SHAREHOLDER

Paul D. Brown

Areas of practice: Estate Planning, Real Estate, Probate Administration, Trust Administration.

Paul grew up in the Boston area and is a graduate of The College of the Holy Cross. After moving to Minnesota, he graduated with honors from William Mitchell College of Law. During his years in practice, Paul has focused on estate planning for families, small business and farm families.

Early in his career, Paul took his practice mobile. He has clients from Duluth to Milwaukee, and everywhere in between. “Chandler and Brown provides its clients a certain level of expertise; I’ve focused my practice on estate planning and trust and probate administration for 30 years. I have found I can provide great value by bringing that experience and specialization outside of the metro area, throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin.”

A practice area that has really grown recently for Paul is family farm planning. “Generally speaking, farmers want their family farm to be an asset for the entire family for multiple generations. This is an area I have really been able to help clients maximize the potential of their biggest and most prized asset in a way that can protect the farm for generations.”

As the managing partner of Chandler and Brown, Ltd., Paul leads with a family focus rarely achieved in the legal community. “I’m proud that I was able to coach both of my children’s basketball and soccer teams throughout their childhoods while growing a successful legal practice. I want all the professionals at Chandler and Brown to have balance in their lives between work and family. After all, estate planning is about family—it’s important to work with a law firm that understands that.”.

Bar Admissions: Minnesota, 1982, U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1982
Education: William Mitchell College of Law, St Paul, Minnesota, J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence cum laude 1982, College of the Holy Cross B.A. cum laude
Professional Associations & Memberships: American Bar Association, Minnesota State Bar Association

SHAREHOLDER

Abraham T. Schwager

Areas of practice: Estate Planning, Business Planning, Real Estate, Probate Administration, Trust Administration.

Each client of mine has specific circumstances that drive my recommendation to accomplish their goals. Collaboration with my client’s other advisors and educating each client about the solutions I offer are fundamental to my approach.

I bring expertise in the following practice areas:

Estate planning
Business succession planning and farm transition planning
Estate and trust administration
Acquisition and sale of businesses
Farm trusts, cabin trusts, charitable remainder trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts, family limited partnerships, grantor retained annuity trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, supplemental needs trusts and other sophisticated planning techniques to achieve wealth transition and preservation

I teach continuing education to attorneys, accountants and financial advisors on estate planning and business planning topics. I also regularly speak to groups about estate planning and charitable giving.

I was raised in rural Iowa and now live in Woodbury where my time outside of work is spent with my wife and five energetic children. I am active in my church where I teach classes in Christian education, and I have been involved in many community activities. Outside of the office I enjoy reading, hunting and playing sports, but the majority of my time is really spent reading news articles, trying to keep rabbits out of our yard, and attending or coaching our children’s activities including gymnastics, cheer, basketball, softball, baseball, football and hockey.

Bar Admissions:

Minnesota
U.S. District Court District of Minnesota
Wisconsin
Iowa

Education:

William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota J.D. cum laude
Iowa State University B.S. with distinction

Professional Associations & Memberships:

Minnesota State Bar Association, Member

Pro Bono Activities:

Past Commissioner, Woodbury Economic Development Committee
Volunteer, The First Tee of Woodbury

SHAREHOLDER

Janelle J. Chambers

Areas of practice: Estate Planning, Elder Law, Business Planning, Real Estate, Trust Administration, Probate Administration

Janelle was born and raised in Southern California. She received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of St. Thomas School of Law, cum laude. She specializes in the areas of Estate and Charitable Planning, Trust and Probate Administration, and Elder Law. Janelle presents frequently to the Twin Cities community on Estate and Charitable Planning. Some of her recent audiences include legal and financial advisors, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies, such as the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

Janelle is an active member of the Minnesota and Wisconsin State Bar Associations, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), and the St. Paul and Minnesota Foundations’ Cornerstone Council. She has served as a volunteer with the Minnesota State Bar Foundation and currently volunteers with Minnesota’s chapter of Wills for Heroes, as well as the Eden Prairie Hockey Association and the Eden Prairie Soccer Association. She currently lives in Eden Prairie with her husband and their five children. In her free time, Janelle enjoys creative writing, supporting Minnesota hockey, and spending time outdoors with her family.

Bar Admissions:

Minnesota
Wisconsin

Education:

University of St. Thomas School of Law, Minneapolis, MN, J.D. cum laude
Brigham Young University, B.A

Professional Associations & Memberships: Minnesota State Bar Association Member, Wisconsin State Bar Association Member, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) Member, St. Paul and Minnesota Foundations’ Cornerstone Council Member
Pro Bono Activities:

Wills for Heroes
Minnesota State Bar Foundation
Eden Prairie Soccer Association
Eden Prairie Hockey Association

ATTORNEY

John J. (Jack) Austin

Areas of practice: Estate Planning, Elder Law, Probate and Trust Administration, and Real Estate.

