News Archives | Halunen Law

May 21, 2026

Minnesota Lawyer has selected Halunen Law employment attorney Josh Newville and of-counsel attorney Pamela Johnson to the 2026 Minnesota Legal 250.

According to Minnesota Lawyer, the Legal 250 list is a print and online directory of 250 people from 17 categories, celebrating “the power brokers who lead and influence various parts of the Minnesota legal community.”

“We are grateful to Minnesota Lawyer for honoring Josh and Pamela’s exceptional work and contributions,” said Clayton Halunen, founder of Halunen Law. “They are outstanding attorneys who share an unwavering commitment to achieving justice and meaningful outcomes for their clients. Their leadership, skills, professionalism, and results-driven approach are central to the success of our employment litigation group, and we are proud to have them recognized with inclusion in the Minnesota Lawyer’s Legal 250 list.”

To learn more about attorneys Josh Newville, Pamela Johnson, and the entire team of dedicated attorneys, visit the Halunen Law website.

May 21, 2026

Halunen Law represented one of the class plaintiffs and was a class counsel in the case, Russo et al. v. Walgreens, alleging overcharges for certain prescription drugs in excess of Walgreens’ savings club prices. The class action settled for $100 million after being litigated for seven years, and is under the supervision of the federal district court in Illinois.

The federal district court in Illinois, which is overseeing the case, issued a recent order recently directing the processing of claims. In the next several months, the claims will be reviewed, deficiencies will be addressed, and payments will be issued.

If you have filed a claim, additional information is available at Walgreens Savings Club Settlement.

“Halunen Law is pleased that the case has settled, said class action attorney Susan Coler. “It has been a long haul, but Walgreens has ceased the challenged conduct and the persistence and patience of the class representatives has brought results for millions of Walgreen’s customers who filed claims.”

Susan (1) A Partner at Halunen Law, Susan Coler is a member of the Halunen Law False Claims Act (FCA)/Whistleblower Practice Group. She represents whistleblowers who challenge illegal corporate conduct, particularly fraud against the government. Susan represented a relator in an FCA claim against Abbott Laboratories that resulted in a civil settlement of $800 million (total settlement of $1.5 billion), the fifth-largest civil healthcare recovery ever achieved under the FCA. As an MSBA Labor and Employment Law Specialist, Susan has also brought successful retaliation claims in connection with FCA/qui tam cases and as stand-alone actions.

April 21, 2026

Halunen Law partner Josh Newville served as a featured speaker at a White Bear for Democracy community event on April 7 in White Bear Lake, addressing voting rights, election integrity, and the role individuals play in maintaining democratic institutions.

The event, held at St John in the Wilderness Episcopal Church, brought together local residents for a nonpartisan discussion focused on civic participation and public trust in elections.

Newville, a civil rights and employment attorney, emphasized that constitutional protections ultimately depend on whether people can meaningfully participate in the process.

“Rights don’t become real just because they’re written down,” he said. “They become real because people insist on using them.”

Drawing on his experience representing individuals in civil rights and constitutional matters, Newville framed election integrity in practical terms: clear rules, fair administration, and a shared commitment to lawful outcomes.
He also cautioned that threats to democratic systems are often incremental rather than dramatic.

“Democracy doesn’t fail all at once,” Newville said. “It erodes—through small decisions that, over time, undermine participation and trust.”

Newville highlighted Minnesota’s strong voter participation and civic culture as meaningful strengths, while noting that those strengths require continued engagement from individuals and communities.

He closed by outlining practical steps individuals can take to support democratic institutions, including voting consistently, volunteering in election processes, supporting local public institutions, and resisting misinformation and intimidation.

White Bear for Democracy is a volunteer-led community organization that hosts events focused on civic engagement and democratic participation.

February 17, 2026

Halunen Law reports that the Firm’s representation of employees and whistleblowers in 2025 produced results that made a difference in the lives of our clients—ensuring their voices were heard. Said Partner Joshua Newville, “We are particularly proud that these cases gave our clients the satisfaction of achieving a measure of accountability from their employers. This accountability will hopefully protect other employees from the discrimination or retaliation faced by our clients. These cases typically involved wrongful terminations in a variety of industries and in businesses ranging from large national companies to small local shops. Besides accountability, these cases provided monetary relief to compensate our clients for lost wages and non-monetary losses, including emotional distress. Resolutions of many of these cases included monetary compensation in the range of six figures.

Halunen Law’s team is passionate about the work we do and the opportunity to hold employers accountable for their illegal conduct. As the Firm moves into 2026, I fully expect we will continue to achieve excellent results for our clients.”

Halunen Law represents employees on a contingency basis, which means that there is no cost to its clients unless the case successfully resolves.

