After several consultations with other lawyers around the Twin Cities I chose Mr. Patterson. I will…read moretell you, it was one of the best decisions that I could've made. He offered me a fair price and allowed me to make payments. More important he got the results that we want. He was always more prepared than the opposing attorney. He was aggressive in court and commanded the respect of the judge. I definitely recommend him!

I was the opposing party in a Dakota County family-court matter in which Clarence Patterson III…read morerepresented the other side. He never represented me. This review concerns my direct experience with his courtroom advocacy and written positions. I understand that attorneys must advocate firmly for their clients. But in family court, words can alter a person's life before disputed facts are fully examined. At an August 28, 2025 hearing, the transcript records Mr. Patterson saying that I "love to talk about guns," that my "relationship with guns is concerning," warning that people could be "caught in the crossfire," and later portraying me as someone who "needs a gun to solve his problems." I stated on the record that I hated guns, had never owned one, and would never have one. I found it profoundly disturbing to be portrayed through repeated gun-related language when I was expressly denying any interest in owning a firearm. The same transcript records Mr. Patterson referring to "his bipolar disorder" while denying my concern that mental-health labeling was being used against me. I experienced the combined gun and mental-health framing as stigmatizing and dehumanizing--an effort to turn disputed allegations into a frightening portrait of an armed and mentally unstable person. A separate and extremely serious discrepancy involved Dakota County Crisis. A sworn filing in the case stated that a crisis-team member had contacted counsel and that the entire office had been alerted about me. A Dakota County Crisis supervisor later wrote that she had searched the system and consulted with colleague supervisors, found no record or recollection of such an alert, found no documentation of a duty-to-warn event, and stated that the team does not communicate directly with attorneys. In my view, a discrepancy involving a claimed government warning was too consequential to be left unresolved. It deserved a prompt, transparent, and documented explanation. Mr. Patterson also asked the court not to consider approximately fifty exhibits because he said he had not received them. I am not claiming in this review that the service objection itself constituted misconduct. I am describing the consequence as I experienced it: severe allegations were presented while a substantial body of my responsive evidence was not considered at that hearing. The matter ultimately resolved by stipulation before the scheduled evidentiary hearing. The most severe characterizations were therefore not adjudicated through that scheduled hearing. The litigation nevertheless caused profound personal, financial, and reputational harm. I found Mr. Patterson's approach unnecessarily escalatory, stigmatizing, and damaging. I would not recommend him. Strong advocacy does not require turning another human being into a caricature of mental illness and violence. Family-law attorneys exercise enormous power, and that power should be matched by factual precision, restraint, professional judgment, and accountability.

My husband and I did child and adult foster care for 11 years when we were faced with a…read moreMaltreatment allegation. We had no idea what to do except find a GREAT attorney. A friend of ours recommended Groshek Law Firm, which was the BEST decision we could have made!!! We called and talked to Christa Groshek and immediately felt confident with our decision to hire her. She was very knowledgeable in this area and she made us feel like a priority!!! Within a week, she was all over it!!! This issue was resolved within 2 months, and we were cleared of the Maltreatment allegation!!!! Thank you Groshek Law!!!!!

would not recommend Groshek for family law. Had Anna Tobias as my attorney and she absolutely…read morenothing. She responded every two weeks, was in mediation and she didn't even speak up for me and on my behalf. Was incredibly disappointed with the services and billed me for all documentation but did absolutely nothing for me. They then pawned me to a new family lawyer to which I did not like her approach and left. Huge waste of money, time and energy.

I hired Steve Messick to help me with a family dispute over a trust fund that belongs to my…read moreintellectually disabled sister. I should've known right off the bat that this was a bad idea. While Christine Boulay, his assistant was pleasant, when Steve called me back to discuss the case, he was flat, unenthusiastic, and uninterested. Against my better judgement I retained him anyway as I wanted to get started as soon as possible. At no time did Steve Messick call me to explain the process of the case or what to expect. In fact, as the case moved along over the summer, there were actually incidents of him asking ME what to do!! WTH!? I'm paying you thousands of dollars to help me navigate these shark infested waters, and you're asking me what to do!?! I had to tell him yet again what I needed/wanted, even though he feigned that he already knew... Then, as important dates approached, such as filing a motion in court, the firm would hit me with another huge bill. This happened three separate times, and I found it ironic that these bills would appear right when we were at a critical point in the case process. No coincidence! 100% planned! And poor form!! I also had to constantly stay on top of Christine with case progress. I had to e-mail and call multiple times any time I needed an update on the status of any event, such as if the motion was filed in court, whether or not the opposing party had been properly served, whether or not I needed to attend certain meetings etc. In short, communication was TERRIBLE!!! In the end Christine sent me three different invoices all for the same services, with three DIFFERENT amounts!! When I questioned her about this, she wrote me an extensive e-mail trying to explain away her lack of attention to detail and non-communication! After them trying to send me yet another bill for $1900, I was DONE!! I let them know how crappy this was. Then, without a phone call of ANY kind to resolve the miscommunication, this JERK of an attorney simply filed paperwork withdrawing his services as my attorney...2 WEEKS BEFORE THE HEARING DATE!!! This spells in no uncertain terms: ZERO CHARACTER, and the WORST that most people see in attorneys!! Unless you want to experience all of the above and worse, DONT CONTACT THIS FIRM!!! P.S. I hired a smart, competent, female attorney from a different firm the same day, and told them as well to NEVER refer anyone to Steve Messick!

