Resume

Kristine Jean Zajac

ZAJAC LAW FIRM

400 South Fourth Street, Suite 1025

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415

Phone: 612-789-2300

email: [email protected]

URL: www.zajaclawfirm.com

LEGAL EXPERIENCE

Zajac Law Firm, Minneapolis, Minnesota

• Opened solo practice in April 2000 practicing in family law and criminal defense.
• Past board member of the Hennepin County Bar Hispanic Bar Section
• Present member of the Hispanic Bar Association
• Five criminal jury trials from voire dire to verdict in the areas of Felony Criminal Sexual Conduct Second Degree, Criminal Sexual Conduct Fifth Degree, Assault Five,  Gross Misdemeanor Malicious Punishment of a child, Felony Assault Two with a Dangerous Weapon, all of which resulted in acquittals.
• Many clients from immigrant communities with 20 percent of clientele speaking Spanish as their primary language.
• Licensed to Practice Law in Minnesota: October 30, 1998, Minnesota Supreme Court:  Never been disciplined publicly or privately, no malpractice findings, no criminal record, no professional discipline.
• North Star Attorney 2025
• Avvo Rating:  10.
• Avvo Clients’ Choice Award 2019.
• Avvo Clients’ Choice Award 2018.

Lanners and Olson, P.A., Plymouth, Minnesota

• April 1999-April 2000
• Associate Attorney
• Litigated client files in family, criminal, personal injury and employment law.

Appointed by Governor Jesse Ventura to the Sentencing Guidelines Commission Board

• July 1999-July 2001, Board Member, Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission
• Citizen Member; Chair of the Legislative Subcommittee

Fourth Judicial District of Minnesota

• November 1998-March 1999
• Judicial Law Clerk
• Performed legal research
• Drafted orders and memoranda.
• Managed the judge’s chambers.

Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, Minneapolis, Minnesota

• June 1997- November 1998
• Law Clerk in the Special Litigation Division (this division consists of the white-collar crime attorneys and the criminal appellate attorneys)
• First-chaired prosecution of a complicated white-collar crime restitution bench trial.
• Conducted legal research for the twenty plus attorneys that comprise this division.
• Drafted memoranda, complaints, and opinions for the attorneys in this division.

Ramsey County Attorney’s Office, St. Paul, Minnesota

• February 1997 -May 1997
• Law Clerk in the Civil Division
• Conducted legal research that provided answers to the attorneys’ legal inquiries.

EDUCATION

William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota

• Merit based scholarship (1996: Given for being in the Top Ten Percent at the end of my first year)
• Graduation: May 1998 Cum Laude
• Activities: President of the Hispanic Law Student Association (1996-1997)

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

• Graduation: December, 1994
• Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Spanish.
• G.P.A.: 3.63 / 4.0        Major G.P.A.: 3.92 / 4.0.
• Honors:  Phi Beta Kappa Member, Golden Key National Honor Society,
• Italian American Scholarship.
• Activities: International Orientation Leader.

Study Abroad

• Rotary Club Exchange Student, Argentina August 1990-August 1991 (fluent in Spanish).

HOBBIES:  Powerlifting, reading (mostly non-fiction), anything with my kids, basketball, musicals, stand-up comedy.