GOOGLE - Key Persons
Alex began his employment with Nichols Kaster in 2007. He leads the firm's Data Analytics team, which performs economic damages calculations, statistical analyses, and other quantitative research.
Education
Master of Accountancy, University of Minnesota
Bachelor of Arts, Economics, Macalester College
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
Job Titles:
- Business Development Clerk
Amy started at Nichols Kaster in 2005 as a Legal Assistant for the wage & hour practice. She has worked for the firm as a part-time Business Development Clerk since 2013. Amy also has a background in Human Resources and Marketing.
Education
B.A. Concordia College cum laude
Education
B.A., Concordia College, cum laude
Job Titles:
- Litigation Support E - Discovery Mgr
- Litigation Support EDiscovery Manager
Anna Prakash represents everyday people against corporations and the government and uses her agility, intellect, and skill to pursue justice for her clients under a wide variety of laws and settings. Focusing on complex class actions and multi-plaintiff litigation, Anna has litigated civil rights cases in the employment, school, healthcare, and housing realms, including cases seeking freedom and damages resulting from race discrimination, discrimination against the trans community, and forced labor of immigrant workforces. She has represented employees seeking unpaid minimum wages and overtime, including in numerous cases on behalf of people in marginalized professions such as exotic dancers. Anna has represented consumers with respect to predatory loans, credit reporting issues, and other unlawful practices. And she is always looking for new and creative ways to tackle injustice and the imbalance of power across the country.
Anna's intense work ethic and determination have helped her clients take on powerful defendants, drawing considerable interest and attention to the injustice and imbalance of power across the nation. Her cases have been featured in national and local media, including CNN, The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, the Daily Beast, the Star Tribune, Minnesota Public Radio, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Anna's versatility has allowed her to move seamlessly between multiple practice groups at the firm. She is one of the founding leaders of the firm's Civil Rights and Impact Litigation practice group. And over the course of her time at the firm, Anna has led the firm's National Consumer Class Action practice group, been a member of the firm's National Wage & Hour practice group, tried cases in court or arbitration, and authored and argued class and individual appeals at the state and federal level.
Anna is also involved in numerous professional organizations. She serves on the Board of Directors of the People's Parity Project, as well as on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the Public Justice Foundation, a nationwide charitable organization supporting high-impact lawsuits to combat social and economic injustice. Anna is also a member of Twin Cities Diversity and Practice's Professional Development Committee and a member of the Nominating Committee for the National Association of Consumer Advocates. Anna previously served as the employee/union-side co-chair of the American Bar Association's Occupational Safety and Health Committee, and on the Board of Directors of Standpoint, an organization that exists to serve domestic and sexual violence survivors, advocates, attorneys, and other professionals working within the justice system in Minnesota, and is also a past board member of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers' Association. Anna is a frequent speaker at national legal seminars and, for five years, was an adjunct professor of legal writing at the University of Minnesota Law School.
Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, Anna served as an attorney for the United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights and monitored special education compliance for the State of Minnesota.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Member of Nichols Kaster 's ERISA Litigation Team
Ben is a member of Nichols Kaster's ERISA litigation team where he represents employees whose retirement accounts have been shortchanged due to excessive fees, imprudent investments, employer self-dealing, and general mismanagement.
Bobbie Schuna began her employment with Nichols Kaster in October of 2007 as the Firm Controller. Bobbie graduated from Normandale Community College with an Associate's Degree in Accounting.
Bridget joined Nichols Kaster in 2022 as a class action clerk within the firm's wage and hour litigation practice. She graduated from the University of Minnesota-Morris with degrees in Spanish and Latin American Area Studies.
Education
B.A. University of Minnesota - Morris
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Member of Nichols Kaster
Brock is a member of Nichols Kaster's national class-action litigation team. He represents consumers, employees, and retirees in lawsuits against some of the country's largest corporations, holding these companies accountable when they fail to deal fairly and honestly with their employees and customers. His recent cases have led to the recovery of millions of dollars in retirement benefits for thousands of participants in 401(k) plans across the country.
Caitlin began her employment with Nichols Kaster in December 2017 and has her paralegal certificate from Inver Hills Community College. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, Caitlin worked as an executive office and administrative specialist with the University of Minnesota as well as a paralegal with a Minneapolis law firm. In addition to her work as a paralegal, she recently published her first book.
Caitlin is a Minnesota Certified Paralegal.
Education
Paralegal Certificate, Inver Hills Community College
Masters in Fine Arts, Hamline University
B.A., University of Minnesota
Education
Paralegal Certificate, Inver Hills Community College
M.F.A., Hamline University
B.A., University of Minnesota
Job Titles:
- Litigation Support Specialist
Cameron joined Nichols Kaster in 2016 as a Litigation Support Specialist. Cameron has his degree in Communication Studies as well as certificates in Paralegal Studies and E-Discovery.
Education
Paralegal and E-Discovery Certificates, Hamline University
B.A., University of Minnesota
Education
Paralegal and E-Discovery Certificates, Hamline University
B.A., University of Minnesota
Cha started with Nichols Kaster as a Help Desk Analyst in 2015. Prior to Nichols Kaster, Cha worked in a technical support capacity within the financial, insurance, and academic areas. Cha also holds his CCNA.
Education
A.A.S., Hennepin Technical College
Education
A.A.S., Hennepin Technical College
Charlie joined Nichols Kaster in January 2019 as a Law Clerk for our Civil Rights and Impact Litigation team.
Charlie recently graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School, in Minneapolis, MN. Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, he moved to Iowa for college and received a bachelor's degree in Sociology from Grinnell College.
