Michelle M. Kniess
Michelle Kniess devotes her entire practice to family law in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Her practice focuses on divorce, custody and parenting time, spousal maintenance, child support, and property valuation and division, including business interests. Michelle practiced as a business litigation attorney prior to pursuing a career in family law. She owned and managed a boutique family law practice for nearly nine years prior to joining Hellmuth & Johnson. Michelle brings many years of experience and a vast knowledge of family law, in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, to Hellmuth & Johnson.
Michelle received her Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2005 and her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2002.
Assistant
- Sandy D. Buss
- sbuss@hjlawfirm.com
- Phone: 952-460-9287
In The News
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Michelle Kniesshttps://hjlawfirm.com/author/mkniess/
Thought Leadership
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Michelle Kniesshttps://hjlawfirm.com/author/mkniess/
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Michelle Kniesshttps://hjlawfirm.com/author/mkniess/
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Michelle Kniesshttps://hjlawfirm.com/author/mkniess/
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Michelle Kniesshttps://hjlawfirm.com/author/mkniess/
Affiliations
- American Bar Association: Family Law Committee, Adoption Law Subcommittee and Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)
- Member, Hennepin County Bar Association
- Member, Washington County Bar Association
- Member, Dakota County Bar Association
- 19th District Bar Association (Washington County), Former Secretary/Treasurer
- Member, Minnesota Bar Association
- Member, Wisconsin Bar Association
- Member, Woodbury Chamber of Commerce
- Family Law League
- Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)
- Rule 114 Qualified Neutral
Honors & Awards
- Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2011-2020
- National Academy of Family Law Attorneys: Top 10 under 40
Community
- Volunteer, Hennepin County Unbundled Legal Services Project
- Member, Volunteer Lawyer’s Network
- Presenter/Panel Member, Minnesota Family Law Institute, March 2013
- Presenter, 100+ Sure-Fire Strategies and Tips for the Family Lawyer, 2021
Testimonials
- “As you told me in the very beginning, you do this job to take shattered lives and make sure one comes out whole in the end. You have done this for me in more ways than I can count. I don’t think words could ever express my full gratitude. This has been the most emotional, eye-opening journey that was completely foreign with so many unknowns and so very scary that I know without a doubt I could not have gone through it without you. Your compassion, hard work, focus and intelligence have remained for lack of a better word…AMAZING! … You have remained my constant and have kept me fighting. You have kept me focused when all I wanted to do was fall apart. You have been my go-to during times that I have felt completely lost. You are nothing short of amazing at what you do and I believe you belong doing what you do.” – Former Client
- “Going through a divorce is very emotional and when you are in a high conflict post divorce litigation the emotions run that much higher. Michelle Kniess navigated me through the emotions while legally ensuring all my rights were protected and advocated for. Couldn’t have gone through this without Michelle’s knowledge, honesty and expertise.” – Former Client
- “Thank you very much to all who worked on my divorce case. Your support and encouragement through that horrible process is much appreciated. I’m so glad to be “on the other side”! […] And, Michelle, thanks for giving me the confidence to take that critical step. I have NO regrets!” – Former Client
- • “Thank you, Michelle[.] […] We appreciate your feedback and creative approaches. We both agree that you are a good teacher – you have a skill of coming down to our level, speaking layman’s language instead of “legalese.” We are impressed with you and will share your name with anyone who needs a good lawyer and coach.” – Former Client
- “Jumping for joy! I want to thank you for all your hard work, it was a long emotional roller coaster for me and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome!!” – Former Client
- “I found Ms. Kniess to be a knowledgeable and experienced attorney. She is very calm, patient, and respectful. That is the kind of attorney I was looking for. I felt that my best interests were always in the forefront of her actions and methods as she advised me, led me, and in the end brought me through the dissolution process. If I had anxiety, she was a comfort. If I had a question, she had a thoughtful response. Going through this process is definitely not something I would want to repeat; however, with Michelle at the helm, I would be comfortable knowing I was receiving expert care and guidance, and she would always be willing to take part in the tough conversations and in the end, help find resolution in the most respectful manner. I highly recommend her services.” – S.L.
Past Seminars
- Legal & Business Issues Affecting Contractors 2020
- 2019 Community Association Fall Seminar
- CLE: Millennials and Gen Xers Are in Your Jury – Are You Ready?
- 2019 Community Association Spring Seminar
- 2019 Community Association Spring Seminar
- Legal and Business Issues Affecting Contractors 2019
- Community Association Seminar Fall 2018
- Divorce Litigation from Start to Finish
- New Overtime Rules Seminar 2016
- Second Saturday Divorce Seminar
- Community Association Seminar Fall 2016
- Revocable Living Trusts from Start to Finish
- Entertainment Law
- Revocable Trusts from A to Z
- Business Decisions You Can Bank On
- Cyberliability Insurance Session
- Intellectual Property – Armor for Entrepreneurs
- Small Business Series: Wage and Hour Issues
- Mastering Fiduciary Accounting Income
- Small Business Series: Succession Planning
- Drafting IRA Trusts
- Proactive vs. Reactive: Charitable Giving Seminar
- 2017 Women’s Entrepreneurship Conference
- Small Business Series: Intellectual Property
- Community Association Seminar Spring 2017
- Trusts From A to Z
- 2017 Probate & Trust Law Conference
- What Can You Do With Property Nobody Wants?
- How Not to Get Sued
- Estate Planning: The Ultimate Guide
- How To Get It Done: A Homeowners Guide
- Accommodation Requests Under the Fair Housing Act
- Small Business Series: Business Banking
- Legal and Business Issues Affecting Contractors 2017
- Commercial RE Seminar: Environmental Due Diligence
- ABA Property Insurance Law Spring CLE Conference
- Community Association Seminar Spring 2018
- Preventative Maintenance & Const. Defect Claims
- Single Member LLCs
- Revocable Living Trusts 101
- Trust Taxation: The Ultimate Guide
- Legal and Business Issues Affecting Contractors 2018
- Intellectual Property: Start to Finish
- 2017 Greater Mankato MHA Conference and Trade Show
- Community Association Seminar Fall 2017
- Drafting IRA Trusts
- Small Business Series: Non-Competes & More
- Rochester Community Association Seminar 2017
- What’s Your End Game? Succession Planning
- Handling the Sale of a Business
- “Guilty Until Proven Innocent” Flooring Seminar