In the Community

Attorney Kay Biga recently spoke to the Duluth branch of the Minnesota Women Lawyers organization on the subject of Technology in Law Firms.  She presented ideas for small and mid size law firms, including customer relations management and billing software. 

Kay Biga presented her recent paper "How to Win Friends and Influence Students: Applying Networking Principles to the Teacher-Student Relationship" at the annual Midwest Academy of Legal Studies in Business conference held at the Drake Hotel in Chicago on February 27 - March 1, 2013.  The paper was co-authored by attorneys  Patrick Spott and Emily Spott.  

Biga is a Rule 114 Qualified Mediator, Guardian ad litem, and Custody Evaluator.  She also is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin – Superior and serves as adjunct faculty at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth.  She teaches courses in a variety of subjects, including: business law, business ethics, real property, contracts, strategic management, and international business.  Since 1984, Kay has been the Chief Operating Officer of Biga Affiliates.  A frequent presenter at the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Development Series, Kay is known for her expertise in matters related to networking, strategic planning, and hiring and firing practices.  Kay also serves on a number of committees in the area and is actively involved in the local community.

The Midwest Academy of Legal Studies in Business is one of eleven regional affiliates of the American Business Law Association (Renamed ALSB in 1990), the Midwest Business Law Association (renamed MALSB in 1991) has a mailing list membership of nearly 250.  Annually in the mid-1980s the MALSB has averaged 88 – 95 members in attendance at its annual meeting, at which there have been 50 – 60 papers scheduled for presentation at each of these meetings, as well as at least two panel discussions.  This trend with some deviation continues through to today.  The Midwest Business Law Association was established in response to the American Business Law Association’s 1958 encouragement that regional organizations be formed.  The following year thirteen members met in St. Louis on April 16, 1959, setting initial dues at $2 per year (in comparison to the current $35 combined dues/registration fee).  In the initial years, the MALSB scheduled its meetings in conjunction with the Midwest Economics Association meeting.  The MALSB’s ties to the Midwest Business Administration Association (MBAA, founded in 1964, renamed MBAA – International in 2005), however, stretch back to the early years of the latter organization.  Having followed the MBAA from Chicago to St. Louis and back again, the MALSB has met annually at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago throughout the 1980s and 1990’s and into the 2000’s.  Since 2007 MBAA – International has been meeting at The Drake.  Particularly noteworthy is the MALSB’s sponsorship of a national blind refereed law review journal entitled the Midwest Law Review.  MALSB members, such as Doug Whitman and Mike Litka were instrumental in initiating the publication.  Begun in 1981 under the leadership of its first Editor-in-Chief, John Gergacz of Kansas University, this semi-annual publication has recently become indexed in Cabell’s Directory, the Business Periodicals Index and the Index for Legal Periodicals.  It continues to grow in stature, as national reviewers and contributors are attracted. In 2005 the Midwest Law Review was renamed the Midwest Law Journal. 

Business attorney and mediator Kay Biga attended the Minnesota Closely Held Business Conference in January 2013.  

Topics at the conference included limited liability companies and corporations as business entity options for small business, wage and hour issues, capitalization strategies, analysis of utilization of independant contractors versus employees, and business valuations.

Biga is a Rule 114 Qualified Mediator, Guardian ad litem, and Custody Evaluator. She also is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin – Superior and serves as adjunct faculty at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth. She teaches courses in a variety of subjects, including: business law, business ethics, real property, contracts, strategic management, and international business.  Since 1984, Kay has been the Chief Operating Officer of Biga Affiliates. A frequent presenter at the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Development Series, Kay is known for her expertise in matters related to networking, strategic planning, and hiring and firing practices. Kay also serves on a number of committees in the area and is actively involved in the local community.