Jack grew up in Plymouth, Minnesota, and graduated from the University of Minnesota. He earned his Juris Doctor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in 2014 and was admitted to the bar that same year. His practice is focused on providing peace of mind for his clients by planning for health care needs and guiding family wealth to the next generation.

Growing up, Jack spent many summer weekends cruising Lake Superior on his family’s sailboat. During this time, Jack developed very close relationships with his two grandmothers, who both lived to see him reach adulthood. From these friendships and others, he developed an interest in the lives and experiences of his elders. These close relationships inspired Jack to focus on serving elders during his time at law school.

Jack has served in the Elder Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association since 2016, with an interest in finding and developing the next generation of elder law attorneys. He was the Section Chair in 2020-2021 and participates on several committees. He has presented to other attorneys and to the public about elder law and probate administration. He has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star every year since 2021. Jack volunteers with the Minnesota chapter of Wills for Heroes.

Jack lives in Maplewood – he and his fiancée are currently busy planning a springtime wedding. In his spare time, Jack enjoys golfing (“ball” golf as well as disc golf), alpine skiing, performing and listening to music, watching old movies (and new ones), and reading. Jack coaches alpine skiing at Skijammers, a ski school in the Twin Cities, where he is also a staff trainer.

Bar Admissions:

Minnesota
Wisconsin

Education:

University of St. Thomas School of Law, Minneapolis, MN, J.D.
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, B.A.

Professional Associations & Memberships:

Minnesota State Bar Association, Member

Ramsey County Bar Association, Member

ATTORNEY

Troy Dobbs

Troy is a Minnesota transplant, originally from Buffalo, New York. After high school he played three years of junior hockey, in Cloquet, Minnesota, before attending Saint John’s University. He graduated Cum Laude from St. John’s University as an Economics and Political Science major and was a four-year starter on the St. John’s hockey team. After graduating from St. John’s, he attended St. Thomas School of Law and worked at Medtronic and for Judge Walter Kaminsky in the Sherburne County Law Library throughout his first year of law school.

In his second year of law school, he clerked at Chandler Brown and had a primary focus on business planning. It was during this time that Troy discovered the importance of crafting Estate Plan’s tailored to each client’s unique circumstances. Troy began as an attorney at Chandler and Brown upon his graduation and bar admittance in 2024.

Troy has made Minnesota his home. He lives in Maple Grove with his fiancée, Olivia. He volunteers with Big Brother/Big Sister Organization as well as with his church. He still attends Buffalo Bills games, loves watching the Twins, and spending time at his family cabin in Grantsburg, Wisconsin.

ATTORNEY

Joseph J. Pingatore

Areas of practice: Probate, Estate Litigation

Joe is a life-long resident of the Twin Cities. He completed his undergraduate study at the University of Minnesota and graduated with honors from William Mitchell College of Law.

Joe began his legal career as a trial attorney in private practice, then moved in-house to litigate many cases as a defense attorney for MSI Insurance. Later, going to the corporate side, Joe spent 15 years as Vice President General Counsel for two different insurance groups – first with MSI Insurance and then Western National Insurance. As chief legal officer for both companies, Joe was responsible for all legal and regulatory matters of the companies. He also managed the companies’ litigation, including complex multi-million dollar exposures.

Joe had an opportunity to retire early from his 25 years in the insurance industry, and after realizing even more time on the golf course wasn’t improving his game, he welcomed the chance to return to legal work with Chandler and Brown in the area of probate and estate litigation.

Bar Admissions: Minnesota, 1981, U.S. District Court District of Minnesota,1981
Education: William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, Doctor of Jurisprudence cum laude,1981, University of Minnesota, Bachelor of General Studies, 1975, Major: Social work and Counseling

PARALEGAL

Danielle V. Treiber, MBA

Areas of practice: Probate Administration, Trust Administration, Guardianship and Conservatorship.

Danielle specializes in handling probate matters for the firm, including estate and trust administration, along with guardianship/ conservatorship matters in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.

She works closely with clients to ensure their needs are met with professionalism and empathy, and to make the legal process as smooth as possible during difficult times.

Danielle has been in the financial service industry for 20 years, providing planning, education, and community work, focusing on financial empowerment

When not working, Danielle (Dani) loves kayaking, biking, travelling, and trying to keep up with her three daughters.

