Manufacturing

Elevated Experience.
Down to Earth Pricing.

Our attorneys know manufacturing, and they know that cost-effectiveness is vital. To address this understanding, we provide serious value without sacrificing the quality of our legal services.

Manufacturing

Manufacturers constantly face various challenges and issues in their day-to-day operations that require a wide range of legal services. Any law firm can tell you that. However, FMJ can skillfully explain to you what those exact challenges and specific issues are and advise you on how to efficiently handle them.

FMJ’s Manufacturing attorneys have been holistically representing manufacturers for two decades. From R&D, through supply chain, operations, distribution, and sale channels, we know your challenges. We have a history of efficiently solving our clients’ legal issues in every phase of manufacturing.

James Seifert, the head of the practice group, has spent his entire career working in the trenches of manufacturing. Besides holding a Master’s degree in Manufacturing Systems and being a licensed patent attorney, he became the Chief Legal Officer of several iconic Minnesota manufacturers because of his recognized legal and business skills.

With our experience, we understand that cost-effectiveness is vital. To address this understanding, we pride ourselves on providing serious value to our manufacturing clients without sacrificing the quality of our legal services. Access to deep manufacturing experience should not be limited to clients with deep pockets, and clients with deep pockets should not have to pay more simply because they can.

Like a well-oiled machine, we know manufacturing, and our attorneys are committed to helping, protecting, and advancing manufacturing companies, their products, their brand, their employees, and their customers.

List of Services

Sales

  • Corporate account agreements
  • Customized employment agreements
  • Distribution agreements
  • Automobile risk response
  • Customer code of conduct compliance
  • Agency representative agreements
  • Warranty strategy

Brand Protection

  • Brand and content protection
  • Intellectual property
  • Trademark and IP litigation

Intellectual Property

  • Patents and trademarks and related strategy
  • Outside inventor process
  • Cease and desist letters and related litigation

Research & Development

  • Key employment agreements
  • R&D trade secret infringement
  • Sudden key-employee departure response

Finance

  • Debt offerings and collections
  • Building mortgages
  • Factoring receivables
  • Loan agreements
  • Real estate sales and purchases
  • Auditor engagement letters
  • Banking relationships

Consulting

  • Law department operations and metrics
  • Industrial hygiene, safety metrics, and related board reporting
  • Corporate waste management and environment sustainability program

Supply Chain

  • Raw material and sourcing agreements
  • Enterprise software agreements
  • Custom software development agreements
  • Foreign asset control compliance
  • Master service agreements

Corporate Governance

  • Board structuring and committee charters
  • Meeting preparation and record keeping
  • Post-acquisition anti-corruption assessment
  • Shareholder-Board interaction policy

 Corporate

  • Succession planning and estate planning
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • HR & Employment Law, and training programs
  • Legal entity restructuring for tax purposes
  • Gun and marijuana policies and compliance
  • Workplace premise issues
  • Anonymous discrimination response and investigation
  • Corporate gifts and entertainment policies
  • Employee exit questionnaire
  • Minority shareholder rights and buy/sell minority shareholder deals

General Legal and Compliance

  • Confidential hotline, set-up, execution, and annual review
  • Response to FTC/DOJ subpoena
  • Whistleblower law and compliance
  • Trade sanctions compliance and interpretation
  • Litigation

Manufacturing Team

Manufacturing Resources

May 2026

Navigating Environmental Permitting in Minnesota: Key Local, State, and Federal Approvals (Part 2 of 3)

Real estate development and land use in Minnesota often require multiple environmental permits with agencies at the federal, state, and local levels. Read more

April 2026

Navigating Environmental Permitting in Minnesota: Understanding the Regulatory Landscape (Part 1 of 3)

Whether developing a new site or expanding an existing one, identifying applicable permitting requirements early can help avoid delays, added costs, and regulatory complications. Read more

April 2026

Golf Law in the News: Liability, NIL, Environmental Issues, and Trademark Disputes – FMJ Law Podcast Episode 41

In this episode of the FMJ Law Podcast, Adam Brown and Nate Snyder enjoy a wide-ranging conversation that uses golf as a surprisingly effective... Read more

March 2026

Employment Law Considerations for Non-Employees in Minnesota, Including LLC Members, Founders, and Nonprofit Organization Members

Learn how Minnesota employment laws apply to founders, nonprofits, and business owners, and when to seek legal help. Read more

February 2026

Are AI Generated Documents Privileged? No, According to a Recent Court Ruling.

AI searches and documents may not be protected by the attorney-client privilege. Read more

February 2026

Privacy Policies: When Do Your Words Become Legal Promises?

The language you choose in a privacy policy can carry legal consequences. Read more

January 2026

Event: Protecting Your Business in a Digital World

Morgan Zuehlke has been invited to speak to the Eden Prairie Chamber about cybersecurity issues. Read more

December 2025

Agricultural Supplier Receivables

Attorney Jared Peterson analyzes tools available to ag suppliers as they look to strengthen their position and reduce accounts receivable. Read more

November 2025

Corporate Closings

Take a look back at some highlights from the Corporate and Business Group in summer and early fall 2025. Read more

November 2025

The Hidden Costs of Attrition in Agency Contracts (and How to Negotiate Them Away)

Morgan Zuehlke and Pat Shriver discuss strategies for effective agency and service contracts. Read more

November 2025

FMJ Welcomes Litigation and Real Estate Attorney Hannah Schacherl Jansen

Hannah will handle Litigation, Appellate, and Real Estate matters, including environmental and watershed issues. Welcome to FMJ! Read more

October 2025

Minnesota’s Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) Program Starts January 1, 2026 – Is Your Organization Ready?

