Brian L Sobol

PRO

Brian L Sobol

4.4
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 43 years

Family Lawyer at Minneapolis, MN
Practice Areas: Family, Child Support

800 Nicollet Mall Ste 2600, Minneapolis, MN

About Brian

Biography

Practice Areas

2

Practice Areas

Family 90%

Specializes in high asset, complex marital estates, ante-nuptial agreements and custody litigation. Also is a trained mediator

12 years

90%
Child Support 10%

12 years

10%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer

Awards

AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating

Licenses

Licensed in Minnesota for 43 years

State: Minnesota

Acquired: 1982

Authorized to Practice

No misconduct found

Location

McGrann Shea Carnival Straughn & Lamb Chtd

800 Nicollet Mall Ste 2600, Minneapolis, MN, 55402-2041

mcgrannshea.com/brian-sobol.htm

Brian L Sobol's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.4 /5.0

7 Client Reviews

5 star (6)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (1)

Posted by Julie McMahon | September 22, 2016 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Excellent!

My case is many years old and an ugly, non-stop custody battle. Michelle his paralegel and Brian Sobel at McGrann & Shea have been wonderful to work with. Brian was and is, unflappable! Aggressive when necessary, and seeks the truth. He is kind and compassionate about the importance of the parent/chi...ld bond and will advocate for that. He has a BA in psychology and was on the Cornerstone board and brings that knowledge and experience to the case. Alienating tactics of parties will not be tolerated on his watch. My friend Carrie K. recommended Brian Sobel to me when my ex maneuvered through fabricated events "temporary custody." Brian Sobel is methodical in his approach. It takes a long time to move through the family court process but I can sit back now and relax. A highly skilled professional will argue the law and fight for me to see my kids. I highly recommend Brian Sobel for contentious custody cases especially when opposing counsel is outrageous.

Posted by Barbara | March 7, 2014

The adversary delivers accolades

After Brian negotiated my divorce settlement, my ex-husband, surprisingly, delivered the highest compliment, stating "Brian was brilliant."

Posted by IP | October 14, 2013

I stronly recommend Brian

I worked with Brian in a high conflict post divorce litigation re. parenting time and support. Brian was efficient, respectful, knowledgable, personable and wonderful. As the other side tried to drown us in correspondence, Brian naviagated beautifully through the sea of obsacles and hostility. ...There is a lot to be said about attourneys efficency as they walk a fine line between over responding and not responding enough. I believe Brian has mastered efficiency as close as possible to an art form, not resonding to items that are not important in the big picture and being right there when something was crucial. His sense of humour, confidence, intelligence, warmth, high sense of ethics and efficiency completely contradict negative stereotype of lawyers (speaking from expericence); he made the process of the ordeal as good as it could have been, including the outcome. I would recommend Brian to anyone, who wants an exceptional professional and advocate to represent them in a legal natter and who through deep experience can help anticipate and protect from some of the unpleasant possibilities.

Posted by Jeff | October 6, 2013

Brian Sobol is outstanding!

Brian has guided my wife and I, plus extended family members, through some challenging times. He does so with patience, understanding and a sense of calm that helps ease what can sometimes be overwhelming tension and stress. His knowledge in a variety of legal aspects is unparalleled. We feel fort...unate to have his representation.

Posted by anonymous | October 4, 2013

Recommend for tough child custody cases!

