Overview

Mary represents a wide range of clients on acquisitions and developments, financings and leasing. She is known for maintaining strong relationships with clients and bringing together the appropriate team to meet the needs of each client.

Mary is a certified Real Property Law Specialist and has been elected to the American College of Mortgage Attorneys. She has been a member of the Real Estate and Bank & Finance Practice groups at Fredrikson since 1984 and served as chair of the firm’s Board of Directors for eight years. Mary works with a broad range of clients including lending institutions, major retailers, health care providers and real estate developers on acquisitions, financings and leasing. Mary represents nonprofit borrowers in connection with tax-exempt bond financing, including educational institutions and health care organizations.

Mary has significant experience with high volume real estate clients. For many years, she served as Minnesota counsel to a publicly-traded national homebuilder/developer. In that capacity, she directed a team of lawyers and paralegals in a full range of real estate law services. Mary regularly represents a national company in connection with the acquisition, development and leasing of large health clubs and collaborative office spaces. Mary also regularly represents a publicly-traded national restaurant company in connection with the leasing and development of its corporate-owned restaurants throughout the country.

Services

Credentials

Education

  • University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., 1983, magna cum laude
  • Concordia College, B.A., Mathematics and Business Administration, 1978, summa cum laude

Admissions

  • Minnesota, 1983
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 1983

Clerkships

  • Clerk, Honorable C. Donald Peterson, Minnesota Supreme Court, 1983-1984

Recognition

  • Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law, 2008-2024
  • Minnesota Super Lawyers, Real Estate, 2000-2023
  • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business–Minnesota, Real Estate
  • AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award, Marquis Who’s Who, 2018
  • American College of Mortgage Attorneys
  • Real Property Law Specialist, certified by the Real Property Section, Minnesota State Bar Association
  • Top Women in Finance, Finance and Commerce, 2011
  • 25 Industry Leaders List, Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, 2011
  • Volunteer of the Year, Metropolitan Economic Development Association, 1997
  • Order of the Coif

Civic & Professional

Professional Activities

  • Concordia College-Moorhead, Board of Regents, 2014-present
  • American College of Mortgage Attorneys, Fellow, 2007-present
  • American College of Real Estate Lawyers, Fellow, 2015-present
  • Bond Buyer’s Municipal Marketplace Attorney Listings, 1997-present
  • Twin Cities Diversity in Practice, Board Member, 2010-2022
  • University of Minnesota Law School, Board of Advisors, 2013-2019
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Board of Pensions, Board of Trustees, 2003-2009
  • University of Minnesota Law School, Law Alumni Association Directors, 1998-2003
  • Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, Board of Directors, 1993-2004
  • Minnesota Justice Foundation, Board of Directors, 1993-1998
  • Minnesota State Bar Association, Real Property, Corporation, Banking and Business Law Sections
  • Hennepin County Bar Association, Real Property Section
  • Minnesota Law Review, Member, Managing Editor, 1981-83

News & Insights

Speaking Engagements

Publications & Presentations

Co-Presenter, Top Ten Issues in Retail Leases (Including Special Considerations for Restaurants), Real Estate Institute, November 1, 2019

Co-Presenter, Whose Risk is it Anyway? How to be sure that Insurance, Indemnity, Waiver and Casualty Lease Provisions Allocate Risk as Planned, U.S. Shopping Center Law Conference, October 24, 2019

Co-Presenter, Lease Legalese: Why Do You Care?, Minnesota Real Estate Journal Healthcare & Medical Properties Summit, March 23, 2018

Presenter, Commercial Landlord/Tenant Issues, Real Property Law in Minnesota, January 2014

Presenter, Negotiating Title Insurance in New Development Deals, Real Estate Institute, November 2013

Presenter, Hot Topics in Lending, Bank & Finance Seminar: Key Developments that Every Banker Should Know, September 12, 2013

Co-Author, “When Is a Nonrecourse Loan Actually a Recourse Loan? The Answer May Surprise You,” FredNEWS: Bank & Finance, September 2012

Presenter, Key Developments that Every Banker Should Know, Fredrikson & Byron Bank & Finance Seminar, September 22, 2011

Co-Author, “Real Estate Legislative Update: 2011 Minnesota Legislative Session,” FredNEWS: Real Estate, August 2011

Moderator, Strategies for Buying and Selling Distressed Commercial Real Estate: What Opportunities Lie Ahead, 2011 Commercial Real Estate Forum, March 8, 2011

Co-Author, “Real Estate Legislative Update: 2010 Minnesota Legislative Session,” FredNEWS: Real Estate, August 2010

Co-Author, “Understanding Recent Changes to Minnesota’s Green Acres Program,” FredNEWS: Real Estate, July 2010

Co-Author, “Real Estate Legislative Update - 2009 Minnesota Legislative Session,” FredNEWS: Real Estate, September 2009

Co-Author, “Q & A: How to Prepare for and Respond to a Loan Default,” FredNEWS: Bank & Finance, June 2009

Co-Author, “A Healthcare Facility Lease Check-up,” FredNEWS: Real Estate, April 2009

Legal Strategies and Consideration for Healthcare Facilities, Minnesota Healthcare & Medical Properties Conference, March 31, 2009

Effectively Managing Real Estate Assets: Case Study, Minnesota Medical Group Management Association 2009 Winter Conference, March 9-11, 2009

Lending in Troubled Times, Eide Bailly’s 28th Annual Bankers Seminar, October 30, 2008

Co-Author, “The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act: A Real Estate Perspective,” FredNEWS: Real Estate, October 27, 2008

Co-Author, “The 2008 Minnesota Legislative Session Brings Many Real Estate Law Changes,” FredNEWS: Real Estate, August 2008

Troubled Real Estate Loans: A Lender’s Perspective, Fredrikson & Byron Real Estate Conference: Troubled Real Estate Loans in a Down Market, April 30, 2008

Co-Author, “Real Estate Legislative Update–2007 Minnesota Legislative Session,” FredNEWS: Real Estate, July 2007

Co-Author, “2006 Real Estate Legislative Update,” Fredrikson & Byron’s Real Estate Focus Newsletter, August 2006

Speaker, Fredrikson & Byron’s Leadership Series for Women: Negotiations 101, May 2006

Co-Author, “Developments in Takings Law,” Fredrikson & Byron’s Real Estate Focus Newsletter, August 2005

Co-Author, “2004 Real Estate Legislative Update,” Fredrikson & Byron’s Real Estate Focus Newsletter, July 2004

Co-Author, “Security Interests in Contracts for Deed,” Fredrikson & Byron’s Real Estate Focus Newsletter, November 2004, Fredrikson & Byron’s Bank Focus Newsletter, June 2004

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