The Firm
Abriter PLLC represents residential property owners, management companies, and other housing professionals. With decades of experience behind them, Abriter attorneys are in court just about every business day, advocating for housing clients in eviction actions, rent escrow actions, and other cases.
Beyond the courtroom, Abriter has a proven track record of successfully defending fair housing complaints. Abriter attorneys also draft leases and other important documents, conduct trainings, and provide advice and counsel to its housing clients on a daily basis.
Robin Ann Williams
Attorney
Laurel Pugh
Attorney
Kerri Nelson
Attorney
Danielle C. Dobry
Attorney
Peter B. Wagner
Attorney
Anna Nutting
Paralegal
Sarah Wolff
Paralegal
Andrew Carlson
Paralegal
Robin Ann Williams
Attorney
“Don’t be afraid. Just play the music.” – Charlie Parker
Robin Ann has been a landlord-tenant attorney and litigator for 30 years. She has represented property owners, management companies, and other housing professionals in every manner of disputes with residents, including eviction actions, rent escrow actions, emergency proceedings, and fair housing complaints. She has a strong background in complex litigation, having been involved in some of the most high-profile trust matters and insurance coverage cases in Minnesota.
Robin Ann has deep experience with federal regulations that govern subsidized and tax-credit properties, including the Violence Against Women Act, and rarely a week goes by when she isn’t advising clients about assistance animals (aka service animals and emotional support animals). Her favorite assistance animal request ever… was for a companion tarantula. When not in court, she’s busy drafting leases, resident handbooks, and other forms for clients.
Robin Ann’s forte is public speaking. Her second-best days are spent conducting trainings for clients and industry groups. An inveterate teller of war stories and a natural-born comedian (she comes by her name honestly), Robin Ann sprinkles humor and real-life examples in her training materials, keeping her presentations relevant, fun, and entertaining. Her first-best days are spent playing with her three dogs, Lulu, Bogart, and Clover. (Abriter is a firm of dog lovers.)
EDUCATION
- University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., cum laude
- Texas Christian University, B.A., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
- Minnesota Multi Housing Association
- Board Member, 2015-2017
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- Volunteer Lawyers Network Housing Law Committee, 2006-present
- Central Minnesota Legal Services Board Member, 2007-2022
- The McKnight Foundation’s Minneapolis Landlord/Tenant Initiative, 2015-2019
- The Fund for Legal Aid Board Member, 2013-2018
ACCOLADES
- LegalCORPS 2021 Special Project of the Year, Small Business Landlord Clinic
- Diversity & Inclusion honoree, Minnesota Lawyer, 2017
- The Best Lawyers in America©, Insurance Law, 2015-2018 and Commercial Litigation, 2016-2018
- Minnesota Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers, 2002-present
- Minnesota Super Lawyers Top 50 Women list, Super Lawyers, 2011-2016, 2018
- Minnesota Super Lawyers Top 100 Women list, Super Lawyers, 2005-2009
- Top 100 Minnesota Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers, 2012, 2016
- Rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell
Laurel Pugh
Attorney
Laurel has practiced both employment law and landlord-tenant law for 20 years. She is a bulldog trial attorney, with a strong record of successfully evicting residents engaged in serious lease violations. She is an invaluable asset to her landlord clients, able to advise them both on complex landlord-tenant disputes and on employment law matters.
Laurel frequently guides human resources personnel and general counsel through sensitive personnel matters – often training management, staff, and counsel on risk management and loss prevention strategies.
She conducts fair housing and employment investigations and responds to EEOC complaints, HUD fair housing complaints, and Minnesota Department of Human Rights charges.
EDUCATION
- University of Minnesota Law School, J.D.
- University of Washington, B.A.
ACCOLADES
- Minnesota Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers, 2013-present
PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
- Minnesota Multi Housing Association
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- Kappa Delta Sorority Alumni Association
Kerri Nelson
Attorney
“The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they’ve found it.” – Terry Pratchett
Kerri Nelson has been an attorney for 17 years, during which she has practiced primarily in the areas of landlord-tenant, employment, and insurance coverage law. She is Arbiter’s go-to attorney to defend fair housing claims and advise on fair housing investigations and risk management.
Analytical and practical, Kerri has first-chaired jury trials in both state and federal court and has argued cases before the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Kerri loves thinking deeply about the law – reading, writing, and research are her strong suits. She also enjoys travelling, reading science fiction, and – most important – spending time with her family, including her dog Boris. Kerri’s love of travel and family coalesced when she married her husband while they were scuba diving, 35 feet underwater in the Florida Keys.