Although Duluth has a history of professional orchestras reaching as far back as 1883, the beginnings of the Duluth Civic Orchestra occurred in 1931 in the carriage house of Alphin Flaaten, a professional music teacher. The first concert of the Civic Orchestra was on May 2, 1932, under the baton of Walter Lange. The organization met with overwhelming community support and Paul Lemay, principal violist and assistant conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony, accepted the post of first full-time conductor. His first concert with the Duluth Civic Orchestra was December 26, 1932, and shortly thereafter, the Duluth Symphony Association was founded under the management of Abe Miller.

Those initial concerts took place in the Duluth Armory located at 14th Avenue East and London Road. In 1966, the Orchestra moved to the DECC (Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center) Auditorium which seats over 2,200 and is located on the waterfront. In the 1974-75 season the name of the Orchestra was officially changed to Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra to reflect the close cultural and economic relationship of the two port cities.

Since its inception in 1932, the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra has proven to be a leading cultural organization in this region. Now, in its 77th season, the DSSO has consistently provided professional level performances of symphonic music, both traditional and new, to audiences of every age and background. The DSSO has set itself apart from its peers and established a unique tradition by regularly featuring the most important soloists of the day.

The mission of the DSSO is to deeply move and engage as many people as possible with the power of symphonic music.  Attorneys Patrick Spott and Kay Biga are long time supporters of the DSSO.  Kay Biga served on the board for nine years.  She and Patrick sponsored two concerts in past seasons and Spott Law Office is sponsoring a concert in the 2012-2013 season.

Attorney Patrick Spott kicked of Leadership Duluth 2012-13 on September 12, 2012 with a presentation on networking and personal relations.  Leadership Duluth is our community’s premier leadership development program.  Designed to identify, orient, develop and network existing and emerging leaders, Leadership Duluth inspires participants to take an active role in ensuring the health and prosperity of our area.

A program of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Duluth's mission is to identify, educate and inspire leaders to serve our community. Participants will collaborate with each other and area leaders to determine and define the components of a healthy community.   Through a series of educational and hands-on opportunities, participants will come to understand the inner-workings of these components and how they contribute to the Duluth area’s overall health.  Finally, in response to Leadership Duluth’s call to action, participants will be asked to share their personal and business intentions for the future.

Program objectives are to educate participants about Duluth’s cultural and business history, as well as the current issues facing the region. Invite participants to work together to foster and facilitate positive change in their workplaces and in the community. Equip participants with skills that will assist them in being more effective leaders in the workplace and in the community. Finally, the program seeks to motivate participants to pursue active leadership within those causes with which they identify.

Attorney Patrick Spott is a graduate of Leadership Duluth and actively participates in Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce initiatives and programs.

In conjunction with their sponsorship of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce's "Let's Do Lunch", the Spott Law Office offered to provide pro bono legal services for a local non profit for one year. After receiving several nominations Community Action Duluth was ultimately selected.  

Community Action started in Duluth in 1965 as a public agency operated through the City of Duluth. During its first years of operation, the agency emphasized direct services to people with low incomes. Among the programs administered were Head Start, remedial reading, child development centers, and Neighborhood Youth Corps.  In 1982, Duluth Community Action Program (DCAP) incorporated as a nonprofit and became independent from the City of Duluth. DCAP relocated to the Duluth Armory on London Road and began providing services like energy assistance, weatherization, and food assistance.  

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, DCAP formed strong bonds with several community-based organizations and was instrumental in:

• The early development of affordable housing (with Center City Housing Corporation)
• Grassroots organizing around energy conservation and rate hikes (with the Senior Coalition)
• Neighborhood empowerment efforts (with West End Community Action and Broad-Based Organizing for a Newer Duluth-BOND)

Building on its rich history of providing for the needs of people with low incomes in Duluth, DCAP was reborn as Community Action Duluth (CAD) in 1999. The office was moved to its current location in Lincoln Park.  Today, Community Action Duluth's programs are designed to help people increase their income and assets, secure jobs, and develop social capital.  In 2010, CAD formed a subsidiary – Green Duluth LLC – that provides green jobs through urban agriculture, Watershed Conservation Corps, Energy Outreach Canvass, and an energy conservation partnership with Minnesota Power.