Virginia Barron

Ginny grew up in North Minneapolis and graduated from Patrick Henry High School.  She got her undergraduate Degree from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities with a major in Political Science with a focus in Law and Politics and a minor in Sociology: Law, Criminology, and Deviance. While at the University of Minnesota Ginny was a Dean’s List recipient. She then pursued her legal education at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota where she graduated and was also a Dean’s List recipient.

While at William Mitchell she was accepted as a member of the Warren E. Burger Inns of Court, a group of lawyers, judges, legal educators, and others aimed to promote excellence in legal advocacy within the courts. Ginny also participated in the Moot Court Trial Competition, and focused her studies on trial work and skills by taking multiple clinics and trial advocacy courses.  During law school Ginny worked as a certified student attorney with the Minneapolis City Attorney’s Office for almost two years where she appeared and represented the City of Minneapolis in the Community and Serious Traffic Arraignment Courtrooms under the student practice rules. Ginny also worked for the firm Dorsey & Whitney in the conflicts department for over four years and did a clerkship with the Honorable Timothy K. Connell – Judge of District Court after graduating law school. She was admitted to the bar in 2006 and remains in good standing.

Ginny now practices in the areas of criminal defense and family law; two areas that typically require significant advocacy in the courtroom. She is a current member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers as well as the Minnesota State Bar Association, where she has held the offices of Vice President and President of the Minnesota State Bar Association – 13th District. She has also been a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association – 13th District Ethics Committee since 2008. She has volunteered her time as a mock trial coach as well as a mock trial judge and is a current member of the Minnesota Cornerstone Drug Court Team.

She is a current member of the Westbrook-Walnut Grove School Board as well as a member of the physician recruitment committee with Sanford Westbrook. In 2010 Ginny established the Westbrook Legal Self Help Center and continues to run the program where she provides free legal advice and consultation one day a month to those people who represent themselves in the court process. She will review paperwork and legal documents with individuals and ensure that things are properly filled out and answer legal questions about the process and what one can expect. She believes that part of her ethical duty is to help all people, and has found this a rewarding way to help in a limited capacity those who may not be financially able to retain the services of an attorney.

Ginny currently resides in Westbrook with her husband and three children.