Julie Firestone & Francois Ecclesiaste Recognized as 2023 MSBA North Star Lawyers

Minneapolis, Minn. (June 11, 2024) - Minneapolis Partners Julie Firestone and Francois Ecclesiaste were recently named to the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) 2023 North Star Lawyers list, which recognizes attorneys who provide pro bono service to people of low income at no fee.

All attorneys who were recognized by MSBA provided 50 hours or more of pro bono service to low-income Minnesotans last year. MSBA has a long-standing dedication to advancing the Bars’ pro bono efforts through training, recruiting, and sharing pro bono stories in the community.

“Lewis Brisbois has a long-standing commitment to serving our local communities, including through our pro bono practice, and we are proud of our partners who exemplify this core value of our Firm,” expressed Michelle Gilboe, Managing Partner of the Minneapolis office.

Ms. Firestone is a member of the Complex Business & Commercial Litigation and Insurance Regulatory & Compliance Practices and is vice-chair of the Securities Litigation & FINRA Practice. She represents corporations, insurance companies, investment firms, broker-dealers, issuers of securities, registered representatives, and insurance agents in class actions, regulatory proceedings, FINRA arbitrations, and other adversary matters. As part of her pro bono practice, Ms. Firestone represents refugees seeking asylum, working in cooperation with the Advocates for Human Rights. She was honored as a Minnesota Attorney of the Year in 2014 for her work representing LGBT+ asylum-seekers from Cameroon.

Mr. Ecclesiaste is a member of the Intellectual Property & Technology and Complex Business & Commercial Litigation Practices. Mr. Ecclesiaste has significant experience representing clients in high-stakes intellectual property and business litigation matters, including cases that involve patent, trademark, copyright infringement, trade secret misappropriation, antitrust, and breach of contract issues. He gives back to his community by providing pro bono legal representation and by supporting various local non-profit organizations.

Please join us in congratulating Ms. Firestone and Mr. Ecclesiaste on this recognition. See the full list of 2023 North Star Lawyers here.