News & Updates
Greene Espel is proud to announce that attorneys Anna Tobin and Davida Williams were selected by Minnesota Lawyer as 2021 "Up & Coming Attorneys." Each year, Minnesota Lawyer selects a small group of attorneys in their first ten years of practice who distinguish themselves through their professional accomplishments, leadership, and service to the community.
Additionally, Minnesota Lawyer named Accounting Manager Karen Deneen as a 2021 "Unsung Legal Hero." This award recognizes the legal professionals—legal administrative assistants, paralegals, office managers, IT and marketing staff, librarians, and others—who have their attorneys' and everyone else's backs and who make sure the job gets done.
Anna Tobin represents companies in internal investigations and complex business disputes. Anna routinely conducts internal and agency investigations, including work involving whistleblower claims, the FCPA, workplace misconduct, and internal business practices. Her work often includes managing multifaceted document collection and review processes pursuant to federal and state-agency subpoenas or investigative demands. In these situations, clients appreciate Anna’s sensitivity, thoroughness, and willingness to immerse herself in a business to understand its processes and culture.
As a litigator, Anna represents clients in high-stakes, complex business litigation across the country. She has served as a key member of multiple successful trial teams, including defending a Fortune 100 company against allegations of breach of contract and fraud resulting in a successful defense verdict and second-chairing a week-long federal court trial wherein a jury awarded compensatory and punitive damages to her client. Additionally, Anna has an impactful pro bono practice and is an active member of the Twin Cities art community. As a result of her exceptional work, she was included on the Minnesota Rising Stars list as part of the Super Lawyers selection process, and she has been listed in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in 2021.
Davida Williams crafts legal arguments with purpose, keeping the desired and feasible outcome for each case in mind and always focusing on the big picture. Davida helps clients navigate complex antitrust, commercial, and employment matters before trial and appellate courts. In fact, Davida has represented some of the biggest companies in the world in high-stakes antitrust matters in federal courts around the country. She also represents clients in government enforcement actions and government investigations, handles a variety of employment matters, including non-competes and internal investigations, and represents clients in appeals. Davida has argued cases before the District of Minnesota, Minnesota Court of Appeals, and Minnesota District Court.
In recognition of Davida’s superior legal work and community engagement, Davida was recently appointed to a Merit Selection Panel by the United States District Judges of the District of Minnesota to advise on the selection of a new United States Magistrate Judge. This panel, a select group of five practicing attorneys and two non-lawyers, was tasked with evaluating and recommending the best-qualified candidates to the District Judges for consideration. She has been recognized by her peers as a Minnesota Super Lawyers Rising Star (2020) and was named in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2021).
As the Accounting Manager for Greene Espel, Karen Deneen oversees all aspects of the firm’s accounting and finance functions, including financial reporting, analytics, budgeting, payroll, financial systems administration, and supervising billing and accounts payable. Karen joined the firm in 2008 and offers nearly 30 years of law firm accounting experience. She is a dedicated professional who excels at analyzing financial data, recommending solutions for increased efficiencies, and implementing cutting edge software solutions to help our firm craft custom fee arrangements. Karen is a kind and caring colleague, and she is a vital part of the Greene Espel community.
To read feature interviews with each of the Greene Espel honorees, click on the below-linked articles:
To view the full list of 2021 Up & Coming Attorneys and Unsung Legal Heroes, visit: Minnesota Lawyer, "Up & Coming Attorneys, Unsung Legal Heroes announced."
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