Education:

Masters in Business Administration, Walden University, 2005
Bachelor of Arts, Gustavus Adolphus, 2000
Certified Financial Planning Program, University of Maryland 2010
Certified Financial Counselor, National Credit Union Association (NCUA), 2008

RETIRED

Robert H. Chandler

Areas of practice: Estate Planning, Business Planning, Real Estate, Trust Administration, Probate Administration

Over his 40 years of practice, Bob has developed a simple estate planning philosophy: Begin with the End in Mind. “I focus on helping clients identify estate planning goals. Once we know their goals, it’s a matter of using estate planning tools to reach those goals.”

The strong relationships Bob develops with clients are deeply satisfying. “For a number of families, I have had the privilege and pleasure serving several generations. A strong bond develops with clients when plans you put together years ago are now working for children and grandchildren”

Bob speaks frequently on estate planning. In addition to being the founding partner of Chandler and Brown, Ltd., Bob works on governing boards for numerous charities.

Bar Admissions: Minnesota, 1973
Education: Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, Illinois, J.D. cum laude, Northwestern University B.S. cum laude, Wheaton College, M.S. cum laude
Professional Associations & Memberships: American Bar Association, Minnesota State Bar Association
Pro Bono Activities: United Hospital Foundation

Our People

About Chandler and Brown, Ltd.

St. Paul-based Chandler and Brown, Ltd. has more than four decades of experience meeting the legal needs of individuals, families and closely held businesses in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Our lawyers are well-known for their skills in planning the transfer of wealth and property to future generations and to charity and providing the highest-quality business planning. We are service-oriented and dedicated to providing legal assistance that is both timely and effective. We take the same care in planning for your family and business as we would for our own.

Our team combines decades of experience with an awareness of constant legal change to protect your interests and help you reach your personal and business goals. We realize we do not deal merely with legal issues. No two people have the same assets, the same family members or the same goals. Each client is unique, and our services are tailored to the individual.

Trusted by generations of clients and with a strong reputation for excellence, our firm can expeditiously and successfully meet your legal needs.

Mpls – St.Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business recognized Robert H. Chandler and Paul D. Brown as among the top 5 percent advisers in the areas of estate planning, charitable giving and business planning for the Twin Cities metro area, based on an independent survey measuring client satisfaction.

Meet The Team

Paul D. Brown

SHAREHOLDER

Abraham T. Schwager

SHAREHOLDER

Janelle J. Chambers

SHAREHOLDER

John J. (Jack) Austin

ATTORNEY

Troy Dobbs

ATTORNEY

Joseph J. Pingatore

ATTORNEY

Danielle Treiber

PARALEGAL

Michelle Buske

LEGAL ASSISTANT

Carol Hayes

LEGAL ASSISTANT

Terri Mallet

OFFICE MANAGER / BOOKKEEPER

Amanda J. Schwager

PARALEGAL

Robert H. Chandler

RETIRED

Harriet

OFFICE DOG

Call: 651-228-0497 Fax: 651-228-9237

CHANDLER & BROWN, LTD.

332 Minnesota Street
Suite W2610
St. Paul, MN 55101

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SHAREHOLDER

Paul D. Brown

Areas of practice: Estate Planning, Real Estate, Probate Administration, Trust Administration.

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SHAREHOLDER

Abraham T. Schwager

Areas of practice: Estate Planning, Business Planning, Real Estate, Probate Administration, Trust Administration.

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SHAREHOLDER

Janelle J. Chambers

Areas of practice: Estate Planning, Elder Law, Business Planning, Real Estate, Trust Administration, Probate Administration

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ATTORNEY

John J. (Jack) Austin

Areas of practice: Estate Planning, Elder Law, Probate and Trust Administration, and Real Estate.

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ATTORNEY

Troy Dobbs

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ATTORNEY

Joseph J. Pingatore

Areas of practice: Probate, Estate Litigation

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PARALEGAL

Danielle V. Treiber, MBA

Areas of practice: Probate Administration, Trust Administration, Guardianship and Conservatorship.

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RETIRED

Robert H. Chandler

Areas of practice: Estate Planning, Business Planning, Real Estate, Trust Administration, Probate Administration

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Our People

Our People

About Chandler and Brown, Ltd.

Meet The Team

Paul D. Brown

Abraham T. Schwager

Janelle J. Chambers

John J. (Jack) Austin

Troy Dobbs

Joseph J. Pingatore

Danielle Treiber

Michelle Buske

Carol Hayes

Terri Mallet

Amanda J. Schwager

Robert H. Chandler

Harriet

CHANDLER & BROWN, LTD.