On Wednesday, January 28, 2026, the Supreme Court of Minnesota reinstated Clayton D. Halunen, a Minnesota attorney, to the practice of law, effective upon payment of required registration fees to the Minnesota Lawyer Registration Office. This decision comes after Halunen was indefinitely suspended in March 2023 for professional misconduct.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Clayton D. Halunen,” with case no. A24-0617.
Halunen’s suspension stemmed from incidents involving sexual harassment of two male employees at his law firm, Halunen Law, where he was the sole owner and managing partner. Additional charges included threatening employees with legal repercussions to suppress allegations of sexual harassment and providing improper legal advice to one of the employees.
In April 2024, Halunen applied for reinstatement. A panel of the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board conducted a two-day hearing in December 2024. Before the hearing, the Director of the Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility submitted a report regarding the appropriateness of Halunen’s reinstatement. The Director deferred making a recommendation until after Halunen presented his case to the panel.
During the hearing, Halunen testified and presented six witnesses, including his treating psychologist, Dr. B., a second psychologist, G.S., three lawyers currently working at Halunen Law, and the manager of Halunen Law’s daily operations. The Director did not call any witnesses. Numerous exhibits, totaling over 1,400 pages, were admitted into evidence. The Director did not oppose Halunen’s reinstatement with conditions. The panel recommended that Halunen be reinstated to the practice of law and placed on probation for three years.
The Supreme Court, in its decision, stated that it independently reviewed the record and concluded that Halunen had proven moral change. The court found that Halunen credibly testified to being remorseful, accepting responsibility for his misconduct, and recognizing the wrongfulness of his actions. The court also considered the testimony of three lawyers at Halunen Law and the firm’s manager, who indicated that Halunen had gained insight into what caused his misconduct and that changes were made to the firm’s policies and procedures.
The conditions of Halunen’s probation include providing written notice to the Director of any plan to return to the active practice of law, abiding by the Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct, and cooperating fully with the Director’s Office in monitoring compliance. Halunen must also be supervised by a licensed Minnesota attorney, appointed by the Director, who is not affiliated with Halunen Law. He must also continue therapy and medication as recommended by any treatment provider and is prohibited from involvement in hiring or promotion decisions at Halunen Law. Within 30 days of resuming practice, Halunen must provide a written plan outlining policies and procedures focused on hiring, mentoring, and workplace governance. He is also required to complete a professional boundaries training course within six months of being reinstated.
The Disposition states:
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT: Petitioner Clayton D. Halunen is reinstated to the practice of law, effective upon payment of the required registration fees to the Minnesota Lawyer Registration Office.”
According to Avvo.com, Mr. Halunen is an employment and labor attorney in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attended the Hamline University School of Law. He acquired his law license in Minnesota in 1991.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
