Dennis Coyne -            Consultant

Becoming a career coach was the result of Dennis’ desire to combine his interest in people with his training and experience as a lawyer, and his undergraduate education in psychology. With the support and advice of his own coach, Dennis studied at the Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara and received his certification as a professional coach in 2000.

In 2006, Dennis received an additional coaching certification, this one conferred by the Strozzi Institute of California.

In 2009, Dennis was featured in an interview appearing in the launch of the Cutting Edge Law site.

Before becoming a coach, Dennis practiced law for thirty years and helped to shape the development of environmental law, both locally and nationally. Dennis was appointed to serve on the Attorney General staff of Minnesota in 1980, representing the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency in many litigated matters.

Prior to coming to Minnesota, Dennis served as an Assistant Attorney General in Pennsylvania, representing the Department of Environmental Resources. Beginning in 1971, he participated in the early development of environmental law, including the litigation of the National Wood Preservers case that established the liability of the “innocent” landowner to cleanup polluted property.

Dennis entered private practice in 1988, becoming a shareholder at Hart, Bruner & O’Brien. Later, Dennis joined Fredrikson & Byron and became Chair of the Environmental Law Group. At about the same time, he was appointed Chair of the Hennepin County Bar Association Environmental Law Committee, a position he held for more than six years. In addition, Dennis served for many years on the Minnesota State Bar Association Environmental and Natural Resources Section.

Dennis has been included in Best Lawyers in America, Who’s Who in American Law, Leading American Attorneys, and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer. In 2000, Dennis began his coaching and consulting practice and resigned as a shareholder at Fredrikson & Byron. Today, Dennis continues to practice law, as a volunteer attorney with the Children’s Law Center.

Dennis earned his B.A. in psychology at the University of Minnesota and his J.D. from the Villanova University School of Law. Dennis is adjunct faculty in the Masters of Arts program in Human Development at St. Mary’s College, and has served as adjunct faculty at the University St. Thomas where he taught law. He was also a contributing editor for The Complete Lawyer; and has written for other publications, including the Hennepin Lawyer and the Minnesota Lawyer.