Beth E. Bertelson

Top rated Employment Litigation attorney in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Bertelson Law Offices, P.A.
Beth E. Bertelson
Bertelson Law Offices, P.A.

Practice Areas: Employment Litigation, Employment & Labor, Alternative Dispute Resolution; view more

Licensed in Minnesota since: 1987

Education: William Mitchell College of Law

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2001 - 2004, 2008 - 2024

Bertelson Law Offices, P.A.

333 Washington Avenue North
Union Plaza, Suite 402
Minneapolis, MN 55401 Visit website

Details

For over 30 years, Minneapolis-based attorney Beth E. Bertelson has advocated for employees facing oppression and unfair treatment in the workplace. She represents employees in the Twin Cities metropolitan area and throughout Minnesota. Her practice concerns matters involving severance, employment and noncompete agreements and other related issues. Ms. Bertelson received certification as a specialist in labor and employment law by the Minnesota State Bar Association.

Mediation is one Ms. Bertelson’s primary focuses. Besides representing clients in mediation, she is also a qualified neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. Her experience as both mediator and mediation advocate strengthen her belief in early intervention. Such interventions include auditing company policies and procedures for legal compliance, discrimination and harassment training and job coaching.

Ms. Bertelson participates in several professional organizations. She served as the Vice President for the Minnesota division of the National Employment Lawyers Association. She also provides pro bono services for the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.

Ms. Bertelson’s negotiation skills and reputation for professionalism have garnered a long list of honors. She has been listed in U.S. News Best Lawyers and is consistently nominated by her peers to the Super Lawyers list. In 2020, Super Lawyers included Ms. Bertelson in Minnesota’s Top 50 Women Lawyers list. She regularly publishes articles concerning employment law and is a frequent speaker at legal industry events.

Ms. Bertelson previously served on the boards of Youthworks and the Linden Hills Neighborhood Council. When not practicing law, Beth spends time with her family. She enjoys mountain biking, cross county and downhill skiing, and is an avid hockey player.

Practice areas

Employment Litigation: Plaintiff, Employment & Labor: Employee, Alternative Dispute Resolution

Focus areas

Employment Discrimination, Employment Law - Employee, Employment Law - Employer, Mediation, Retaliation, Sexual Harassment, Whistleblower, Wrongful Termination

  • 60% Employment Litigation: Plaintiff
  • 30% Employment & Labor: Employee
  • 10% Alternative Dispute Resolution

