Lawyers & Staff

Brian Aust, Partner

Brian Aust has been a practicing attorney for more than 20 years. He graduated from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul in May 2000 and was admitted to the Minnesota State Bar in October 2000. He is also admitted to practice before the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals and the Federal District Court of Minnesota.

Brian works on all types of immigration cases. He represents individuals in family based immigration matters (marriage cases, fiancé(e) and other petitions), people applying for asylum, employment based immigration including H-1B and Labor Certifications, removal (deportation) defense and naturalization. Brian also has a special interest in representing GLBT clients. Read More >

Malinda Schmiechen, Partner

For over twenty years, Malinda has been dedicated to improving the lives of people born outside the United States. Malinda understands the stress and strain of living outside your home country and traveling abroad. She has lived in the former Yugoslavia and Poland and has visited countries in Africa, Central America, Asia and Europe.

Prior to going into private practice, Malinda was a staff attorney with The Advocates for Human Rights in the Refugee and Immigrant Program. Read More >

Mrynna Rutan, Attorney

Mrynna Rutan began working in the immigration field in 2019 when she assisted clients in expedited removal proceedings who were detained in the Karnes Detention Center in Texas. There she helped prepare clients for credible and reasonable fear interviews before the Asylum Office and appeals before the Immigration Court. In law school, she was an executive board member of the Asylum Law Project, where she helped partner students with nonprofit organizations to assist in humanitarian applications. Read More >

Helen Johnson, Case Manager

Helen Johnson graduated from Vassar College in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Hispanic Studies, and Music Performance. Helen spent her time as a student studying the various ways in which the laws of the United States work against immigrants and people of color, which led her to become interested in immigration law and criminal defense. Read More >

Grace Riegel, Paralegal

Grace Riegel graduated from Macalester College in 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Russian Studies. Grace studied abroad in Moldova, where she saw how international events affect the day-to-day lives of people living through them. Read More >