Overview
Breia Schleuss leads Faegre Drinker’s finance transactions team across the firm’s domestic and international offices, providing strategic counsel on a broad range of sophisticated lending and financial matters. Breia represents commercial banks, other financial institutions, nonbank lenders and companies in connection with widely syndicated, club and single-bank loan transactions, including asset-based credit facilities, project finance, acquisition finance, real estate financings, supply chain financings, senior and mezzanine debt financings, and other debt facilities. She also counsels clients in the restructuring of underperforming loans. Breia is regularly recognized as among the Best Lawyers in America in Banking & Finance Law and Securitization & Structured Finance Law.
Breia counsels lenders and companies in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, ESOPs, airlines, commercial real estate, renewable energy and others, with a focus on food, bioenergy and agribusiness finance. Breia guides clients at the intersection of financial services and food, bioenergy and agribusiness, leading teams in connection with loans to producers, cooperatives, manufacturers, retailers and global distributors, among others. In addition, Breia co-chairs the firm’s food and agribusiness industry team, which includes 250+ attorneys and consultants across practices and offices who serve as advisors to many of the world’s leading food, biotechnology and agribusiness companies.
Breia served as president of Minnesota Women Lawyers (FY 2020-21) and previously served on the Business, Finance and Advisory Committee of WomenVenture, a small business lender, and on the board of directors of the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations.
Related Legal Services
Related Industries
Credentials
Bar Admissions
Minnesota
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
Education
University of St. Thomas School of Law
J.D. magna cum laude; top five of graduating class; Law Review (publications editor) (2008)
St. Olaf College
B.A. summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa (2003)
Insights & Events
Latest
News
Other Perspectives
- The Law of Secured Transactions Under the Uniform Commercial Code
- Co-author, Ch. 8: The Food Safety Modernization Act: Compliance Issues for Secured Lenders, May 2017
- Developments in Commercial Lending
Minnesota CLE, Banking Law Institute, March 31, 2017 - The Food Safety Modernization Act: A Primer for Secured Lenders (Part II)
Co-author, Clarks Secured Transactions Monthly, November 2016 - The Food Safety Modernization Act: A Primer for Secured Lenders (Part I)
Co-author, Clarks Secured Transactions Monthly,October 2016 - Financing, Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the Future: A Candid Conversation Between Companies and Lenders
Moderator, 2016 Food & Agriculture National Conference, Indianapolis, May 2016 - Annual Conference for Women in the Law
Panelist, Minnesota Women Lawyers, 2016 - Business Law
Panelist, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2016 - Women’s Agricultural Leadership Conference
Keynote Panelist, 2016 - Merger Best Practices
Presentations to National Commercial Banks, 2016 - FSMA and Food Safety: Considerations for Secured Lenders
Co-author, Clarks Secured Transactions Monthly, August 2015 - Implications of the Food Safety Modernization Act for Lenders
Important Issues in Today’s Commercial Lending Transactions, Minnesota CLE Conference, Minneapolis, 2015 - Agricultural Lending: “Secret” Liens and Regulatory Schemes
Presentation to Commercial Banks, 2015 - FSMA and Food Safety: Understanding the Impact on Customers and Lenders
Presentations to Commercial Banks, 2015 - Agribusiness Bankruptcies, Failures and Fraud — BFFs?
Moderator, Food and & Agriculture National Conference, 2014 - Hot Topics in Banking Law
Minnesota State Bar Association and MWL, 2012 and 2013
Leadership & Community
Professional Associations
- Minnesota Women Lawyers — President, 2020-21; Board of Directors, 2011-22; Advisory Board, 2022-present
- National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations — Board of Directors, 2015-19
- The Cowles Center — Cowles Council Board, 2017-23
- American Bar Association — Syndications and Lender Relations Subcommittee; Secured Lending Subcommittee; Agricultural and Agri-business Finance Subcommittee
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Minnesota AgriGrowth Council
- Turnaround Management Association
Firm Leadership
Honors
- Best Lawyers® — Banking and Finance Law, 2022-24; Securitization and Structured Finance Law, 2023-24
- Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal — 40 Under 40, 2020
- The M&A Advisor — Emerging Leaders, 2019
- Finance & Commerce — Top Women in Finance, 2016
- Minnesota Super Lawyers — Top Women Attorneys, Rising Star, 2014-19
- Minnesota Super Lawyers — Rising Star, Banking, 2014-19
- The M&A Advisor — Restructuring of the Year Award Winner, 2018
- Minnesota State Bar Association — North Star Lawyer, 2013-15
No aspect of these recognitions has been approved by the highest court of any state.