What Kennedy & Graven, Chartered does

Kennedy & Graven, Chartered is a Minneapolis-based law firm founded in 1958 that provides specialized legal counsel to local governments throughout Minnesota, with adjacent work in Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana. The firm serves cities, townships, school districts, counties, housing and redevelopment authorities, economic development authorities, port authorities, and joint powers organizations across 16 dedicated practice areas including Municipal Law, Township Law, School Law, Public Finance, Municipal Bonds, Eminent Domain, Employment & Labor Law, Litigation, Construction Law, Environmental Law, Public Utility Law, Real Estate Law, and Housing Law. Its client roster includes the City of Minneapolis, City of Saint Paul, Port Authority of the City of Bloomington (Mall of America financing), and the Suburban Rate Authority, with cumulative scale exceeding 350 townships served, 74-75 cities represented as city attorney, and over 250 local government clients in public finance matters spanning thousands of bond transactions and billions of dollars in issuance.

The firm's business model is traditional professional services revenue generated through attorney billings and professional fees charged to government and public-entity clients on general counsel, special counsel, bond counsel, litigation, and transactional engagements. Distribution is direct: attorneys maintain ongoing attorney-client relationships with municipalities and public entities, supplemented by referrals, educational CLE seminars (e.g., annual Back-to-School Legal Update for school administrators), and leadership in professional associations such as the Minnesota Association of City Attorneys, National Association of Bond Lawyers, and Minnesota Institute of Public Finance. The firm is recognized as one of the top four Minnesota law firms by dollar volume of government-issued bonds and is listed in Bond Buyer's Municipal Marketplace "Red Book." Operations are delivered through a single Minneapolis headquarters with no proprietary technology platform disclosed, and ownership is structured as a traditional partnership of shareholder-attorneys led by President James J. Thomson and an Executive Committee.

Recent operating activity through 2025-2026 indicates active expansion of bench depth: five new associates joined (Mallory Nordberg, Bridget Finn, Carlos Soto-Quezada, Haley Taylor Schlitz, Alexander Furcich, and Zac DesAutels); four attorneys were elevated to or joined as shareholders (Tessa McEllistrem, Jana O'Leary Sullivan, Greta Bjerkness, with Rachel Tierney and Pam Whitmore joining the Executive Committee); and the firm added the City of Worthington as its 75th represented city in January 2026.

Name

Kennedy & Graven, Chartered

Legal name

Kennedy & Graven, Chartered

Website

https://kennedy-graven.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kennedy & Graven, Chartered is a Minneapolis-based law firm founded in 1958 providing specialized legal counsel in municipal law, township law, school law, public finance, and litigation to cities, townships, school districts, and public entities throughout Minnesota and adjacent upper-Midwest states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal and Local Government Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate & Construction Law (BPAHAAAE)

Keywords

• Municipal legal services
• Public finance law
• School district counsel
• Township law services
• Eminent domain law

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: The firm generates revenue through professional legal service fees charged to government clients including cities, townships, school districts, counties, and other public entities. Services include general counsel, special counsel, litigation, bond counsel, and transactional work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kennedy & Graven, Chartered is a Minnesota-based law firm providing general counsel, special counsel, and litigation services to local governments, including cities, townships, school districts, counties, and joint powers organizations. The firm specializes in municipal law, school law, township law, public finance, municipal bonds, employment and labor law, eminent domain, economic development, real estate, public utility, construction, housing, and environmental law. It currently represents 75 cities, over 350 townships, and school districts throughout Minnesota and select neighboring states.

