The Streater & Murphy law firm was established in 1949, when Harold S. “Rip” Streater and Leo F. “Bud” Murphy, Jr. formed a partnership. Both were Winona natives who returned to their home city after law school and service in WW II. They developed a successful general practice and a firm tradition of community and professional service.
Rip Streater was a skilled and creative business and estate lawyer who advised many of the area’s leading businesses and families. He also served as Winona’s City Attorney, chaired the community hospital board and was instrumental in organizing an industrial development association, a state university foundation, and several other charitable organizations. He retired after 63 years of active practice and died in 2011.
Bud Murphy, the son of a Winona judge, quietly and efficiently served clients in business, real estate, probate and civil trial matters. His clients included two private universities, a church diocese and other civic and religious organizations. He was also a member and director of local charities. He died while actively practicing law.
Current Attorneys
The firm’s current attorneys followed diverse career paths to the firm:
- Kent Gernander, a Duluth native, joined the firm after service in the Navy JAG Corps and employment with a large St. Paul firm.
- Jim Forsythe, originally from Northeast Minneapolis, joined the firm after a judicial clerkship with District Judge (later Supreme Court Justice) Glenn Kelley and private practice with another small firm.
- Cindy Telstad, a Winona native, followed training and work in nursing with legal education and judicial clerkships with Court of Appeals Judge Susanne Sedgwick and District Judge Lawrence Collins.
- Lee Ann Riehle, a Wisconsin native, joined the firm after a judicial clerkship with District Judge Daniel Kammeyer.
Streater and Murphy attorneys have also moved into successful careers elsewhere after practicing with the firm. Roger Brosnahan, who was Minnesota’s youngest state bar president while with the firm, left to establish a Twin Cities office for a national law firm. Bob Langford left the firm to become general counsel of a public company. Julius Gernes left the firm to become Winona County Attorney and served in that position with distinction for many years. Others went on to legal positions in state government and private practice in other communities.
The firm’s lawyers continue to devote substantial time and energy to pro bono representation of individuals and nonprofit entities. Both the firm and individual members have been recognized for public service.