Deborah C. Swenson / Biography
Before retirement, Deb Swenson provided clients with practical, cost effective legal advice in the area of commercial bankruptcy and commercial litigation. In bankruptcy matters, she assisted clients who had customers that had filed bankruptcy matters no matter where they arose in the United States. Her philosophy is based upon the belief that clients shouldn’t have to pay the cost to reinvent the wheel to repeatedly educate attorney after attorney about a legal issue that is common to their business. Instead, she used her knowledge of her clients’ businesses to work as a team with a specially chosen local counsel to bring about positive results without the high cost of travel. Her practice was unique as over the last 20 years she developed relationships with counsel in all 50 states, enabling her to provide clients with a one-stop process to have their commercial bankruptcy and commercial litigation matters handled efficiently and effectively.
She enjoyed providing these services to clients across the country. Clients included Fortune 500 companies in the transportation, staffing and services industries. She also worked on appellate matters in the Minnesota Court of Appeals, the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Of special interest to her is the defense of avoidance actions, including preference and fraudulent transfers. During her long legal practice she defended corporations in hundreds of avoidance actions in over 40 jurisdictions.
Deb also worked to protect her clients’ interests in bankruptcy through an active motion practice, including relief from the automatic stay and other motions in the bankruptcy courts throughout the United States. She also served as a liquidating trustee in a Minnesota Chapter 11 liquidation case involving former franchisee.
Deb is rated AV Preeminent® for the highest level of professional excellence by Martindale-Hubbell.
Education
- Stanford Law School, J.D., 1995
- University of Minnesota, B.A., summa cum laude, 1992
News + Articles
New Law Series: The Loss of Chance Doctrine in Minnesota – Dickhoff v. Green
Phil Cole and Bryan Feldhaus spoke on September 20, 2013 at a Minnesota CLE webcast, “New Law Series: The Loss of Chance Doctrine in Minnesota – Dickhoff v. Green.” Program description: The Minnesota Supreme Court Dickhoff v. Green case adopted the “Loss of...
Ask Upsize: Glenn Kessel on the New Minnesota Estate & Gift Tax
[Q] I am a divorced small business owner in Minnesota with a net worth of approximately $3,000,000. How will the new Minnesota estate and gift tax affect my ability to leave my estate to my children with minimum gift and estate taxes? Read Glenn Kessel's answer to...
Duty to Defend & Priorities of Coverage
John Crawford presented a webcast on August 16, 2013, Insurance Law Deskbook: Duty to Defend and Priorities of Coverage. The webcast was presented by Minnesota CLE and John's co-presenter was Benjamin Johnson of Johnson & Lindberg, P.A. Program...
The U.S. Supreme Court’s Big New Decisions
Kay Hunt spoke on August 13, 2013 at The U.S. Supreme Court’s Big New Decisions seminar presented by Minnesota CLE. Program description: Part I U.S. Supreme Court Update: The Big Cases This Term and Those on Deck for Next Not all Supreme Court cases are created...
To Leave or Not to Leave: Determining Minnesota Residency for Tax Purposes
The new tax law significantly affects taxpayers and their estates by enacting a gift tax (and thereby joining Connecticut as the only states to impose a state-level gift tax) and amending the estate tax and income tax. The Minnesota Legislature passed this Omnibus Tax...
Ask Upsize: Bob Abdo on Continuing Liability After Selling Your Business
[Q] I’m selling my business and the business broker tells me I will continue to have liability for the business after I close. Is this true? Read Bob Abdo's answer to this question in the Ask Upsize segment at Upsize Magazine.