Product overview

Kennedy & Graven, Chartered is a law firm providing comprehensive legal services to Minnesota local governments. The firm operates as a unified practice with multiple specialized practice areas including Local Government Law, Municipal Law, Township Law, School Law, Public Finance, Employment & Labor Law, Eminent Domain, Economic Development & Redevelopment, Litigation, Municipal Bonds, Public Utility Law, Real Estate Law, Conflict Management & Collaboration Services, Construction Law & Litigation, Housing Law, and Environmental Law. The firm has over thirty-five attorneys serving as general and special counsel to cities, townships, school districts, and other public entities throughout Minnesota.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Local Government Law General and special counsel legal services to local governments throughout Minnesota, including cities, townships, and counties.
• Municipal Law Legal representation as general counsel, special counsel, and litigation services for cities throughout Minnesota, including Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and over 70 other cities.
• Township Law Legal services for townships including general township law, roads, cartways, fire contracts, annexation, and land use matters; serves over 350 townships in Minnesota.
• School Law Comprehensive legal counsel for school districts addressing student issues, employment law, discrimination, school board matters, labor relations, special education, bonding, and construction.
• Public Finance Nationally recognized municipal financing services including tax increment financing, grants, loans, and tax abatement for local government clients.
• Employment & Labor Law Legal counsel for government employers including employee discipline, personnel policies, labor management, grievances, arbitration, discrimination claims, and collective bargaining.
• Eminent Domain Acquisition and condemnation legal services including negotiation, litigation, and appeals for cities, housing authorities, and economic development authorities.
• Economic Development & Redevelopment Public entity and private development legal services including acquisition, land use, public finance, TIF, and environmental concerns for HRAs and EDAs.
• Litigation Full-spectrum litigation and appeals services for public and private entities, including land use, real estate, construction, employment, and constitutional matters.
• Municipal Bonds Bond counsel services for cities, townships, and schools including general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, tax increment bonds, and school district bonds.
• Public Utility Law Legal representation for municipalities on utility rates, cable franchises, and right-of-way matters including electric, gas, telephone, and cable services.
• Real Estate Law Transactions, development, and litigation services for municipalities and private clients including acquisition, financing, land use, and environmental compliance.
• Conflict Management & Collaboration Services Customized workshops, trainings, strategic planning, mediation, and conflict management services for governmental agencies and businesses.
• Construction Law & Litigation Construction law and litigation services for public and private clients including contract administration, dispute resolution, and defect claims.
• Housing Law Financing and management legal services for housing authorities including essential function bonds, multifamily housing revenue bonds, Section 8 housing, and lease negotiation.
• Environmental Law Environmental law services including MERA, MERLA, CERCLA claims, contaminated real estate acquisition, brownfields development, and federal superfund litigation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 350 townships served with various legal matters
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Suburban Rate AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 1990, the firm has served as general counsel to the Suburban Rate Authority (SRA), a joint powers organization of metropolitan area cities totaling over one million in population. SRA intervenes in electric, gas, and telecommunications matters before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Firm attorneys regularly represent SRA interests in significant rate issues.
• Minnesota Valley Transit AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe firm serves as general counsel to the Minnesota Valley Transit Authority, providing legal representation in transit-related matters.
• League of Minnesota CitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe firm represents cities that are members of the League of Minnesota Cities and provides defense attorney services for the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust. Multiple attorneys previously worked at the League.
• Minnesota Association of City AttorneyscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe firm maintains active membership and leadership in the Minnesota Association of City Attorneys, with attorneys serving in leadership positions including former president.
• National Association of Bond LawyersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe firm's public finance attorneys are members of the National Association of Bond Lawyers, demonstrating expertise and standing in public finance law.
• Minnesota Institute of Public FinanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe firm's public finance attorneys are members of the Minnesota Institute of Public Finance.
• Minnesota Association of Community Telecommunications Administrators (MACTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe firm has represented MACTA both as legal counsel and legislative representative. MACTA is an association of municipalities and public officials concerned with regulating telecommunications providers and managing use of public right-of-ways.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A. Minneapolis-based law firm with a public finance and municipal law practice that competes with Kennedy & Graven for bond counsel and government engagements in Minnesota.
• Larkin Hoffman Daly & Lindgren Ltd. Minnesota-based full-service law firm with a significant government, municipal, and school district practice. Directly competes with Kennedy & Graven for city attorney, township, and public finance engagements across the Twin Cities metro.
• Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney, P.A. Minnesota municipal law firm focused on school district, city, and township representation. Directly competes with Kennedy & Graven in school law and township law engagements across Minnesota.
• Iverson Reuvers, LLC: Minnesota law firm with a municipal and school law practice serving cities and school districts, directly competing with Kennedy & Graven for similar government clients.
• Best & Flanagan LLP: Minnesota law firm with established municipal law, school law, and public finance practices serving cities, townships, and school districts. A direct competitor for the same government client base that Kennedy & Graven serves.
• Greene Espel PLLP: Minneapolis-based litigation and government law firm that competes with Kennedy & Graven in municipal litigation, eminent domain, and government-related matters in Minnesota.

Broad incumbents

• Dorsey & Whitney LLP: Large Minneapolis-headquartered national firm with a substantial public finance and municipal bond practice. Competes with Kennedy & Graven for large bond counsel mandates and major municipal engagements across the Upper Midwest.
• Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP: Major national law firm with a Minneapolis presence and significant public finance/government law practice, competing with Kennedy & Graven for large-scale bond counsel and municipal engagements.
• Briggs and Morgan (now Taft Stettinius & Hollister): Legacy Minnesota firm (now part of Taft) with broader Midwest public finance and municipal capabilities, competing at the upper end of bond counsel and government engagements that overlap with Kennedy & Graven's practice.

Others

• League of Minnesota Cities (in-house counsel): Minnesota municipal association providing in-house legal defense and advisory services to member cities. While not a competing law firm, it shapes the competitive landscape by offering services that overlap with what Kennedy & Graven provides to its city clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kennedy & Graven, Chartered