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News

Silton Appointed Co-Lead Counsel in Eyewear Antitrust Class Action

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Silton Eyewear

Lockridge Grindal Nauen is proud to announce that LGN partner Heidi Silton has been appointed as co-lead counsel in the In re Eyewear Antitrust Litigation. This large class action lawsuit against the European eyewear conglomerate EssilorLuxottica S.A. and its affiliated companies alleges abuse of monopoly power in the eyewear market.

EssilorLuxottica owns well-known premium eyewear brands such as Oakley, Ray-Ban, Persol, Arnett, and Oliver Peoples. It also owns the largest eyewear retailers in the United States including Target Optical, LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, and Sunglass Hut, as well as several online counterparts.

The multi-dimensional anticompetitive scheme alleged by Plaintiffs resulted in supra-competitive prices for eyewear. Plaintiff notably alleges that the anticompetitive scheme has allowed EssilorLuxottica to “sustain 1,000 to 5,000 percent retail markups” on premium-branded eyewear, while increasing market share and operating margins.

Congratulations to Heidi and the antitrust team which includes Jessica Servais, Joe Bourne, Eura Chang, Halima Bareentto and Cheryl.

News

LGN Sponsors Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities Fundraiser

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Big Brothers Big Sisters

LGN was a proud sponsor of the 2024 Big Night Gala in honor of Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities. Nearly 500 attendees gathered at The Depot Minneapolis to celebrate the profound impact of youth mentorship in the Twin Cities community. The evening was memorable and impactful as inspiring stories from Littles, Bigs, families, and partners were shared throughout the night.

An incredible $446,000 was raised that will help BBBS provide more diverse mentors and opportunities to amplify youth potential today and into the future.

You can learn more about BBBS Twin Cities by clicking below.

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News

Nauen Receives Lillehaug Award from American Constitution Society

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The legal community gathered to congratulate LGN partner Charlie Nauen as he received the fifth annual Justice David Lillehaug Award for Distinguished Leadership. The event and award were presented by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter of the American Constitution Society.

The high honor is given to a leader in the local progressive legal community who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing a vision of the Constitution and law that enhances individual rights and liberties, and promotes genuine equality, access to justice, democracy, and the rule of law.

The nomination statement for Charlie noted that he has “been one of the most dedicated and influential progressives over his long, storied career. Whether it is fighting to ensure our right to vote, or pursuing impact litigation when rights are at stake, he has been at the forefront of the progressive movement in our state. We owe him a great debt of gratitude for his lifetime of work.” Charlie has more than forty years of experience litigating complex environmental, business, political, and constitutional law matters in federal and state court.

Congratulations, Charlie!

Lillehaug Award
News

LGN Celebrates AANHPI Heritage Month

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AANHPI Heritage Month

LGN is pleased to celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month! We recognize the impact and contributions of the AANHPI community on our nation’s history. Join us and learn about the rich history and diverse experiences within the AANHPI community by reading more here: https://www.asianpacificheritage.gov/index.html

News

LGN Sponsors PFund’s Moxie Awards

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LGN was proud to sponsor PFund’s 2024 Moxie Awards earlier this month. The fundraising event helps support PFund’s mission of building community and providing resources and support for LGBTQ+ organizations and individuals through grants and scholarships by developing leaders and inspiring giving. The foundation has expanded beyond its modest roots to become the only queer community foundation serving the Upper Midwest.

LGN associate Derek Waller and his partner represented LGN at the event. When asked about the experience, Derek shared:

“It is inspiring to see how a grassroots foundation based in Minnesota has grown to make a difference for queer folks all across the upper Midwest, especially in areas where our community needs more support than ever.  PFund’s grantees are doing critical work for our communities, and scholarships show queer youth who need financial support for education that we’ve got their back. I wouldn’t be where I am today without community support, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to pay it forward.”

You can learn more about PFund’s important work and how to support the foundation by clicking below:

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News

Investiture Ceremony Held for Former LGN Partner, Judge Kristen Marttila

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LGN attorneys all celebrated the formal investiture of former LGN Partner Kristen Marttila, who was formally sworn in as a Hennepin County District Court Judge for the Minnesota Judicial Branch’s Fourth Judicial District at an Investiture Ceremony on Friday, March 22, 2024. Judge Marttila was sworn in alongside two other judicial appointees, J. Dean C. Eyler and J. Dominick D. Matthews. After introductions by the Honorable Kerry W. Meyer, Chief Judge for the Fourth Judicial District, and remarks by Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, Judge Marttila was officially sworn in after remarks by Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz of the District of Minnesota and assistance with the oath, text, and robing by her family. After the ceremony, LGN attorneys were thrilled to celebrate with J. Marttila at a reception, which LGN helped sponsor.

Judge Marttila
News

MN Environmental Institute Invites LGN Partner to Speak

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LGN partner, Dave Zoll, recently presented at the 2024 Minnesota Environmental Institute. This annual event provides up-to-date information on Environmental Law including new cases, new laws, and essential updates. The 2024 gathering is a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Institute. 

Dave was one of four speakers discussing important case law, regulatory, and legislative updates and focused on recent cases addressing environmental review under state and federal law.

You can learn more including how to access an online replay of the presentations by clicking below. 

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News

Justice Karl Procaccini Visits LGN

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LGN was honored to welcome Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Karl Procaccini to our offices this week to talk about his path to public service and his time on the bench. The event was well attended by many of the LGN team along with other members of the community.

In August 2023, Governor Tim Walz appointed Karl Procaccini to serve as an Associate Justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court. Before he joined the Minnesota Supreme Court, Justice Procaccini’s legal career included public service, private practice, and teaching law. As a Supreme Court Justice, Karl Procaccini is committed to ensuring fairness, integrity, and equal justice for all.

Charlie Nauen, a partner at LGN, serves as a campaign co-chair for Justice Procaccini’s 2024 campaign. LGN partners Rachel Kitze Collins and Dave Zoll are members of the campaign committee. Several other LGN members have also pledged their support for the campaign as public supporters.

​You can learn more about supporting Justice Karl Procaccini as he runs for a full six-year term in 2024 at his website via the button below.

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Karl Procaccini
Karl Procaccini
Karl Procaccini
Karl Procaccini
Karl Procaccini
Karl Procaccini
News

LGN Sponsors 43rd Annual Law Day Dinner to Benefit Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid

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Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid

We were proud to sponsor and attend the 43rd Annual Law Day Dinner yesterday. The event is put on by The Fund for Legal Aid, with co-sponsor Hennepin County Bar Association, as a fundraiser for Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA).

This year’s Law Day Dinner benefited MMLA’s work with older adults. Unfortunately, MMLA sees too many cases where, instead of being treated with the dignity they deserve, older adults are ignored, defrauded, and face manipulation and neglect, which impacts their safety and their daily lives. The MMLA Seniors unit helps older adults understand and enforce their rights.

More broadly, MMLA has been helping low-income neighbors in crisis, older adults, and people with disabilities in our community for over 100 years. Its free legal services are a critical lifeline for people impacted by job loss, discrimination, unsafe living conditions, and abuse or neglect. We were happy to be a part of the Law Day Dinner to help raise critical funds to continue this work and make it possible to help even more people in our community.

News

LGN Raises $28,845 for Neighborhood House March Food Drive

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Neighborhood House

LGN is proud to announce that the firm raised $22,845 for the Neighborhood House March Food Drive. The firm has participated in this food drive for more than a decade, and this year we raised more money than ever before. We are proud to support the work that Neighborhood House does and proud of all members of the LGN Family for their generosity. You can learn more and donate on the Neighborhood House website at: https://neighborhoodhousemn.org/.