MINNEAPOLIS — Since Mary Novacheck, a partner at Nelson Mullins’ Minneapolis office, first entered the legal field a lot has changed. Novacheck first began practicing in the late 1980s after graduation from the University of Wisconsin’s School of Law. She recalls warnings against pants, family photos, and practicing while pregnant in the early stages of her career. 

Now she has decades of experience in product liability litigation. When she first started, there were very few women partners. In 2020, Twin Cities Business recognized her as a Notable Woman in Law. 

She, along with the 10 other women of the Firm’s Minneapolis-St. Paul office, make up 52% of the lawyers in their office — a number more than 10% higher than the national average. And all of them have acted as mentors, been a resource, and supported women in the legal world at different times throughout their careers. 

“I’ve always worked with incredibly talented women throughout my career … the women in this office make it easy to have an office full of women because they are remarkable lawyers and individuals. Whether you pull in partners like Rachelle Anderson or Jen Bullard or someone more senior like Mary, or anyone in between, they all have unparalleled talent,” Alana Bassin, the managing partner of the Firm’s Minneapolis office, said. She also was recognized by Twin Cities Business as a Notable Woman in Law in 2020 and by The Minnesota Lawyer as an Attorney of the Year in 2022.

Bassin, both externally and internally at Nelson Mullins, often speaks on the professional development of women in the legal community at conferences, colleges, and in other capacities. She herself has helped blaze a trail as she’s risen to the role of managing partner of an office at a national law firm. 

“Hopefully, when I look back, I’ve helped clear the path and sent the elevator back down for other women moving forward for years to come — though knowing what I know about these women, they will be even better than me,” Bassin said.

According to the American Bar Association’s National Lawyer Population Survey for 2022, a tally of lawyers by licensing agencies in every state, 38% of all lawyers in the United States are women. That number has risen from lower than 5% in 1951, according to the same data, to 29% in 2000 and now nearly 40% in 2022. 

“Raising women up (in the field) is important,” Novacheck said. “We’ve always supported one another — whether that be stepping in for someone, or if we simply need to give support and guidance. It’s important to set the example on how to succeed in law as a woman and be comfortable pushing back. We need to arm women with knowledge, expertise, and the comfort to not be afraid in this field.”

An example of how they set the bar could be highlighted by the fact that Bassin led an all-female team for an all-women mock trial for a client. Melissa Foster Bird, a partner with the Firm’s Huntington, West Virginia office, collaborated and joined the Minneapolis team in this adventure.

But Bassin noted with pride that Jenny Covington topped that and brought an all-female trial team to trial in South Florida and got a defense verdict in 40 minutes. In addition to Jenna Durr from the Minneapolis office, she partnered with other women in the firm, bringing in Kate Helm from Atlanta and Eden Darrell from Richmond to help try the case.

When trying her first case after joining Nelson Mullins in 2022 (and obtaining a defense verdict in a complex case), Bassin relied on associate Aleena Wilson at trial, recognizing that early experience in court is difficult to secure but essential to developing associates. Wilson was the last one in the war room at night and the first one in the war room in the morning. Senior Associate Emily Plunkett is currently doing great work on projects for two of Bassin’s and Novacheck’s clients. Associate Claire Barlow, the firm’s newest addition in Minneapolis, has taken off running with many cases, as well.

It’s these levels of collaboration and trust that help build up the strength of this community within the Minneapolis office.

The women of Nelson Mullins’ Minneapolis office are a part of a products liability team that was ranked nationally in Tier 1 for product liability. Through their work, they set the standard and an example for women who are early on in their careers — like first-year associate Taryn Ryan, who graduated from the University of Minnesota’s School of Law and is just starting out on her path as a lawyer. Ryan has experience dealing with products liability, discovery issues, and corporate structure and governance.

“The firm is dedicated to raising up women,” Ryan said. “I’ve learned how to roll with the punches from the women partners here. Someday, I’ll move up and do the same — be a mentor for women just beginning their career.”

Ryan herself was inspired to pursue litigation when she first witnessed Covington in a deposition, and she now works closely with Novacheck. “These women have helped show me the way,” Ryan said.

For partner Molly Jean Given, her understanding of the environment she works is that it has impacted her greatly — she aims to make sure that continues. She fondly recalls Novacheck grabbing her hand in a Montana federal courtroom as their defense verdict was read for their medical device client. It was Given’s first trial.

“This group of women has been supporting each other for decades and will continue to do so well into the future,” Given said.

“I’m a good example of, ‘If you see it, you can be it,’” Given said. As she’s risen to the status of partner in her career, she’s drawn on the women she’s seen ahead of her do the same. That inspiration is something she aims to carry down to the next generation of aspiring lawyers.

Meet the women of Nelson Mullins in Minneapolis:

• Managing Partner, Alana K. Bassin
• Partner, Mary T. Novacheck
• Partner, Jenny A. Covington
• Partner, Molly Jean Given
• Partner, Jennifer L. Bullard
• Partner, Rachelle V. Anderson
• Of Counsel, Jenna L. Durr
• Senior Associate, Emily M. Plunkett
• Associate Aleena K. Wilson
• Associate, Claire Barlow
• Associate, Taryn Ryan