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Barbara Nilva Nevin

Attorney

Year Joined Firm: 1979

Litigation Progress

70%

Barbara Nilva Nevin has practiced law since 1979, and practiced law with Milavetz Injury Law, P.A., since 1987. Her practice focuses on family law, bankruptcy, employment law and personal injury. She has practiced extensively in the Minnesota Court of Appeals and within the last few years she twice reversed the district court’s rulings, in the case In Re Custody of A.V.A., involving grandparents seeking third-party custody of their young grandchild whose parents were tragically killed in a truck collision. Ms. Nevin is a Judge of Conciliation Court in Hennepin County. She enjoys volunteering in high schools and was active in the Blue Star Moms, where she was a Chaplain and Patriotic Officer. Her son Edmund Nevin served in the United States Marine Corps and served two tours of duty in Iraq. Ms. Nevin is the current Chair of the Seniors’ Commission for the City of Chanhassen, Minnesota. Ms. Nevin has also been named a Minnesota Super Lawyer since 2005. Ms. Nevin was one of the plaintiffs in the case of Milavetz Injury Law, P.A., et. al. v. United State of America which successfully narrowed portions of the Bankruptcy Reform Act (BAPCPA of 2005) on First Amendment grounds in a case before the United States Supreme Court. She was awarded as one of the Attorneys of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer in 2009 for her work on the BAPCPA challenge. Ms. Nevin has lectured at numerous continuing legal education programs throughout the U.S. on bankruptcy and family law.

Ms. Nevin is rated* AV by the respected, nationwide Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. The ratings are developed by obtaining confidential opinions from lawyer adversaries and judges before whom the lawyer has appeared. Ability rating categories are A, B, C, and no rating. An “A” rating is the “very high to preeminent” category, the highest rating possible. It signifies that the lawyer has reached the heights of professional excellence, recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity. The “V” rating is the highest for adherence to ethical standards, reliability and diligence.

Named as 2009 Attorney of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer.

*Attorneys at Milavetz Injury Law, P.A., are rated* AV by the respected, nationwide Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. The ratings are developed by obtaining confidential opinions from lawyer adversaries and judges before whom the lawyer has appeared. Ability rating categories are A, B, C, and no rating. An “A” rating is the “very high to preeminent” category, the highest rating possible. It signifies that the lawyer has reached the heights of professional excellence, recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity. The “V” rating is the highest for adherence to ethical standards, reliability, and diligence.

Areas Of Practice

  • Adoption
  • Age Discrimination
  • Alimony & Spousal Support
  • Americans with Disabilities Act — Employee
  • Arbitration
  • Bankruptcy
  • Child Support
  • Childrens’ Rights
  • Complex Litigation
  • Custody & Visitation
  • Debt Discharge
  • Disability & Illness Discrimination
  • Divorce
  • Domestic Violence & Neglect
  • Ethics
  • Foreclosures
  • Garnishment
  • Legal Malpractice
  • Mediation
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Motor Vehicle Defects
  • National Origin Discrimination
  • Paternity
  • Pharmaceutical Products
  • Prenuptial Agreements
  • Professional Responsibility
  • Race Discrimination
  • Religious Discrimination
  • Sex Discrimination
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Sexual Harassment — Employee

Litigation Percentage

  • 70% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

  • Minnesota, 1979
  • U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1980
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 2009

Education

  • Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota
    • J.D.
  • University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
    • B.A.
    • Honors: Honors Participant
    • Major: English

Published Works

  • Milavetz Injury Law, P.A.’s Challenge to the Ill Conceived and Poorly Written “Bankruptcy Abuse and Consumer Protection Act of 2005.(BAPCPA).”, 2010
  • How to Argue a Case Before the MN Supreme Court Family Law Forum, 11, 2002
  • Resolve Fee Disputes Efficiently Through Arbitration, 70, 2001

Classes & Seminars

  • “Milavetz, v. U.S. – Implications for Practitioners”, MCLE WebCast, 2010
  • “Effects of Bankruptcy on Personal Injury Claims in Recessionary Times”, 2010 AAJ Winter Convention, 2010
  • “Third Party Custody”, Minnesota Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2005
  • Guest Speaker, “Grandparent Rights”, William Mitchell Law School, 1996
  • “Resolving Third-Party Custody Issues in a Wrongful Death Proceeding” American Association for Justice Winter Convention 2017-also featured as a speaker on the topic February 6, 2018

Representative Cases

  • Kayachith vs Athakhanh, 683 N.W.2d 325, 2001, MN App
  • In Re SF, 482 N.W.2d 500, 1992, MN App
  • Joel vs Wellman, 551 N.W.2d 729, 1996, Minn. App.
  • Milavetz, Gallop & Milavetz, et. al. v. United States of America

Honors and Awards

minnesota icon award
  • Milavetz Injury Law, P.A. Included in Best Law Firms, 2024 Edition
  • Minnesota Icon Award 2023
  • Chanhassen Rotary Club’s Distinguished Service Award
  • WCCO Good Neighbor Award
  • Attorneys of the Year, Minnesota Lawyer, 2009-Present
  • Minnesota Super Lawyers: Seven Years
  • Volunteer of the Year, Chanhassen Rotary, 2017

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Hennepin County Bar Association, Member, 1987 to Present
  • Minnesota Bar, Family Law Section, Member
  • Minnesota Bar, Bankruptcy Section, Member
  • Conciliation Court in Hennepin County, Judge, Present
  • Hennepin County Bar Association, Chair Local Fee Arbitration, 1995 to 2002
  • Hennepin County Bar Association, Family Law Section, Member, Ethics
  • Committee, 1979 to 2005
  • American Trial Lawyer’s Association, Member, Vioxx Sub Committee
  • American Association for Justice, Family Law Section, Section on Toxic, Environmental, and Pharmaceutical Torts, , Member

Pro Bono Activities

  • Chair, Senior’s Commission for the City of Chanhassen, 05/2006 to 05/2020
  • Volunteer Speaker Hennepin County Bar Speakers Bureau at Various High Schools, 1993 to 2005
  • Blue Star Moms, Chaplain and Patriotic Officer, 03/2006
  • Vice-Chair, Yellow Ribbon Committee of Chanhassen
  • Member, Blue Star Moms, 03/2006 to Present
  • Rotary of Chanhassen

Languages

  • French
  • Hebrew
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