Sam Nelson

Sam Nelson is attorney and owner of Nelson Law. Sam advises churches, schools, non-profits, businesses, and individuals through the many legal issues they face. Sam is a regular presenter at school and employment law conferences. He advises clients drafting and negotiating legal documents, charting a path through difficult legal circumstances, and meeting with families to plan for the future. When the need arises, Sam represents clients in litigation, mediation, and arbitration.

​Raised in southern Minnesota, Sam studied history and opera in college and graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities with honors, before attending law school at the University of St. Thomas. Prior to founding Nelson Law, PLLC, Sam was a partner at a downtown St. Paul law firm.

Sam lives in Stillwater, MN with his wife and six kids. He is a parishioner at St. Michael's Church, and he enjoys reading, playing board games, boating on the St. Croix River with the family, listening to opera, poker night with friends, and taking saunas and cold plunges in the sauna he built in their garage.

Email: sam@nelsonlawmn.com

Phone: 651-300-1412

  • Private Schools: Sam advises private schools throughout Minnesota (K-12 grades), addressing legal needs specific to the school setting. Sam enjoys partnering with school leadership to proactively plan for their legal needs (especially policy, recordkeeping, and contract review), and provides steady, reliable counsel through tough student and employee issues (accommodations, student misconduct, investigations, discipline, legal demands from families, and suspension/expulsion) and defending against local, Minnesota state, and federal human rights complaints and lawsuits.

    Employers: Sam helps employers navigate the increasingly complicated web of employment laws, reviewing and drafting legal documents (handbooks, offer letters, job descriptions, etc.), guiding through workplace issues (harassment, discrimination, discipline, investigations), advising on management action (layoffs, reductions in force, terminations), and defending employers against employment law claims.

    Churches & Non-Profits: Sam provides general counsel to non-profits. Sam advises on entity formation, governance, contract and leases, and the wide range of legal issues faced by small and mid-size organizations.

    Estate Planning: Sam also has the pleasure of working with families to craft estate plans, taking the time to learn about the unique relationships, assets, and needs of each client and crafting a plan to meet those needs in an effective and straightforward manner.

  • Minnesota

    Wisconsin

  • University of St. Thomas School of Law

    • J.D., cum laude

    • Journal of Law & Public Policy, Editor in Chief

    • Federalist Society, President

    • Presidential Scholarship

    The University of Minnesota

    • B.A. in History, with honors

  • St. Thomas More Lawyer's Guild, Minnesota - Board Member, 2020-Present

    St. Croix Catholic School - Board Member & Chair, 2018-2024

    Human Adventure Corporation - Board Member, 2021-2024

    City of Stillwater, Minnesota - Parks & Recreation Commissioner, 2017-2022

    Teach for Christ - Board Member, 2017-2022

  • Minnesota State Bar Association

    Washington County Bar Association

    Society for Human Resource Management

    St. Joseph Business Guild

    Christian Legal Society