Marna has been in private practice for 29 years. Her primary expertise is in the area of family law, with the majority of her cases taking place in Anoka County. She has been a volunteer attorney for the Alexandra House for 22 years. Marna has provided ADR services such Early Neutral Evaluations and Mediations in several Minnesota counties. She also handled criminal prosecution for 26 years in the City of Anoka as an Assistant City Prosecutor, so she understands the overlap of family and criminal matters.
Practice Area:
Family Law
Practice Summary: I practice in the area of family law, litigating in the trial court on all family law issues, including marriage dissolution, paternity, custody, child support, parenting time, third party custody, spousal maintenance, property division and complex valuation issues, and post decree disputes. I provide Alternative Dispute Resolution and have been a Mediator (Qualified Neutral under Minnesota’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Rule 114) and a Social (SENE) and Financial (FENE) Early Neutral Evaluator for Anoka County since 2008. I am on the Anoka County roster for Moderated Settlement Conferences and I am also on the Sherburne County SENE roster. I was the Assistant City Prosecutor for the City of Anoka from approximately 1995 to 2022.
Areas of Focus:
Family Law
Mediation and Early Neutral Evaluation
Bar Admissions:
Minnesota, Admitted to practice in 1994
Professional Memberships:
Minnesota State Bar Association, Family Law Section
Anoka County Bar Association, continuing member; served as President 2007-2008 and Executive Board Member, 2004-2009; and previously co-chaired the Family Law Section
Other Professional Experience:
Shareholder, partner, and attorney, Howard and Anderson, P.A. (fka Hicken, Scott, Howard & Anderson, P.A.)
Publications/Speaking Engagements:
Judges’ Panel on Joint Physical Custody, Family Law Institute, March 23, 2012
Current Issues in order for Protection Advocacy for MN Legal Services Coalition, May 13, 2011
Social Early Evaluation Training for Minnesota Judicial Branch, May 16-18, 2011
Family Law Statutes for Tenth Judicial District Guardian Ad Litem Program GAL Family Court Training, September 9, 2011
Early Neutral Evaluation Overview for Tenth Judicial District Law Clerk CLE, October 6, 2011
Social ENEs: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going (panel discussion) for Minnesota Chapter of AFCC, October 21, 2011
Moderated Settlement Conferences for Tenth Judicial District Law Clerk CLE, January 5, 2012
Social Early Neutral Evaluation Training for ENE Collaborative Resource Committee of the 5th Judicial District, April 24-25, 2013
Social Early Neutral Evaluation Training for Minnesota Judicial Branch Third Judicial District, August 28-29, 2013
Do’s and Don’ts for Family ADR: The Courts Role in Support Efficient and Effective Dispute Resolution, (Tenth District Law Clerk CLE), April 21, 2016.
Current Community Activities:
Anoka County Early Neutral Evaluation Steering Committee, 2008 to present.
Volunteer lawyer for legal clinic and consultations, Alexandra House, Blaine, MN, 1996 to present.
Central Minnesota Legal Services Board Member, July 2023, to present.
Past Community Activities:
Minnesota State Wide Early Neutral Evaluation Steering Committee, 2009 to 2015.
Tenth Judicial District Early Neutral Evaluation Steering Committee, 2014 to 2017.
Member of Minnesota ADR Ethics Board, 2012-2017, co-chair 2015-2016.
Volunteer lawyer, Volunteer Lawyer’s Network, Minneapolis, MN, 1998 to 2014.
Anoka County Law Day, 2016-2019.
Anoka Technical College Legal Administrative Assistant Advisory Board, 2008 to 2021.
Education:
B.S. University of Minnesota, 1989
J.D. William Mitchell College of Law, 1994
Professional/Academic Honors:
2011 MSBA Pro Bono Award for the Tenth Judicial District
Minnesota State Bar Association, named Young Rising Star, Minneapolis/St. Paul Magazine
Minnesota Super Lawyers, 2021 to present.
