In the Community

Rotary Club # 25 and the Duluth Superior Eco Rotary Club are sponsoring an all-day ethics training for local area high school students.  Attorney Patrick Spott from the Spott Law Office and Assistant Professor Kay Biga from the University of Wisconsin – Superior will be the presenters.  Attorney Emily Spott will be preparing much of the materials for the training.  The ethics workshop will be held from 8am-3:30pm on April 30, 2014 at the Kitchi Gammi Club. Area high school juniors and seniors are invited to attend the event.

The daylong training session is designed to present students with realistic scenarios that they might face in the corporate workplace. Students work together to craft ethical and fair solutions to the problems that they might one day encounter on the job.  “This will be a fun, interactive workshop with both large and small group activities,” said Kay Biga, who facilitates the class. “The benefit to the student is getting prepared for ethical issues that will confront them in college and in the workplace. This unique training will also set them apart from other students when completing their college applications.”

Plans are for 10 adult facilitators and 60 participating students at the program. There is no cost to the students to attend.  If you know of a high school student who might benefit from this dynamic training, please contact the Spott Law Office at (218) 724-9325.

Assistant professor and attorney Kay Biga is offering a new hospitality management course at the University of Wisconsin - Superior this spring.  The course takes advantage of Biga’s thirty years in the hospitality and tourism industry.  There will be several guest speakers, field trips and help in lining up internships.  This is the first time a hospitality course is being offered in Duluth/Superior by a higher education institution.

A life-long Duluthian, attorney Kay Biga is a mediator, Guardian ad litem and Custody Evaluator. She also is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin – Superior and serves as adjunct faculty at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth. She teaches courses in a variety of subjects, including: business law, business ethics, real property, contracts, strategic management, and international business.

Since 1984, Kay has been the Chief Operating Officer of Biga Affiliates. A frequent presenter at the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Development Series, Kay is known for her expertise in matters related to networking, strategic planning, and hiring and firing practices. Kay also serves on a number of committees in the area and is actively involved in the local community.

Spott Law Office joins Kraus Anderson Construction in sponsoring the Duluth Superior Symphony Verdi Requiem Concert on April 5, 2014.  The Messa da Requiem is a musical setting of the Roman Catholic funeral mass (Requiem) for four soloists, double choir and orchestra by Giuseppe Verdi.  It was composed in memory of Alessandro Manzoni, an Italian poet and novelist who Verdi admired. The first performance, at the San Marco church in Milan on 22 May 1874, marked the first anniversary of Manzoni's death.  Maestro Dirk Meyer conducts the DSSO, joined by the DSSO Chorus, UMD Chorus, and Minnesota Chorale in performing this timeless masterpiece.

Attorney Patrick Spott is teaching Business Law for the College of St. Scholastica to students in the Masters of Business Adminstration and Masters of Arts in Management programs during the spring and summer semesters of 2014. Spott is an adjunct faculty member in the College's School of Business and Technology. The School of Business and Technology combines an academic emphasis on liberal arts with experiential learning to create global leaders with strong professional skills who act with integrity and a strong sense of social responsibility. The School offers a variety of programs including: accounting, applied economics, computer science/computer information systems, finance, organizational behavior, management and marketing.

The Masters of Business Administration is offered through the School of Business and Technology. The College of St. Scholastica's Master of Business Administration program offers a broad-based business curriculum emphasizing technical and analytical skills; global and cultural acumen; and, social responsibility and ethical decision-making. Students work with mentors from the business community and are immersed in real-world situations throughout their program. Coursework includes required classes in global leadership and ethics, managerial application of technology and communication and cultural effectiveness. Students can work on a real-time global business problem through the unique Capstone Abroad seminar. Through the Professional Effectiveness seminars, students gain insights, skills and partnerships to turn their career goals into reality. Founded in 1986, the Master of Arts in Management program has produced over 600 graduates who have taken roles as corporate leaders and managers in private corporations, nonprofits, heathcare, government, education, engineering, and small business entrepreneurship. Graduates of this program are skilled at identifying and analyzing organizational problems, developing innovative solutions, and making correct, ethical decisions at critical times. The program's primary areas of study include:

