Sally M. Silk, Partner

Practice Areas

Civil Litigation, Trust and Estate Litigation, Trust and Estate Administration, Guardianship and Conservatorship, Personal Injury, Products Liability, Appeals, Pro Bono Immigration

Background

Sally Silk is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer, with expertise in civil litigation and probate law. She has a proven track record of solving complex legal issues and has litigated a highly diverse range of cases, including breach of contract, probate, products liability, real estate, and immigration. Sally has been recognized both locally and nationally for her pro bono work. She is an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, where she teaches Federal Litigation in the Federal Immigration Litigation Clinic, and at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, where she has taught Estate and Trust Law.

Education

J.D., Mitchell Hamline College of Law (Law Review)
Ph.D., French Literature, University of Michigan
M.A., French, Middlebury College
B.A., French, University of Pennsylvania

Selected Awards

• Recognized by Minnesota Supreme Court for pro bono services through Lawyers Step Up for Minnesota (2022)
• Selected to Super Lawyers list, “Minnesota Super Lawyers” (2019 – present)
• Outstanding Legal Achievement Award, Twin Cities Cardozo Society, for developing pro bono Legal Aid clinics in Minneapolis and St. Paul (2017)
• Outstanding Service Award in Private Practice, Minnesota Justice Foundation (2014)
• Recognized as North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, pro bono service (2012 – present)
• Named a Pro Bono All Star, Minnesota State Bar Association (2021)
• Volunteer Attorney of the Year Award, Cancer Legal Line (2013)
• Pro Bono Award, Robins Kaplan LLP (2010)
• U.S. Court of Appeals Model Training Program, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, developed national model training program for pro bono attorneys representing asylum applicants (2006)
• Fulbright Scholar, Moscow State University, Russia (1992-1993)

Professional Associations

• Legal Services Advisory Committee – Minnesota Supreme Court (2020 – present)
• Minnesota State Bar Foundation: Chair, Board of Directors (2019 – present), Board Member (2016-2019)
• Minnesota State Bar Association:
  • Access to Justice Committee, 2019 Recipient of MSBA President’s Award, past Co-chair; Steering Committee
  • Access to Justice Policy Committee, Chair
• Hennepin County Bar Association

Selected Pro Bono, Civic & Charitable Activities

• Adjunct Professor, University of Minnesota Law School Federal Immigration Litigation Clinic
• Adjunct Professor, Mitchell Hamline College of Law Estates and Trusts
• Represent asylum seekers in Immigration Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth, Eighth and Eleventh Circuits
• Center for New Americans, University of Minnesota Law School, Advisory Committee
• Advocates for Human Rights, Steering Committee
• Twin Cities Cardozo Society, Steering Committee; former Co-Chair, Public Service Committee
• Minneapolis Urban League Legal Aid Clinic, Volunteer Attorney
• St. Paul Legal Aid Clinic, Volunteer Attorney