First Admitted: 1987, Minnesota

Professional Webpage: https://www.bertelsonlaw.com/attorney/beth-bertelson/

Bar/Professional Activity:
  • Federal Bar Association
  • University of Minnesota Adjunct Professor in  ADR course
  • AAA Arbitrator, 2022
  • National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, 2023 Inductee
  • U.S. District Court
  • Board Member - MN Chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association
  • Member, Minnesota State Bar Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section
  • The State of Minnesota
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • Member, National Employment Lawyers Association
  • Planning Committee, Upper Midwest Employment Institute, 2011
  • State Bar Association
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit
  • Member, Hennepin County Bar Association
  • Member, Minnesota State Bar Association
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
  • Carvel v. Beth El Synagogue-summary judgment denied on age discrimination claim, 2010
  • Peterson, et. al. v. Seagate US LLC, et. al., Civil No. 07-2502, granting Plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment as to the invalidity of the SIRP (retirement) releases (D. Minn. February 8, 2011), 2011
  • Peterson, et. al.  v. Seagate US, LLC, et. al., Civil No. 07-2502, Defendants' motion to dismiss denied re: signed releases and age discrimination collective action claim (D. Minn. November 20, 2007), 2007
  • Ritacca v. KSTP-TV - just cause found in arbitration agreement.
  • Cook v. Albert Lea Medical Center-summary judgment denied on age discrimination and whistleblower claims.
  • Peterson, et. al. v. Seagate US LLC, et. al., Civil No. 07-2502, granting Plaintiffs' motion for partial summary judgment as to the invalidity of RIF releases (D. Minn. May 28, 2008), 2008
  • Peterson, et. al. v. Seagate US LLC, et. al., Civil No. 07-2502, granting Plaintiff's motion for conditional certification (D. Minn. October 24, 2008), 2008
  • Heisler v. Metropolitan Council, 339 F.3d 622 (2003) summary judgment reversed as to retaliation claim., 2003
  • Klyuch v. Freightmaster-summary judgment on race and age discrimination claim denied.
  • LaCanne v. AAF McQuay Industries-summary judgment denied on sexual harassment and retaliation claims.
  • Kult v. Deluxe Corporation-summary judgment denied on age discrimination claim.
  • Peterson, et. al. v. Seagate US LLC, et. al., Civil No. 07-2502, denial of Defendants' motion for decertification as to RIF-terminated group members (D. Minn., August 15, 2011), 2011
  • Peterson v. Seagate U.S. LLC, Civil No. 07-2502, Motion for Decertification denied as to plaintiff's terminated through RIF; they may proceed as a collective action.
  • Schurmeier v. Nash Finch-summary judgment on sex discrimination claim denied.
  • White v. JC Penny - just cause found in arbitration agreement.
  • Eckman v. Kmart-summary judgment denied on sexual harassment claim.
Special Licenses/Certifications:
  • Certified Specialist, Labor and Employment Law, Minnesota State Bar, 2022
  • AAA Arbitrator, 2022
  • Beth is a Qualified Neutral under Rule 114 and mediates employment law cases and serves as a Volunteer Mediator with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission.  Beth also serves as an mediator with the National Arbitration Forum., 2000
Pro bono/Community Service:
  • MSBA North Star Lawyer Program-exceeded 50 hours of Pro Bono legal Services
  • Served on the Board of Directors for Youthworks
  • Served on the Council for the Lake Harriet Methodist Church
  • District of Minnesota's Thurgood Marshall Open Doors Project, 2018
  • Served on the Board of Directors of the Linden Hills Neighborhood Council
  • Volunteer, Federal Pro Se Project, 2012 - 2017
  • Served on the Board of Directors of YMCA - Youth and Government
  • Served on the Hennepin County Speaker's Bureau
  • Member of the Board of Civil Society., 2007
  • Member of the Board of the Employment and Labor Committee of the MSBA, 2007
Honors/Awards:
  • Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers, 2024
  • Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers, 2023
  • Top Lawyers, Minnesota Monthly, 2024
  • Best Lawyers, US News, 2025
  • Best Lawyers, US News, 2024
  • Silver Award: MN Best: Employment Law Firm, Minnesota Tribune Newspaper, 2024
  • Attorneys of the Year 2021, Minnesota Lawyers, 2021
  • Attorney Recognition, Best Lawyers in America, U.S. News, 2023
  • Inductee into the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals., National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals Inductee, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, 2023
  • Firm Recognition, 2022: Silver Best Employment Lawyer, Star Tribune Minnesota's Best, 2022
  • Attorney Recognition, The POWER 30, Minnesota Lawyer, 2022
  • Attorney Recognition, Best Lawyer, Minnesota Monthly, 2022
  • Attorney Recognition, Top 50 Women Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 2022
  • Firm Recognition, Best Law Firms, U.S. News, 2022
  • Professional qualifications, 10.0 "Superb" rating, Avvo, 2022
  • Firm recognition, Silver Winner for Best Employment Lawyer, Star Tribune Minnesota's Best, 2021
  • Attorney Recognition, Top 50 Women Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 2021
  • Attorney Recognition, Best Lawyer, Minnesota Monthly, 2021
  • Attorney Recognition, Top 50 Women Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 2020
  • Attorney recognition, Best Lawyer, Minnesota Monthly, 2020
  • attorney recognition, Super Lawyers, Thomson, 2020
  • Best Lawyers, U.S. News, 2020
  • Attorney recognition, Lawyers of Distinction, 2019
  • Lifetime Achievement, America's Top 100 Attorneys, 2016
  • Best Attorney Lifetime Charter Member, Rue Rating, 2016
  • Award, Karla Wahl Advocacy Award, MN NELA, 2016
Educational Background:
  • St. Olaf College B.A., 1984
  • William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., 1987
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
  • Speaker at the MN CLE Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute in May 2023, Speaker, Harassment Update Including the New Speak Out Act, Minnesota CLE, 2023
  • Speaker at this MN CLE live webinar on December 19, 2023., Speaker, Reprise of Harassment Update, MN CLE, 2023
  • Speaker at this MSBA CLE on December 12, 2023., Speaker, 2023 Year-End Coffee Talk Employment Law, MSBA Labor & Employment Law Section, 2023
  • Speaker at the MN CLE ADR Institute on October 27, 2023, Speaker, Hot Topics and Effective Techniques in Employment Mediation: Communications with Parties Impacted by Trauma, Dealing with Sensitive Specific to Harassment and Racial Discrimination, Ramifications of the George Floyd Experience, Trends in Gamesmanship and, MN CLE, 2023
