Supporting and Growing Communities

Fredrikson has a long history of assisting small, minority-owned businesses. These businesses have the ability to stabilize communities and to help build wealth for immigrants and other economically disadvantaged groups. Fredrikson’s history includes working with community leaders to help form and develop community economic development organizations, such as Meda in 1971 and the Northside Economic Opportunity Network in 2008. Fredrikson has also worked side-by-side with the Neighborhood Development Center since 1999. More recently, these partnerships include other organizations such as the Lake Street Council and the West Broadway Business and Area Coalition, all of which are in the Minneapolis/St. Paul areas of Minnesota. Fredrikson lawyers also work with the Collider Foundation in southeast Minnesota. Through these organizations, Fredrikson lawyers give legal presentations to individuals looking to start, or who have opened, small businesses. Volunteers also provide direct legal representation to businesses on issues of entity choice and formation, lease reviews and negotiations, contract reviews, employment and intellectual property assistance. These incredible businesses help build more diverse, safe and welcoming communities, and provide opportunities for everyone to experience different cultures through local restaurants and retail services.

Fredrikson is proud to continue to support these brave entrepreneurs, including the following:

Intown Sushi began as a dream, but it has grown to having a physical location and product in more than 30 local stores. Kevin Spreng assisted the owners with a contract review with a global food company.

Ann Ladd worked through Collider Foundation to assist a small restaurant with considerations regarding a lease renegotiation. Ann and paralegal Julie Ann Taylor also assisted a woman with an incorporation as she opened a new florist shop in the Rochester, Minnesota area.

Mary Beth Peranteau helped a local restaurant understand the terms and conditions of a new lease they were about to sign.

Tash Bottum and summer associate Anthony Rodriguez assisted The Human Color of Hair Care, a personal hair care company, that developed a plant-based haircare line that caters to the textured and curly haired community.