A shareholder in the firm, Ansis focuses his practice on business litigation matters with a particular emphasis on employment, shareholder, intellectual property, franchise, fiduciary and other business disputes. Many of these cases involve difficult and hotly litigated allegations against employees, officers, directors and shareholders of businesses. He also advises clients on labor, employment and other internal management issues.

Ansis has 30 years of experience representing businesses at both the trial court and appellate court levels as well as in front of state and federal agencies. He is listed as an arbitrator on the employment and commercial panels of the American Arbitration Association and is certified as a Labor and Employment Law Specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association.

Representative Experience:

• Defended community bank and its directors and officers in multi-million dollar wrongful termination case brought by former bank executive.
• Represented 50% owner of medical device company in protracted litigation involving disputes as to who properly controlled the company.
• Defeated claims against software company accused of improperly soliciting international customers.
• Obtained dismissal of whistleblower claims against manufacturing company brought by former employee.
• Enforced franchisor’s trademark and contract rights against franchisees that continued to operate after termination of franchise agreement.
• Obtained summary judgment in case alleging misclassification of independent contractors and failure to pay overtime.
• Defeated claim of race, sex and age discrimination brought in arbitration by former vice president of human resources.
• Secured victory in Minnesota Court of Appeals in discrimination and harassment case that lasted five years in state and federal trial and appellate courts.
• Enforced restrictive covenants against financial advisors who left on New Year’s Eve to start their own firm.
• Defended employer accused by its competitor of raiding employees.
• Obtained dozens of no-probable-cause findings from the EEOC and comparable fair employment agencies.

Professional and Civic Activities:

• Dakota County Conciliation Court, Referee
• Latvian Associations Organization of Minnesota, Director
• Mendota Heights Planning Commission, Former Member
• Hennepin County Conciliation Court, Former Mediator
• Fourth Judicial District Ethics Committee, Former Investigator