  • Today’s Multi-Generational Workforce – How to Foster Respectful Workplace Cultures that Avoid Age-Based Stereotypes, Decision-Making, and Legal Claims, Moderator, Today's Multi-Generational Workforce, Minnesota CLE, 2022
  • Facilitated Navigate Forward's weekly forum. , Facilitator, Evaluating Employment Agreements, Navigate Forward, 2022
  • Moderator for How to Foster Respectful Workplace Cultures That Avoid Age-Based Stereotypes, Decision-Making and Legal Claims Panel, Moderator, The 2020 Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute Today’s Multi-Generational Workforce, 2020
  • How to review a severance agreement for potential OWBPA violations, Speaker, OWBPA violations, ELUAM and NELA, 2019
  • An update and Best Practices for Both Plaintiff and Defendant, Speaker, 2019 Age Discrimination: an update and Best Practices for Both Plaintiff and Defendant, Employment Law Institute, 2019
  • Fifty years after the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, older workers who have lost their jobs continue to have a much more difficult time finding another job than younger workers, even in this economy. Advanced discussion about trends and developments related to age discrimination, claims releases, etc., Presenter, EEOC Updates & Insights - Employment Law Trends and Developments, Age Discrimination, 2018
  • Speaker, ADA in Real Time II, Hennepin County Bar Association, 2017
  • Speaker, Views From The Plaintiffs’ Bar: Adapting Your Strategies to New and Innovative Techniques and Tactics, ACI's Views From The Plaintiffs’ Bar: Adapting Your Strategies to New and Innovative Techniques and Tactics, 2017
  • Speaker, ADA in Real Time I, Hennepin County Bar Association, 2016
  • Presenter, Avoiding, Defending, and Turning the Tables on Common Employer Counterclaims, Eighth Circuit NELA Conference, 2016
  • 8th Annual Forum on Defending and Managing Employment Discrimination Litigation in Chicago, IL., Presenter, Views from the Plaintiffs’ Bar: Adapting Your Strategies to New and Innovative Techniques and Tactics, 2016
  • Speaker, Cutting Edge ADEA Litigation Issues, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, 2016
  • Presenter, Investigator Training: Pregnancy Leave and Accomodation, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2015
  • Presenter, Pregnancy Discrimination: Life After Young v. UPS, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2015
  • Resign or be fired?/Unemployment and Severance, December newsletter, 2015
  • Speaker, Catching Up on Workplace Law Developments that are Breaking New Ground, 2014
  • The presentation discussed the discoverability of Plaintiff's medical records, social media, unemployment and tax records., Speaker, Excluding Discovery of Irrelevant and Private Information, MN-NELA, 2014
  • Panelist, Federal Pro Se Project, MN-NELA, 2013
  • Speaker, Cutting-Edge and Re-Emerging Disparate Impact Issues, Minnesota CLE-Upper Midwest Employment Seminar, 2011
  • Beth facilitated a round table discussion where questions about the impact of the ADA amendments on disability claims investigations were addressed., Moderator, "Investigating Disability Claims after the ADA Amendments", 2010
  • Beth offered a practical look at layoffs and reductions in force from the employee's perspective; including possible claims stemming from the loss of a job, including discrimination claims., Speaker, Layoffs & Reductions in Force, Ramsey County Bar Association, 2010
  • Beth spoke to investigators of the EEOC, MHRD, Minneapolis and St. Paul Civil Rights Department and addressed questions about the ADEA and age discrimination under the MHRA., Speaker, MSBA Employment Law Section, 2010
  • New and emerging arguments that plantiff's counsel are using, the latest trends in discrimination claims and class actions, Panelist, Views from the Plaintiff's bar: Adapting Your Strategies to New and Innovative Techniques and Tactics, American Conference Institute
  • MSBA Labor & Employment Law Section Investigator Training: Retaliation Update, May 1, 2013, Speaker
  • Speaker, Ethics: Turning Discovery Abuses Into Sanctions That Benefit Clients, Eighth Circuit Conference-NELA
  • New and emerging argumenrs that plaintiff's counsel are using , Panelist, Views from the Plaintiff's bar: Adapting Your Strategies to New and Innovative Techniques and Tactics
  • Speaker, Bureau, Labor & Employment Law Section, Minnesota State Bar Association
  • Panels, Negotiation, Motion Practice-Discovery, Spoliation, Age Discrimination, Disability Discrimination, and Sexual Harassment, Minnesota State Bar Association
  • Speaker, Challenging Releases-OWBPA complexities, Minnesota CLE-Age Discrimination In Employment
Firm News (Newsletters):
  • This Summer/Fall 2015 newsletter discusses do's and don'ts at a termination meeting., Summer/Fall 2015 Workplace News
  • This Fall 2014 newsletter discusses reasonable accommodaations and requirements of the interactive process., Fall 2014 Workplace News
  • This Winter 2013 issue discusses responding to employer criticism (Minn. Stat. § 181.962); employer references (Minn. Stat. §181.976); and checking personnel files (Minn. Stat. §181.961)., Winter 2013 Workplace News
  • This Fall 2012 newsletter discuss mandatory requirements for releases under the OWBPA.  The newsletter also discusses Election Day Rights for Employees., Fall 2012 Workplace News
  • This Spring 2012 newsletter provides information related to workplace bulllying., Spring 2012 Workplace News
  • This Winter 2012 newsletter contains information related to controversial practices such as background and credit checks., Winter 2012 Workplace News
  • The Fall/Winter 2007 newsletter discusses restrictive covenants and employee obligations, as well as separation agreement checklists., Fall/Winter 2007 Workplace News
  • This Spring/Summer 2006 newsletter discusses interpretation of just cause provisions in employment arbitration agreements and the admissibility of unemployment decisions in federal court., Spring/Summer 2006 Workplace News

Office location for Beth E. Bertelson

333 Washington Avenue North
Union Plaza, Suite 402
Minneapolis, MN 55401

Phone: 612-278-9832

Additional sources of information about Beth E. Bertelson

See legal Q & A provided by Beth E. Bertelson

Q: What Should I Do If I Am Offered a Severance Package or Separation Agreement Under Minnesota Law?

A: What Should I Do If I Am Offered a Severance Package or Separation Agreement Under Minnesota Law?Losing a job can be very difficult. There are many … See all answers by Beth Bertelson

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