In Their Own Words: Mike Boyle

As Blethen Berens marks its 130th anniversary, we're honoring our history through the voices of the people who lived it. Michael Boyle began at Berens, Rodenberg & O'Connor as a summer law clerk during law school and returned years later to practice, spending his career on the New Ulm side of the firm. Here, he shares memories of Bill O'Connor, the firm's deep roots in cooperative law, and the merger that united Berens and Blethen.

What do you remember about your very first day or week at the firm? Who first welcomed you?

Berens, Rodenberg & O'Connor in New Ulm hired me as a law clerk one summer during law school, and I came back to work there as an attorney several years later. Bill O'Connor welcomed me as a summer clerk and was still the office manager when I returned. Bill had a gruff exterior and was a real taskmaster, but the man had a heart of gold. I learned a great deal about the practice of law from him.

What's the most hilariously outdated piece of technology you remember?

When I started practicing law, the memory typewriter was cutting-edge technology — it's where we stored our long wills and a handful of other lengthy documents. It wasn't long before the word processor made drafting so much more efficient.

In those first years, we had a law library filled with case and statute books and legal treatises. Eventually we got CD-ROMs that could hold the information from more than thirty books on a single disc. We then bought a CD tower that would pull and read different discs depending on what you needed — though that was short-lived, because very soon all of our library resources moved online.

What was the most significant pivot point or season of growth you witnessed?

Berens, Rodenberg & O'Connor changed significantly when we were no longer the part-time Brown County Attorney's office — a role we'd held for about fifty years. Some young attorneys were let go, and within a few years we lost our remaining litigator. Not long after, we merged with Blethen, Gage & Krause in Mankato. That was a lifeline for the Berens firm, and I particularly appreciated the Blethen professional administrative staff. Blethen had attorneys with skills Berens needed, and the attorneys and cultures of the two firms came together with little difficulty.

How did you see the firm give back to the community?

Berens, Rodenberg & O'Connor contributed financially to projects at Turner Hall, the Lind House, New Ulm Allina Hospital, the private schools in town, and the Brown County Historical Society, just to name a few. There wasn't a charitable organization in New Ulm that one of our attorneys didn't serve on. It was practically a milestone when someone served on a board they actually got paid for — giving back to the community was done generously by all.

Who were the legendary characters or mentors during your tenure?

Early in my career, Clark A. Tuttle was chair of the Brown County DFL and John R. Rodenberg was the county Republican chair. Many mornings started with lively, civil political discussions, and many state politicians made their way to New Ulm. Eventually, Rodenberg was appointed Brown County District Court Judge and was ultimately elevated to the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

William T. O'Connor was one of the very few experts on cooperative law in the state, and he was responsible for merging many small farm cooperatives into the massive agricultural entities they are today. He was also instrumental in forming many of the ethanol cooperatives in Southern Minnesota. The farmers on those boards looked to him for counsel, and he advised them — among many other things — that if they hired the right manager, the rest of their job would be much easier. That sage advice rings true for any organization.

Is there a case or milestone you're most proud to have been part of?

One week, I got hugs from two different clients. A response like that is irreplaceable — it means more than the fee.

If you could share one piece of wisdom with a new attorney today?

Put in the time necessary to get the job done right. Respect your clients and your fellow attorneys, even when that's difficult at times. Be candid with your clients about the results you're likely to achieve. And make time for yourself and your family.

Mike's story is one chapter in a much longer history. Read the full 130-year story of how our firm came to be: Blethen Berens: Built on a Solid, Firm Foundation.