PDF Version
Download v-cardLegal Administrative Assistant:
Deb Murphy | (651) 312-6029
Richard J. Savelkoul has been in professional practice with businesses and their owners since 1994, when he started advising clients as a CPA. Rich continues to represent closely held businesses primarily with respect to transactions, and also acts as business' general counsel overseeing all legal matters for the business. Rich utilizes colleagues within the firm for expertise on issues ranging from succession or estate planning to employment and litigation matters. Rich's business clients range from manufacturers with sales exceeding $2 billion to start-ups in industries including consulting, energy supply, construction, real estate, franchising, manufacturing, distribution and food processing. Rich advises these clients on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, supply agreements, distribution agreements, subcontractor agreements, and negotiating construction agreements, ranging from custom agreements to revising standardized agreements such as AIA, AGC, DBIA and consensus docs.
Rich also represents a wide variety of energy clients, from small hydro-electric or wind power producers to large independent power producers, various public and private institutions throughout the country. He negotiates and structures transactions for construction and supply of energy needs, and he represents the region’s largest employers and manufacturers on rates. Areas of practice include electric, renewable, oil and gas matters, and regulatory matters. Specific transactions include negotiating PPA's, land leases, grants, oil and gas leases, gas and electric transportation agreements, and natural resource supply agreements. Rich has also been involved in resolving disputes in energy supply matters both in regulatory or administrative proceedings at the Minnesota PUC, North Dakota PSC and Massachusetts DOER and in civil proceedings.
Practice Areas
- Business Organizations & Transactional
- Business Tax Law
- Business Finance Matters
- Closely Held Businesses
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Contract Law
- International Expansion
- Succession Planning
- Energy and Natural Resource law
- Utility Regulation and Administrative Law
- Construction law
- Estate Planning
Industry Specialties
- Construction & Real Estate
- Manufacturing
- Food Processing
- Energy Supply and Utility Regulation
Representative Cases
- Representation of landowners on utility and transmission site disputes or determinations, including regulatory proceedings and subsequent eminent domain or takings cases
- Negotiation and closing on acquisitions of businesses or assets, several including up to 100+ million dollar revenue transactions
- Negotiation of several multi-million dollar commercial construction agreements
- Negotiation of several multi-million dollar energy facility construction agreements
- Representation of Minnesota Chamber of Commerce in Xcel Energy electric rate cases
- Representation of North Dakota’s largest industrial energy users in Otter Tail Power Company electric rate cases
Education
- J.D., William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota - 1999
- B.A., St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota - 1994
Bar Admission
- Minnesota, 1999
- North Dakota, 2010
- United States Federal District Court - Minnesota, 2000
- United States Federal Tax Court - Minnesota, 2000
Professional Certifications, Awards and Designations
- Nominated by Minnesota Super Lawyers® as a Rising Star, Minnesota Law & Politics, 2007, 2010
- Certified Public Accountant Certification (Inactive) - 1997
Professional Activities and Memberships
- Minnesota State Bar, Hennepin and Ramsey County Bar Associations, Member
- American Institute of CPAs, Member
Legal Publications
- Rich has written articles for the Minnesota State Bar Association and made presentations on areas from energy project development and construction issues to business and succession planning.
Community Activities
- Minnesota Chamber of Commerce – Energy Policy Committee
- Crisis Connection, Board of Directors
- Great River Greening, Board of Directors
Felhaber, Larson, Fenlon & Vogt, P.A.
444 Cedar Street • Suite 2100
St. Paul, MN 55101-2136
www.felhaber.com