Jeff focuses his practice on commercial transactions, creditor’s rights, bankruptcy, and agricultural and food safety law. He is a principal shareholder at Gray Plant Mooty, a member of the Commercial Financial Services practice group, and cochair of the agribusiness team.
Jeff previously practiced law in the Kansas City area. He has a background in agribusiness, working for a large regional cooperative as a commodity market analyst in Minneapolis, MN, and Kansas City, MO.
Experience
- Represents lenders in commercial workouts, replevins, and foreclosure actions
- Represents lenders, lessors, and trade vendors in bankruptcy reorganizations and liquidations
- Represents trade vendors in bankruptcy litigation, including preference and fraudulent conveyance actions
- Represents agricultural businesses in ongoing credit, marketing, production, distribution, food safety, and regulatory concerns/issues
- Represents businesses in commercial litigation disputes
Publications
- “Minnesota’s Highest Court Rejects Trespass Claim for Pesticide Drift,” coauthor, GPM Agribusiness Alert, August 14, 2012
- “Wisconsin Court Rides Herd on Town’s Attempt to Regulate Livestock Operation,” coauthor, GPM Agribusiness Alert, July 24, 2012
- “All Agricultural Workers in the State of Minnesota That Are Paid an Hourly Rate Are Now Entitled to Overtime Pay,” coauthor, GPM Agribusiness Alert, July 23, 2012
- “Feed Supplier Liens in Iowa—Why a Lender with Livestock Collateral Fed in Iowa Should Care,” coauthor, GPM Agribusiness Alert, January 19, 2012
- “The Long Awaited Final GIPSA Rules Published Regulating Poultry and Livestock Production Contracts,” coauthor, GPM Agribusiness Alert, December 20, 2011
- “Employee’s Unauthorized Video Photography at Animal Facilities—Tips for Prevention,” coauthor, GPM Agribusiness Alert, December 05, 2011
- “Minnesota Court of Appeals Allows Trespass Claim for Pesticide Drift,” coauthor, GPM Agribusiness Alert, August 03, 2011
- Business Workouts Manual, West Publishing, 2010-2011
- “Feed Supplier Liens In Iowa: Why A Minnesota Lender With An Iowa Livestock Borrower Should Care,” MBA News, May/June 2010
- “Farm Legal Series,” University of Minnesota Extension, coauthor, June 2009
- “Farm Service Agency Loan Guarantees: Servicing and Enforcement Guide,” National Agricultural Law Center, 2007
- “1996 Farm Bill: What to (Re) Do in 2002,” 11 Kan. JL & Pub. Pol’y 65, 2001
Presentations
- Update on Agricultural Finance, American Agricultural Law Association Annual Meeting, Nashville, Tennessee, October 2012
- Update on Agricultural Bankruptcy, American Agricultural Law Association Annual Meeting, Austin, Texas, October 2011
- “Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011,” Minnesota State Bar Association, April 2011
- Update on Agricultural Bankruptcy, American Agricultural Law Association Annual Meeting, Omaha, Nebraska, October 2010
- “Agricultural Liens and Revised Article 9,” American Agricultural Law Association Annual Meeting, Omaha, Nebraska, October 2010
- Credit Issues Conference, Minnesota Association of Cooperatives: Credit Issues Conference, St. Cloud, Minnesota, June 2010
- “Agricultural Liens and Revised Article 9,” Minnesota State Bar Association, April 2010
- Update on Agricultural Bankruptcy, American Agricultural Law Association Annual Meeting, Williamsburg, Virginia, September 2009
- Credit Issues Conference, Minnesota Association of Cooperatives in Conjunction with Minnesota Grain and Feed Association: Credit Issues Conference, St. Cloud, Minnesota, February 2009
- Update on Agricultural Bankruptcy, American Agricultural Law Association Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 2008
- Credit Issues Conference, Minnesota Association of Cooperatives in Conjunction with Minnesota Grain and Feed Association: Credit Issues Conference, St. Cloud, Minnesota, February 2008
- Panel discussion on BAPCPA (Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005), Herbert W. Walton Bench/Bar Conference, Overland Park, Kansas, April 2006
- “Local Government Considerations,” Kansas Bar Association, Overland Park, Kansas, November 2005
- “Non-Dischargeability Issues in Bankruptcy,” Herbert W. Walton Bench/Bar Conference, Overland Park, Kansas, September 2005
- “Business Reorganization Issues in Bankruptcy,” Washburn University School of Law, Topeka, Kansas, June 2005
- “BAPCPA Issues,” Herbert W. Walton Bench/Bar Conference, Overland Park, Kansas, April 2005
Education
- University of Arkansas School of Law, LL.M. in agriculture and food law, 2007
- University of Kansas, J.D., 2002
- Hamline University, B.A., 1997
Bar Admissions
- Minnesota, 2007
- Kansas, 2002
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association Subcommittee on Agricultural and Agri-business Financing, vice chair, 2012 - present
- American Agricultural Law Association
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Kansas Bar Association; Corporation, Banking and Business Law section, Executive Committee, 2003-2008; president, 2006-2007
- Kansas Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education Committee, member, 2005-present; vice chair, 2006-2007
- Johnson County (Kansas) Bar Association, Bankruptcy Committee, chair, 2004-2006
- Legal extern for the Honorable John T. Flannagan
U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Kansas
Community Involvement
- William Mitchell College of Law, Business Practicum Course, adjunct faculty, 2008-2010
- Westside SERTOMA (Service To Mankind), 2007-present, president 2011 - 2012
- St. John's Boys Choir, board of directors, 2010 - present