LeVander, Gillen & Miller, P.A.

The law firm of LeVander, Gillen & Miller, P.A. has a long and proud history. The firm traces its beginnings back to October of 1929, when Harold Stassen and Elmer Ryan, both recent University of Minnesota Law School graduates, entered into a partnership to practice law. The law office of Stassen & Ryan was located on the second floor of South St. Paul's Flatiron Building on Grand Avenue. Office rent was twenty-five dollars per month and Stassen's sister, Violet Stassen Crawford, mother of current shareholder Rollin Crawford, was the firm's first secretary.

In 1934, Elmer Ryan was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and would proceed to represent Minnesota for three terms. Fallon Kelly and Harold LeVander were hired in 1935 to fill the vacancy left by Ryan.

Like Ryan, Harold Stassen was no stranger to public service. Stassen was elected to serve as Dakota County Attorney at the age of 23, and then successfully ran for governor in 1938. At age 31, Stassen was the youngest governor ever elected in any state. Stassen left the governorship to join the armed forces during World War II, serving in the Pacific theater as a lieutenant commander and aide to Adm. William Halsey. After the war, Stassen was instrumental in the establishment of the United Nations and later served in the Eisenhower administration.

In light of the political responsibilities of Ryan and Stassen, Kelly and LeVander purchased the firm and changed the name to Kelly & LeVander. While their former partners were making national and international history, Kelly and LeVander remained in Minnesota and built the practice. Kelly practiced law until 1958 when he was appointed Federal District Attorney. LeVander remained with the firm for more than thirty years until he followed in Stassen’s footsteps with a successful run for governor. He served as Governor from 1967 to 1971. In 1970, he had the pleasure of appointing his former partner Fallon Kelly to serve on the Minnesota Supreme Court. After expiration of his term, "The Gov" returned to lead the firm for another twenty years.

Other past members of the firm with distinguished roles in public service are:

• Arthur Gillen was elected to the Minnesota State Legislature in 1942, while a student in law school. Art later served in the Minnesota State Senate as well. He joined the firm in 1943, becoming a partner (Kelly, LeVander & Gillen) in 1949. He remained with the firm until his retirement in 1995.
• Dave Durenberger practiced with the firm from 1960 until 1966, when he left to serve as executive secretary to newly elected Governor LeVander. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1978, to fill-out the term of Hubert H. Humphrey, and was later elected for two additional terms.
• Paul Magnuson joined the firm in 1963 and became a partner in 1967. He was appointed Federal District Judge for the District of Minnesota by President Reagan in 1981, became Chief Judge in 1994 and retired from the bench in 2001. He continues to be active in the court system as a retired judge.
• Paul Anderson joined the firm in 1971, became a partner and remained so until his appointment in 1992 to serve as Chief Judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals. He served in that role until 1994 when he was appointed Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.
• Roger Miller joined the firm in 1952. In May of 1957, Roger was appointed by the City of South Saint Paul to serve as its City Attorney, a post that he holds to the present day. He can be found in the office six days out of seven, having found it impossible to adjust to the five-day work week.

The last several decades have brought with them growth, expansion of the practice and diversity. The firm now boasts fifteen attorneys, six of whom are women, a level of diversity unachieved by most Minnesota law firms. The firm’s attorneys continue to be involved in community and civic affairs, most recently through the creation of the popular "Crayons for Kids" program to purchase school supplies for the local elementary school classrooms. In 2002, the River Heights Chamber of Commerce paid the firm the greatest honor when it awarded it the coveted "Business of the Year" award at its annual meeting.

The success and recognition gained by our predecessors has brought the firm the kind of respect and community reputation that cannot be bought. With the solid foundation of integrity and professionalism set by those who have gone before, today’s attorneys, paralegals and staff strive to follow in their example, by serving the community with an eye to the future and a respectful awareness of this firm’s proud history.

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