Attorney Biography
D. Clay Taylor, Esq.
612-904-7376
Clay@replawyer.com
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“There is a quixotic element to what I do. Every now and then I get to dust off the armor and go tilt a windmill. I really like my clients, I really want to help them, and often I see how they were getting screwed over. I’ve watched these people work their fingers to the bone, only to be shut out and watch their life savings go down the drain. At the same time, somebody else is riding on their backs, profiting from their work and raking in money. There is an element of justice to it.”
Clay likes to say: “I’m a big law firm refugee.” In 1997, he left a large Minneapolis firm to open his own office, as a solo practitioner and to focus on representing sales, distribution and franchise clients. He typically represents individuals and small family-owned businesses in disputes with large corporations trying to take unfair advantage of their hard work or business contacts. Clay has appeared in state and federal courts across the U.S., including the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, in New York City, and been a frequent speaker to trade organizations about the legal and business issues facing people in the sales, distribution and franchise businesses.
Clay grew up in Springfield, IL, the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, whose career as an attorney and actions as a President during the Civil War were part of Clay’s childhood landscape and instilled some of the values he brings to his practice today. At Carleton College, in Northfield, MN, Clay studied history, or as he says: “I spent four years reading every good book I could get my hands on.” At Emory Law School, Clay discovered his passion for the courtroom. He was on Emory’s Moot Court Special Teams and was selected to represent the school at the ABA National Competition. He enjoyed Emory’s student program with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) program so much that he continues to attend their programs and later was invited to become a NITA faculty member.
At the beginning of his career, Clay spent eight years at the law firm of Mackall, Counse & Moore, PLC, where he began building his understanding of the legal challenges faced by sales reps and franchisees. In his very first case involving a wholesale apparel rep who was owed significant commissions, Clay employed Minnesota’s strong rep protection statutes to recover not just the client’s commissions, but statutory penalties and fees too. The client was so impressed with this result, he invited Clay to speak at his regional trade association, and Clay has worked for reps in the fashion apparel business ever since. As his practice grew, Clay decided to open his own firm and focus working for sales, distribution and franchise clients—most of whom are small business owners like him.
When he’s not practicing law, Clay enjoys spending time with his wife and three teenagers. Clay and his wife met while they attended Carleton College and now live in Hopkins on the same street where his wife grew up. After moving around for nearly a decade during college and law school, Clay was delighted to be able to plant firm roots and raise his children in a neighborhood with extended family nearby. He is also an avid reader and spends much of his free time studying music and playing guitar. Having played for nearly 30 years, he recently started taking lessons again on line with Berklee College of Music.
Clay is a member of the Minnesota State Supreme Court Civil Justice Advisory Task Force and the Minnesota State Bar Association Civil Litigation Section Governing Council for which he organizes all continuing legal education for the section. He is also an adjunct faculty member at the William Mitchell Law School and teaches trial techniques and advocacy for NITA.
“When we finish a case, I want that client to leave saying: I like him, I think he’s smart; he gave me good advice, and he was fair with me.”
| Education: | Emory University Law School (Atlanta, GA), Juris Doctor (1989); Carleton College (Northfield, MN), B.A. History (1985) |
| Honors: | Minnesota Journal of Law & Politics, Super Lawyer (1999-2006) |
| Teaching & Seminars: | Adjunct Faculty (Advanced Advocacy), William Mitchell College of Law (2008-present) |
| Bar Activities: | Minnesota State Bar Association Civil Litigation Section Governing Council (2008-present) |
| Admitted To Practice: | Minnesota, Wisconsin, US District of Minnesota, U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals |
Legal Assistant / Paralegal
Randy Anderson
612-904-7376
Randy@replawyer.com
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“We have a lot of clients who’ve done the legwork to build a fledgling brand and then they’re shut out; the value that they put into building the company has been discounted. They’ve invested a lot of effort without a lot of monetary reward. We provide an important service because we’re able to pick them up and dust them off. We buy them time to get their feet under them again.”
Randy joined the law office of D. Clay Taylor in 2000 after several years of teaching English literature at the college level. Randy organizes and examines incoming documentation, answers discovery, edits documents coming out of the office, performs client intake interviews and coordinates with clients for follow-up information as their cases proceed. He’s known for his skills as a document detective and his ability to spot small inconsistencies in evidence.
For new clients, Randy’s voice is often the first welcome to the firm. In order to quickly and efficiently serve clients, Randy will walk them through a detailed intake interview that helps the firm hit the ground running with their cases. In the process Randy also helps prospective clients reveal details that determine the best courses of action when considering litigation.
Existing clients often hear from Randy when new details need to be uncovered in their cases. Although he can’t give legal advice or opinions, he can answer factual questions and help clients get the information they need. Randy is also the secret grammar weapon of the law firm and makes sure that all documents coming out of the firm are correct and clear.
| Education: | Yale University (New Haven, CT), Ph.D. (1997), M.Phil. (1993) |
Associate Attorney Biography
Josiah Ramsey Fricton, Esq.
612-904-7376
Joe@replawyer.com
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“We represent a lot of small businesses who have legitimate legal disputes with manufacturers that have wronged them, terminated them or not paid commissions. They’re going through a very difficult situation. We can tell them they’re going to be able to get through this and come out the other end intact. Helping our clients through their problems is an aspect of the work that I really enjoy.”
Joe joined the law office of D. Clay Taylor in 2009 after clerking for Judge Jill Halbrooks of the Minnesota Court of Appeals. He chose to work with Clay Taylor because of their shared values and the firm’s focus on litigation. As an associate, Joe is involved in all cases handled by the office and performs research, holds client intake meetings, takes and defends depositions, makes court appearances, and keeps clients well-informed of the many steps in the litigation process as their cases proceed.
A Minnesota native, Joe comes from a family of dentists and learned to floss at around the same age that he learned to read. He became the fourth generation of his family to attend the University of Iowa, where he majored in History and Religious Studies. Joe always wanted to help people, but also loved his humanities courses, so he chose law as a way to combine helping others with his passion for constructing persuasive written arguments.
After law school, Joe pursued a clerkship to help him understand how cases are decided from the opposite side of the bench. As a practicing attorney, his insight into a judge’s decision-making process has proven invaluable to his development of litigation strategies for each client’s unique needs. Working at the court of appeals also gave Joe firsthand insight into how the judges examined the work done in district courts.
Joe is known for listening intently to clients, taking the time to understand their disputes, and fully engaging with the issues. He is also a tireless advocate in pushing cases along and won’t stop until a resolution is reached. He enjoys working with other attorneys and crafting strong arguments that encourage a fair course of action.
Joe and his wife attend University of Iowa football games each fall. They also volunteer to serve food at Loaves and Fishes. Joe is an active member of the Lake Harriet Yacht Club, and owns a sailboat that he races both on Lake Harriet and at numerous regattas in Iowa and Minnesota during the summer.
| Education: | William Mitchell College of Law (St. Paul, MN), Juris Doctor, magna cum laude (2008) |
| Honors: | William Mitchell College of Law Dean's List (2006-2008) |
| Previous Employment: | Minnesota Court of Appeals, Law Clerk, Judge Jill Flaskamp Halbrooks (St. Paul, MN) (2008-2009) |
| Admitted to Practice: | State of Minnesota and U.S. District Court, Districts of Minnesota and Western Wisconsin |
| Memberships | American Bar Association, Minnesota State Bar Association (Young Lawyer's, Civil Litigation & Business Law Sections), Hennepin County Bar Association. |