Organizational behavior
Process consultation
Human resources management
Interpersonal communication and cultural competence
Strategic change management
Traditional business topics such as marketing and economic

Kay Biga presented a paper entitled, "Keeping People Involved: Creating a New Model for Service Organizations" authored by Kay Biga, Patrick Spott and Emily Spott, at the The 50th Annual MBAA International Conference in Chicago in March of 2014.  Founded in 1964 by a group of professors from leading Midwestern universities including the Indiana University and the University of Kansas, the "Midwest Business Administration Association" stands for a high quality, high value, multidisciplinary gathering of leaders from around the world with almost a half century of history to present and receive useful research, share effective pedagogy, and network in a fun and familiar setting.  The paper will be published in the MBAA annual conference proceedings.  

Spott Law Office sponsored the June 11, 2013 Let's Do Lunch small business presentation entitled, "Learn What's Brewing in Duluth," presented by Brad Nelson - Minster of Culture & Propaganda, Fitger's Brewhouse/ Tycoons / Burrito Union.

Duluth is developing into a craft beer haven; Fitger's Brewhouse alone has created more than 100 styles and 2,500 barrels of handcrafted beer. And with additional microbreweries popping up in Duluth and surrounding areas, the community is beginning to be recognized by both media and tourists as a malt-yeast-and-hop destination.

Let's Do Lunch, Duluth is one of the Chamber's most popular business programs. It is designed to provide Chamber members a venue to network with one another while listening to influential speakers address issues that are timely, relevant, and engaging. 

Attorneys Kay Biga, Patrick Spott and Emily Spott have published an article entitled "How to Win Friends and Influence Students: Applying Networking Principles to the Teacher-Student Relationship in the Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice 2013.

A life-long Duluthian, attorney Kay Biga is a mediator, Guardian ad litem and Custody Evaluator. She also is an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin – Superior and serves as adjunct faculty at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth. She teaches courses in a variety of subjects, including: business law, business ethics, real property, contracts, strategic management, and international business.

From 1997 to 2011 Patrick Spott worked as a Dale Carnegie Trainer in addition to his practice, instructing both lawyer and non-lawyer business people in the application of time-tested principles to measurably improve confidence, communications, and interpersonal skills.
Pat is also an adjunct faculty member at the College of St. Scholastica and the University of Wisconsin, Superior.

At the College of St. Scholatica Pat teaches in the School of Business and Technology. He provides legal training to accounting and finance majors in the college's undergraduate program. Pat also teaches graduate students in the Master's of Business Administration and Master's of Management programs, again focusing on legal topics.

At University of Wisconsin, Superior Pat helps train our area's future paralegals and lawyers. Teaching in the Human Behavior, Justice and Diversity Department, Pat provides instruction in almost every area of law. He also designed the first on line legal studies course at UWS and coninues to teach in both the traditional classroom setting and on line.

Attorney Emily Spott has received her Juris Doctor degree from Hamline University School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in the State of Minnesota.  At Spott Law Office, Emily's work has focused on litigation support, motion practice and research. At Hamline Emily was a Bakken Fellow and competed internationally in Vienna and Hong Kong as both a participant and coach in the Willem C. Vis (East) Moot Court Competition.

Attorney Patrick Spott has been selected at Chair for the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra (DSSO) for the 2013-2014 season.

Although Duluth has a history of professional orchestras reaching as far back as 1883, the beginnings of the Duluth Civic Orchestra occurred in 1931 in the carriage house of Alphin Flaaten, a professional music teacher. The first concert of the Civic Orchestra was on May 2, 1932, under the baton of Walter Lange. The organization met with overwhelming community support and Paul Lemay, principal violist and assistant conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony, accepted the post of first full-time conductor. His first concert with the Duluth Civic Orchestra was December 26, 1932, and shortly thereafter, the Duluth Symphony Association was founded under the management of Abe Miller.