Education
J.D., University of Minnesota Law School
B.A., Grinnell College
Education
J.D. University of Minnesota Law School - Graduate School
B.A. Grinnell College - College
Christine started as a Paralegal with the Wage & Hour team in November of 2013. Prior to working with Nichols Kaster, she has worked as a personal injury and criminal defense paralegal with other Twin City based law firms. Christine has taught paralegal and criminal justice courses at various locations in the twin cities.
Education
Master's Degree - Criminal Justice University of Wisconsin, Platteville
Bachelor's Degree - Psychology Metropolitan State University
Associate Degree - Paralegal Studies from Inver Hills Community College
Education
M.S., Criminal Justice University of Wisconsin, Platteville
B.S., Metropolitan State University
A.D., Inver Hills Community College
Clara Coleman is an associate attorney in the firm's wage and hour practice. She has extensive experience advocating on behalf of workers seeking unpaid wages in class and collective actions in federal courts nationwide. She has also handled numerous individual arbitration proceedings, including those filed as part of a mass arbitration strategy, from filing through to the final hearing.
Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, Ms. Coleman served as an Attorney-Advisor to the Honorable Christopher Larsen at the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Administrative Law Judges in San Francisco, California. She collaborated with ALJ Larsen to manage and decide employment matters, including whistleblower, immigration, and workers' compensation cases. During law school Clara focused on the advancement of workers' rights, advocating for employees in her two clerkship positions at plaintiff-side employment firms and as a student-attorney for the Public Justice Advocacy Clinic. She is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association and the Minnesota Lavender Bar Association.
Preferred pronouns: she, her, hers
Job Titles:
- Business Development Administrator
Dana began his employment with Nichols Kaster in 2005 as a class action clerk. Throughout his employment, Dana has worked on a wide variety of collective and class action cases involving overtime pay. Dana is currently the firm's Business Development Group Administrator. He is involved in researching and investigating new cases, and actively identifying and marketing to potential clients. He is also one of the firm's trainers.
Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, Dana attended Winona State University. While at Winona State University, he earned a B.A. in Law and Society as well as a minor in Political Science. He was also involved with the Law and Society Association and was a volunteer for the 2004 presidential campaign in Winona County.
David Schlesinger is a seasoned attorney with a history of success for employees. With nearly twenty years of experience, David is an MSBA Certified Employment Law Specialist. He has repeatedly been named a "Best Lawyer in America" and a "Best Lawyer in Minnesota," and, for the past decade, a "Super Lawyer" while having also been included on the "Minnesota Power 30" list.
For David, there is nothing more professionally rewarding than when he can help his clients improve their lives and circumstances. His clients have awarded him a 10.0 "Superb" rating through Avvo.
David chairs the Minnesota State Bar Association's Labor and Employment Council. He is also chair of the Legal Advisory Committee and serves on the board of directors of Gender Justice. He taught Law in Practice at the University of Minnesota Law School and is the former president of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association.
David has successfully litigated a wide variety of employment claims, including several significant cases involving gender, race, and disability discrimination. His practice includes an emphasis on the intersection of employment and business disputes, including litigation of breach of fiduciary duty and minority shareholder claims. He has effectively defended employees from non-compete and trade secret claims.
David is frequently asked to deliver presentations on employment law matters to groups of attorneys. Topics have included employment agreements, equal pay rights, religious discrimination, hostile work environments, and wage and hour violations.
Donna joined Nichols Kaster in 2023 as a summer law clerk. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, Donna graduated from Washburn University in 2021 and went on to work as a case management assistant for a homeless shelter in Washington, D.C. In that role, she helped clients obtain health insurance and disability benefits as well as find permanent housing.
Education
J.D. Candidate, University of Minnesota Law School
BASc Wahsburn University
Eric began his employment with Nichols Kaster in December of 2016. Eric has his undergraduate degree in Political Science and a Master's degree in Public Administration. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, Eric was a legal assistant with a law firm in Portland, Oregon.
Education
Master of Public Administration, University of Oregon
Bachelor of Arts, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Education
M.P.A., University of Oregon
B.A., University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Evelyn joined Nichols Kaster in 2023 as a law clerk in the ERISA litigation group. Prior to joining Nichols Kaster, Evelyn worked in both the private and public sector in the areas of employment discrimination, whistleblower retaliation, and administrative rulemaking.
Education
J.D. Candidate, University of Minnesota Law School
B.A. Gustavus Adolphus College
Gerald C. Robinson has over 30 years of experience litigating a wide variety of commercial matters. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated leadership, tenacity, and diligence in the successful investigation and litigation of fraud and anticompetitive conduct. Known for his intellectual curiosity and out-of-the-box thinking, since 2005 he has specialized in representing whistleblowers in qui tam cases under the False Claims Act (FCA). Gerald has worked on FCA cases that collectively recovered over $700 million for the Government. He has argued FCA cases before the 4th, 8th, and 9th Circuit Courts of Appeals.
As a member of the Nichols Kaster's whistleblower/qui tam practice group, Gerald C. Robinson contributes a keen ability to hone in on details, develop and compile critical information, and create a clear legal path forward. Whether working closely with government attorneys during the Government's sealed investigation or representing courageous whistleblowers in court proceedings, Gerald is skilled at navigating the multi-dimensional chess game that is unique to FCA cases. He finds the work intellectually engaging and with great purpose-protecting taxpayers while holding companies accountable for their actions.
Gerald C. Robinson earned his J.D. in 1990 from the University of Minnesota, where he previously earned a B.A., cum laude, in International Relations, with minors in Economics and Philosophy, while garnering numerous academic and leadership honors. Prior to college, Gerald exhibited his passion for excellence by earning the Certificat d'Aptitude Practique in Classical French Cuisine and cooking for Michelin-starred chefs in Paris, France. Gerald later put those cooking skills to good use supporting his college and legal education.
Job Titles:
- Financial Loss / Valuation Analyst