Minneapolis & St Paul Attorney and Mediator Wayne Faris

Wayne Faris is an excellent trial attorney providing Lord & Faris Law Office clients with expert trial skills sharpened during a long, distinguished career as an attorney, entrepreneur, CEO and dedicated community leader. Faris is a trained mediator for both civil cases and family law.

Born in Ottawa, Ont. and raised in Smith’s Falls, Ont., Wayne Faris graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill. and earned a law degree from the University of Minnesota. In 1970, he joined the firm of Oppenheimer Wolff and Donnelly as a litigator of cases involving product liability and employment law. In 1990, he left the firm to become CEO and president of Clifton Group Investment Management.

Legal Career:

Wayne practiced law for 20 years at Oppenheimer Law Firm, a large multinational law firm, and during that time chaired the litigation department. He represented clients, both plaintiff and defendant in the following practice areas: labor and employment, family and divorce, insurance coverage, class actions, pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, antitrust, securities law, legal, accounting and officer and director malpractice, patnet and trade secret, municipal law and regulations, real estate and tax. litigation.

Non-Profit Involvement:

In addition to his work as a lawyer, Faris has broad experience in business, non-profits, public/private partnerships, politics and government. Faris is known around Minnesota and the nation for his involvement in youth, athletic and community-based activities. He founded and chaired the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission and headed a program designed to develop Olympic athletes from among Minnesota athletes on behalf of the U.S. Olympic Committee. Faris also served 12 years as a member of the University of Minnesota Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Advisory Board and is a long time member of the University's President's Club.

Chair Of The Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission:

When Gov. Rudy Perpich founded the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission, he asked Wayne to chair the Commission. In that role, he managed a sport facilities building budget in excess of $30 million and facilities that included the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center, the St. Cloud National Ice Hockey Center and the National Sports Center in Blaine.

United States Olympic Committee Involvement:

Wayne also headed the local Community Development Program for the United States Olympic Committee. The program develops young athletes by providing elite coaching and training in weightlifting, curling, cross country skiing, snow boarding, biathlon, speed skating, team handball and women's hockey.

Minnesota Twins Community Fund Involvement:

From 2001 through 2006, Wayne served on the Board of the Minnesota Twins Community Fund, a charitable organization that distributes more than half a million dollars annually to build better and stronger communities. The fund has helped build baseball and softball fields in upper Midwest communities, provided college scholarships to help worthy students and sponsored youth baseball and softball teams.