Most Minnesota employers will need to have a PFML policy in place. FMJ can help! Read more

September 2025

Minnesota Paid Family Medical Leave Program

Natolie Hochhausen will discuss PFML at the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce on September 16, 2025. Read more

September 2025

Business Succession Planning

Pat Shriver will join CPAs and business planning professionals for a free webinar on September 16, 2025. Read more

Other Practice Areas

Agriculture

Agriculture

Our Agriculture group has legal experience in all aspects of agribusiness, including general corporate and transactional matters, farm succession planning, and litigation. Our attorneys also represent many types of cooperatives and independent elevators, including grain, feed, chemical, and fuel.
Appellate

Appellate

Our Appellate group has years of experience in assessing, briefing, and arguing appeals at all levels of courts throughout the United States. We have the ability to synthesize and analyze the record and the law, as well as narrow the case focus to those issues most likely to bring client benefit and appellate success.
Aviation & Transportation

Aviation & Transportation

Recognized nationally and internationally for our experience and insider knowledge of the transportation industries, our Transportation & Logistics attorneys are equipped with immense insight and a practical approach to complex logistical and legal issues.
Banking & Financial Institutions

Banking & Financial Institutions

Our Banking & Financial Institution team includes lending attorneys, bankruptcy attorneys, corporate attorneys, commercial and special asset attorneys, and attorneys with experience serving on bank loan committees, boards of directors of banks, and bank holding companies.
Bankruptcy & Insolvency

Bankruptcy & Insolvency

Our Bankruptcy & Insolvency attorneys represent creditors in all aspects of bankruptcy, reorganization, and workouts, and appear in courtrooms across the country. Our philosophy is to actively participate in every phase of the workout and reorganization process.
Competition & Trade

Competition & Trade

We work with clients daily to help them better compete in their marketplace, whether that be local, national, global, or virtual. Our goal is to understand our clients’ businesses and challenges and help them navigate the business and legal obstacles to success.
Defamation and Reputation Protection

Defamation and Reputation Protection

Fafinski Mark & Johnson is a leader in helping businesses to protect their reputations and navigate defamation claims, including both libel and slander.
ETA – Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition

ETA – Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition

Fafinski Mark & Johnson is a thought leader working on the cutting edge of ETA. We value the flexibility and opportunity that ETA transactions provide for our clients, and our team has the capacity and depth of knowledge to handle issues that arise while keeping the the deal moving toward closing.
General Corporate & Business

General Corporate & Business

Our General Corporate & Business group works with organizations of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, across all industries, helping them devise strategies and solve problems. Much of the work we do is contractual – structuring, negotiating, and reviewing contracts.
HR & Employment

HR & Employment

Our HR & Employment attorneys guide our clients through the complexities of employment procedures and policies, employee benefits, hiring and termination practices, and compliance with ever-changing employment laws. We combine our knowledge of the law with specifics of our clients’ businesses to produce optimal outcomes.
Insurance

Insurance

FMJ’s Insurance group represents commercial and nonprofit insurers, and the team serves as outside general counsel to fraternal insurance companies. We advise insurance companies on all aspects of corporate, nonprofit, and insurance law.
Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property

Our Intellectual Property attorneys assist with trademark and copyright registration, compliance and licensing, dispute resolution, and pre-dispute counseling. We also have the technical, business, and legal acumen necessary to provide counsel on various intellectual property matters.
Litigation

Litigation

From local courtrooms to the United States Supreme Court, our Litigation group has a proven track record of obtaining favorable outcomes for our clients in a wide variety of legal disputes. We specialize in commercial, general, employment, shareholder, insurance defense, product liability, aviation, transportation, real estate, and appellate litigation.
Mergers & Acquisitions

Mergers & Acquisitions

Our Mergers & Acquisitions team has handled deals collectively worth billions of dollars. With experience representing buyers, sellers and investors, we have the capacity and depth of knowledge to understand the issues that arise during the course of a transaction and offer solutions to ensure your deal moves forward and closes.
Nonprofit & Philanthropic

Nonprofit & Philanthropic

FMJ’s Nonprofit & Philanthropic group is passionate about assisting philanthropies and nonprofit organizations in carrying out their meaningful missions, paired with their extensive experience in an array of areas, makes the firm an ideal fit to help nonprofit and philanthropic organizations face the many nuances of nonprofit law.
Products Liability

Products Liability

With their expansive product knowledge and extensive experience, FMJ’s Products Liability group is able to handle cases effectively, efficiently, and with their clients' interests always at the forefront. The group has served as regional and national counsel to multi-level international Fortune 500 companies in 30 states for over 40 years.
Real Estate

Real Estate

Our Real Estate team has the experience and practical business knowledge necessary to navigate, negotiate, and manage the nuanced elements of real estate transactions, whether you are a business that has ongoing commercial purchase and sale or lease transactions, you are an experienced investor, or you are investing in real estate for the first time.
Sports & Entertainment

Sports & Entertainment

FMJ’s attorneys provide the wide range of legal services that sports and entertainment organizations need to succeed. We understand that cost-effectiveness matters, so we deliver real value without sacrificing the quality of our advice and representation. Our team works efficiently to solve legal challenges, allowing clients to concentrate on what matters most: their craft, their content, and their game.
Trusts & Estates

Trusts & Estates

Our Trusts & Estates group provides estate planning, estate administration, business and unique asset succession planning, estate controversy assistance and related services to individuals, closely-held businesses, tax-exempt organizations, and corporate fiduciaries. We are always accepting new clients and offer complimentary 30-minute initial consultations and flat-fee estate planning to fit every budget.