Brian was the 2nd lawyer I had in a high-conflict child custody case. i was frustrated that my 1st lawyer seemed to barely know the case after > 1 yr and dragged things out w/ repeated hearings requested by the other side in which my case lost ground w/ every hearing (mostly because my lawyer knew n...ext to nothing about my case and just went along w/ everything). Especially compared to my 1st lawyer, Brian listened to me and helped me submit an affidavit and request for hearing that finally got the case moving forward. He took time to read it over/edit/make suggestions and do his own additional research on the issues I brought up. Brian knew the details of my case very quickly after taking me on as a client. He took the time to talk to other family law attys re their experience w/ some of the some odd particulars of my case and shared the info he gathered w/ me. He passionately argued my points in court hearing and had crafted a very detailed template for custody agreement, which he worked with me to adjust to the issues in my case. I found it very convenient that Brian likes email and, eg, we could go back and forth editing the proposed custody agreement via email. I learned going through this that courts really do NOT want to make a ruling or go to trial on child custody. Courts push the parents to come to an agreement likely because it is more apt to "stick". The judge was very impressed with Brian's custody agreement template and asked him for a copy of the template version of it (ie not the version particular to my case) to use in other cases. I should mention that "template" is probably an understatement - it was very detailed and covered things that I hadn't thought of. It's an unfortunate fact that most of the time neither side is going to be 100% happy w/ the outcome of these cases. I wasn't, but I felt in the end that my children had a doable outcome and their interests and welfare were well protected. The only negative I could say about my experience with Brian was that an issue came up several months after our case was settled and my file had been moved to off-site storage. I was charged for them to try to locate it and get it back. But overall, I did not feel like every time a piece of mail went through Brian's or his assts' hands, I was charged. He was very efficient and I felt like I got what I paid for (w/ the exception of the file location). The reason I gave him a few "4"s instead of "5"s is because he had a lot of cases and I would have to sometimes try several times to contact him. But unlike my previous lawyer, I wasn't charged every time I simply called and asked to speak to Brian. Overall, he was responsive and efficient. I would recommend Brian to a friend who had the misfortune of going through a child custody case.

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Brian L Sobol's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Brian
Jill I. Frieders headshot
Jill Frieders

Family lawyer | Mar 02

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Brian is an excellent attorney."

Michael S. Waddington headshot
Michael Waddington

Family lawyer | May 29

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse Brian. He is a highly skilled attorney that is well respected in the legal community."

Dana Kathryn McKenzie headshot
Dana McKenzie

Family lawyer | Oct 03

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Brian is smart and talented. He is a very fine attorney!"

View All Endorsements

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2025

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2024

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2023

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2022

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2021

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2020

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2019

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2018

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2017

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2016

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2016

Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers

2016

Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers

2015

AV Preeminent Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2015

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2014

Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers

2014

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2013

Minnesota Super Lawyer, Minnesota Super Lawyers

2013

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2012

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2012

Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers

2011

Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers

2009

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2009

Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers

2008

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2008

Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers

2007

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2007

Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers

2006

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2006

Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers

2005

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2004

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2003

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

2002

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

1997

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

1996

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

1994

Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers

Work Experience

2013 - Present

Shareholder, McGrann Shea Carnival Straughn & Lamb, Chartered

1985 - 2013

Partner, Katz, Manka, Teplinsky, Graves & Sobol, Ltd.

1983 - 1985

Judicial Law Clerk to Honorable Robert G. Schiefelbein, Hennepin County District Court

Associations

2012 - Present

International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (U.S. chapter)

1996 - Present

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

Board of Governors

1985 - Present

Hennepin County Bar Association, Family Law Section

1982 - Present

Minnesota State Bar Association

Sample of Legal Cases

In re the Marriage of: Passolt and Passolt

Court of Appeals reversed lower court and ruled that wife's earning capacity could be considered

In re the Marriage of: Duffey and Duffey

In the only court of appeals decision to circumvent Nardini, the court of appeals agreed with me, and ruled that all of John's stock, including the increase in value during the marriage, was non-marital

See More Legal Cases

Education

1982

University of Minnesota Law School

JD

1979

University of Minnesota

BA - Bachelor of Arts - Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kapa

Speaking Engagements

2013

AAML MN Divorce Camp 2013

10 Things To Never Put In Writing – Effective Written Communication

Publications

1981

Child Development Effects of adult commentary on children's comprehension and inferences about a televised aggressive portrayal.

Languages

English

Activity

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