Office of General Counsel

Welcome to the Office of General Counsel website for Minnesota State. The purpose of this site is to provide information about legal services available to our colleges and universities, basic information on key legal topics, and links to system websites and other sources of legal and government information.

Legal services are provided to Minnesota State Colleges and Universities by the Minnesota Attorney General's Office (AGO) and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Office of General Counsel (OGC). Each system college and university is assigned an assistant attorney general to serve as general counsel, available to assist with all legal matters. In addition, the AGO provides specialty legal services to the system including employment law, contract, real estate, intellectual property, and finance issues.

The Office of General Counsel provides assistance to the system office as well as the system colleges and universities. The OGC focuses primarily on areas that present significant policy as well as legal issues, including governance, data practices, immigration, global study programs, copyright and other policy-related issues. The General Counsel coordinates the provision of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities legal services, including consultation on litigation, contracts and other legal issues of special significance to the system.

Campus representatives authorized by the president to obtain legal services may contact the AGO assigned attorney or the OGC staff for assistance or referral to specialized Attorney General staff. The full range of legal services is available, including litigation representation, legal advice, and assistance with contract, intellectual property, real estate or other transactions.

All Minnesota State Colleges and Universities legal services must be obtained through the AGO or OGC. In very limited circumstances, outside counsel may be appointed by the Attorney General to meet specialized system needs. Any college or university interested in specialized outside counsel for any purpose should direct an inquiry to the General Counsel.


Notice: The purpose of this site is to provide general information only, and nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. The information provided on this site is not intended to alter or amend official Minnesota State policy or procedure.

Links to other websites are provided as a courtesy. They are not intended to nor do they constitute an endorsement of the linked materials by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

Scott Goings

General Counsel Scott Goings joined the General Counsel’s Office in 2008 after previously representing the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities as an Assistant Attorney General in the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.  Scott became Interim General Counsel in May 2022 and then was appointed General Counsel in November 2022.  His years working in higher education law have been focused on student affairs, athletics, litigation and litigation management and foundations. 

Scott previously practiced law with the Minneapolis firm of Leonard, Street and Deinard and clerked for the Honorable Harold D. Vietor, United States District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa.  He received his J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law and his B.A. (Philosophy) from Grinnell College.

Mary Al Balber

Assistant General Counsel has an extensive background representing state, tribal and municipal governments.

Mary Al was  with the Minneapolis City Attorney's Office in the civil division where she advised city officials, departments, boards and commissions. She was also Solicitor General for the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and a former Assistant General Counsel for the Prairie Island Dakota Indian Community.

In addition, she was an Assistant Attorney General in the Minnesota Attorney General's Office where she represented state agencies in construction, contract and environmental matters for more than six years. In her new position, Mary Al's primary focus is transactional matters including construction, contracts and intellectual property.

Mary Al received her J.D. from Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, and her B.S. (Mass Communications) from Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan.

Daniel McCabe

Daniel McCabe, Assistant General Counsel, joined the Office of General Counsel in 2016.  He specializes in the areas of data privacy & security, business transactions, intellectual property, other areas in higher education.

Previously, Daniel was in house counsel at Howard University, where he specialized in university business transactions, intellectual property, technology transfer, commercial radio, public television, and several related areas.

Daniel received his J.D. from The American University in Washington, DC.  He received his B.A., summa cum laude, (History and English) from the State University of New York at Oswego.

Kevin Finnerty

Assistant General Counsel Kevin Finnerty joined the Office of General Counsel as an Assistant General Counsel in 2023 after spending nearly 15 years at the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, where he worked in the Education division representing Minnesota State Colleges and Universities in judicial proceedings and contested case hearings.  In the Office of General Counsel, Kevin advises on employment law, immigration and study abroad matters, litigation, student issues, and other issues in higher education.

Kevin previously practiced law in the Labor and Employment group at Dorsey & Whitney and clerked for the Honorable Richard C. Tallman, United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law, his M.F.A. (creative writing) from Columbia College Chicago, and his B.A. (philosophy/pre-law), summa cum laude, from St. Bonaventure University.

Melitta Drechsler

Melitta Drechsler joined the Office of General Counsel as an Assistant General Counsel in 2023.  Melitta is experienced in advising private and public sector clients on important transactions, as well as providing support for ongoing business operations.  Melitta began her legal career in private practice at Briggs and Morgan, P.A., and as in-house counsel at Taylor Corporation in Mankato. 

