Former U.S. Attorney Thomas Heffelfinger Returns to Private Practice with Best & Flanagan

6 June 2006

Former U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Thomas B. Heffelfinger, who returned to Minneapolis-based law firm Best & Flanagan LLP upon leaving public office, is focusing his private practice on white collar criminal defense and Indian law. Heffelfinger's criminal defense practice will center on helping individuals or organizations respond to suspected illegal activity and establish compliance and ethics programs designed to prevent white collar misconduct. His Native American law practice will focus on self-governance, regulatory compliance, Indian gaming, internal investments and public safety issues.

"I am fortunate to have been able to choose the timing of my return to private practice-returning to Best & Flanagan now has given me the opportunity to re-establish relationships with former clients and colleagues," said Heffelfinger. "I loved my job as U.S. Attorney, and now I have the chance to take my experience and use it in private practice to make people's lives better. I'm especially fortunate to come back to this firm. Best & Flanagan views its relationships with clients as long-term, as if we were partners in their businesses. This is how I prefer to practice law, so I am truly at home here."

Heffelfinger has spent much of his career focusing on white collar crime, public safety and Indian law. In private practice he has focused on defending organizations and individuals and helping organizations put in place programs to prevent criminal activity. In his two appointments as U.S. Attorney for Minnesota (1991-1993 and 2001-2006) and earlier as Assistant Hennepin County Attorney (1976-1982) and Assistant U.S. Attorney (1982-1988), he protected the public's interest through successfully prosecuting many cases, including domestic and child abuse cases, murder, mail fraud, tax evasion and securities fraud and, most recently, cases involving violent and organized crime and homeland security issues.

"We are very pleased to have Tom back at Best & Flanagan and once again heading up our corporate white collar criminal defense practice," said James C. Diracles, managing partner at Best & Flanagan. "Tom's goal of establishing systems that are, in his words, 'vibrant' will help clients put in place effective ethics programs to help prevent misconduct in the first place. With his broad background in trying cases, we are also glad to have Tom serving with our litigation group."

"Our firm's Native American clients will benefit from Tom's areas of expertise in Indian law," said Lenor A. Scheffler, chair of Best & Flanagan's Native American Law Practice Group. "Not only does Tom have years of experience in Indian gaming law, but his work on the Attorney General's Advisory Committee's Native American Issues Subcommittee during his tenures as U.S. Attorney gives him special insight into issues facing Indian Country that complements the expertise of the other attorneys in our team."

Heffelfinger received his B.A. in history from Stanford University and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.

Best & Flanagan, founded in 1926, is a full-service Minneapolis law firm providing legal services in the areas of government relations, public finance, real estate, commercial lending, litigation, business law, and estate planning and trusts. The firm has more than 55 attorneys and is dedicated to providing practical and efficient solutions to its clients' legal issues. For more information, visit http://www.bestlaw.com or phone (612) 339-7121.

Source: prnewswire

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