Loren M. Solfest

Shareholder | Vice President

Overview

Loren Solfest is a managing shareholder and Vice-President of Dougherty, Molenda, Solfest, Hills & Bauer P.A. He heads the firms banking, business and commercial law and civil and commercial litigation practice groups and he has been practicing transactional and litigation law since 1986.  He practices in the areas of banking, commercial litigation, business and real estate law. He has successfully represented clients in a wide variety of transactions and cases in state and federal courts, at both the district and appellate court levels.

Loren is certified as a Real Property Specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association,  is also a qualified neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice, and he has served as a mediator and arbitrator in numerous cases since 1997.  Loren is licensed to practice law in the States of Minnesota and Wisconsin. He is also admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit; the United States District Court, District of Minnesota; and the United States District Court, Western District of Wisconsin. Loren has been repeatedly named to the Super Lawyers list and AV Peer Review Rated. In 2025, Loren was named to the Minnesota Monthly Top Lawyers list.

When he is not at work, Loren enjoys family, church, volunteer and sporting activities, attending theatre, musical, academic and sporting events, and following the Fighting Irish.

Practices

  • Our real estate attorneys regularly represent real estate developers and draft documents ranging in complexity from simple residential purchase agreements to complex commercial real estate transactions involving numerous parties and various methods of financing. In addition to these areas of transactional real estate practice, a number of our attorneys are also experienced in representing common interest communities.

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  • A number of our attorneys practice primarily in the area of business representations, and they are frequently involved in the formation, capitalization, operation, reorganization and dissolution of all types of business entities.

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  • Our banking and finance attorneys are committed to providing the firm’s banking clients with high-quality legal services that respond to their varied needs. Our attorneys are experienced in a broad range of banking law and corporate finance matters, and they apply their understanding of banking law to assist clients in achieving timely and cost-effective solutions. Our attorneys regularly represent banks, finance companies and other financial institutions in a wide variety of lending and financing transactions. Our banking and finance attorneys also represent the firm’s corporate, real estate and other business clients in negotiating, structuring, and documenting financing transactions.

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  • The litigation attorneys at DMSHB handle large and small disputes for individuals and for commercial clients of varying sizes. Our litigation attorneys have been successful in obtaining favorable results for clients at both the trial and appellate levels.

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Credentials

  • Hamline University School of Law, J.D.

    Notre Dame, B.A., Government

    Honors: Notre Dame Scholar Award

  • Super Lawyers List, 2006 – Present

    Minnesota Monthly’s Top Lawyers List, 2025

    AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale Hubbell, 2006 – Present

    Southwest YMCA Distinguished Leader Award Recipient, 1997

    Minnesota Valley YMCA Y Partners Campaign All Star Award Recipient, 2004

  • Minnesota

    Wisconsin

    U.S. District Court District of Minnesota

    U.S. District Court Western District of Wisconsin

    U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit

  • Adelphia Law Journal, Editor in Chief, Delta Theta Phi, 1985

    Minnesota Litigation Checklists §1-1 et seq., Matthew Bender & Company, Inc., Lexis.com, 2007

  • Minnesota State Bar Association, Member

    Dakota County Bar Association, Member

    First Judicial District Bar Association

    Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, Former Member

    Minnesota Association for Justice, Former Member

  • 360 Communities, Former Officer and Board Member, 2017-2023

    Scott-Carver-Dakota CAP Agency, Inc., Former Secretary and Board Member

    Dakota County Law Library Board of Trustees, Member

    Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce, 2010 Board Chairperson and Former Officer and Board Member

    Burnsville Chamber of Commerce, Former Treasurer and Board Member

    Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce, Former Treasurer and Board Member

    Lakeville Chamber of Commerce, Board Chairperson and Former Officer and Board Member

    Minnesota Valley YMCA, Former Chairperson and Board Member Southwest Area YMCA, former Board Chairperson

    Southwest Area YMCA, Former Board Chairperson and Board Member

    Y Partners Campaign, Former Chairperson

    National Bicentennial Writing Competition, Judge 1987

    Notre Dame Club of Minnesota, Lifetime Member

    University of Minnesota Alumni Association, Lifetime Member

  • Legal Assistance of Dakota County – Volunteer, 1989 to Present

    Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services – Volunteer, 1986 to 1989