Christopher E. Sandquist

Christopher E. Sandquist
 

Combining his legal experience and business management skills, Chris Sandquist has a keen ability to help clients stay on track. His authentic, common sense approach is valued in the boardroom as well as the courtroom.
 
Clients benefit from Chris’s professional motto: “Helping businesses get back to business.” Chris has a solid grasp of the issues that business owners face. With his sound judgment and levelheaded perspective, he stays focused on advancing his clients’ interests. Chris is a champion of efficiency and productivity. He especially enjoys working with family-owned businesses of every shape and size.
 
Raised in the Midwest, Chris developed an early interest in business. Inspired by his father, who managed a family-owned retail business, Chris earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. Along the way, he discovered his true calling in business law, and later graduated cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School. He joined Gislason & Hunter in 1999.
 
Chris and his wife have three young children—one girl and twin boys. Although family and professional activities keep him busy, Chris manages to enjoy a little solitude in the Minnesota wilderness hunting and fishing.
 
 
COURT ADMISSIONS
State of Minnesota
State of Iowa
U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
 
 
EDUCATION
Juris Doctor, cum laude, 1997: University of Minnesota Law School
Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, 1994: Creighton University
 
 
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Minnesota State Bar Association
Sixth District Bar Association
Iowa State Bar Association
 
 
TRADE ORGANIZATIONS & COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
Educare Foundation, Board of Directors
North Mankato Youth Football, Board of Directors
Mankato Basketball Association, Board Member


RELEVANT EXPERIENCE & PUBLICATIONS

Law Clerk, Hon. Richard J. Menke and Hon. Thomas R. Howe, Scott County District Court


 
Type of Client: Heir-Finding Company
 
Problem: The client had an unprecedented opportunity to earn a substantial fee if they could locate the missing heirs to a large estate. However, no other attorneys were willing to assist the client get established as a lost-heir finding business, since it was outside of their area of practice.
 
Solution: Chris helped the client establish this new business. He drafted specific protective agency agreements, and helped the company achieve its goals of prosecuting claims for the heirs.
 
Result: Today, this client represents the majority of heirs who were identified in this pilot project. Based on the successful outcome of this endeavor, the client is pursuing similar opportunities to find and represent lost heirs in the future.
 


 
Type of Client: School Bus Company
 
Problem: Multiple districts had problems with their contracting procedures. An unclear statute led to non-uniformity among districts in the contracting process, with minimal consideration given to protect contractors.
 
Solution: Chris began a campaign to change the law.
 

Result: Draft legislation will be presented with bipartisan support in the 2009 legislative session.


 
Type of Client: Family owned group of businesses
 
Problem: Client was facing a federal wages/hours audit of 15 companies operating in two states.
 
Solution: Chris worked with investigators to obtain authorization for a self-audit. He put together an 8‑person team consisting of lawyers, accountants, and support staff to conduct the audit.
 
Result: The federal government accepted these audit results. Back-owed money was paid, and no penalties were assessed. Furthermore, no private lawsuits from dissatisfied employees were filed.


 
Type of Client: Bus Company
 
Problem: Former employee alleged she was terminated from employment for reporting safety violations to her manager.
 
Solution: Chris conducted immediate on-side interviews of all persons involved (manager, mechanics, drivers, etc.) to determine the facts. He gave a timely and overwhelmingly thorough response to government investigators concerning the allegation, and ultimately showed that no safety violations ever existed.
 
Result: The complaint was dismissed by OSHA, and the dismissal was affirmed by a federal administrative appeals board.

 
 

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