8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
CHECK-IN & CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 

9:00 – 9:05 a.m.
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS

OVERVIEW OF MECHANICS LIENS

9:05 – 9:35 a.m.
Setting the Stage with 9 Q&As – The Who, What, How of Mechanics Liens

• What Are Mechanics Liens?
• What Type of Work Is Covered by Liens?
• What Is Lienable and What Is Not?
• Who Can Get a Lien? 
• Who Has Lien Rights? 
• Who Can Be Subject to a Lien?
• What Is the Process to File a Lien? 
• How Do You File? 
• How Do You Respond?

– Matthew R. Doherty 

9:35 – 9:55 a.m.
Seeing the Bigger Picture – How Understanding the Project Is Key to Mechanics Liens

• Is the Project Out of Balance?
• Knowing the Project Details and Budget
• Analyzing Budget Shortfall or Surplus
• What You Need to Look Out For
• And More

– Matthew A. Anderson 

9:55 – 10:00 a.m.
BREAK

CORE TOPICS

10:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Pre-lien Notices – Notify and Preserve

• Establish the Right to File
• Requirements and Ensuring Validity of Notice
• Exceptions
• Service

– Matthew T. Collins

10:30 – 11:10 a.m.
Payment and Lien Waivers – To Pay or Not to Pay

• Owner’s Rights to Withold Payment
• Payment by Promissory Note
• Lien Waivers
• Theft by Contractor
• Contingent Payment Clauses
• Application of Payments

– Hugh D. Brown

11:10 – 11:20 a.m.
BREAK

11:20 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Mechanics Lien Statements – How to Prepare and Record

• Common Errors
• Description of Property
• Overstatement
• Single vs. Multiple Statements
• Apportionment
• Service
• Filing

– Caryn A. Boisen 

12:00 – 12:45 p.m.
LUNCH BREAK (on your own)

12:45 – 1:25 p.m.
Priority – Who Comes First and Why It Matters

• Improvement of the Ground
• Record Notice of Claimant’s Contract
• Actual Notice of Work Performed Before Mortgage Recorded
• Actual Notice of Unrecorded Mortgage
• Separate Improvements
• Loss of Priority

– Matthew A. Anderson 

1:25 – 2:05 p.m.
Mechanics Lien Foreclosure Action

• Commencement by Action
• Timing
• Parties
• Release of Mechanics Lien by Deposit with the Court
• Foreclosure Sale and Redemption
• Defenses

– John C. Holper & Christina Rieck Loukas 

2:05 – 2:10 p.m.
BREAK

ADVANCED ISSUES

2:10 – 2:40 p.m.
How to Secure Mechanics Lien Coverage for Your Next Commercial Project

• Vacant Land
• Construction Commenced But Not Completed
• Recently Completed Construction

– Barbara Gilmore

2:40 – 3:10 p.m.
How Bankruptcy Impacts Mechanics Liens

• Automatic Stay
• Relief from Automatic Stay
• Property of the Estate
• Post-Petition Perfection of Mechanics Liens
• Tolling Effect of Section 108(c)
• Constitutional Liens
• Dischargeable Debts

– Patrick C. Summers

3:10 – 3:25 p.m.
BREAK

3:25 – 3:55 p.m.
Resolving Mechanics Liens Through Arbitration

• Effect of Agreement to Arbitrate Upon Enforceability of Mechanics Liens
• Waiver of Right to Arbitrate
• Stay of Foreclosure Action
• Scope of Arbitration Proceeding
• Effect of Arbitration Award

– Mark R. Becker

3:55 – 4:25 p.m.
Lien Value Calculations – Calculating Lien Amounts, Offsets, and Overstatements

• Value When Work is Complete
• Value When Work is Incomplete
• Reasonable Value
• Errors and Overstatements
• And More!

– Heidi J. Bassett

4:25 – 4:55 p.m.
Understanding Tenant Improvements

• Property Interests Subject to Liens
• Lienable Improvements
• Pre-Lien Notice
• Mechanic’s Lien Statement

– David J. Krco

LIVE IN-PERSON
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Minnesota CLE Conference Center
600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 370
Seventh Street & Nicollet Mall, Third Floor City Center
Minneapolis, Minnesota

ONLINE REPLAYS
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Friday, October 10, 2025
Attend online
A moderator will be available to answer questions by email.

$295 MSBA members / $295 paralegals / $345 standard rate

Other discounts that may apply:

• Season Pass Discount
• New Lawyer Discount

Scholarships available!
Need-based scholarships are available for in-person and online seminars. For further information or to obtain a scholarship application, contact us at 800-759-8840 or customerservice@minncle.org.

Minnesota CLE is applying to the Minnesota State Board of CLE for 6.5 standard CLE credits. The maximum number of total credits attendees may claim for this program is 6.5 credits.

Minnesota CLE also has applied to the Minnesota State Bar Association for 6.5 advanced real estate specialist credits.