Jack Rice Has Been Recognized Three Years Running as a Minnesota North Star Lawyer
The last couple of years have been pretty wild with Covid and all and the Minnesota criminal court system has not been immune to the craziness. That being said, I have continued to operate in our court system, arguing cases, trying cases and defending my clients. At the same time, I’m particularly honored to be recognized as a North Star Lawyer by the Minnesota State Bar Association for three years running. This time, for 2021. #NorthStarLawyer.
North Star Lawyers are MSBA members who have provided at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services annually to low-income people at no fee and without expectation of fee. While I continue to stand up for people in criminal courts, frequently people of color, this year was particularly special in that my co-counsel Willow Najjar, who was also honored as a North Star Lawyer, and I were also recognized by Minnesota Lawyers of the Year for 2021 for our representation of the man charged with a felony for pulling down the Christopher Columbus statue in front of the Capitol in St. Paul, MN. In the end, our client’s case was dismissed outright. This was a milestone case that created a blueprint for other similar cases around the country. We have advised lawyers in the Southwest, South and Eastern parts of the United States handling similar cases.
“The case was certainly about restorative justice but it was even more about transformative justice. In the end, it was about what the criminal justice system does and also about its limitations.”
If you are facing serious criminal charges in Minnesota, make sure you sit down with an experienced Minnesota criminal defense lawyer. It is important to bring in somebody with experience but also somebody who understand the concept of justice and who is prepared to stand up.
“There is an old line that says that justice isn’t free. Well, it’s not. Sometimes you have to fight for it. We certainly did in this case. Sometimes it is only the wealthy who can afford it. However, if it means anything, it means that it should apply to everybody. That is what being a North Star Lawyer is all about.”
Jack Rice is a Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist, a former prosecutor, a former U.S. Federal Agent and the Founder of Jack Rice Defense. Contact Jack Rice Defense for a free confidential consultation or call 651-447-7650 or 612-227-1339. Jack’s got your back.