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Meet Our Attorney & Practice Transitions Broker​​

Hillary Harms Becchetti, JD

Hillary's first job was in a dental office. Both of her parents were dentists and she grew up filing, sterilizing, mowing the lawn and answering phones at her parents' practice in the south metro. Almost every family vacation was wherever the ADA conference happened to be that year. She has spent her entire life surrounded by dentists. After helping her parents with their transition, Hillary founded Pine Lake in order to help other dentists through the transition process among other legal struggles they may face. Now her mother, Kimberly Harms, DDS, has joined the firm as a transition specialist, conflict management consultant and dental mediator. Hillary has also written and contributed to numerous articles featured in dental magazines as well as been a featured in podcasts (AGD, Dentistry Uncensored), webinars and lectures at dental meetings across the country. Hillary lives in Lino Lakes, MN with her husband and three daughters. She enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking and spending time with her family "up north." 

Education

  • Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, MN), Bachelor of Liberal Arts, Criminal Justice & Political Science Major
  • Hamline University School of Law (St. Paul, MN), Juris Doctorate

Admitted to Practice

  • Minnesota
  • South Dakota
  • Wisconsin

Previous Positions

  • European Parliament (Brussels, Belgium), Intern for Member of European Parliament
  • MN Tax Court (St. Paul, MN), Intern
  • 2nd Judicial District (St. Paul, MN), Floating Law Clerk for all Ramsey County judges
  • 2nd Judicial District (St. Paul, MN), Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Gail Chang Bohr

Organizations

  • MN Bar Association
  • Speakers Consulting Network

Meet Our Practice Transitions Specialist. Conflict Management Consultant & "The Dental Mediator"

Kimberly Harms, D.D.S.

Kimberly Harms, D.D.S. has been around the block when it comes to dentistry. She practiced dentistry for over 30 years in both public and private settings, including owning a dental practice with her husband. Throughout her incredible career, Dr. Kim served on numerous committees, was the first woman president of the MN Dental Association, an ADA spokesperson and consumer advisor for 25 years and a national delegate among others positions. Through her work as an ADA spokesperson and consumer advisor she has been featured on the Today Show, CNN, Fox News, National Public Radio and network affiliates such as CBS, NBC and ABC. In addition she has been quoted in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, USA Today, Chicago Tribune, Consumers Digest, Shape Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Buzz Feed, Cosmopolitan and numerous other print and internet publications. Dr. Kim has also written numerous articles for dental publications and lectures across the country. She is also involved with Books for Africa and as a result works closely with the dental schools in Rwanda. Dr. Kim brings that breadth of experience to Pine Lake Law Firm as a mediator, conflict management consultant and transition specialist. Dr. Kim lives with her husband of almost 40 years in Bloomington and enjoys time spent at the cabin with her daughters and grandchildren.

Education

  • University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland), Bachelor of Science
  • University of Maryland School of Dentistry, (College Park, Maryland), Doctor of Dental Surgery

Credentials

  • MN Qualified Rule 114 Neutral

Previous Positions

  • Loyola University (Chicago, IL), Resident for the Clinical & Hospital Dentistry Programs
  • River's Edge Dental Clinic (Farmington, MN), Practice Owner & Dentist (30 years)
  • Southern Cities Community Health Center (Faribault, MN), Dental Program Developer, Dentist
  • MN Dental Association, President
  • American Dental Association, Spokesperson & Consumer Advisor (25 years)
  • American Dental Association, Chair of the Council on Communications
  • National Delegation (Washington, D.C.), Delegate

Honors

  • MN Dental Association's Distinguished Service Award
  • American Student Dental Association's Access to Care Award
  • International College of Dentist's award for Leadership in Journalism

Organizations

  • MN Dental Association
  • American Dental Association
  • International College of Dentists
  • Delegation for Friendship Among Women, current President


Meet our Attorney

Ashley M. O'Connor

 Ashley O'Connor also grew up in the dental world. As a child, it was watching cartoons about evil cavities and raiding the goody drawer at her parents' dental office for little wire rings. As a teenager, it was working at that same office over the summers, and constantly hearing from her friends at school about the stories her father was telling them about her as he was working on their teeth. And now as an adult, while she didn't go into dentistry as a profession, she is happy to still be involved in the world she grew up in as an attorney. Ashley lives in Kansas City, Missouri with her family. She enjoys running and being active, music, traveling, and going to lakes both up north in Minnesota and in the Ozarks region of Missouri. 

Education

  • Wheaton College (Wheaton, Illinois), Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
  • Major
  • University of St. Thomas School of Law (Minneapolis, Minnesota), Juris Doctorate

Admitted to Practice

  • Missouri
  • Kansas
  • Minnesota

Previous Positions

  • United States House of Representatives (Washington, D.C. & Minnetonka, Minnesota), Intern for Congressman Jim Ramstad
  • 16th Circuit Court of Jackson County, Missouri (Kansas City & Independence, Missouri), Law Clerk for the Honorable Robert M. Schieber
  • Jackson County Prosecutor's Office (Kansas City, Missouri), Assistant Prosecuting Attorney

 

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