Top Rated Government Relations Attorney in Minneapolis, MN

Honors/Awards

• Named a Minnesota Super Lawyer for numerous years by Super Lawyers® and the Minnesota Journal of Law and Politics.
• Named Augsburg University Distinguished Alumni (Awarded 2013)
• Named one of The Best Lawyers in America according to The Best Lawyers in America 1993 – 1994 and 1995 – 1996
• Named one of Minnesota’s 100 Most Influential Health Care Leaders, according to Minnesota Physician, 1993 and 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012 and 2016.
• Whether it's because he leads the largest lobbying firm in the state or because he's genuinely a stand-up guy, virtually every lawmaker went out of their way to sing Ted Grindal's praises. "He's very kind," says a DFL senator. "I've never heard a bad word said about him." "Grindal always comes to mind when it comes to an attractive lobbyist," says another DFL senator. "He does unnecessary fact-searches. And he always double- and triple-hits legislators." The go-to guy for anti-tobacco lobbyist group Clearway Minnesota, Grindal was the driving force behind the Freedom to Breathe Act, which banned smoking in bars and restaurants across the state in 2007. Those who have worked with him credit his low-key, approachable demeanor as the reason for his success. He'll give you both sides of the issue and help you figure out for yourself which is right. "The key is understanding the strengths and weakness of both your clients' and opponents' positions," says Grindal. Of course it doesn't hurt that his firm, Lockridge Grindal Nauen, represents more than 40 of the biggest-name clients in the country, including Microsoft and eBay. "The guy has a lot of connections," says one senator. "And let's be clear: He has the necessary resources to get out his information." Which is a diplomatic way of saying that Lockridge Grindal Nauen is very aggressive when it comes to funding campaigns. Grindal himself contributed about $12,000 to candidates in 2008, mostly to Democrats at both the state and national levels. Therein lies another key to Grindal's effectiveness: his access to federal movers-and-shakers. "I work with his larger firm in Washington, and the things they work on include getting federal money for public transit," says U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota). "Whenever I come back to the district, he always knows what's going on federally. When you combine the state and federal levels, you have a very effective lobbyist.", One of the 10 Most Influential Lobbyists In Minnesota, City Pages, 2010

Scholarly Lectures/Writings

• Minnesota State Bar Association, Health Law Section Presenter on numerous occasions
• In the red. All bets are off as the Minnesota Legislature faces a hulking deficit, Minnesota Physician, Volume XXII, No. 10, January 2009, at 1 (with Matt Schafer and Cristina Diaz).
• Feeling the pain. A face-off on the health and human services budget, Minnesota Physician, Volume XXIII, No. 4, July 2009, at 1 (with Matt Schafer).
• More Deficit, Further Challenges: 2010 Legislative Preview, Metro Doctors, March/April 2010, at 6 (with Nathaniel Mussell).

Bar/Professional Activity

• 1980, Minnesota
• Minnesota Government Relations Council  
• American Society of Medical Association Counsel
• American Health Lawyers Association, MSBA (Health Law Section)
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
• U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota

Educational Background

• Augsburg College, 1976, B.A., cum laude