We at the law firm of Culberth & Lienemann are dedicated to helping people whose rights are being violated at work, at school, in housing, or in public services or accommodations.  We understand that problems at work impact all areas of life.  We have created a different kind of law firm environment, one that welcomes all people, and maintains sensitivity and flexibility in tailoring services to meeting the diverse needs of all clients.

As experienced Minnesota Employment Lawyers, we have handled hundreds of employment law cases, including class action lawsuits, and have a track record of precedent-setting victories in the field of labor and civil rights law.  We have extensive experience and great expertise in all aspects of state and federal labor law issues, including, but not limited to:

 

• Labor Laws
• Employment Laws
• Employee Rights
• Employment Discrimination
• Wrongful Termination 
• Sexual Harassment
• Overtime Compensation 
• Defamation
• Whistleblower Claims
• Severance Agreements

In the legal community, we are recognized as a team of aggressive and hard-hitting litigation experts, noted for our preparation, attention to detail, zealous advocacy and major victories on behalf of clients.  Our Firm regularly appears before the trial and appellate courts of Minnesota, before various administrative law tribunals, the U.S. District Courts and the U.S. Courts of Appeals.

As skilled Minnesota Employment Lawyers, we have handled hundreds of cases in court, in mediation and arbitration, and at agencies like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.  We have settled a broad range of individual cases, from small cases to larger, class-action suits involving milions of dollars.

Examples of public settlements we have achieved include the following: 

• EEOC  v. Minnesota Beef, Inc.:  This case involved sexual harassment and pay discrimination by the employer against its female Quality Assurance Manager, and resulted in a public, six-figure settlement.
• Kosen v. American Express Financial Advisors:  Susan Stokes, then a partner with Sprenger & Lang, was lead counsel representing seventeen female financial advisors who filed charges of discrimination with the EEOC on behalf of a class of women who claimed that American Express Financial Advisors, Inc. ("AEFA”) had discriminated against them in pay, advancement, distribution of leads and accounts, and other ways.
  

We also have a long history of litigating those cases that don’t settle, and our successes include victories at the trial court level, as well as at the Court of Appeals and Minnesota Supreme Court.  Some of these victories include:

• Abraham v. County of Hennepin:  In this case, the Minnesota Supreme Court found in favor of plaintiffs and held that plaintiffs are entitled to a jury trial on claims brought under the Minnesota Whistleblower Act.
• Waldhauser, et al. v. County of Dakota:  The plaintiffs in this case won a judgment for double their actual damages in a case involving illegal pre-employment medical questions and age discrimination.
• Beckmann v. CBS, 192 F.R.D. 608 (D. Minn. 2000):  In this reported decision, the Court certified a class of female technicians in five television stations around the country who suffered harassment and discrimination at work.  This was the first reported decision granting class certification across multiple facilities in a sexual harassment case.  The case later settled for $8.1 million.  Susan Stokes, then of the law firm Sprenger & Lang, represented the female plaintiffs.

 

At Culberth & Lienemann, LLP, we know the legal protections available for workers.  We understand complex litigation, and fight hard for our clients.  Our focused experience in employment law provides clients with the best help possible.  We are dedicated to giving our clients the highest quality of legal counsel in a personal environment.

If you or someone you know needs the assistance of an experienced Minnesota Employment Lawyer, call the attorneys at Culberth & Lienemann, LLP today at 866-435-3856, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

Practice Areas

Employment Law:
Employment law is a well-established body of statutes and judicial decisions covering all rights and obligations within the employer-employee relationship, including current employees, job applicants and former employees.  It covers a wide range of legal issues, ranging from employment discrimination to matters involving wages and workplace safety.  Many employment law issues are governed by applicable federal and state employment law, but a number of issues are determined according to basic contract law.

Employment attorneys can help employers with the following:

• Reviewing client employee handbooks, manuals and policy statements
• Assisting with federal and state wage and hour law issues and claims
• Representing employers before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and state human rights agencies
  

Employee Rights:
All employees have basic rights arising from both state and federal laws.  Some of these rights include:  the right not to be subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, skin color, gender, pregnancy, religious beliefs, disability, age, and in some places, marital status or sexual orientation; the right to a workplace free of harassment; the right to be paid at least the minimum wage as provided by federal or state law; the right to overtime wages as provided by federal or state law; the right to a safe workplace and the right to take leave to care for a personal or family member's serious illness, or following the birth or adoption of a child.

If you or someone you know needs the assistance of an experienced Minnesota Employment Lawyer, call the attorneys at Culberth & Lienemann, LLP today at 866-435-3856, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

Professional Profiles

At Culberth & Lienemann, we handle all employment-related cases and class actions, including cases involving discrimination or harassment based upon race, sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, disability; whistleblower cases; wage and hour violations; contracts; and employment-related claims like defamation or battery. Our lawyers focus exclusively on employment law and civil rights litigation. Combined, our attorneys have more than 45 years of legal experience.

If you or someone you know needs the assistance of an experienced Minnesota Employment Lawyer, call the attorneys at Culberth & Lienemann, LLP today at 866-435-3856, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

FIRM ADDRESS:
Culberth & Lienemann, LLP
1050 UBS Plaza 444 Cedar St.
St. Paul, MN. 55101
Phone: 866-435-3856

Appointments also available after business hours.

MEMBERS OF THE FIRM:

Leslie L. Lienemann, Partner
I have devoted my entire legal career to representing individual plaintiffs in employment and civil rights cases.  I have represented working people throughout Minnesota and understand the problems they often face.  I have lectured at local, regional and national legal seminars, and conducted training for small employers and school districts.  Before forming this Firm, I worked for Sue B. Stingley & Associates, and was in solo practice. I am a current Board Member and Past President of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association.  Minnesota Law & Politics magazine named me a "Rising Star in Minnesota Law," in 1998 and a "Super Lawyer," in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. I received my J.D. from Hamline University in 1992. I am licensed in the State of Minnesota, United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Celeste E. Culberth, Partner
I represent individuals in employment and civil rights cases, and provide legal advice and training to companies regarding their employment practices.  I began my legal career as a clerk for the Honorable Ancy Morris, the Honorable Debra Jacobson and the Honorable Roger Plunkett, Judges of the Third District Court.   Before forming this Firm, I practiced at the Minneapolis law firm of Kelly & Berens and then ran a solo practice for a number of years.  I have lectured at local, regional and national legal seminars.  I am the past co-chair of the Minnesota Lavender Bar Association.   I have been named a “Super Lawyer” in the area of Employment Law by Minnesota Law and Politics magazine. I received my J.D. from Hamline University in 1992.

Susan E. Stokes, Of Counsel
I am Of Counsel with Culberth & Lienemann.  I am also the Legal Director with the Farmers' Legal Action Group.   Prior to joining Culberth & Lienemann, I was a partner at the law firm of Sprenger & Lang, where I focused on employment class actions.  While at Sprenger & Lang, I was lead counsel on groundbreaking employment discrimination class cases, including Beckmann v. CBS,  192 F.R.D. 608 (D. Minn. 2000), and Kosen v. American Express Financial Advisors.   Before joining Sprenger & Lang, I practiced at the San Francisco law firm of Pillsbury Madison & Sutro (now Pillsbury Winthrop). I received my J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1989.