Dennis L. Monroe, Esq.

Dennis Monroe is chairman and senior partner of the Minneapolis law firm of Monroe Moxness Berg PA, a firm he co-founded 24 years ago. A pioneer in the retail and franchise finance area, Dennis has developed a broad network of finance contacts and clients.  He assists many businesses, from emerging companies to multi-national firms, by providing creative ideas, identifying unique financing sources, and developing the financial tools necessary for their growth and development.  He also serves as special counsel to multi-national accounting firms in the areas of corporate finance and tax planning as they relate to multi-unit acquisition.

Dennis successfully built and currently manages the firm’s corporate and commercial finance practice, with additional areas of emphasis in taxation and closely held corporations.  His experience includes structuring and negotiating numerous business transactions including mergers and acquisitions, restructures and workouts, divestitures, valuations, joint ventures, commercial lending, and specialty finance transactions, as well as drafting all necessary transactional documentation.

To achieve the high caliber commercial finance practice that Monroe Moxness Berg PA is today, Dennis assembled a team of attorneys who had work experience at financial institutions or multi-national public accounting firms.  This experience enables them to evaluate and manage the most complex and sophisticated transactions.  Using this unique combination of expertise, attorneys represent both lenders and developers.  Dennis has overseen in excess of 3 billion dollars in commercial transactions, ranging from $5,000,000 to $300,000,000.

Over the last twenty years, Dennis has been recognized as a national expert in corporate and institutional finance and mergers and acquisitions, and he is often consulted regarding the latest acquisition financing techniques.  He is a frequent speaker at business conferences, professional organizations, and special finance industry events including the YPO Restaurant Roundtable and SS&G Financial Services CFO Bootcamps.  He is an annual presenter at the Restaurant Finance and Development Conference and was one of three people to receive a first-ever Hall of Fame award at the 10th annual conference. Recognized by Franchise Times magazine as a leader in the franchise industry, the magazine has honored him as one of franchising’s top 125 “Legal Eagles”, featured him in a cover story as “Franchising’s Go To Guy” and selected him as one of their “Top 20 to Watch”.

In addition to speaking, Dennis frequently contributes to franchise finance industry publications, including a monthly column forFranchise Times magazine, articles written for the Restaurant Finance Monitor, Journal of Real Estate Finance, and Hospitality News. Interviews with Dennis, including quotes, have appeared in USA Today’s Money section, Forbes magazine, Nation’s Restaurant News, Chain Leader, QSR magazine, Restaurant Business and The Wall Street Journal.

Dennis serves on a number of corporate boards, including Parasole Restaurant Holdings, Nystrom, Inc., IQ Marketing, Martin Financial, and Cole’s Salons.   In 1997 he was named Director of the Year of Marquette Bank, N.A., a system of 140 banks.  He has been selected as one of the top 10 mergers and acquisitions lawyers for Minnesota and is consistently honored each year as a Minnesota “Super Lawyer.”

Expanding his responsibilities, in January 2009 Dennis became the President and CEO of Parasole Restaurant Holdings, one of the largest restaurant companies in Minnesota.  The knowledge Dennis gains from his management experience adds new depth to his expertise.

Practice Areas:

• Advisory Services
• Business Law
• Corporate Finance, M&A
• Franchise, Distribution and IP
• Taxation

Admissions:

• Minnesota State Bar
• U.S. District Court - District of Minnesota
• U.S.Tax Court

Education:

• Carthage College – B.A., 1974, cum laude
• St. Louis University – M.B.A., 1978, Juris Doctor, 1978

Memberships:

• Hennepin County Bar Association
• Minnesota State Bar Association
• American Bar Association - Member: Business Section and Franchising Forum
• International Franchising Association

Attorney News & Announcements:

Monroe Moxness Berg congratulates Franchise Times 2012 “Legal Eagles”