Meet Our Team

Doug Seaton, the Founder and President of the Upper Midwest Law Center (UMLC), has dedicated his extensive legal career to defending the rights of individuals, businesses, and citizens compromised by government overreach, union abuses, and special interest groups. Prior to founding UMLC, Doug concentrated his practice on employer-side labor law, offering professional guidance on collective bargaining, litigation avoidance, and legal compliance. His work involved representing employers in cases involving labor law, federal preemption, constitutional challenges, and proceedings before state and federal agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board, and the U.S. Department of Labor, and actions and appeals in the federal and state courts. He also represented employees against unions.

With a career spanning decades, Doug has represented clients in nearly 200 employment, labor-related, and constitutional cases. His significant victories include overturning an executive order in Swanson et al. v. Dayton et al., nullifying a Minnesota statute in ABC v. Ventura (Carlson), and winning several major construction bid challenges and labor policy cases. His experience in non-compete defense, employment contract violations, and employee protection cases has been instrumental in shaping key labor law precedents in Minnesota and beyond.
In addition to his legal practice, Doug has been a frequent speaker at national and Minnesota trade associations and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) conferences. He had long-standing commitments to the Minnesota Employment Law Institute, the Minnesota Associated Builders and Contractors, and the National Associated Builders and Contractors Attorneys’ Conference, among others, and has spoken at public interest law programs, as well. Doug’s dedication to advancing liberty and upholding constitutional rights is the driving force behind UMLC’s work, making him a leading advocate in the fight against government and union abuses in the Upper Midwest.

In 2006, Rachel Paulose made history as the first Indian American woman confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve in any federal appointment, leading the District of Minnesota as U.S. Attorney to record-breaking prosecutions in areas including white-collar crime, public corruption, human trafficking, child pornography, and firearms offenses. She has first-chaired jury and bench trials, argued before federal appellate courts, and handled complex civil and criminal investigations, showcasing extraordinary legal skill.

Her career spans service as a law clerk to an Eighth Circuit judge, Trial Attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Senior Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General, and Senior Trial Counsel at the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. She has also served in private practice at DLA Piper LLP and Williams & Connolly LLP.

Paulose has been recognized for her civic leadership, including roles with the Yale Law School Fund, Federal Bar Association, and National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. She has been honored as one of Minnesota’s leading women history makers and is featured in the Smithsonian Institution’s “Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation” collection. She is a global media commentator whose legal analysis helped KSTP-TV win an Emmy for team coverage in 2016.

Rachel Paulose earned her J.D. from Yale Law School, where she was a Coker Fellow, and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota, where she was Phi Beta Kappa, Commencement Speaker, and Chair of the Student Representatives to the Board of Regents. She is a 1993 Harry S. Truman Scholar.

Nicholas Nelson is a Senior Appellate Counsel at Upper Midwest Law Center (UMLC), bringing extensive experience in appellate litigation and advocacy, and a passion for defending First Amendment rights.

Before joining UMLC, Nicholas worked as a Partner at CrossCatle PLLC since 2022, where he counsels on appeals at all levels of state and federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, and currently serves as President-Elect of the Minnesota Lawyers Chapter of the Federalist Society.

Throughout his career, Nicholas has championed legal battles such as challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, defending the validity of the Defense of Marriage Act, and successfully defending President Donald Trump’s 2024 primary ballot access in state supreme courts.

Prior to his work at CrossCastle, Nicholas was Counsel at Faegre Drinker, an Associate at Bancroft PLLC in Washington, D.C., and a judicial law clerk to Thomas Hardiman on the Third Circuit and Stephen J. Murphy in the Eastern District of Michigan. He earned his J.D. magna cum laude from Notre Dame Law School, where he was a member of the Notre Dame Law Review.

Austin joins UMLC with a determination to defend freedom of speech and help others. His experience and proven diligence as a student and law clerk, including research and technical writing, make him a great addition to the organization.

He brings an impressive academic background, graduating at the top of his class at Shimer College and achieving the Dean’s Honor List for five semesters at the Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he earned a J.D. degree. During his studies, he gained valuable experience as a financial analyst, an assistant bursar, and an independent contractor focusing on technical writing and communications. 

Additionally, Austin worked as a law clerk for Grazian & Volpe, LLC, and has been a law clerk at UMLC since early 2022, where he focused on research, communications, drafting court documents, and refining his attention to detail. He proved he could carry his weight and continue his impressive work ethic while doing what he loves.

Austin was first motivated to pursue a career in law because of his passion for freedom of speech and the philosophy of law and justice. He believes, “Speech is an essential and unique aspect of being human. This makes the infringement of First Amendment rights particularly egregious and dangerous: it is the denial of human dignity.” In joining UMLC as an attorney, he hopes to use his excellent communication skills to build good relationships with clients and the team alike to deliver the best possible service.

The Upper Midwest Law Center (UMLC) is pleased to welcome Brent Robbins to its legal team. As a steadfast advocate for religious freedom, Brent joins UMLC as Senior Counsel, Religious Liberty, bringing a wealth of experience to aid UMLC in its commitment to liberty and justice.

Prior to joining UMLC, Brent worked at General Mills for 24 years, including 10 years as Vice-President and Deputy General Counsel, and has represented numerous clients pro bono in courts across the United States, including drafting amicus briefs for various Circuit Courts and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Before General Mills, Brent worked as a financial analyst at Wyncrest Capital, practiced business litigation at Larkin, Hoffman, and clerked for The Honorable Donald Stohr (Eastern District of Missouri). He earned his B.A. in History from Yale University and holds a J.D. with Order of the Coif honors from Vanderbilt University.

Brent lives in Maple Grove with his wife Kristin, who is Assistant Majority Leader in the Minnesota State Legislature, and his three daughters. 

Martha A. Astor serves as Trial Counsel at the Upper Midwest Law Center, where she brings extensive experience in constitutional litigation, First Amendment matters, education law, election law, administrative law, and appellate advocacy. Her work has included litigation in state and federal courts, amicus briefing, regulatory analysis, and policy development focused on protecting individual liberties and limiting government overreach.

Before joining UMLC, Martha served as an attorney with the Defense of Freedom Institute, the Institute for Free Speech, and the Goldwater Institute. Her legal experience includes work on First Amendment issues in education, Title IX litigation, election law, civil asset forfeiture, administrative law, and state and federal constitutional claims. She also helped secure a unanimous 9-0 U.S. Supreme Court decision involving Title IX claims.

Martha earned her J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School, where she developed a strong foundation in constitutional law and statutory interpretation. She also holds a master’s degree in counseling and a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Northern Arizona University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa. In addition to her litigation work, Martha serves as a designated neutral arbitrator with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.