EDUCATION
- William Mitchell College of Law (now Mitchell Hamline School of Law), J.D., magna cum laude
- Gustavus Adolphus College, B.A., cum laude
PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
- Washburn High School Arts Council, Co-Chair, 2022-present
- Free-Daptive Divers, Board President, 2018-2021
- Minnesota Multi Housing Association
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- Board of Directors, 2009-2016
- Civil Litigation Section, Chair/Co-Chair 2009-2016
- Finance and Planning Committee Chair 2012-2013
ACCOLADES
- Minnesota Super Lawyers list, Super Lawyers, 2020-present
- Minnesota Rising Stars list, Minnesota Super Lawyers, 2013-2016
- Up and Coming Attorney, Minnesota Lawyer, 2013
RECENT PRESENTATIONS
- Landlord-Tenant Law, The Complete Real Estate Lawyer, Minnesota CLE, 2023
- Landlord-Tenant Law, The Complete Lawyer, Minnesota CLE 2022
- Insurance Law Essentials: Construction Litigation Coverage, Minnesota CLE, 2019
- Insurance Law: Bad Faith & Wrongful Refusal to Settle, Minnesota CLE 2019
Danielle C. Dobry
Attorney
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou
Danielle represents property owners, management companies, and other housing professionals in a wide array of landlord-tenant disputes. She is a jack of all trades, representing clients in conciliation court claims, rent escrow actions, eviction actions, and fair housing disputes. Danielle also assists in drafting projects, including lease forms and company policies. She recently earned the distinction of being the first Abriter attorney to master the substantial changes to housing law recently passed by the Minnesota legislature.
Prior to joining Abriter, Danielle represented insurance carriers in complex insurance coverage matters nationwide. In law school, Danielle gained significant experience in researching and writing during her time as a federal judicial extern to the Honorable Robert L. Miller, Jr., in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. In addition, Danielle received rigorous training in civil litigation during law school as a law clerk at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and private law firms.
Danielle approaches her law practice with compassion and an understanding of the real-life impacts that housing-law issues present her clients. With avid attention to detail, one of Danielle’s strengths is providing workable solutions based on a holistic review of the facts and the law. Danielle is a firm believer in working with her clients as a collaborative team to obtain optimal results.
Outside of the office, Danielle enjoys reading, trivia, concerts, travel, and cheering on her beloved Minnesota Golden Gophers.
EDUCATION
- Valparaiso University Law School, J.D., magna cum laude
- University of Minnesota Twin Cities, B.S., distinction honors, Phi Beta Kappa
PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
- Minnesota Multi Housing Association
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- Minnesota Women Lawyers
- American Bar Association
ACCOLADES
- Valparaiso University Law School Honors Program
- Associate Editor, Valparaiso University Law School Law Review
- Associate Justice, Valparaiso University Moot Court Society
- Pro Bono Commendation Honors, Valparaiso University Law School
PUBLICATIONS
- Caught in the Crossfire: Indiana’s Parent Trigger Law’s Negative Impact on Teacher Tenure, 51 VAL. U. L. REV. 741 (2017).
Peter B. Wagner
Attorney
Peter is a recent law school graduate. He joined Abriter after serving as a judicial law clerk in Minnesota’s largest housing court. He is responsible for Abriter’s compliance with the federal Fair Debt Collections Practices Act. He has developed a niche practice in assisting clients with fraud investigations required for HUD Handbook 4350.3 properties. He also handles a high volume of nonpayment evictions for clients throughout Minnesota.
Peter is a native of rural northwest Minnesota and enjoys exploring Minnesota’s wilderness while camping and backpacking with his dog, Scout. Before law school, Peter was a craft cocktail bartender in Minneapolis, so let him know if you need an assist at the holiday party.
EDUCATION
- University of Richmond Law School, J.D.
- University of St. Thomas, B.A.
PROFESSIONAL AND CIVIC INVOLVEMENT
- Minnesota Multi Housing Association
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Hennepin County Bar Association
Anna Nutting
Paralegal
Before joining Abriter in 2021, Anna worked as a property manager in affordable housing for 14 years. When she decided to make a career move, Abriter snapped her up.
Anna leads Abriter’s efforts in drafting nonpayment eviction actions. With her strong background in property management for an affordable housing provider, she is fully acquainted with pre-filing notice requirements that apply to many subsidized housing providers. Anna also coordinates sheriff moveouts in counties across the state of Minnesota.
Most of Anna’s free time is spent driving her kids to loads of activities and attending her son’s football and baseball games.
EDUCATION:
- Augsburg University, B.A.
Sarah Wolff
Paralegal
“If your dreams don’t scare you, they are too small.” – Richard Branson, businessman
Sarah has spent more than 20 years in the corporate world gaining experience across diverse, exciting industries as an Administrative Assistant, Paralegal, Legal Administrative Assistant and C-Suite Executive Assistant. Most recently, after nearly three years of running her own virtual executive assistant business, Sarah joined Abriter in May 2023 as a paralegal.
When she is not working, you can find her spending time with family around a campfire, in the garden, or at horse shows. Come winter, Sarah and her family look forward to snowmobiling and ice fishing.
EDUCATION:
- Minneapolis Business College
- Minnesota Paralegal Institute
Andrew Carlson
Paralegal
Andrew joined Abriter in 2024. He previously worked in court operations and experienced first-hand Hennepin County Housing Court’s record-setting year for eviction filings in 2023. When he decided to dive deeper into the legal profession, Abriter was the clear choice. He leverages experience from multiple industries to develop creative solutions and is always looking to improve systems and processes to better serve clients. Andrew handles all aspects of eviction filings for Abriter.
Andrew’s main interests are accidentally alliterative: beer, burgers, and board games. He’s your guy if you need a recommendation for any of them; just make sure to block out the rest of your afternoon.
EDUCATION:
- University of Minnesota, B.A.