Messick Law is an extraordinary law firm. Steve Messick honored my needs for a power-of-attorney…read more Instead of trying to force me into a standard-one-fits-all, Steve listened to me and my concerns. He was patient with my questions of the process and the meanings in the document. I learned so much from him. When I said what I wanted, he put it in language that is understandable (to lay people like me) and legal. I found Steve to be compassionate, kind, professional, friendly, and respectful. Steve is the BEST. Plus, interactions with the other staff, for example, scheduling and documents was excellent.

I would absolutely recommend Eric A. Rice as a lawyer. If I ever need a lawyer again, I'm going to…read morehim. He was very attentive to my brother's case, which was driving an unregistered car without insurance, with an expired license and with someone else's tabs on the plates. My brother had just graduated college the week this all happened and planned to move out of the state in a month or two. We were VERY worried this traffic violation would seriously mess up his plans to move and also drown him in fines. Mr. Rice had an initial, free consultation with my brother. Once we decided to use his services we signed a retainer agreement and paid. From then on, he and my brother emailed back and forth regarding the case. I don't believe they met in person again, but Mr. Rice emailed back almost immediately every time and always answered his phone calls. He kept us informed on what we could expect and what his goals were for the case. Court day: Mr. Rice showed up early, confident and ready. Other lawyers that day did not even show up on time. Thanks to Mr. Rice, my brother's outcome was exactly what we had hoped for. He made us feel like we really had someone smart and dedicated on our side. To speak more casually: Overall, Eric Rice was a badass. Hire him. Even the prosecutor said to my brother "you have a hell of a lawyer."

Bria has been my divorce attorney and not only is she professional, but she is prompt and gets…read morethings right the first time. She makes time to get to know your full situation and also fully explained the step by step process. I highly recommend Bria and her team.

Incredibly unprofessional service. Embrace your self for a complete disappointment if you hire…read moreAndrew Haugen or anyone on his team. They responds to time-sensitive emails 2 weeks after. Very commonly miss deadlines and do not care to remember any details about your case. The moment the retainer money is sent, their job is done. Honestly, you could hire a first year law student and they would have more knowledge and do a better job than Haugen and his team.

Mr Bialke provided me with the best legal service I could have asked for…read more His communication and advice through a horrible situation made things tolerable and the end results were better than I expected. Great Lawyer.

Obtaining an attorney during a legal issue is never easy. Michael made it easy and was confidently…read morereassuring. He met with me to review the facts of my issues and provided me with options. He was open about costs, as well as possible risks and benefits to my decisions. He spent time prior to hearings reviewing my testimony and offered legal guidance. I had multiple hearings and felt prepared because of Michael's guidance and support. He was there by my side to answer questions and advocated on my behalf. He kept in touch with me via phone, email and fax to address legal documents, which required attention. In the end, I felt the legal advice I received was sound and allowed me to make educated decisions. I trust Michael's legal advice and have recommended him to friend's and acquaintances, looking for legal assistance. I will use Michael's services again should I need an attorney.

I worked with Michael on my licensure defense case against the Board. I called the office to…read moreschedule a consult and Michael agreed to meet with me later that same day. His general availability, flexibility, and genuine willingness make accomodations, in my opinion, demonstrates his wonderful work ethic and person-centered approach with his clients. He was there to provide guidance and support during the most frightening and distressing ordeal of my life. At the consult, Michael was up front about the costs. He did not create any sense of false hope nor speculate unpredictable possible outcomes, which I found refreshing. Communication was excellent as he is available through varying modes (call, text, e-mail.) Michael consistently provided prompt responses, detailed information, and transparent instructions throughout the progress of my case. Michael was patient with my many questions and concerns. He never made me feel rushed when we'd go over the expected time, or feel like any kind of inconvenience. Michael provided excellent assistance with revising and collaborating on the final written response. During the prepping/coaching sessions, he made sure I had ample time to learn & practice those skills to an appropriate comfort level. Michael accompanied me to the review panel. I was quite moved by his opening statement. He possessed sincerity and conviction in his words that displayed genuine support and belief in my case. My case was complex and the cards were seemingly stacked against me, yet in the end the Board fully dismissed every allegation in the case. Michael is genuinely motivated, passionate, and devoted to assisting nurses & others receive justice and fair treatment through his utilization of experience and intellect along with the consistent application of ethical practice. I would highly recommend Michael Weber, without hesitation.

For all those who listen and are truly in dire need of not only an attorney, but an advocate for…read morejustice, human rights, and God knows what else; Brian is the go to person. This gentleman literally educated me on the legality of my case, asked me what to provide, and even suggested resources to help me through my divorce. I was looking for an attorney who would see the need to make a priority, my son's best interests without making an enemy of my ex-wife. Despite having started with an attorney who essentially who was basically working for the opposition, and had set me up for failure and was essentially exploiting me financially. Brian took over and saved my case by his altruistic, deeply professional, and passionate approach to the facts on the ground. If it was not for him, my image as a man, husband, and father would have been tarnished for no other reason than social bias. He also saw my legal plight as a black man, and that scores big! He essentially resolved our dispute and even provided us with resources. Patience, efficiency, knowledgeably, dedication; among many other qualities are his forte, not to mention, he is NOT greedy! Not only am I referring my peers and everyone to him, but also retaining him for any other legal work that I may need in the future. My name is Henry Cojoe Page III and I am more than excited to cast all my confidence with Brian D. Chmielewski! Thank you Brian, my son, ex-wife, and I are forever indebted to you! and honestly, you were born to be an Attorney, hands down!