Lisa B. Ellingson

My Approach

I was a piano performance major in college, and you’d be surprised at how many similarities there are to litigation. When I represent my clients, there is so much preparation involved on the front end – digging into the nuances of the dispute, figuring out all the pieces, gathering and synthesizing information, and making decisions that will work best for the end result. You spend hundreds of hours practicing – all for one big performance. In my litigation practice, I put in that time and preparation to protect the rights of my clients.

Outside of work, I am an advocate for adult Korean adoptees. As an adoptee myself, I have found that there are many organizations that focus on adoptees as children, but there are not many that deal with adults. I help represent the perspective of adult intercountry adoptees, and coordinate services and conferences that are unique to the Korean adoptee community.

I also volunteer time through pro bono legal work, working with the Minnesota Federal District Court’s Pro Se Project, and representing asylum applicants.