PDF VersionSara Gullickson McGrane
(612) 373-8511 | Minneapolis Law Office
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Lisa Acierno | (612) 373-8452
Sara Gullickson McGrane is an “AV” rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell (highest rating). She is an experienced litigator who has handled hundreds of matters in both the federal and state courts of many states, including Minnesota and North Dakota. Before joining the Felhaber law firm, Ms. McGrane served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of North Dakota. She practices in the area of general litigation with an emphasis on employment law, commercial litigation, higher education law and appellate work.
Ms. McGrane has extensive experience handling complex litigation in both the commercial and employment arena. She has significant experience in all aspects of employment litigation, including cases involving breach of contract, discrimination (including age, disability, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, and sexual orientation), defamation, harassment, non-competes, and wage and hour. Ms. McGrane also has significant experience in handling class action and multi-party litigation, including FLSA collective and Rule 23 class actions. She has handled approximately twenty appeals to state and federal appellate courts. Ms. McGrane frequently lectures and trains on employment and litigation topics. She also investigates allegations of discrimination and harassment for employers. Ms. McGrane has tried numerous cases to jury verdict, and has tried one or more cases to verdict in each of the last seven years.
Practice Areas
- Civil/Commercial Litigation
- General Corporate Litigation
- Class Action Law
- Complex Multi-Party Litigation
- Employment Law
- Breach of Contract
- Employment Discrimination Claims, Defamation, Harassment
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Collective and Rule 23 Class Actions
- Non-Compete Claims
- Retaliation
- Wage and Hour Disputes
- Whistleblower
- Higher Education Law
- Appellate Law
- Appeals to the State and Federal Appellate Courts
Representative Cases†
- Currently representing Lawson Software in FLSA collective action, Rule 23 certification denied, in an exempt classification case in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. Case successfully transferred from Southern District of New York.
- January 2009, tried pregnancy discrimination case to defense jury verdict for Park Nicollet Health System.
† Cases and descriptions are intended solely to illustrate the attorney’s professional experience, not to suggest that a particular result will be achieved in similar cases. The results of any particular case are governed by the specific facts and legal circumstances of that case.
Education
- J.D., University of Minnesota, 1990
- B.A., Moorhead State University, summa cum laude, 1987
Bar Admission
- Colorado, 1990
- United States District Court, Colorado, 1990
- United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, 1991
- North Dakota, 1991
- United States District Court, North Dakota, 1991
- United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, 1992
- Minnesota, 1992
- United States District Court, Minnesota, 1993
- United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, 1995
- United States Supreme Court, 1999
Professional Certifications, Awards and Designations
- Appointed as a Leader in her Field by the Chambers USA Guide
- Named a Top 40 Labor and Employment Lawyer in MN by Super Lawyer® for 2009
- Named a Top 100 Women Lawyer in MN by Super Lawyer® in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
- Named a Super Lawyer® of the legal profession for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, Minnesota Law & Politics (5% of Minnesota lawyers selected based on peer voting)
- Four times named a "Rising Star" of the legal profession, Minnesota Law & Politics
- Rated "AV" (highest rating) by Martindale Hubbell Legal Directory
Professional Activities and Memberships
- Hennepin County Bar Association, Member 1999-present
- Minnesota State Bar Association, Member 1999-present
- North Dakota State Bar Associations, Member 1991-present
- Warren E. Burger Inn of Court, 1997
Legal Publications
- Quarterly Publication for Minnesota State Bar Association Employment Law Section on FLSA
Speaking Engagements
- Presented at over 100 seminars on topics including Unlawful Harassment, Discrimination in the Workplace, A Practical Guide to Conducting Investigations, Privacy in the Workplace, Equitable Hiring Practices and Cultural Diversity
- Googling My Facebook Makes Me Twitter: The Employment Law Implications of Social Networking, Fargo-Moorhead Human Resource Association (FMHRA), March 2, 2010
- Social Media – Update on Implications for Civil Litigators, Minnesota State Bar Association, Annual Civil Litigator’s Short Course, February 5, 2010
- Saving a Few Minutes Might Cost You a Lot of Money - Guarding Against Time Clock Violations that Will Cost You, Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon & Vogt, P.A., Fall Labor & Employment Law Seminar, November 6, 2009
- Updating your ADA Litigation Strategies in Light of the New Law, Minnesota State Bar Association, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 28, 2009
- The Fair Labor Standards Act – What Do You Need to Know to Avoid Liability? Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon & Vogt, P.A., Fall Labor & Employment Law Seminar, October 10, 2008
Community Activities
- Volunteer Legal Services for Mid-Minnesota Legal Assistance
Thomas J. Doyle Chairman of the Board Christopher S. Hayhoe President Richard C. Salmen Vice President Stephen J. Burton Treasurer Paul J. Zech Secretary Nancy VanderVort Executive Director |
Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon & Vogt, P.A.
220 South Sixth Street • Suite 2200
Minneapolis, MN 55402-4504
www.felhaber.com