Steve Schemenauer has a wealth of business experience, having been a small business owner himself and having worked in the corporate world prior to attending law school. During this time, Steve traveled the world extensively, consulting, training, and providing other essential services to his clients. With first-hand knowledge of the difficulties, challenges and rewards encountered by business owners, Steve is able to draw on and apply these experiences in his law practice today.

Steve honed his leadership skills while serving almost 20 years in the Army. He is currently the G-2 and assistant chief of staff for the 34th Infantry Division (Red Bulls). In that role, he is responsible for providing the commanding general with tactical intelligence for the Division’s area of operations. Steve is a two-time combat veteran, having served as an infantry company commander in Afghanistan in 2004 and as a military intelligence officer in Iraq in 2009. During those tours, Steve earned two Bronze Stars, a Combat Infantryman’s Badge and an Army Commendation Medal.

Steve’s law practice focuses primarily on Construction, Business and Commercial Litigation, and Product Liability. He is also a qualified neutral under Rule 114, representing clients in both mediation and arbitration. Steve regularly serves as a mediator for the Hennepin County Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program.

Steve devotes significant time to the Leonard, Street and Deinard Legal Clinic, the Volunteer Lawyer’s Network and Hennepin County’s ADR program. Steve is also on the firm’s Pro Bono Committee and, as a volunteer, has successfully represented low-income clients in federal, state, and conciliation court in a variety of legal matters, including: landlord-tenant disputes; real estate disputes; divorce, child support and child custody matters; orders for protection; ERISA claims; SSI/SSDI; and breach of contract claims.

In 2010 Steve received the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Professional Excellence Award.

Professional and Civic Activities

• Minnesota State Bar Association, Construction Law Section
• Minnesota Federal Bar Association
• Hennepin County Bar Association
• Associated General Contractors of America
• Rosetown American Legion Post 542 (former Executive Board member)
• Roseville VFW Post 7555 (former junior vice-commander)
• National Guard Association of the United States
• Infantry Officers’ Association
• St. Croix Valley Brittany Club
• Richard T. Oakes Inns of Court (former associate)

Publications

• “What We’ve Got Here…Is a Failure…to Communicate: A Statistical Analysis of the Nation’s Most Common Ethical Complaint,” 30 HAMLINE L. REV. 619 (Summer 2007)
• “Act Now! Time is Running Out on the American Arbitration Association’s Flexible Fee Schedule,” Leonard, Street and Deinard Construction Update, April 2010
• “Calling All Veterans—Minnesota Department of Transportation Incorporates Veterans’ Preference for State Funded Construction Programs,” Leonard, Street and Deinard Construction Update, October 2010
• Case Note, Architex Ass’n, Inc. v. Scottsdale Ins. Co., No. 2008-CA-1353-SCT, 2010 WL 457236 (Miss. Feb. 11, 2010), American Bar Association, Insurance Coverage Litigation Section
   

Speaking Engagements

• Co-presenter, “You’re Fired….Now Show Me the Money! The Impact of Termination Clauses on Contractor Payments,” (2010)
• Keynote speaker, American Legion Post 542 Memorial Day Ceremony (2010)
• Co-instructor, Military Family Law CLE  (Iraq, 2009)
• Keynote speaker, Minnesota State Bar Association’s Military Law CLE (2008)
   

Education

• J.D., magna cum laude, Hamline University School of Law
       Judicial extern for the Honorable Donovan J. Frank at the U.S. District
       Court for the District of Minnesota
       Teaching assistant for legal research and writing
       Best first-year oral argument
       Best first-year appellate brief
       Hamline National Moot Court Team
       Hamline Law Review, associate and articles editor
       CALI Award for Excellence in Legal Research and Writing
       Founder, Hamline Veterans Association (HVA) and HVA Endowment
       Fund
       President, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity
• B.S., Political Science, Highest Honors, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
       Distinguished military graduate, Army R.O.T.C.

Admissions

• State of Minnesota
• U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota