Attorney Biographies
Maser & Amundson, P.A. is proud of the talent, dedication and diversity of its attorneys. We encourage you to explore each of our attorney's biographies to understand why we consider ourselves so uniquely qualified to serve our clients.
- Kris L. Maser
- Luther Amundson
- Mary Frances M. Price
- Allison Frasier
- Susan King
- Alex Wainberg
- Joy E. S. Gullikson
Kris L. Maser, shareholder and Elder Law Department chair for Maser & Amundson, P.A. is a caretaker by nature. “I’ve been taking care of people since I was 16,” she says, adding that she helped her father through a 28 year battle with Parkinson’s disease and also assists her elderly mother in living as independently as possible.
She says it’s her caretaking trait that propelled her to work in elder law. “I started out as a teacher, but this was just a pull,” Maser says. Since co-founding the firm in 1984, she has served as a dedicated advocate for the elderly and their families, through assisting in estate planning, medical assistance planning, planning for incapacity, conservatorship and guardianship issues, and related issues pertaining to wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and health care directives.
Her dedication to clients and vigorous representation of their rights, has earned her prominent recognition. Maser has been named in statewide surveys to the Minnesota Super Lawyers list and ranked as one of the top Minnesota Women Super Lawyers by Minnesota Law and Politics and Mpls.St. Paul Magazine.
After decades of service to families, Maser says that her resolve for her work was strengthened even more when she was diagnosed with cancer. “The cancer made me realize that you can’t go through a long-term illness alone,” she says, adding that this perspective permeates her work on the job. “Nobody stands alone.”
To Maser, being connected to her clients in such a supportive way is the best part of her job. “The second best part is turning the terror into something that can be useful,” she says. In one touching case, Maser recalled that she helped a couple with their end of life planning and 17 years later, after they had passed away, the couple’s family members flew in town to thank her. “I’m not just an attorney to them,” she says.
Despite a switch to the legal profession, Maser has stayed connected to her roots in education. She has served as an adjunct professor at William Mitchell College of Law, Inver Hills Community College, North Memorial Medical Center, The North Women's Center, and other community schools. She also participated in several continuing education seminars for attorneys, social workers, families, and others.
Maser, who is fluent in German, is also a frequent lecturer, both locally and nationally, on a variety of elder law matters. She co-authored of Minnesota Conservatorship Standards, adopted by the Minnesota Association of Guardianship and Conservatorship and in 1996, she received the Mary Alice Gooderl Award for outstanding service and active development of the Minnesota State Bar Association's (MSBA’s) Elder Law Section.
Maser received her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in 1982 and her undergraduate degrees from the University of Minnesota in 1976. She belongs to the state, county, and national bar associations, as well as the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Maser is also involved with a number of charitable and community organizations connected to guardianship and supporting those with Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
In 2008, the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts recognized Maser as an Alumna of Notable Achievement. The college recognition saluted Maser as an early champion of elder law, who has "increased awareness of the issues surrounding legal services for the elderly" and is "widely admired for outstanding service to the community."
When she’s not working, Maser is an avid skier and enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, two dogs, and one cat.
Luther M. Amundson, managing shareholder of Maser & Amundson, P.A., leads the firm’s Litigation Department. He is known in the legal community for his vigorous pursuit of his clients’ legal rights and his tenacious quest for fair compensation for those he represents.
A successful litigator, Amundson concentrates his practice in areas of elder law, including will contests, trust administration, guardianships, conservatorships, wrongful death, probate law, and insurance issues.
Since 1995, Amundson has been named in statewide surveys to the Minnesota Super Lawyers list in Minnesota Law & Politics and Mpls.St. Paul Magazine.
Amundson says that he’s passionate about his work for the “older generation,” because of his inspiring clients. “One thing that makes me want to do this work is that their experiences are incredible,” he says, adding that he’s developed bonds with clients who bravely survived World War II and the Great Depression of the 1930s. “I love this generation,” he says.
But Amundson has also formed important connections with other clients as well, such as baby boomers trying to help their parents make care decisions and survivors of the Minneapolis I-35W bridge collapse in 2007. Amundson says that it’s gratifying to make a difference in peoples’ lives.
Amundson is a member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ), the Minnesota Association for Justice (MAJ), and the State and County Bar Associations. He served on the MAJ Board of Governors from 1996 to 2006.
A 1982 graduate of William Mitchell College of Law, Amundson received his undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota. He is licensed to practice in Minnesota State Court, Federal District Court, and is a qualified neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of practice.
When he’s not at work, Amundson enjoys spending time camping and hiking with his family, and loves photographing and spending time with his two sons. For 8 years, Luther has been a driving force behind the annual Parkinson Association of Minnesota golf tournament, which is the sole fundraiser for the Respite Care Grant Program.
Mary Frances Price is a shareholder with Maser & Amundson, helping to lead the firm’s Elder Law Department. She helps families make difficult decisions and work through complicated financial, legal, and medical issues that arise when a family member is in a time of transition or when families are planning for the future.
