Golfing in February

The "powers that be" told me to write a post for our new blog. They gave me some ideas. None of them seemed very interesting. Who wants to write about the dull, boring old practice of law? Not me. More importantly, who wants to read about it? I'm not convinced that anyone who stumbles onto this website actually wants to read about what I do as a lawyer every day. If they want to know that, they should call me. 218-736-5493. Ask for Josh. I'm serious about this. I practice in a lot of different areas, I'm a great attorney, and I love my job. I just don't want to write about it on our blog.

Instead, I want to write about golf. This inspiration comes from a recent encounter with our firm administrator, who makes the same comment to me every year at this time. Every February, for as long as I can remember (the last two years), he comes to me and says, "I can't wait to go golfing again."

It must be something about the endless winters in Minnesota. Winter always seems fun when you get snow for Christmas and you can take your kids sledding or build a snowman. But by February, you're wondering why everything can't just thaw out already. You're sick of your nose freezing shut and your car refusing to start. You wish you had booked that trip to Palm Springs. You wish you could just play golf.

Maybe you watch golf on TV, but it's not the same. Maybe you sneak out to the garage to see how your clubs are doing. Maybe you even grab a club, just to remember how it feels. Your hand fuses to it instantly because of the subzero temperatures. And, as the paramedics work frantically to remove your hand from the frozen metal without causing permanent damage, you come to the sinking realization that the year's heaviest months of snow are yet to come and you're not going to see grass until April (if you're lucky).

I didn't really set out to write something this depressing. Maybe I should have just listened to the "powers" and written an article about the uncertainty of the federal estate tax situation or the latest on the Intoxilyzer source code litigation. But, I'm convinced that this article is better.

I encourage you to spend the next few months dreaming about golf. Even if you've never played golf, dream about warm sunshine and green grass. Those are the things that make golf fun. It's not about who can hit the ball in the hole in the fewest number of tries. It's about the camaraderie, enjoying the outdoors after a long day of being cooped up in the office, the warm summer breeze, and the sunburn on your neck because you were "too cool" to put on sunscreen in front of your friends. And, after the snow finally melts, you really should get out and play some golf.

P.S. If you're one of those people who thinks it really is about who can hit the ball in the hole in the fewest number of tries, you should call me. 218-736-5493. Ask for Josh. We have some people in this firm who can play some golf. I'm serious about this. We're always looking for a challenge.

- Josh Heggem

History

Our firm history dates back to 1883 when William L. Parsons and James A. Brown became partners. They ran a very successful practice which became known as Parsons & Brown. William L. Parsons was appointed judge of the 7th Judicial District in 1914. James A. Brown continued to practice law on his own until 1920 when Roger L. Dell joined forces with James A. Brown, and the partnership became known as Brown & Dell. In 1929, James A. Brown passed away, and Roger L. Dell partnered with Chester Rosengren, and the firm became known as Dell & Rosengren. In 1948, Gerald S. Rufer joined the partnership, and it soon became Dell, Rosengren & Rufer. Roger Dell was appointed chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1953, and the firm became Rosengren & Rufer. In 1953, Robert O. Blatti joined the firm of Rosengren & Rufer, and in 1955, it became known as Rosengren, Rufer & Blatti. In 1958, Richard Hefte joined the firm and partnered with Rufer and Blatti, and the firm became known as Rosengren, Rufer, Blatti & Hefte. In 1960, Richard L. Pemberton joined the firm, as did James L. Schulze in 1965. Chester Rosengren, like Parsons before him, was appointed judge of the 7th Judicial District in 1965. A few years later, the firm became known as the law firm of Rosengren, Rufer, Blatti, Hefte & Pemberton, and this name continued until 1968 when it was changed to Rufer, Blatti, Hefte, Pemberton & Schulze. In 1968 Oscar J. Sorlie joined the firm. In 1970, Robert O. Blatti passed away, and the firm became Rufer, Hefte, Pemberton & Schulze. In 1974, the firm hired another attorney, Gerald Rufer's son, Stephen F. Rufer. In the years to come, this would become a family tradition - three generations of Rufers who have worked with the same firm. In 1971, the firm became the Rufer, Hefte, Pemberton, Schulze & Sorlie law firm. In 1976, H. Morrison Kershner came to work for the firm, and in 1980, the firm hired Robert W. Bigwood. In 1982, the firm became known as the Rufer, Hefte, Pemberton, Schulze, Sorlie, Sefkow & Kershner law firm. In 1985 Michael T. Rengel joined the firm.

The firm continued to grow at an increasing rate by hiring Kent D. Mattson in 1993, Kristi A. Hastings in 2001, and, in the years following, Nicholas J. Heydt, Katrina I. Wass, Chad R. Felstul, and Joshua M. Heggem. The firm is very well known and is now titled Pemberton, Sorlie, Rufer & Kershner, PLLP.

Not only has this firm grown in the number of attorneys we have available, but, in the last few years, we have open several new offices in the surrounding area. In 2004, the Carlisle Law Office in Wadena, Minnesota, which houses two attorneys, Dan Carlisle and Sue Ann Lind, merged with the Pemberton Law Firm. In 2007, the Hummel Law Office in Detroit Lakes, Minnestoa, which houses three attorneys, Lynn Hummel, Sam Rufer (the third generation Rufer to work with the firm), and Charlie Seuntjens, merged with the Pemberton Law Firm. In 2007, the Pemberton Law Firm also opened a new office in Alexandria, Minnesota.

Pemberton, Sorlie, Rufer & Kershner, PLLP, currently employs 17 attorneys, an office administrator, an office manager, and 22 staff members. Our firm spans over 125 years of history and offers expertise in several areas of law. Many of our attorneys are licensed to practice law in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Lawyers In The News

Read about Katrina Wass's pro bono involvement in an issue of great importance to the Underwood community:

http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/news/2010/jan/13/fort-juelson-land-transfer-approved/

Leadership

Last night we test drove a new way to reach out, both to our local community and the global one. With images of the disaster in Haiti at the forefronts of our minds we kicked around ideas to raise some funds for the Red Cross. At the same time the idea surfaced to do something small but meaningful for our local community. The two concepts merged into a great plan: we would pay for admission for anyone in the community who wanted to attend a Otters boys basketball game and we would use that opportunity to host a fundraiser for the Red Cross and our local education foundation.

The event went very well. For every $10.00 a person donated they were given a long-sleeved Pemberton t-shirt with the Otters logo running down the sleeve. By the time the night was over we had handed out nearly 100 shirts and raised nearly $800.

Our law firm tag line is "legal leadership". To me that means so much more than leadership in the courtroom.

- Kristi A. Hastings

A video of the boys warming up before the game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_P2xI5uajE