Those initial concerts took place in the Duluth Armory located at 14th Avenue East and London Road. In 1966, the Orchestra moved to the DECC (Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center) Auditorium which seats over 2,200 and is located on the waterfront. In the 1974-75 season the name of the Orchestra was officially changed to Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra to reflect the close cultural and economic relationship of the two port cities.
Since its inception in 1932, the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra has proven to be a leading cultural organization in this region. Now, in its 77th season, the DSSO has consistently provided professional level performances of symphonic music, both traditional and new, to audiences of every age and background. The DSSO has set itself apart from its peers and established a unique tradition by regularly featuring the most important soloists of the day.

The mission of the DSSO is to deeply move and engage as many people as possible with the power of symphonic music. Attorneys Patrick Spott and Kay Biga are long time supporters of the DSSO. Kay Biga served on the board for nine years. She and Patrick sponsored two concerts in past seasons and Spott Law Office is sponsored a concert in the 2012-2013 season and again is 2013-14.

Attorney Patrick Spott kicked of Leadership Duluth 2013-14 on September 11, 2013 with a presentation on networking and personal relations. Leadership Duluth is our community’s premier leadership development program. Designed to identify, orient, develop and network existing and emerging leaders, Leadership Duluth inspires participants to take an active role in ensuring the health and prosperity of our area.

A program of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Duluth's mission is to identify, educate and inspire leaders to serve our community. Participants will collaborate with each other and area leaders to determine and define the components of a healthy community. Through a series of educational and hands-on opportunities, participants will come to understand the inner-workings of these components and how they contribute to the Duluth area’s overall health. Finally, in response to Leadership Duluth’s call to action, participants will be asked to share their personal and business intentions for the future.

Program objectives are to educate participants about Duluth’s cultural and business history, as well as the current issues facing the region. Invite participants to work together to foster and facilitate positive change in their workplaces and in the community. Equip participants with skills that will assist them in being more effective leaders in the workplace and in the community. Finally, the program seeks to motivate participants to pursue active leadership within those causes with which they identify.
Attorney Patrick Spott is a graduate of Leadership Duluth and actively participates in Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce initiatives and programs.

Attorney Patrick Spott is teaching Business Law for the College of St. Scholastica to students in the Masters of Business Adminstration and Masters of Arts in Management programs during the spring and summer semesters of 2013.  Spott is an adjunct faculty member in the College's School of Business and Technology.  The School of Business and Technology combines an academic emphasis on liberal arts with experiential learning to create global leaders with strong professional skills who act with integrity and a strong sense of social responsibility.  The School offers a variety of programs including: accounting, applied economics, computer science/computer information systems, finance, organizational behavior, management and marketing.  

The Masters of Business Administration is offered through the School of Business and Technology.  The College of St. Scholastica's Master of Business Administration program offers a broad-based business curriculum emphasizing technical and analytical skills; global and cultural acumen; and, social responsibility and ethical decision-making.  Students work with mentors from the business community and are immersed in real-world situations throughout their program.  Coursework includes required classes in global leadership and ethics, managerial application of technology and communication and cultural effectiveness.  Students can work on a real-time global business problem through the unique Capstone Abroad seminar.  Through the Professional Effectiveness seminars, students gain insights, skills and partnerships to turn their career goals into reality.  Founded in 1986, the Master of Arts in Management program has produced over 600 graduates who have taken roles as corporate leaders and managers in private corporations, nonprofits, heathcare, government, education, engineering, and small business entrepreneurship.  Graduates of this program are skilled at identifying and analyzing organizational problems, developing innovative solutions, and making correct, ethical decisions at critical times. The program's primary areas of study include:

• Organizational behavior
• Process consultation
• Human resources management
• Interpersonal communication and cultural competence
• Strategic change management
• Traditional business topics such as marketing and economic