Sandra Smalley-Fleming

Sandra Smalley-Fleming maintains a national practice representing parties in cases involving commercial fraud, securities fraud, as well as investor broker disputes in jury trials, court trials and arbitrations around the country.

Sandy chairs Fredrikson’s Securities Litigation group and co-chairs the firm’s Investment Management group. She represents parties in regulatory proceedings involving the SEC, FINRA and state regulatory entities. This includes, but is not limited to, representing individuals when they require compliance and employment-related advice with respect to their RIA businesses. Her practice also includes dealing with financial fraud-related issues, shareholder disputes, LLC disputes and other related matters involving allegations of financial fraud and similar topics.

Sandy prides herself on being able to build trusted relationships with institutions and individuals so that if they are sued or face complicated legal matters, their first call is to her. In recent years, this has included matters related to employment-based discrimination and other similar issues.

Sandy also has extensive experience representing receivers, trustees, creditors and victims in the context of Ponzi schemes.

Prior to joining Fredrikson, Sandy was at Lindquist & Vennum for 17 years, and she served as Chair of that firm’s securities litigation practice before joining Ross Orenstein & Baudry. She has also served as counsel to special litigation committees appointed to investigate shareholder class action claims challenging public company mergers and acquisitions.

Since 2010, Sandy has developed and directed leadership programs which have been supported by Medtronic, Best Buy, Minnesota Women Lawyers, the Minnesota State and Federal Bar Association, the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis and Minnesota Monthly. These programs include Access to Leadership (founded at Lindquist & Vennum) and Opportunity to Lead (founded at Fredrikson). These programs provide public forums for discussing strategies for strengthening and diversifying the leadership in our judiciary, law firms and corporations. The forums often draw over 250 participants comprised of federal and state judiciary, corporate executives and members of the local bar.

Education

• William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1999
• University of Nebraska, B.S., 1989

Admissions

• Minnesota
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, 2001

• Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2024-2025; Arbitration, 2025
• North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2018-2023
• Outstanding Pro Bono Recognition, Pro Bono Council of the MSBA Access to Justice Committee in partnership with the Minnesota Supreme Court, 2020

Professional Activities

• William Mitchell College of Law (now Mitchell Hamline School of Law), Adjunct Professor-Feminist Jurisprudence; Civil Procedure; Professional Responsibility, 2003-2011
• Minnesota Women Lawyers, Leadership Committee Co-Chair, 2007-2015

Community

• Access to Leadership (Lindquist & Vennum)/Opportunity to Lead (Fredrikson), Founder, 2010-present
• The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, Board of Directors, 2014-present
• University of St. Thomas Law School, Member of the Board of Governors, 2011-present
• University of St. Thomas Law School, Board of Governors, Board Chair, 2020-present
• University of St. Thomas Law School, Board of Governors Executive Committee Member, 2014-present
• University of St. Thomas Law School, Women’s Wall of Leadership, inducted 2022
• The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, Membership Committee Chair, Executive Committee Member, 2015-present