Finance & Commerce Names Jennifer Miernicki and Breia Schleuss Top Women in Finance

Faegre Baker Daniels partners Jennifer Miernicki and Breia Schleuss have been named to Finance & Commerce’s 2016 Top Women in Finance.

Top Women in Finance honors high-achieving Minnesota businesswomen who are making a remarkable impact in the finance profession and in their communities.

Miernicki focuses her practice on lender representation, but also assists public and private companies to leverage balance sheet cash and available financing options to reap the rewards of M&A opportunities. She collaborates with clients to book deals that achieve their business goals and improve the economic bottom line. Her practice also includes representation of Native American tribes and tribal entities nationwide. Jennifer firmly believes that all lawyers have an explicit obligation to advance the rule of law and uphold equality. She has dedicated countless pro bono hours to organizations such as The Advocates for Human Rights, The Center for Reproductive Rights, WomenVenture and The Children’s Law Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and a law degree from University of Iowa.   

Schleuss is a partner in the firm’s finance and restructuring group and is a leader of the firm’s agribusiness finance practice. She represents lenders and companies in a variety of loan and commercial transactions, including syndicated debt facilities, real estate financings, supply chain financings, and the restructuring of underperforming loans. She has helped to finance everything from sugar beets in northern Minnesota, to dairy facilities in California, to cross-border transactions, and international mergers. Her prestige and success are evident in her prominent client base. Schleuss serves on the Board of Directors of Minnesota Women Lawyers, the Board of Directors of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations, and the Business Finance Advisory Committee of WomenVenture. She received a bachelor’s degree from St. Olaf College and a J.D. from the University of St. Thomas School of Law.

Miernicki and Schleuss have flourished in their individual client relationships, and together have accumulated nearly $15 billion in deals in recent years. Both women started their careers at Faegre Baker Daniels on the same day, having since built strong complementary practices. Their teamwork and commitment to helping one another reach new heights has been a central component of their respective success.

This year’s Top Women in Finance will be honored at an awards presentation on Nov. 17in Minneapolis. 

See the full list of Top Women in Finance.