What Is an Inheritor’s Trust?
If you are expecting an inheritance, an estate planning tool known as a trust may prove useful, depending on your circumstances. Among the numerous types of trusts aimed at fulfilling different estate planning purposes, an inheritor’s trust is specially designed to help protect an inheritance. Purpose of an Inheritor’s Trust A future beneficiary establishes an […]
Ethical Landmines in Responding to Requests for Admission
How Bulldog Lawyers Avoid Turning Discovery into Disaster Requests for Admission are supposed to be boring. They exist for one reason: to narrow issues for trial by confirming facts that aren’t in dispute and authenticating documents everyone already agrees are real. Used properly, they save time and money. But that’s not how they’re being used […]
What to Fix Before You Sign an Oil and Gas Lease
A Bulldog Checklist for Mineral Owners Who Want to Keep Their Leverage Most oil and gas lease problems are permanent. Not because the law is unfair—but because the document was signed before anyone slowed down long enough to fix what mattered. If you sign first and argue later, you’ve already lost leverage. Before you sign […]
Why Retirement Is the Right Time to Revisit Your Estate Plan
Retirement can mean many different things to different people. For some, it opens up a new world of travel, experiences, and creative pursuits. For others, it may herald quiet days at home with a good book, a steaming mug of tea or coffee, and no other plans for weeks. Between those extremes are countless ways […]
Minnesota’s New Zero Estimated Exposure Workers’ Compensation Law: What Construction Contractors Need to Know
Starting on January 1, 2026, Minnesota will implement significant changes to its workers’ compensation system, specifically targeting the use of “zero estimated exposure policies” (also known as “if-any” policies) within the construction industry. These updates passed during the 2025 legislative session aim to increase transparency and accountability among contractors who operate without employees or payroll. […]
Attorney Spotlight: Jordan Kolinski
In what area of law do you practice, and why did you choose this? I practice primarily in real property disputes and construction litigation. Growing up with a father who was a carpenter, I was always around construction projects, tools, and equipment. I feel very comfortable discussing and analyzing the subject matter of construction litigation. […]
How to Tell When Someone Is Lying | Body Language and Speech Signals
Two Signals Even Careful Liars Struggle to Control The truth is under pressure. Public trust is down. People expect spin from leaders, half-truths from institutions, and strategic ambiguity from anyone with something at stake. In that environment, bluffing isn’t rare—it’s normal. Which makes one skill invaluable: knowing when the person across from you is not […]
Legal & Business Issues Affecting Contractors 2026
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER Hellmuth & Johnson is sponsoring this educational seminar at our office in Edina. This full-day event is offered on 2 separate dates. Seminar Topics: Construction Contracts & Subcontracts – Blake Nelson MN Energy Building Code Refresher – Eric Boyd Employees and Independent Contractors in the Construction Industry – Brian Niemczyk […]
Business Owners: Here Are Your Top Legal Resolutions In The New Year
As a business owner, you focus on generating revenue and creating profit by controlling expenses to add profit to the bottom line. By increasing revenue and controlling costs, you create a profitable business. However, in the day-to-day operation of your business, you may overlook a variety of important legal considerations. This article broadly discusses these […]
3 Examples of When an Irrevocable Trust Can—and Should—Be Modified
Did you know that irrevocable trusts can be modified? If you did not, you are not alone. The name lends itself to that very misconception. However, the truth is that changes in laws, family, trustees, and finances can frustrate the trustmaker’s original intent when the trust was created. Or, sometimes, an error in the trust […]