Congratulations to the 2024 Best Lawyers® recipients from Messerli Kramer! This prestigious, peer-reviewed award recognizes only the top 5% of elite lawyers in the nation, across 150 practice areas. These five attorneys were selected by their peers for outstanding legal acumen, with more than 120,000 industry-leading lawyers asked to vote this year and nearly 20 million evaluations since the organization’s inception. The Best Lawyers in America® has become universally regarded as a definitive guide to legal excellence, and Messerli Kramer is proud to call these five attorneys our own.
Messerli Kramer 2024 Best Lawyers® Recipients
Vija Brookshire – Family Law – Best Lawyers
When facing the uncertainty of divorce or other family issues, Vija provides her clients with peace of mind. Her advocacy is defined by confidence and compassion, seeking practical solutions to issues that keep her clients up at night. With decades of experience — and wins all the way from Minnesota’s trial courts up to its Supreme Court — Vija’s clients know she has what it takes to protect them and what they value most.
Gary Debele – Family Law – Best Lawyers
Gary Debele focuses his practice on a uniquely broad and all encompassing conception of family law. Through his membership in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the International Academy of Family Law Attorneys, and the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, he has built relationships with professionals across the United States and around the globe. He also a robust tribal court practice that includes family law, child welfare matters, conservatorships and guardianships involving tribal members. In addition to managing his practice, Gary also serves as the Chair of the Family Law group.
Joshua Hasko – Business Litigation – Best Lawyers
Josh concentrates his practice on commercial business disputes, with an emphasis on complex contract and business tort litigation; creditor remedies and Uniform Commercial Code disputes, including equipment leasing and secured transactions; fiduciary duty and shareholder claims; and real estate litigation. He practices in state and federal courts, bankruptcy courts, appellate courts, and in arbitration proceedings. He is also the firm’s President and an active member of the Board of Directors.
Debra Yerigan – Family Law – Best Lawyers
During her 35-plus years as a family law attorney, Debra has become a lawyer who other lawyers depend on. Her many years in the courtroom make her well-suited to represent parties in cases involving complicated financial issues, such as valuations of businesses, non-marital property, intricate income streams, and spousal maintenance. She is adept at navigating the sensitivities involved when negotiating custody and parenting time. Outside of the courtroom, individuals turn to Debra for advice when preparing to enter into prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.
Theresa E. Bea – Family Law – Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch”
Named as a Best Lawyers® “One to Watch,” Theresa practices exclusively in the areas of family law and juvenile law. She approaches her cases with common sense and a problem-solving attitude and is always ready to litigate vigorously when settlement is no longer an option. She has years of experience guiding clients through challenging family matters, such as divorce, custody and parenting time rights, spousal maintenance, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, third-party custody, grandparent visitation, child support, child protection, and adoption-related cases. Practicing in both juvenile and family court, she offers a unique perspective and particular expertise to her cases.
The first and foremost resource for the best legal talent worldwide, Best Lawyers® aggregates peer reviews of lawyers across multiple practice areas, accurately capturing the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues.
