Attorney Profile

I have been licensed as an attorney since 1980, and admitted to practice before the state and federal district courts of Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. I have been a public defender, assistant attorney general for the State of Iowa, and also worked for several insurance companies. I am experienced in family law, including adoptions, child custody and child support, divorce (dissolution), legal separation, parenting/ visitation, spousal maintenance (alimony) and pre-nuptial agreements. I am a member of the Minnesota and Iowa State Bar Associations and Dakota County Bar Association and a no-fault arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.

When representing clients, I listen to the facts of their case and advise and counsel them on how the law applies to their issue(s). I then proceed to work on the case to obtain the best results for the client based on the facts and the law. I have many years of litigation and appeals experience to handle small cases all the way up to complex litigation.

I am very active in my community, as an appointed commissioner for the Port Authority of Rosemount since 2003. Prior to that appointment, I was a planning commissioner from 1994 to 2000. I am an active member of the Knights of Columbus, donating my time to charitable events that organization helps support.

Areas of Practice

• Family Law and Divorce
• Criminal Defense
• Employment Law
• Insurance Defense
• Personal Injury Claims
• Business Law
• Wills and Probate

Litigation Percentage

• 90% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

• Minnesota, 1987
• Nebraska, 1982
• Iowa, 1980
• U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1985
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Iowa, 1984
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Iowa, 1984
• U.S. District Court District of Nebraska, 1987

Education

• Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1976
  J.D.
  
  
• National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 1997
  Diploma
  
  
• Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, 1973
  Masters in Business Administration (MBA)
  Honors: Dean's List
  
  
• Westmar College, Le Mars, Iowa, 1971
  B.S.
  
  

Representative Cases

• Lieske v. Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company, 2000 WL 1664973 (Minnesota Court of Appeals 2000)
• Laska v. Williams, 1997 WL 104617 (Minnesota Court of Appeals 1997)
• Wycoff v. Menke, 773 F.2d 983 (U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit 1985)
• In the interest of W.B., Jr., a child, 328 N.W. 2d 518 (Supreme Court of Iowa 1983)

Representative Clients

• American Family Insurance Co.
• Auto Owners Insurance Company
• EMC Insurance Companies
• Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co.
• Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company
• MetLife Auto & Home
• National Farmers Union Insurance Co.
• Ohio Casualty Group
• St. Paul Fire and Marine
• Western National Insurance Group

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Reservation of Rights, West Central Claims Association Seminar Wilmar, Minnesota, 2004
• No-Fault Seminar: The Basics, MetLife Auto & Home Indianapolis, Indiana, 2000
• Recent Developments Involving No-Fault, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Benefits, West Central Claims Association Seminar Wilmar, Minnesota, 1998
• Slip and Fall Cases in Minnesota - Defense Perspective, West Central Claims Association Seminar Wilmar, Minnesota, 1998
• Insurance Coverage Law in Minnesota, National Business Institute Bloomington, Minnesota, 1998

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association
  
  
• Minnesota State Bar Association
  
  
• Dakota County Bar Association
  
  
• Iowa State Bar Association
  
  
• Nebraska State Bar Association
  
  
• Knights of Columbus, 1997 - Present
  Member
  
  

Past Employment Positions

• Tentinger Law Firm, P.A., Eagan, Minnesota, Attorney, 1997 - Present
• No-Fault Arbitrator through American Arbitration Association, 1992 - Present
• Port Authority of Rosemount, Commissioner, 2003 - Present
• City of Rosemount, Task Force for Redevelopment of St. Joseph Campus (Volunteer Position), 2007
• City of Rosemount, Downtown Redevelopment Committee (Volunteer Position), 2004
• City of Rosemount, Planning Commissioner, 1994 - 2000
• Johnson And Condon, P.A., Edina, Minnesota, Associate Attorney, 1994 - 1997
• Grannis, Grannis, Hauge, Eide, Anderson & Keller, P.A., Eagan, Minnesota, Associate Attorney, 1993 - 1994
• National Farmers Union Property & Casualty Company, St. Paul, Minnesota, Assistant Manager/Attorney, 1988 - 1993
• Sodoro, Daly & Sodoro, Omaha, Nebraska, Associate Attorney, 1986 - 1988
• Carriers Insurance Company, Des Moines, Iowa, Claims Attorney, 1985 - 1986
• Iowa Attorney General, Assistant Attorney General, 1984 - 1985
• Woodbury County, Iowa, Assistant Public Defender, 1981 - 1984

Birth Information

• 1948, Remsen, Iowa