Connie A. Lahn
ShareholderPhone: (952) 224-7273
Connie's Assistant:
Download Connie A. Lahn's biography (84K PDF)
Connie Lahn is a shareholder at FMJ and Chair of the Bankruptcy & Insolvency Group. She specializes in bankruptcy law, workouts, equipment leasing issues, foreclosures, real estate remedies, commercial mortgage backed securities defaults, and related commercial litigation. She primarily represents financial institutions, creditors and equipment lessors in major debt restructuring cases. Currently, she represents the Unsecured Creditors Committee in one of the largest Ponzi scheme bankruptcies in the country. Her approach to workouts and defaults is that of a business partner to the client, knowing the sensitivity of all such matters and understanding the business objectives. She has appeared in federal courts throughout the nation on behalf of her clients. Her practice includes representation of clients in major bankruptcies, including: Worldcom, Kaiser Aluminum, US Airways, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc., and ARC Venture Holding. Her experience also includes workouts (and foreclosures) of major loan portfolios on behalf of national clients.
Ms. Lahn served as a law clerk for two years to the Honorable Dennis D. O'Brien, Chief Judge of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota. She received her Juris Doctor degree, magna cum laude, from William Mitchell College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from St. Cloud State University, summa cum laude, in three years.
Ms. Lahn was selected one of Minnesota's 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Super Lawyers by Minnesota Law & Politics - an honor given to only 6% of the lawyers in Minnesota. She has also been named a Super Lawyer in the 2011 Super Lawyers Business Edition Magazine in Bankruptcy and Creditor's Rights. In addition, she was recognized as one of Minnesota's top 100 women attorneys in both 2009 and 2010. Her leadership qualities have been previously recognized by being selected to be part of the 2004-2005 Leadership Twin Cities program through the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce. She has also received an AV Peer Review Rating through Martindale-Hubbell.
Education:
St. Cloud State University (BA, summa cum laude, 1993)
William Mitchell College of Law (JD, magna cum laude, 1996)
State Bar Admissions:
State of Minnesota (1996)Federal Bar Admissions:
U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota (1997)U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit (2001)
Professional Memberships and Associations:
Minnesota State Bar Association/ Bankruptcy SectionMinnesota Women Lawyers
American Bar Association
Presentations:
Seminar, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Distressed Commercial Real Estate (2009)
2008 Bankruptcy Institute, Working With the Turnaround Professional
2007 Bankruptcy Institute, Real Estate Bankruptcies: They're Back!
2006 Bankruptcy Institute, Disclosure, Disinterestedness and Conflicts in Bankruptcy Cases
49th Annual Building Officials Institute (2005), Legal Aspects of Code Administration
48th Annual Building Officials Institute (2004), Legal Aspects of Code Administration
Seminar, Everything You Wanted to Know About Equipment Leasing But Were Afraid to Ask (2003)
Annual Meeting of Public Officials (2003), Legal Issues Facing Officials
2001 Bankruptcy Institute, Caselaw Updates
Practice Areas:
Bankruptcy & Insolvency Commercial Litigation
General Litigation
Practice Philosophy:
"I spend time learning about my clients' organizations, their goals and their business theories. By knowing my clients, I am truly able to work with them in coming up with the best solution to their most difficult legal problems."The Rest of the Story:
Connie and her husband Aaron love to travel. In fact, they love to travel so much they decided to get married in an exotic location. They were married on Buck Island in the Virgin Islands. As the island is a natural preserve, they had to swim from the sail boat to the island and then change into their wedding clothes behind trees. In keeping with this theme, on their anniversary every year, they visit a new tropical destination.