News

Congratulations to Beth Jenson Prouty on her reappointment as a member on the Legislative Salary Council. This group prescribes the salaries for Minnesota legislators through a report that must be submitted by March 31 of each odd-numbered year. Beth is representing the second district.

Arthur, Chapman, Kettering, Smetak & Pikala, P.A. has announced the election of Aaron C. Abelleira and Nicholas G. Strafaccia as shareholders at the firm.

On December 16, 2024, the MN Court of Appeals issued a published decision in Ariel, Inc. v. State Farm Fire and Cas. Co., No. A24-0604 (Minn. App. Dec. 16, 2024), providing direction on two appraisal issues:

Arthur Chapman is pleased to announce that R. Stephen Tillitt was elected Dean of the Executive Board of the Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota.

Congratulations to Nhoa Stanton for being selected to represent our firm in the Twin Cities Diversity in Practice Emerging Leaders Group. This group offers professional development and mentoring opportunities for early career attorneys.

As we celebrate our firm's 50th anniversary this year, we’ve enjoyed recognizing the people and clients who make our firm exceptional. We are pleased to share the attorneys that were named as Super Lawyers® or Rising Stars® for 2024. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The patented selection process is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.

Welcome to Nhoa Stanton!

With an emphasis on a more cost-effective and efficiently managed process, the American Arbitration Association has revised the Construction Industry Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures in 2024. Now in effect, below is a summary of the significant updates to the arbitration rules and mediation procedures.

We are excited to introduce you to attorney Erica Weber.

After expansive changes in 2023, the Minnesota legislature has rolled out new legislation, once again impacting Minnesota businesses. Some of the changes go into effect July 1, 2024 and August 1, 2024. Employers should update their policies and practice. Below is a summary of the new requirements:

Carissa is a first year law student at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. She joins our team for the next ten weeks in partnership with Twin Cities Diversity in Practice 1L Clerkship Program.

Welcome attorney Samantha Johnson!

Welcome to Erica Stoffer!

During its 2024 session, the Minnesota Legislature expanded and clarified the Earned Sick and Safe Time (“ESST”) Act in significant ways. Many of the changes are now in effect. Employers should update their ESST policies and practice.

By: Aaron Abelleira I recently had the opportunity to speak at the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) Northland Conference on the topic of Cannabis & Construction and had a number of great questions presented to me on this topic. While I attempted to answer as many questions as possible, I wanted to provide a follow-up article explaining some of the issues contractors are currently facing since Minnesota legalized cannabis use in August of 2023. 

We are excited to welcome attorney Nicholas Rapisarda to our team. Nick's practice will focus in Automobile Law, Commercial Transportation Law, and General Liability. Welcome, Nick! 

The National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) is pleased to announce that Mark S. Brown of the law firm, Arthur Chapman Kettering Smetak & Pikala, P.A. has successfully achieved Board Certification as a Civil Trial Law organization designed specifically to create an objective set of standards illustrating an attorney's experience and expertise in the practice of trial law.

Arthur, Chapman, Kettering, Smetak & Pikala, P.A. is proud to announce the appointment of Sarah E. Bushnell as the newest member of our board of directors.

Can you provide a brief overview of your legal background and practice area(s)?  I devote majority of my practice to defending construction trades against defect claims, contract disputes, additional-insured litigation, and work injuries. I am a part of Arthur Chapman’s Construction Law Group, and we represent a wide array of clients such as general contractors, subcontractors, manufacturers, suppliers, and owners.  

What inspired you to become an attorney, and how did you choose your specific field of law?  I started out in construction when I was a kid working with my dad, building log homes. After that, I built residential homes in the Bemidji, MN area, and ultimately decided to get my degree in Construction Management. During college I worked for a general contractor in Fargo doing mostly commercial remodel and tenant improvement work, and then worked for an owner’s representative firm doing MnSCU college campus work. During that time I had to deal with a number of disputes, and had to talk to a construction lawyer for the first time. From there, I decided to go to law school with the intention of becoming a construction lawyer. With my background and passion for all things construction, it was a natural progression. I am passionate about the construction industry, and I am right where I belong.