Price says that she chose a career in elder law because helping people inspires her and the work allows her to make a real difference in peoples’ lives. “I wanted to do something where I was going to have a lasting impact,” she says. Price works with families and individuals on a variety of different elder law issues, including planning for incapacity and disability, Medicaid planning, asset preservation, estate planning, and two new niche areas—veterans’ benefits and Life Care Planning.
While she says that she always knew she’d be happy in a helping profession, Price says that her drive to focus on elder law was driven by a personal connection. “I have seen family deal with memory loss, aging issues, and dealing with the elder law maze,” she says, adding that some of the complex legal processes can leave people frustrated. “I want to empower people.”
Prior to joining the firm, Price was in private practice and served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Judge Diane M. Hanson in Minnesota’s First Judicial District. Before attending law school, she also worked as a sales engineer for several large corporations for eight years.
Price is an accredited attorney for veterans’ benefits before the Department of Veterans Affairs and is a representative member of the Life Care Planning Law Firms Association. She is also a frequent speaker on an array of elder law issues, such as estate planning, asset protection, Medical assistance planning, and veterans’ benefits.
A graduate of William Mitchell College of Law, Price received her undergraduate degree from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. She is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Elder Law Section and is licensed to practice in Minnesota State Court.
When not at work, Price enjoys running and spending time with her family, which includes her husband, two daughters, and two dogs.
Allison Frasier is an associate attorney in Maser & Amundson’s Elder Law Department. She practices in the areas of elder law, guardianship and conservatorship law, probate, and estate planning.
Ms. Frasier received her law degree from the University of St. Thomas School of Law. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology, from Carleton College. She spent a semester of law school helping to provide legal services to seniors as a member of the Elder Law Practice Group, a section of the Interprofessional Center for Counseling and Legal Services at the University of St. Thomas. Frasier is an accredited attorney for veterans’ benefits before the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Ms. Frasier is a member of the Minnesota Bar Association’s Elder Law Section, and of the Minnesota Association for Guardianship and Conservatorship (MAGiC). She is licensed to practice in Minnesota State Court.
Susan (Susie) King, an associate at Maser & Amundson, P.A., is in the Elder Law and Litigation Departments, assisting in probate cases and estate planning.
King says that her family—many of whom are lawyers—inspired her to explore a career in the legal profession and led her to a love of advocating for the vulnerable. “My father is a civil rights attorney and I grew up watching him fight for the underdog,” she says.
Providing legal assistance and making a personal connection to clients, King says, is the most rewarding part of her job. “You’re able to give clients hope and optimism in sometimes a dark situation,” she says.
King joined Maser & Amundson in August 2009 as a law clerk. Prior to that, she also served as a law clerk at the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis and Parsinen Kaplan Rosberg + Gotleib (now Barnes & Thornburg LLP). In addition, King worked as a Street Law Volunteer for the Minnesota Justice Foundation, where she received the Foundation’s Achievement in Volunteer Public Service Award in 2009.
King received her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in May 2009, graduating cum laude. As a law student, she competed in local and regional trial competitions, winning first place at the William Mitchell College of Law Trial Competition in 2009. King received her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas. In her free time, King enjoys baking, watching the Kansas Jayhawks, and spending time with her husband and dog.
Maser & Amundson, P.A. associate, Alex Wainberg, works in the Litigation and Elder Law Departments, assisting in personal injury and fire loss cases, as well as wills and trusts.
Wainberg says he was drawn to a legal career, because he wants intellectually challenging work that allows him to help others. “I really value being able to meet people and help them solve their problems,” he says. “A lot of the work that we do here is important to peoples’ everyday lives. We’re working so people get the care they need and so they can plan for their future.”
Wainberg joined Maser & Amundson as a law clerk in May 2009. The prior year, he worked as a judicial intern in the Wisconsin Supreme Court, where he conducted legal research, proofed documents, and wrote about major issues facing the court. In 2007, Wainberg also worked as an extern in the Wisconsin Department of Justice under the state’s attorney general, where he worked on consumer fraud and false advertising cases. That year he also spent the summer serving as a law clerk for the New Orleans Legal Assistance Corporation in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, assisting clients with issues such as property law and bankruptcy.
Wainberg is a registered member of the Minnesota and Wisconsin Bar Associations. He received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2009, where he served on the International Law Journal. He earned his undergraduate degree in journalism and mass communications from Drake University.
When not working, Wainberg enjoys running and music—playing the harmonica and ukulele. He also enjoys the sport of curling and is a member of the St. Paul Curling Club.
Joy E. S. Gullikson is an associate attorney in Maser & Amundson’s Elder Law Department. She practices in the areas of elder law, guardianship and conservatorship law, probate, and estate planning. Prior to joining Maser and Amundson, P.A., Joy was in private practice. Joy worked as corporate counsel and director of external relations at a regional firm. She also held positions with the State of Minnesota and was a small business owner.
Ms. Gullikson received her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law. She received her M.B.A. from the University of Saint Thomas and her undergraduate degree from Acadia University in Nova Scotia.
Ms. Gullikson is a member of the Minnesota Bar Association’s Elder Law Section and is licensed to practice in Minnesota State Court.
When not at work, Joy enjoys camping with her husband and teaching Scottish Country Dance. Her students perform regularly at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival and her productions can be seen as part of the Minneapolis Fringe Festival.