Michelle prides herself on effective communication and a thorough, practical approach to real estate matters that helps clients reach their desired outcomes.
Overview
Michelle's practice spans various areas within commercial real estate including acquisitions and dispositions, land use, municipal zoning, and subdivision law. She also advises clients on the intersection of energy and environmental law and real property, real estate development, mining, construction contracts, lending, and leasing.
Michelle enjoys building strong relationships with clients by partnering with them on real estate transactions and developing a deep understanding of their business, goals, and unique risk tolerance and preferences.
By pairing her attention to detail with her background in serving as an Editor on Minnesota Law Review, Michelle helps clients evaluate issues thoroughly and pragmatically, especially in complex real estate transactions with multiple stakeholders and layers. She brings the same strengths to title, survey and due diligence review processes. Michelle's passion for editing complements her practice by making her a precise drafter and negotiator who ensures that the nuances of each transaction are fully addressed.
Outside of work, Michelle is proud to serve on the board of Twin Cities Diversity in Practice and volunteers with local animal rescues acting as a foster parent for rescue dogs. Michelle also enjoys hiking, playing tennis, attending concerts, and visiting restaurants around town.
Experience
- Represents national banks in real estate financing transactions throughout the U.S. including large portfolio deals.
- Represents a national bank in regional market expansion of retail branch locations throughout the Midwest, including Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Minnesota and Tennessee in the areas of leasing, ground leasing, and acquisitions as well as in development and related governmental approvals processes.
- In the renewable energy area, assists with negotiating and drafting lease and site control documents, utility access easement agreements, and crossing agreements. Also assists with negotiating owners' and lenders' title insurance policies with national commercial underwriters and performs all aspects of real estate diligence review such as analyzing, assessing, and resolving title and survey issues including matters relating to mineral rights.
- Often serves as local real estate counsel on various energy transactions in the wind, solar, and carbon sequestration areas, including representing lenders in the development and financing of a multi-million-dollar wind project in the Midwest.
- Represents a national homebuilder in all aspects of its deals including the acquisition of land, the development of single-family homes and townhomes, and the establishment of homeowners associations.
- Represents a Fortune 500 company in its land use, zoning, and development work.
- Represents an energy company in its infrastructure projects across the Midwest.
News & Insights
News
Publications
Co-author, "Special Issues for Buying Distressed Property," 2025 Minnesota Real Estate Purchase and Sale Deskbook
Speaking Engagements
"Commercial Real Property Due Diligence Considerations," New Lawyers Section CLE-A-Thon, Hennepin County Bar Association, October 2025
Recognitions
Recognitions
Recognized on the Best Lawyers in America® "Ones to Watch" list, 2027
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
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Twin Cities Diversity in Practice
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Board Member, Emerging Leaders Group, Co-Chair
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- Twin Cities Diversity in Practice (TCDIP), Emerging Leaders Group, Stinson representative
- Minnesota Women Lawyers (MWL), Publications Committee Member
- TCDIP Connections Group Member
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- Minnesota, 2020
Education
University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., 2020
- Minnesota Law Review, Articles Editor
- Minnesota Law Equity & Diversity Award, 2020
- President of the Latinx Law Students Association
Georgetown University, B.S., International Politics, 2017
