Greta A. Wiessner

Greta Wiessner became a lawyer to fight for justice. As an Associate in the Civil Rights and Mass Tort practice groups, Greta advocates for those who have been injured or have had their rights violated by police, the prison system, pharmaceutical companies, and more. Greta joined Robins Kaplan following two federal clerkships, one on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the other on the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Clerking honed Greta’s legal research and writing in all areas of federal litigation.

Before clerking, Greta graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. There, she enjoyed representing clients through the Penn Law Immigrant Rights Project, Child Advocacy Clinic, Transnational Legal Clinic, and as a summer law clerk at the Hennepin County Public Defenders. Greta was also a Senior Editor on the Law Review, a research assistant to two of her professors, and won the Keedy Cup, Penn Law’s prestigious Appellate Moot Court competition.

A born litigator, Greta looks forward to zealously advocating for her clients rights and remedying the injustices they have experienced.

Education

• University of Pennsylvania Law School, summa cum laude, Order of the Coif (2019)
• Boston College, Bachelor of Arts, International Politics and Communication, summa sum laude (2013); Phi Beta Kappa, Thomas Gasson Award for a Distinguished Academic

Languages

Representative Matters

$12.2 Million Settlement
Winborn v. Schneider et al.: In 2020, Terrance Dwayne Winborn was incarcerated at the Scott County Jail in Shakopee, Minnesota while needing medical care. His constitutional rights were violated due to the deliberate indifference of a registered nurse at the jail who chose not to provide vital medical care in the critical hours, nearly allowing Mr. Winborn to die while in the care, custody, and control of the jail. This alleged indifference allowed a bacterial infection to fester within Mr. Winborn's body, leading to a heart attack, purpuric lesions, septic shock, gangrene, and ultimately, the amputation of both arms below the elbows, and other devastating and permanent injuries. Scott County Jail officials failed to report this matter to the Minnesota Department of Corrections within the 10-day time period required by law and allowed 39 hours of archived video evidence concerning Mr. Winborn to be deleted.

$7.5 Million Settlement
Pope v. Chauvin, Arradondo & MPD: United States District Court, District of Minnesota (2023): In 2017, John Pope displayed no aggressive or threatening actions when Derek Chauvin struck him multiple times in the head before choking him around his neck and pinning him to the floor with his knee – the same tactic used to murder George Floyd in 2020. MPD was called to Pope’s residence for a domestic dispute where they found Pope on his phone, relaxing on the floor of his bedroom. During Pope’s tearful cries for help, none of the other MPD officers intervened during Chauvin’s use of excessive force nor did MPD in the aftermath having obtain video evidence of the incident.

$1.375 Million Settlement
Code v. Chauvin, Arradondo, Johnson & MPD: United States District Court, District of Minnesota (2023): In 2017, Zoya Code was not resisting arrest when former MPD officer, Derek Chauvin, used excessive forced by slamming her head into the ground and torquing her handcuffed wrists upward and behind her head while she was face down on the ground. Chauvin then pinned his knee to the back of her neck and placed in “hobble” restraint with no just cause for almost five minutes. Chauvin and other officers involved were not disciplined for their actions.

$1.2 Million Settlement
Cole v. Does: Robins Kaplan civil rights attorneys resolved a case brought on behalf of two decorated journalists, Carolyn Cole and Molly Hennessy-Fiske, against members of the Minnesota State Patrol who surrounded and pepper-sprayed them while they covered the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder for the LA Times. The State Patrol agreed to a $1,200,000 settlement.

$350K Settlement
Alayna Albrecht-Payton v. Brooklyn Center Police Department, et al. (2021): Secured a settlement on behalf of Alayna Albrecht-Payton, a passenger of Duante Wright, who was shot at a traffic light by a former Minnesota police officer. The fatal shooting resulted in a crash that left our client will multiple injuries, both physical and emotional.

• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch (2025 edition)
• Named "Attorney of the Year" by Minnesota Lawyer (2023)
• Named an “Up & Coming Attorney,“ Minnesota Lawyer (2023)
• Named a "Minnesota Rising Star," Super Lawyers (2023-2024)
• Named a “North Star Lawyer” by the Minnesota State Bar Association for providing at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services (2022)
• Benjamin R. Jones Award for Humanity and the Law (2019)
• Toll Public Interest Fellow (2018-2019)
• Winner and Best Oralist, Edwin R. Keedy Appellate Moot Court Competition (2019)
• Exceptional Pro Bono Service Award (2019)

Civic

• Penn Law Immigrants’ Rights Project, Client Services Director (2018)
• Penn Law Pardon Project, pro bono volunteer
• Transnational Legal Clinic, Student Attorney (2018)
• Child Advocacy Clinic, Student Attorney (2017-2018)

Speeches

• Threats to the Rule of Law – Perspectives from the Bench
  Moderator, ​Robins Kaplan LLP Trial Advocacy Seminar, Minneapolis, Minnesota (October 30, 2024)

Articles

• Ineffective Assistance of Padilla: Effectuating the Constitutional Right to Crimmigration Counsel, 167 U. PA. L. REV. 463 (2019)

Media Mentions

• "Minnesota Lawyer Announces Attorneys of the Year," Minnesota Lawyer (December 21, 2023)
• "$12.2 Million Settlement for Man Who Lost Limbs After 'Deliberate Indifference' by Scott County Jail," Star Tribune (October 4, 2023)
• "Up & Coming Attorneys, Unsung Legal Heroes Announced," Minnesota Lawyer (July 24, 2023)
• "The Recent Recruits of Robins Kaplan LLP: The Future (of Law) is Female," Attorney at Law Magazine (May 8, 2023)
• "Judge Grills Arkansas State Police Trooper’s Attorney for Justification for 2020 Traffic Stop and Search," Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette (October 26, 2022)