December 30, 2025

MINNEAPOLIS, MN: Halunen Law is pleased to announce that attorney Jacqueline (Jackie) A. Olson has recently joined its Employment Litigation Jackie Olsen Group. Jackie began her legal career as a paralegal, then later as an attorney in private practice, working on employee-class action and mass tort cases. She went on to serve with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, where she became an Assistant Commissioner with oversight over civil and criminal investigations into violations of laws and regulations. While at the Commerce Department, her leadership in the consumer support, civil, and criminal enforcement division gave her a deep understanding of consumer and employee rights, state and federal regulations, licensing regulations, legislative processes, and more. Jackie’s extensive experience and insights into business perspectives, compliance, systems, and how the “other side” operates will be of great benefit to Halunen Law’s clients.

“We are thrilled to have Jackie join our team,” said Employment Litigation Group Leader, Josh Newville. “Jackie’s distinct background, legal acumen, and dedication to her work are an exceptional fit for the Firm. Her commitment to seeking justice for employees affected by illegal workplace actions, her demonstrated ability to resolve complex conflicts, and her extensive understanding of corporate culture are tremendous assets. We look forward to her contributions and all she brings in representing our clients.”

Jackie studied journalism at the University of St. Thomas. After graduation, she held a paralegal role in a private practice law firm. There, she witnessed lawyers representing employees in class-action discrimination cases, and it had a profound effect on her. She saw how the law impacted individuals’ well-being. She wanted to play a part in creating systemic change and pursued a law degree from what is now Mitchell-Hamline School of Law. Now, more than 20 years later, she maintains her passion for making a difference in people’s lives through the power of the legal system.

About Halunen Law: With offices in Minneapolis and Chicago, Halunen Law offers experienced legal representation for employees, whistleblowers, and those who have experienced illegal workplace actions. The Firm has achieved a reputation as a fearless, tenacious, and successful plaintiffs’ law firm focused squarely on achieving justice for its clients and creating workplace and societal change. For more information, visit halunenlaw.com.

October 10, 2025

Employer poised to challenge state laws protecting workers who use cannabis off the job

MINNEAPOLIS (October 10, 2025) — Halunen Law, a nationally recognized law firm representing plaintiffs in employee rights cases, has filed suit against a Texas-based home builder on behalf of a Minnesota realtor who was denied a job because of his medical cannabis use during non-work hours.

The realtor, who was enrolled in Minnesota’s medical cannabis registry, applied for a sales position at a new-construction housing development in the Twin Cities. The builder offered him the job after a lengthy application and interview process but rescinded the offer when a pre-employment drug test revealed the presence of THC metabolites.

“Minnesota authorizes the use of cannabis for both medical and recreational purposes,” said Halunen Law attorney Joshua Newville. “State law generally prohibits discrimination against employees for such off-duty usage. Most employers are thus barred from even testing for cannabis.”

Responding to the lawsuit, the builder argues that Minnesota’s laws are preempted by federal law. “It appears this employer is poised to mount a direct challenge both to States’ rights and cannabis-related worker protections,” explained Newville.

This case raises important questions not only for Minnesotans but also for workers nationwide as more states adopt similar protections. Lawmakers, state attorneys general, and civil rights advocates throughout the country may be closely watching as this matter unfolds.

The case is Bradley Sand v. Weekley Homes, LLC, Hennepin County District Court (Case: 27-CV-25-18190).

About Halunen Law: With offices in Minneapolis and Chicago, Halunen Law offers experienced legal representation for employees and whistleblowers who courageously challenge illegal actions in their workplace. Founded in 1998, Halunen Law has achieved a reputation as a fearless, tenacious, and successful plaintiffs’ law firm, with a laser focus on achieving justice and meaningful results for its clients. For more information, visit halunenlaw.com.

October 10, 2025

As a guest on AXIOM’s podcast, “Elevating Experience: Women and Age in the Workplace,” Halunen Law employment attorney, Pamela Johnson, offered valuable insights from her 30-year career as an insurance professional and accomplished litigator. Johnson was joined by Laurie Johnson, a senior-level learning consultant with the Boulder Crest Foundation, and podcast host Scott Rutherford as they discussed the dynamics of gender, age, and experience in the workplace. The episode examines the prevalence of ageism and explores how organizations can and should prioritize the skills and perspectives of older women in the workforce. It includes [pragmatic][useful][realistic] advice for driving cultural change and breaking down workplace barriers, while reminding listeners of opportunities that organizations may miss if they fail to address these issues.

Listen to the full podcast on AXIOM Learning Solutions

9B5DCAAC-96B8-47B5-879C-48B3EF12E72C As an of counsel member of Halunen Law’s Employment Litigation Group, Pamela Johnson brings an impressive reputation for advocacy, achievement, and a depth of legal knowledge on behalf of all those she represents. In addition to practicing employment law, Pamela has guided complex cases involving intellectual property, copyrights, patents, trademarks, and insurance, and has protected the privacy rights of high-profile clients, and overseen defamation claims on behalf of corporate conglomerates, celebrities, private individuals, and more.

