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Download v-cardLegal Administrative Assistant:
Deb Murphy | (651) 312-6029
Kareen R. Ecklund provides general business advice to a variety of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations and has extensive experience in negotiations, complex transactions, contract and lease review and preparation, governance and operations of non-profit organizations, with particular expertise in all areas of commercial real estate, including finance and development, sales and purchases, leasing and property management.
Ms. Ecklund is a member of the business law and real property law sections of the county and state bar associations, having served as Chairperson of both the County and State Real Property Law Sections and for many years on the statewide Executive Council of the Real Property Law Section, and on the planning committee and faculty of the Annual Real Estate Institute presented jointly by Minnesota Continuing Legal Education and the Real Property Section for many years. She has been a frequent lecturer for continuing legal education programs on real estate issues and is a former adjunct professor at William Mitchell College of Law, where she taught courses in mortgages and real property law.
She is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School. Prior to entering the practice of law, she was employed in human resources management in the insurance industry.
Practice Areas
- Non-Profit Organizations
- Formation
- Tax Exemptions
- Governance
- Strategic Planning
- Board Development
- General Counsel
- Transactions
- Business Agreements
- Purchase and Sale of Commercial Industrial Property
- Complex Financing
- Business Organizations and Transactional
- Corporate and Limited Liability Company Formation and Governance
- General Counsel
- Contract Negotiations and Preparation
- Intellectual Property Law
- General Business and Construction Financing
- Real Estate
- Complex Title Issues
- Title Registration
- Entity Selection
- Commercial Real Estate Law
- Real Estate Development Law
- Real Estate Finance Law
- Mortgage Foreclosures
- Problem Loan Workouts
- Tax-Free Exchanges of Real Property
- Real Estate Aspects of Bankruptcy
- Lease Negotiations and Preparation
- Real Estate Appeals/Estate Planning
- Platting, Zoning and Subdivision Issues
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Mediator
Industry Specialties
- Commercial and Industrial Real Estate
- Mineral Interests
- Social Service and Arts Organization
Representative Practice Activities
- Consultation regarding entity selection, structuring of operations and preparation of member control agreements for ownership of real estate investment property and family recreation property
- General counsel to businesses and non-profit organizations, including entity selection and formation, contract negotiations and preparation, and intellectual property issues
- General business and construction finance, sale/leasebacks, and real estate development
- Mortgage foreclosures, problem loan workouts, tax-free exchanges of real property, coordination of real estate implications of bankruptcies, public financing
- Plan, negotiate and prepare contracts for all phases of real property development including office buildings, industrial parks, planned developments, residential developments, time share and resort complexes, recreational vehicle campgrounds, shopping centers and common interest communities
- Structure complex mixed-use projects, including vertical subdivisions
- Acquisition, disposition and utilization of commercial and industrial real estate, including environmental issues and leasing matters; representation of major owners of mineral interests
- Representation before governmental boards of municipalities, preparation of ordinances in connection with platting, zoning and subdivision issues; real and personal property tax appeals
Education
- J.D., University of Minnesota Law School, magna cum laude
- M.A., program, American Studies, University of Minnesota
- B.A., University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts, cum laude
Bar Admission
- U.S. District Court – 1998 to Present
- Minnesota State Courts – 1978 to Present
Professional Certifications, Awards and Designations
- Certified Real Property Law Specialist, Certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association
- Rated "AV" (highest rating) by Martindale Hubbell Legal Director
Professional Activities and Memberships
- Minnesota State Bar Association of Continuing Legal Education-past board member
- Ramsey County Bar Association (Past Chairperson, Real Property Law Section)
- Minnesota State Bar Association (Real Property Section and Corporate, Banking and Business Law Section; Real Property Section Executive Council, 1989-1999; Secretary 1994-1995; Vice-Chair 1995-1996; Chair 1996-1997) Past member of Legislative Affairs Committee and Common Interest Community working group
- Lambda Alpha International, Honorary Land Economics Society
Legal Publications
- Contributing editor, Minnesota Methods of Practice, West Publishing. Author, chapter "Foreclosure of Mortgages by Advertisement" and "Closing a Real Property Transaction."
- Contributing editor, Minnesota Residential Real Estate Practice, Fourth Edition, author of section "Representing Condo, Coop and Townhouse Purchasers.”
- Numerous continuing legal education seminar materials.
Community Activities – Current or Past
- Minnesota Institute of Talented Youth – Board Member
- Minnesota Landmarks – Board Member, Officer
- Minnesota Humanities Commission/Center – Board Member, Officer, Past Board Chair
- Bethesda Hospital – Board Member
- Health East Ethics Committee
- Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra – Board Member, Officer
- Minnesota Women’s Campaign Fund – Board Member, Past Co-Chair
- Black Bear Yacht Club – Founder
Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon & Vogt, P.A.
444 Cedar Street • Suite 2100
St. Paul, MN 55101-2136
www.felhaber.com