Biography
I represent consumers who are victimized by landlords, debt collectors, lenders, and other consumer predators. Companies big and small are getting rich preying on consumers, but I make them pay when they go too far.
I defend consumers who are sued by debt collectors, and I sue debt collectors who invade consumers’ privacy and violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by abusing and harassing consumers.
I also handle consumer bankruptcy, including adversary proceedings, defend tenants in eviction actions, and sue landlords, property managers, and others who violate the rights of tenants, homeowners, and home buyers.
Professional Memberships
- Minnesota State Bar Association – Secretary of the Practice Management and Marketing Section; member of the Court Rules & Administration and Pro Se Implementation committees
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- National Association of Consumer Advocates
- National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys
Education
- University of Minnesota Law School, J.D. 2003
- Virginia Tech, B.A. 2000
Professional Experience
Present
- Samuel J. Glover & Assoc., LLC – consumer rights litigation, including bankruptcy, landlord-tenant, fair housing, predatory lending, and equity stripping, as well as general civil and appellate litigation
Past
- Brown & Carlson, P.A. – civil litigation, including construction defect, products liability, housing discrimination, auto accident, and no-fault arbitration
- Barry V. Voss, P.A. – criminal defense, appellate litigation, and civil litigation, including personal injury and property forfeiture
- F. Clayton Tyler & Assoc., P.A. – criminal defense, family law, appellate litigation, and civil litigation, including tribal court practice, child custody, personal injury, and medical malpractice
- Kyle Law Office – federal criminal defense
- Office of the U.S. Public Defender – federal criminal appellate litigation
Teaching
- University of Minnesota Law school – adjunct professor of law, Maynard Pirsig Moot Court, Fall 2005 – present
Public Service
Present
- HOME Line – board of directors, former tenant advocacy hotline volunteer
- Volunteer Lawyers Network – designed and implemented a clinic to assist consumers sued by debt buyers, then helped integrate that clinic into VLN’s larger operation
- Minnesota School of Business (Shakopee campus) – campus program advisory committee member
Past
- Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless – policy advocacy volunteer
- Project 504 – tenant rights advocacy volunteer
- Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless – policy advocacy volunteer
- Project 504 – tenant rights advocacy volunteer
Speaking Engagements
- MCLE webcast: Tech Tuesday – Social Networking for Lawyers, March 10, 2009
- Private: The Paperless (Law) Office, February 27, 2009
- Volunteer Lawyers Network: Debt Collection Defense 101: Beating Bogus Collection Cases, February 19, 2009
- NCLC National Consumer Rights Litigation Conference: Sharing a Common Public Message, October 24, 2008
- MCLE webcast: Tech Tuesday – Jon Gordon on Technology Trends, August 19, 2008
- MCLE Strategic Solutions for Solo and Small Firms 2008 Conference: Iron Tech, Free Software Tech Lab, and The Paperless Office, August 4 & 5, 2008
- Yaeger, Jungbauer & Barczak, PLC: Blawging 101, July 23, 2008
- MCLE: New Lawyer Experience – Starting a Law Firm, July 22, 2008
- MCLE webcast: Merlin Mann: How to Get Things Done, June 18, 2008
- Volunteer Lawyers Network: Vacating Default Judgments, June 12, 2008
- MCLE webcast: Offensive Defense: An Introduction to Protecting Consumers from Unscrupulous Debt Collectors, June 10, 2008
- MCLE webcast:The Paperless Office, June 6, 2008
- Volunteer Lawyers Network: Offensive Defense: An Introduction to Protecting Consumers from Unscrupulous Debt Collectors, April 22, 2008
- MCLE webcast: Tech Tuesday: Free and Open-Source Software for Running the Whole Law Office, March 18, 2008
- Ramsey County Bar Association: Tech Tools & Crises: What Small Firms Need to Know, January 29, 2008
- MCLE: Solo and Small Firm Breakout Session, January 10, 2008
- MCLE webcast: Tech Tuesday: 60 Tips in 60 Minutes, December 18, 2007
- MCLE webcast: Case Management Without Case Management Software, November 20, 2007
- MCLE webcast: Tech Tuesday: Blogging for Lawyers, November 6, 2007
- MCLE webcast: Tech Tuesday: Basic Computer and Network Security for Lawyers, September 17, 2007
- MCLE webcast: The Paperless Office, July 10, 2007
- MCLE webcast: Simplify Your Life With Technology, April 4, 2007
Publications
- Caveat Emptor blog
- Lawyerist blog
- The Consumerist blog
- Consumer Law & Policy Blog
- Has the Flood of Debt Collection Lawsuits Swept Away Minnesotans’ Due Process Rights? (PDF link), William Mitchell Law Review, June 2009
- Offensive Defense: An Introduction to Protecting Consumers from Unscrupulous Debt Collectors, updated as necessary
- Emerging Coverage Issues in Construction Defect Litigation: Diminution in Value Claims (PDF link), www.brownandcarlson.com, 2005
In the media
- Minnesota Lawyer: Attorney fees under fire, March 20, 2009
- KSTP: Morally Sound? Golden Valley company collects debts from the dead, March 4, 2009
- Minnesota Lawyer: Lawyers blog their way to business & Tips for maintaining a successful law blog, February 13, 2009
- Star Tribune: State laws give edge to debt collectors, August 23, 2008
- Minnesota Bench & Bar: Credit Counseling Agencies, July 2008
- MCLE SoloSmall Scoop: Spotlight on a Solo Firm Practitioner, July 2008 (PDF link)
- KTLK-FM: The Home & Wealth Show, April 22, 2007
- Minnesota Law & Politics: Lawsuits of the Year, Dec. 2006/Jan. 2007