Pro bono spotlight: Sequoia L. Rutan

New lawyers play a critical role in bridging the access to justice gap in Minnesota. Attorney Sequoia Rutan, with Madigan, Dahl & Harlan, P.A., exemplifies the ways in which recent law graduates are making meaningful contributions to their communities.  Rutan graduated from law school in 2021 and specializes in business litigation, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, and corporate governance. 

She has been an active volunteer with LegalCORPS for nearly a year, where her pro bono efforts primarily involve advising clients on selecting the best entity structure and guiding them through corporate governance issues. She also reviews and negotiates various contracts, such as commercial leases and vendor agreements.

Rutan underscores the importance of access to justice work, emphasizing that even transactional legal work can offer pro bono clients a humane legal experience. She believes that businesses of any size deserve quality legal advice. 

For Rutan, volunteering is not just about giving back—it’s a matter of personal growth. “It’s one thing to watch a partner counsel a client, but another entirely to do it on your own,” she explains. Her pro bono work has enhanced her client counseling skills, allowing her to develop a distinctive communication style suited to diverse audiences.

Rutan believes that volunteering can fit into any lawyer’s schedule. “Pro bono doesn’t have to mean long-term representation,” she notes. Volunteer work can fit into varying time commitments, from structured advice clinics to limited scope representation that allows for longer, more direct engagement with the client.

Pro bono work has other benefits, too. “I genuinely enjoy being a pro bono volunteer because I love meeting new people,” she adds. “It’s an amazing way to meet people you wouldn’t usually encounter.”

Visit ProJusticeMN.org to start your own pro bono volunteer journey.