She subsequently joined the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office in 2014 where she served in the office’s Civil Division.  She advised various Ramsey County departments, including Information Services, Emergency Communications, Property Tax and Workforce Solutions, on their day-to-day legal needs and providing contract review.

In the Office of General Counsel, Melitta advises on the legal and policy aspects of government business practices, including negotiating and drafting contracts and other business arrangements, procurement, information technology, software licensing and software-as-a service, bankruptcy, and other issues in higher education.

Melitta received her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul (now known as Mitchell Hamline School of Law).

Heidi Slegers

Legal Analyst works with contracts, real estate transactions, intellectual property and copyright, data practices, and other areas.

A graduate of Minnesota State University, Moorhead with a Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Assistant, Heidi has paralegal experience in various legal areas for governmental agencies.

Amanda Bohnhoff

Legal Analyst

Liz Hegman

Legal Analyst


We are always looking for comments, suggestions and tips. If you have questions or comments, feel free to call 651-201-1676 or e-mail Amanda.Bohnhoff@minnstate.edu.

We recommend that you do not send private or confidential data about yourself or others via email. For more information, we encourage you to read our website privacy policy.

Attorney General Contact List

Education Division

Joe Weiner, Assistant Attorney General and Manager of Tax & Education Division
joseph.weiner@ag.state.mn.us 
651-757-1431

Frank Langan, Assistant Attorney General
frank.langan@ag.state.mn.us 
651-300-7602

Alec Sloan, Assistant Attorney General
alec.sloan@ag.state.mn.us
651-757-1022

Kathleen Daily, Assistant Attorney General
kathleen.daly@ag.state.mn.us
651-300-7898

Maura Allen, Assistant Attorney General
maura.allen@ag.state.mn.us
651-300-7829

Employment Law

Janine Kimble, Manager, Employment, Torts & PUC Division
janine.kimble@ag.state.mn.us
651-757-1415

Contracts

Oliver Larson, Manager
oliver.larson@ag.state.mn.us 
651-757-1265

Gary Pihlstrom, Assistant Attorney General
gary.pihlstrom@ag.state.mn.us
651-757-1314

Jason Zollett
jason.zollett@ag.state.mn.us
651-300-7494

Bankruptcy

Jeremy Eiden
jeremy.eiden@ag.state.mn.us
651-300-7620

Real Estate

Kevin Rodlund, Assistant Attorney General
kevin.rodlund@ag.state.mn.us
651-757-1294

Construction Litigation

Joan Eichhorst, Assistant Attorney General
Joan.eichhorst@ag.state.mn.us
651-757-1438

Matt Ferche, Assistant Attorney General
matt.ferche@ag.state.mn.us
651-757-1457

College/University Attorney General Assignments

Alexandria Technical and Community College
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

Anoka Ramsey Community College
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

Anoka Technical College
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

Bemidji State University
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

Central Lakes College
Kathleen Reitz 651-583-6715

Century College
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

Dakota County Technical College
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

Fond du Lac Tribal & Community College
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

Hennepin Technical College
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

Inver Hills Community College
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

Lake Superior College
Kathleen Reitz- 651-583-6715

Mesabi Range Community & Technical College
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

Metropolitan State University
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

Minneapolis Community & Technical College
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

Minnesota North College (Hibbing, Itasca, Mesabi Range, Rainy River, & Vermilion Campuses)
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

Minnesota State College Southeast
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

Minnesota State Community and Technical College
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

Minnesota State University, Mankato
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

Minnesota State University Moorhead
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

Minnesota West Community & Technical College
Kathleen Reitz- 651-583-6715

Normandale Community College
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

North Hennepin Community College
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

Northland Community & Technical College
Kathleen Reitz- 651-583-2715

Northwest Technical College
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

Pine Technical and Community College
Kathleen Reitz- 651-583-2715

Ridgewater College
Kathleen Reitz- 651-583-2715

Riverland Community College
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

Rochester Community & Technical College
Alec Sloan- 651-757-1022

Saint Paul College
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

St. Cloud State University
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

St. Cloud Technical and Community College
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

South Central College
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

Southwest Minnesota State University
Alec Sloan- 651-757- 1022

Winona State University
Frank Langan- 651-300-7602

The Office of the Minnesota Attorney General represents the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

To effectuate proper service under Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure 4.03(d), documents are to be served at:

Office of the Minnesota Attorney General
Attn: Counsel for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
445 Minnesota St., Suite 1400
St. Paul, MN 55101

For information on personal and electronic service, visit Information for Opposing Counsel.