Mini-Manifesto
Steinle Law exists to serve our family, friends, church and community well:
We provide legal services as part of our vocational calling.
We value customized plans for unique circumstances, quality service and workmanship, and long-term relationships.
We recognize the significant investment our clients make in us, and we strive to maximize their return on investment.
We invite honest discussions and open communication, and we own our mistakes.
And at the end of the day, we change the world by going home and loving our families.
Background
Attorney Pamela Steinle and Paralegal Bernie Jurgens work hard, play hard, and are proud barn owners. Their diverse life experiences (including adoption, foster care, remarriage, special needs children, blended families, unexpected death, and relocation, to name a few) invite meaningful connections with clients. Together, they form a trusted team committed to supporting you, your family, and the local farming community.
(507) 942-2276
Meet the Team
Attorney
Pamela D. Steinle
The oldest of five children, Pamela came to live with Lauren and Lynette Steinle at the age of six months when she was adopted from Korea. She spent the next eighteen years on the family farm north of Butterfield. She was a mediocre rock-picker and enthusiastic-but-inaccurate bean rider, so she had to pursue off-the-farm jobs at such local institutions as the Happy Chef, the China Restaurant, and the Plaindealer newspaper. After graduating from Butterfield-Odin, she attended the University of Minnesota and taught Family and Consumer Science (formerly Home Economics) in central Minnesota before enrolling in law school at the University of St. Thomas (read article here). She practiced for several years at a full-service litigation firm in downtown Minneapolis before moving back home (watch video here). Husband Justin and daughter Aleah live on a farm (with a barn!) near Darfur, Minnesota.
Education
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS SCHOOL OF LAW
J.D. magna cum laude, 2011
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
M.Ed, 2004
B.S. summa cum laude, 2003
Memberships
Sixth District and Minnesota State Bar Associations; former member of the Sixth and Fourth District Ethics Committees
Active in St. James Rotary
Publications and Presentations
Organized and moderated panel presentation, “Fighting for the Farm: A Snapshot of Estate Litigation in Greater Minnesota” at 2019 Probate and Trust Law Section Conference
Presented on panel, “Women in Estate Planning” at 2019 Probate and Trust Law Section Conference
Local presentations including Sturm funeral home, Annie’s Project, and Ladies of the Land
Recognition
Past President of the Sixth District Bar Association (2018-19)
2016 Up and Coming Attorney by Minnesota Lawyer
Super Lawyer Rising Star since 2014
St. Thomas School of Law Larkin Scholar
Gates Millennium Scholar
Bar Admissions
2011, Minnesota
2011, United States District Court of Minnesota
2014, 8th Circuit Court of Appeals
Paralegal
Bernie Jurgens
Born and raised in St. James, Bernie has spent the past forty years working for area residents as a legal assistant in the areas of estate planning and probate. She graduated from St. James High School in 1978, and graduated from Willmar Vocational School’s Administrative Assistant program the following year. Bernie and husband Wayne live on a farm north of town (with a barn!), and during harvest, you can find Bernie in line at the elevator pulling the grain cart. The couple claims four children between them (all graduates of St. James high school), and six grandchildren. She is active at East Sveadahl Church, and in her spare time she enjoys her flower gardens and walking path, baking, movies, and time with family and friends.
Legal Administrator
Buck Jagodzinske
Buck has spent 93% of her life living on a farm with a barn, including her family farm near Dunnell, MN. She understands first-hand the work that goes into keeping a farm up and running, working with livestock, and the love of the land. After graduating from Moorhead State University, Buck worked in the business field—with a focus on accounting and human resources—for 40+ years, including working at John Deere & Co. in Waterloo, IA. Buck and her husband, Vic, enjoy spending time with their adult children and grandchildren, friends, and working on their farm site.
Legal Administrator
Kennedy Gertsema
Originally from Slayton, MN, Kennedy and her family have lived in St. James since 2008. She is the middle child with an older sister and younger brother, as well as two animal siblings (a dog and cat). She graduated from St. James High School in 2019 and is currently studying to become a paralegal at Rasmussen College. While in high school, she was a member of the National Honor Society, kept wrestling stats, and played volleyball and softball. Kennedy is a member of Augustana Lutheran Church in St. James. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, playing and watching almost any sport.