Overview

Mary provides employers practical, common-sense advice and training, from what to do with applicant background checks, to chronic absenteeism and leaves of absence, employee bad behavior and performance reviews, employee terminations and everything in-between.

Mary is a seasoned employment lawyer with extensive experience in disability accommodation, FMLA and other leaves of absence, discrimination and harassment prevention, retaliation and whistleblowing issues, classification of independent contractors, hiring and firing, performance improvement strategies, discipline methods to avoid legal claims, employee handbooks and policies, overtime and other wage compliance, layoffs and workforce reductions, drug and alcohol testing, and federal and state affirmative action planning and compliance. She also drafts employment agreements, and non-competition and confidentiality agreements.

Mary defends employers on federal and state agency claims before the EEOC, Minnesota Department of Human Rights, the OFCCP, and the state and federal DOL.

Mary skillfully advises employers of all types and sizes including, for example, healthcare clinics, hospitals and other healthcare providers, banks and financial service organizations, manufacturers, IT and other consultant groups, food service providers and property management companies.

Mary frequently trains executives, managers and supervisors on all areas of employment legal compliance.

Services

Credentials

Education

  • University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., 1990, cum laude
  • St. Cloud State University, M.S., 1985
  • Northern State University, B.S., 1975, summa cum laude

Admissions

  • Minnesota, 1990
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 1990
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 1993
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1995

Recognition

  • Labor and Employment Law Specialist, certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Employment Law—Management, 2013-present
  • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Minnesota—Labor & Employment, 2015-2016

Civic & Professional

Professional Activities

  • MSBA Employment & Labor Section Governing Council, Member, 2010-2014
  • American Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section
  • Minnesota State Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section
  • Hennepin County Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section
  • Volunteer Lawyers Network, Ltd., Treasurer, 1994-1996; Personnel Committee Chair, 1993-1994
  • Minnesota Law Review, Note and Comment Editor, 1988-1990

News & Insights

Speaking Engagements

Legal Updates

Publications & Presentations

Co-Presenter, Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Wage and Hour Issues, Fredrikson & Byron's Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 26, 2021

Presenter, You Can Take That to the Bank—The Answers to 19 Key Employee Pay Matters, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 24, 2021

Co-Presenter, COVID-19 Wage and Hour Dilemmas, Fredrikson & Byron’s Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 27, 2020

Presenter, You Can Take That to the Bank—The Answers to 19 Key Employee Pay Matters, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, September 15, 2020

Presenter, Performance Management Through Effective Documentation and Issue Resolution, ICBM Human Resources Network Meeting, March 3, 2020

Co-Presenter, 20 Important Things HR Professionals Should Know, Fredrikson & Byron's Employment and Labor Law Webinar Series, December 12, 2019

Presenter, 20 Important Things HR Professionals Should Know, Fredrikson & Byron’s Annual North Dakota Employment Law Seminars, November 21-22, 2019

Co-Presenter, 20 Important Things HR Professionals Should Know, Fredrikson & Byron’s 35th Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, November 7, 2019

Co-Presenter, How to Legally Welcome Back an Employee from FMLA/ADA Leave, Fredrikson & Byron’s 35th Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, November 7, 2019

Panelist, Playing with Fire—The Challenges of Mediating Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination Claims in the #Me Too and #Times Up Culture, ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Spring Conference, Minneapolis, MN, April 2019

Co-Presenter, Advanced ADA/MHRA Disability, Fredrikson & Byron’s 34th Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, November 1, 2018

Presenter, Advanced FMLA, Fredrikson & Byron’s 34th Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, November 1, 2018

Presenter, Federal and State Update 2018, Fredrikson & Byron’s 34th Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, November 1, 2018

Presenter, Discipline to Avoid Retaliation Claims, Fredrikson & Byron’s Annual North Dakota Employment Law Seminars, October 18-19, 2018

Presenter, Intermittent FMLA: A Continuing Complex Challenge, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 21-22, 2018

Co-Presenter, The Wage & Hour Dilemma: What is Work?, Fredrikson & Byron Employment & Labor Law Seminar, April 19, 2018

Presenter, Addressing Problematic Employee Behaviors, Fredrikson & Byron’s 33rd Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, November 3, 2017

Presenter, FMLA: The Basics, Fredrikson & Byron’s 33rd Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, November 3, 2017

Presenter, Federal Update 2017, Fredrikson & Byron’s 33rd Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, November 3, 2017

Presenter, Addressing Problematic Employee Behaviors, Fredrikson & Byron’s Annual North Dakota Employment Law Seminars, October 5-6, 2017

Co-Presenter, Wage and Hour Masterpieces You Do Not Want to Miss, Fredrikson & Byron Employment Law Topics Webinar Series, November 29, 2016

Co-Presenter, Wage and Hour Masterpieces You Do Not Want to Miss, Fredrikson & Byron’s 32nd Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 26, 2016

Presenter, New EEO-1 Requirements: More Than a Paint-by-Number Task, Fredrikson & Byron’s 32nd Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 26, 2016

Presenter, Wage and Hour Masterpieces You Do Not Want to Miss, Fredrikson & Byron’s Annual North Dakota Employment Law Seminars, October 13-14, 2016

Presenter, FMLA and ADA Paperwork: What is Required? What is Allowed?, Fredrikson & Byron’s 31st Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, November 6, 2015

Co-Presenter, 20 Important Things that HR Needs to Know, Fredrikson & Byron’s 31st Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, November 6, 2015

Presenter, FMLA and ADA Paperwork: What is Required? What is Allowed?, Fredrikson & Byron’s Annual North Dakota Employment Law Seminars, October 15-16, 2015

Presenter, Family and Medical Leave, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education Employment and Labor Law Seminar, Minneapolis, MN, October 12, 2015

Co-Presenter, Fredrikson & Byron’s Seminar on Affirmative Action Compliance for Federal Contractors, September 16, 2015

“The Supreme Court Decides: The DOL’s Interpretation Regarding Pay for Mortgage Loan Officers Is Enforceable,” Minnesota Bankers Association News, July/August 2015

Presenter, A Roadmap for Responding to ‘Disability’ Accommodation Requests, Fredrikson & Byron’s 30th Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 28, 2014

Presenter, Employment and Labor Law: Where We Have Been and Where We Are Going, Fredrikson & Byron’s 30th Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 28, 2014

Co-Presenter, Are You Ready for a Federal or Minnesota Affirmative Action Audit, Fredrikson & Byron’s 30th Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 28, 2014

Presenter, A Roadmap for Responding to Accommodation Requests, Fredrikson & Byron’s Annual Employment Law Seminar, Fargo and Bismarck, ND, October 16-17, 2014

Presenter, Minnesota’s New Minimum Wage: A Cheat Sheet for Ensuring Compliance, Care Providers of Minnesota, April 24, 2014

Co-Presenter, Fredrikson & Byron’s Seminar on Affirmative Action: Implementing the New Regulations, February 2014

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