Leslie L. Lienemann

Ms. Lienemann has devoted her career to representing employees in employment and civil rights cases. Two decades of representing working people throughout Minnesota gives her a broad understanding of the problems they face. She knows that her clients work hard, and she works hard for her clients. Ms. Lienemann enjoys working with a diverse client population. Her clients include people of all ages, colors and abilities, from many countries, who work in many different professions and industries. Her work on behalf of employees includes service on boards of organizations committed to employee rights. She is the current President of the Employee Lawyers Association of the Upper Midwest, and serves on the Judicial Nominations Committee of the National Employment Lawyers Association (“NELA”). She is a past President of the Eighth Circuit Chapter of NELA, and past President of Minnesota NELA. She has been an active member of the Amicus Curiae Committees of Minnesota NELA and ELA-Upper Midwest since 2002. Awards and Honors Super Lawyers® Selectees Leslie L. Lienemann included in a Super Lawyers® list Honors 2016 Minnesota Lawyer Attorney of the Year 2012 Minnesota Lawyer Attorney of the Year 2012 National Center for Lesbian Rights Community Partner Award Minnesota Law and Politics “Super Lawyer,” multiple years Minnesota NELA “Karla R. Wahl Dedicated Advocacy Award” 2008 Minnesota Law and Politics “Super Lawyer,” multiple years , 2000 - Present Minnesota Law and Politics “Rising Star in Minnesota Law” 1998 Hamline University Outstanding Student Leader Award, 1989 Other Sources of Feedback About Leslie L. Lienemann Included on the 2026Minnesota Super Lawyers list Past Lists 2025 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2024 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2023 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2022 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2021 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2020 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2019 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2018 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2017 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2016 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2015 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2014 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2013 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2012 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2011 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2008 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2004 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2003 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2002 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2001 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2000 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 1998 Minnesota Super Lawyers list

• Partner

• "What is 'Sex' Discrimination under Title VII? The Current Landscape in the Courts and at the EEOC" , The 42nd Annual Labor & Employment Law Institute, November 2015.
• "Employment Law Update, State and Federal", ELA Upper Midwest, January 2015.
• "Breaking Free of McDonnell Douglas", NELA 8th Circuit Conference, 2014.
• "Extricating Title VII from the Quagmire of McDonnell Douglas: The Plain Language Solution", Hennepin Lawyer, March 2014
• "New Minnesota Employment Laws: Whistles, Boxes, Checks and Wedding Bells" , Employment Law Institute November 22, 2013
• "The Arbitration Trap: Avoiding and/or Attaining Success in Forced Arbitration", moderator, NELA 8th Circuit Conference, 2012
• "The Promise of the Minnesota Human Rights Act Denied: Krueger v. Zeman Construction Company", William Mitchell Journal of Law & Practice, April 15, 2011
• "Implicit Bias and Title VII: Plaintiff’s Perspective", Ramsey County Bar Association, June 2011
• "State and Federal Update", Minnesota NELA, September 2011
• "Updating Your ADA Litigation Strategies in Light of the New Law" , Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute 2010
• "Defeating Dispositive Motions In Light of Iqbal and Gross", NELA 8th Circuit Conference, 2010
• "Winning Key Discovery Battles", 2009 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute
• "Tough RIF Issues—An Advanced Discussion", 36th Annual Labor & Employment Law Institute, November 2009
• "Tough—and Recurring—Litigation Issues", 35th Labor & Employment Law Institute, November 2008
• "Implicit Bias and Title VII", NELA 8th Circuit Conference, 2008
• "A.D.A. or R.I.P? – Breathing Life Into An ADA Claim", NELA 8th Circuit Conference, 2006
• "Supplemental State Claims", NELA 8th Circuit Conference, 2004

• Volunteer Amicus Writer for ELA-UM
• Volunteer Amicus Writer for Lambda Legal
• Minnesota AIDS Project, Volunteer Attorney

• Minnesota, 1992
• U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1993
• U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1996
• U.S. Supreme Court, 2007

• Employee Lawyers Association of the Upper Midwest (President)
• National Employment Lawyers Association (“NELA”), Judicial Nominations Committee (Member)
• Eighth Circuit Chapter of NELA (Past President)
• Minnesota NELA (Past President)
• Minnesota NELA, Amicus Curiae Committees, 2002 - Present (Member)
• ELA-Upper Midwest (Member)