Kaarin Nelson Schaffer Cassie Navarro
Kaarin Nelson Schaffer
Kaarin is the founding partner of Nelson Schaffer PLLC and a fierce advocate for her clients. Driven by a desire for fairness and justice, Kaarin litigates on behalf of employees in employment related matters, including sexual harassment, whistleblower retaliation, discrimination, and other forms of unlawful workplace conduct by employers. In addition to being a fierce advocate for her clients, and a compassionate person, she is a trial lawyer.
Kaarin has been named a Minnesota Rising Star or Super Lawyer every year since 2014. She is a trainer at the Trial Lawyers College, teaching lawyers all over the country. She speaks regularly at employment related conferences as well as trial related conferences. She is on the Board of Minnesota Association for Justice. In 2021, Kaarin was named a Minnesota Attorney of the Year for the work she did on George Floyd’s case.
https://minnlawyer.com/2022/02/18/2021-attorneys-of-the-year-kaarin-nelson-schaffer/
PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Navigating 2022’s Hot-Button Discipline and Discharge Decision-Making - Minnesota CLE, May 2022
Regulating, Investigating, and Disciplining Behavior in the Remote Workplace - A Practical Guide - Minnesota CLE, May 2022
Avoiding 10 Discipline and Discharge Mistakes Employers Make - Minnesota CLE, August 2021
Minnesota Employment Update: Key Cases and Important Legislation Employee Advocates Should Know - National Employment Law Association, Minnesota Chapter, November 2021
Avoiding 10 Discipline and Discharge Mistakes Employers Make - A Plaintiff’s Attorney Perspective, Minnesota CLE, Oct. 28, 2019
Strategies for Summer Judgment in Sexual Harassment Cases, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 21, 2019
Court Sanctioned Permission to Sexually Harass?, Minnesota Trial Magazine, Winter 2019
Should You Take An Employment Case? Minnesota Trial Magazine, Fall 2018, republished in Nevada Justice Association’s Advocate Magazine, Winter 2019
Avoiding 10 Leave Mistakes Employers Make - A Plaintiff’s Attorney Perspective, Minnesota CLE, Oct. 30, 2018
Non-Compete Agreements, Interview with WCCO Radio, Aug. 19, 2018
What’s the Harm? Evaluating and Proving Damages, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 21, 2018
Sexual Harassment, Harvey Weinstein and Non-Disclosure Agreements, Interview with WCCO Radio, Dec. 2, 2017
LaPoint, Sanchez, and Friedlander - Good News from the Minnesota Supreme Court…And How to Keep it That Way, NELA, Sept. 12, 2017
Considerations and Strategies for Pregnancy Related Litigation, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 23, 2017
Plaintiff & Defense Perspectives and Practice Pointers for Litigating Pregnancy Discrimination Claims, Pregnancy Accommodation and Non-Discrimination Handbook Chapter, Co-Author, 2017
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Update, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 2016
Supremely Unique: Significant Supreme Court Opinions in 2016 - University of St. Thomas, Fall 2016
Felony Disenfranchisement: Why 5 Million Americans Can’t Vote This November, Bench & Bar of Minnesota, Oct. 16, 2012
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
National Employment Lawyers Association, Minnesota Chapter
Minnesota State Bar Association, Labor & Employment Law Section
Minnesota Association for Justice
Innocence Project of Minnesota, Board Member
The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
““Kaarin’s name came to me on accident while I was desperately searching for someone to help me with an employment issue - and it made all the difference. From our first conversation she listened, asked great questions, and then listened more. She appreciated my view and always took the time to give me hope to hang on until the end. She was patient, efficient and personable. I recommend her for any employment issue that you have and encourage you to remain vigilant in what you believe but hire Kaarin to protect you and keep you on track.”
— Former Client
“Kaarin was great to work with. She was always available when I called and had questions about my case. Kaarin set expectations from the beginning. She is a woman of good character … Kaarin has a great legal mind and work ethic. She is a excellent negotiator. She was always positive and realistic. Kaarin knows how to utilize the information in my case with the rule of law. She was tireless in her efforts to get me the out come I needed.
I would highly recommend Kaarin.
— Former Client
Cassie Navarro
Cassie Navarro protects employee rights by representing individuals who have faced discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and unlawful drug and alcohol testing at work. She advises clients on employment, severance, and non-compete agreements, and works to negotiate more favorable terms with employers. Cassie also has experience litigating class action claims, including wage and hour violations.
Cassie has over a decade of experience working on Plaintiff’s employment claims. She was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2021, 2022, and 2023, and has been recognized as a One to Watch by Best Lawyers since 2021. Cassie graduated summa cum laude from Mitchell Hamline College of Law.