Successfully defeated a neighbor challenge to a residential project in the City of Minneapolis. In an effort to stop a development project, the neighbors argued that the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act (MERA) should stop the project. The Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s order dismissing the MERA claim as barred by collateral estoppel. As a result, the project can proceed. Friends of Tower Hill Park, Appellant, vs. Foxfire Properties, LLC, et al., Respondents, Vermilion Enterprises, LLC, et al., Respondents, MN Court of Appeals, A19-1111.
- Currently represents corporate fiduciary serving as personal representative of multi-million dollar entertainment estate; successfully defended against a petition to remove the fiduciary as the personal representative; obtained court approval of numerous complex and high-value transactions benefitting estate; obtained dismissal of multiple creditor claims against estate; successfully defended fiduciary in multiple appeals of district-court victories against creditor and putative heirs.
- Currently defending trustee and real estate company held by trust in complex dispute with family members and beneficiaries seeking ownership and control of the multi-million dollar business.
- Won jury trial defending local family against county government in real estate dispute and obtained favorable resolution of family’s claim for reimbursement of attorneys’ fees post-trial.
- Won temporary restraining order on behalf of trustee against disinherited family members who were obstructing sale of trust property and obtained withdrawal of their petition against trustee.
- Successfully defended multi-billion dollar government contract award on behalf of Fortune 500 company.
- Obtained dismissal of lawsuit alleging ADA violations on behalf of property owner.
- Won summary judgment on behalf of property-management company defending against claims of breach of contract, fraud, unjust enrichment and tortious interference.
- Won injunction and award of attorneys’ fees on behalf of automotive-glass and claims-management companies in federal court case against Minnesota Department of Commerce.
- Won summary judgment on behalf of personal representative defending against claims of undue influence and lack of capacity in a will contest.
- Won temporary restraining order in federal court case on behalf of Fortune 500 company against individuals interfering with construction of multi-billion dollar project.
Articles & Presentations
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
- Co-Author, “Chapter 6: Estate Litigation,” Estate Administration Deskbook, Minnesota CLE (5th Ed., 2019)
- “Solving Immigration Consultant Fraud Through Expanded Federal Accreditation,” 29 Law & Ineq. 425
Honors & Education
EDUCATION
- University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., 2012, magna cum laude
- Barnard College, Columbia University, B.A., 2008, cum laude
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Minnesota, 2012
- U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 2013
LANGUAGES
- Spanish
HONORS
- Minnesota Lawyer, “Attorney of the Year,” Group Recognition, 2020
- Minnesota Super Lawyers, Rising Star – Business Litigation, 2018-present
- Minnesota State Bar Association, North Star Lawyer, 2015-2017
- Order of the Coif
- Law and Inequality: A Journal of Theory and Practice, Managing Editor, 2011-2012; staff 2010-2011
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Professional Activities
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Member, Federal Bar Association, Minnesota Chapter
- Member of Partners Leadership Council, Minnesota Women’s Lawyers
- Member, Probate & Trust Law Section, Minnesota State Bar Association
- Member, Real Property, Trust & Estate Chapter, American Bar Association
- Judicial Clerk, Judge Richard H. Kyle, U.S. District Court of Minnesota, 2012-2014