News & Updates

Greene Espel PLLP is delighted to announce that John Baker has been honored with the President's Award: Outstanding Associate Member Award by the International Municipal Lawyers Association. The International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the interests and education of local government lawyers. The annual Outstanding Associate Member Award recognizes one lawyer who is a leader in legal advocacy for and on behalf of local governments, has done exemplary work to protect and advance local government interests, and contributes to the mission of IMLA.

John is one of the six founding attorneys of Greene Espel. He has practiced law in Minnesota since 1988. From his first day, he has represented cities and city officials in state and federal litigation. After making a name for himself as an exceptional brief writer, he became an appellate advocate and trial attorney—and is a leading authority in the areas of First Amendment and land-use law.

In the last four years, he has written or co-authored amicus briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of IMLA and other organizations of public-sector officials and entities in Barr v. American Association of Political Consultants, National Institute of Family and Life Advocates v. Becerra, and Township of Millburn v. Palardy. He has also co-authored amicus briefs on behalf of IMLA and others to the First Circuit, Sixth Circuit, Fifth Circuit, Eighth Circuit, Eleventh Circuit, California Supreme Court, and Minnesota Supreme Court.

He is best known as an advocate, author, and speaker on constitutional law, land-use litigation, appellate practice, telecommunications law, and defamation. He routinely receives and accepts invitations to speak at annual state and national programs on topics related to one of these areas of focus. John has presented oral argument on appeal more than 30 times.