August 21, 2025

UnitedHealth Group, the nation’s largest health insurer, has confirmed it is under federal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for its Medicare Advantage practices. This follows growing scrutiny from media outlets like The Wall Street Journal and STAT News, which raised serious concerns about the company’s billing and care management practices. The DOJ is reportedly investigating possible criminal fraud, and UnitedHealth has now acknowledged receiving both civil and criminal investigative requests.

This is just the latest in a series of crises for UnitedHealth, which has seen the abrupt resignation of top executives, mounting public backlash over care denials, and a massive drop in shareholder value—losing over $277 billion in market capitalization in the past year.

At Halunen Law, we have deep experience representing whistleblowers who expose fraud against the government, including violations under the False Claims Act and retaliation under federal and state whistleblower protection laws. These types of Medicare fraud investigations are precisely the cases we are committed to pursuing.

If you are a current or former employee of UnitedHealth Group or one of its subsidiaries and have information about unlawful conduct—such as inflated billing codes, improper patient care denials, or other fraudulent Medicare practices—or if you’ve experienced retaliation for speaking up, contact Halunen Law immediately. Our attorneys can advise you confidentially about your rights, the risks, and how to proceed safely.

Your courage can make a difference—and we are here to help.

Read CNN’s coverage: UnitedHealth confirms federal investigation into its Medicare practices

August 15, 2025

MINNEAPOLIS, MN., August 15, 2025: Renee Fox, who uses the name Wren Clair in her profession as a meteorologist, has filed suit against KSTP, a local television broadcast station, alleging sexual harassment and retaliation while working as a meteorologist for KSTP. Halunen Law employment attorney, Paul Schinner, is representing Clair in this case.

Ms. Clair abruptly left the station in February 2024 after nearly seven years. The lawsuit alleges that throughout her work at the station, which ended in February 2025, she faced a range of troubling and illegal actions, including “severe, overtly sexist conduct by her coworkers and superiors,” constituting “sex-based disparate treatment and sexual harassment.” Ms. Clair brought her concerns to her supervisor, and in 2024, she reported the conduct directly to the company’s Human Resources department. She was subsequently demoted, fired, and replaced purportedly for poor performance, and replaced with “a less qualified man,” according to the Amended Complaint. The lawsuit further notes that Ms. Clair had two years remaining on her three-year contract at the time of her termination, was popular with viewers, and had consistently received positive performance reviews.

Ms. Clair’s attorney, Paul Schinner, commented, “The Amended Complaint alleges that our client endured persistent sexist double standards and deeply offensive conduct at KSTP for many years, and her firing ‘was abrupt, unexplained, and preceded by no documented disciplinary action, negative reviews, or performance improvement plans.’” Said Schinner, “We look forward to disproving KSTP’s claimed rationale for firing Wren–recited formulaically throughout its Answer—that she was terminated ‘as a result of her poor performance, on which she was repeatedly coached.’ We applaud Wren for her courage in challenging the experiences she had at KSTP and look forward to getting her the justice warranted by KSTP’s treatment of her as articulated in the Amended Complaint.”

Access the Amended Complaint and Defendant’s Answer
Note: click on “Case Number”; enter 62-CV-25-6658. Case title is “Fox v. KSTP-TV, LLC

Read recent news coverage of this story:
Pioneer Press: Meteorologist Wren Clair files sexual harassment suit against former employer KSTP

Minnesota Star Tribune: Meteorologist Wren Clair sues KSTP over sexual harassment and retaliation

MPR/KNOW: Meteorologist sues KSTP for sexual harassment, discrimination

August 11, 2025

Halunen Law is pleased to announce that Employment Litigation Group Leader, Josh Newville, and venerated attorney Pamela Johnson were selected to the Minnesota Lawyer Power List for Employment Law 2025.

According to the publication, The Employment Law Power List, “highlights those whose mere presence on a case signifies the stakes, who have influenced the direction of the law, whose leadership in the community is pervasive, and whose respect within the bar is undeniable.”

Halunen Law is extremely proud to have two attorneys from the Firm receive this notable recognition. Both Josh Newville and Pamela Johnson exemplify the highest standard in professionalism, expertise, and a results-driven legal practice. Their contributions and leadership are central to the firm’s success, and the employment litigation group’s steadfast commitment to ensuring employees who have experienced illegal actions receive justice. To learn more about attorneys Josh Newville, Pamela Johnson, and our entire team of dedicated attorneys, visit the Our Team page on the Halunen Law website.