On June 1, 2017, something momentous happened in the Minnesota legal community. Three of the region’s most notable family law attorneys announced they had come together to form a new, powerhouse family law firm. Attorneys Anne M. Honsa, Kristy A. K. Rodd and Mylene A. Landry are Honsa Rodd Landry. Among them, they have seen virtually every family law scenario, and together with their three associates, they are prepared to take on family law challenges and facilitate positive, sustainable outcomes.
People are already calling them “The Dream Team.”
MEET THE PARTNERS
With experience spanning solo, small firm and big firm practice, these ladies in law bring decades of expertise in family law matters from prenuptial agreements to post-decree issues, and everything in between. Clients who choose Honsa Rodd Landry receive the benefit of their collective knowledge and reputation for professional excellence, as well as their blended sense of integrity and human kindness.
Honsa earned her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law and began a boutique family law practice early in her career. She has been practicing exclusively in the area of family law for 29 years and is one of an elite few who is board certified in family trial law advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Honsa is frequently honored for her outstanding law yering and contributions to the profession. She is named among The Best Lawyers in America and has been selected to the Super Lawyers list in Minnesota Law and Politics every year since 2003. She has also been chosen as a Top 100 Attorney and as a Top 3 Family Law Super Lawyer in 2007.
Rodd has 20 years of experience as a family law practitioner at a large firm. A seasoned and fearless litigator, she has cultivated a practice centered on complex litigation of matters including valuation of closely held businesses and corporations; allocation of retirement plans and benefits; analysis of executive compensation; personal and corporate taxation issues; property division; maintenance and alimony; and child custody and support. She has earned many distinctions, including recognition as one of The Best Lawyers in America in family law, and as one of the Minnesota Super Lawyers Top 50 Women.
After beginning her legal career handling class action litigation, Landry soon found she desired a practice with more personal client interaction. She redirected her focus to family law, where she has spent more than 17 years perfecting the art of strong advocacy balanced with compassionate counseling. Skilled in resolving matters from child custody and support to complex business valuations, Landry is as bold in the courtroom as she is effective in mediation.
LIVING THE DREAM
This dream team cites passion, expert knowledge and diligent preparation as the foundation for its success. The abiding respect these ladies have for one another and their complementary temperaments make them powerful allies when advocating for their clients’ best interests.
Rodd commented, “The three of us together bring what I consider a full-service family firm. We have someone here to handle every type of case from the average dissolution to high-asset divorce.”
“These are two women I have admired in the profession for 20 years,” Landry said. “We click really well in terms of style and personality.”
Honsa added, “We each bring a little different background to our practice. We’re very similar in our work ethics and attitude. I think our goal is that when somebody is looking for a family law firm, we will immediately come to mind as the best in town.”
The firm has expanded and redesigned Honsa’s former of- fices to reflect its new persona while honoring the spirit of the past. With a fresh interior that mirrors its unconventional teal and grey logo, the atmosphere is both professional and inviting.
“When we picked our logo, we wanted something that didn’t look like lawyers, and we modeled everything else around it,” Rodd said. “Our of- fice is comfortable, not stuffy. We treat people like family when they come here.”
Landry added, “It’s important to note that before Kristy and I got here, Anne had a rockstar firm. Even though we’ve remodeled, we’ve kept certain artifacts – things Anne had that were special to her. We’ve been able to blend the new with the existing decor.”
“I’ve been to a lot of law offices over the years, “Honsa stated, “and I’ve always wanted a space that is sophisticated, yet comfortable. Coming to a law firm for a divorce is about the scariest thing to do, and I want our office to feel inviting. Jan, at our front desk, is a critical component. That first trip through the door can be horrible, but she is there to guide them into the parking lot over the phone, and greet them and get them a beverage as they come in. She is friendly and great at putting people at ease.”
The firm’s staff is key to delivering the highest quality service to families, and this is why each of them is featured on the firm website. Honsa continued, “When my clients compliment me on my work, I always say my backup people make me look good. We have a team approach. We all have different duties, but we are all equals in my opinion. Everyone is very involved in client life. I think when people are researching attorneys on a website, they want to see the team behind them. I’m only as good as the people here.”
Landry echoed, “It’s amazing how a competent staff can help you go from good to great and make the client’s experience that much better.”
The firm is well-rounded with three talented young associate attorneys who bring a fresh perspective and enthusiasm to the practice. “My culture has always been very open door to mentoring younger attorneys,” Honsa said. “When I graduated from law school in ’88, there were no mentorship or internship programs. I had to learn on my own. It’s always been important to me to be a good role model, and now with Kristy and Mylene here, we have a greater opportunity to help less experienced lawyers learn the profession. At the end of the day, we’re all ‘practicing law.’ We all learn something new with every case.”
While the firm’s named partners are well-known for their expertise and discretion in handling the most sophisticated family law cases, they want their firm to be a haven for every family who needs help, no matter the number of zeros on their balance sheet. Having associate attorneys on board makes legal services more affordable to clients with less complex cases. Rodd stated, “Being able to hire an associate attorney is great news for our clients, since they can pay a lower hourly rate but still have those of us who are more experienced as resources. They can count on being well-prepared when they go to court, no matter which one of us represents them. We can do all kinds of cases, and do them well, whether we’re dealing with complicated business valuations and executive compensation packages, or sorting out parenting time and child support for families.”
All of the firm’s attorneys and paralegals give back to the profession and community by working with the Volunteer Lawyers Network. Rodd explained, “Family law is one of the areas with the highest need. I really enjoy working with those clients who are usually struggling on their own and so appreciative of the help.”
While client communication, meticulous case preparation and favorable results are the standards for this dream team, each attorney is driven by a greater purpose– the desire to provide clients with a satisfying legal experience.
Rodd summed up, “All of us here strive to give the best client service. When someone refers a case, they can rest assured it is being handled. We recognize this is a highly emotional and uncertain point in people’s lives. We want to give that Cadillac service because we believe it’s what people deserve.”
