Fritz Knaak has been practicing law for nearly 45 years in Minnesota and 30 in Wisconsin and Colorado. He has tried cases and argued appeals throughout the country in both State and Federal Courts. For nearly that whole period he has been a City Attorney. Past clients include the Minnesota cities of Fridley, Maplewood, Lake Elmo, Newport and Afton. He is currently city attorney for Ramsey and Taylors Falls, Minnesota, and continues to represent private clients on a variety of matters. Especially involving situations requiring interaction with local governments and election law. He also has considerable experience in litigation involving title insurance claims and title insurance.
Fritz served ten years in the Minnesota Senate, representing a district in the northeastern suburbs of the Twin Cities. He was Special Counsel to the Minnesota Secretary of State in redistricting litigation and was lead counsel on the Senator Norm Coleman election recount. He is a frequent commentator on Twin City news programs on political matters and is a frequent guest political panelist of the Twin Cities Public Television Almanac program. He also regularly teaches in national seminars on municipal law and has published a number of essays and articles on various topics. His article “Using Development Agreements to Further Environmental Ends: A Case Study” will be published this summer in the ABA’s Probate and Real Property Section magazine.
Fritz has 5 adult children, four sons and one daughter.
Licenses and Bar Admissions
- Admitted to the Courts of the State of Minnesota, October, 1979
- Admitted the Courts of the States of Colorado and Wisconsin, 1994
- Admitted as Attorney and Counselor to United States Court District of Minnesota, March, 1980
- Admitted as Attorney and Counselor to United States Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
- Admitted as Pro Hoc Vice, Maricopa County, Arizona, Baltimore, Maryland
Languages
Italian and English, fluent; Spanish, conversant and some French.
Education
- University of Minnesota Law School, Juris Doctor, 1978
- John’s University, Bachelor of Arts, Summa Cum Laude, 1975
- State University of Florence, Italy
- University for Foreigners, Perugia Italy
- White Bear Lake Senior High School, Honors 1971
Publications and Presentations
- Fritz is a frequent commentator on Twin City news programs on political matters and is a frequent guest political panelist of the Twin Cities Public Television Almanac program. He also regularly teaches in national seminars on municipal law and has published a number of essays and articles on various topics.
- His article “Using Development Agreements to Further Environmental Ends: A Case Study” will be published this summer in the ABA’s Probate and Real Property Section magazine.
- Member, Anoka, Ramsey and Washington County Bar Associations Member
- Member, American Bar Association
- Member, Gamma Eta Gamma Law Fraternity
- Member, Minnesota City Attorney’s Association
- Qualified Neutral under Rule 114
- Member Representing Attorneys, Minnesota Electronic Real Estate Recording Task Force (Appointed 2005, reappointed by Governor Pawlenty in 2006) (Vice Chairman)
- Minnesota Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Member (a private, non-bar affiliated organization of Minnesota attorneys dedicated to assisting chemically dependent lawyers and their families), l984 – Present (Board of Directors, l986 – 1993; Secretary, 1987)
- Administrative Law Judge, State of Minnesota (1996 – 2000)
- Member, American Land Title Association (ALTA), Vadnais Heights Economic Development Corporation; White Bear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce