Tamara O’Neill Moreland advises clients on complex litigation involving land use, environmental issues, construction, real estate and appellate advocacy. For over 25 years, she has litigated cases to successful conclusions against city and state agencies in state and federal court and successfully handled a wide variety of appeals. Tamara is a MSBA Board Certified Real Property Specialist. At Larkin Hoffman, she serves as Ethics Counsel. She was also the past Chair of the Professional Development Committee, was the founder and past Chair of the Diversity Committee, and was on the Board of Directors for 12 years. Tamara has been named to the Super Lawyers list since 2014 and previously was named to the Minnesota Rising Stars list for 8 years. Tamara has been named to the The Best Lawyers in America® list since 2020 and Minnesota Lawyer's Power 30 in Construction and Real Estate Law list in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Construction
- Represented a subcontractor in a mechanic’s lien dispute concerning a multi-site wind project. Placed 16 mechanic’s liens in seven counties for over $1.2 million. Multiparty litigation commenced. Negotiated a favorable settlement.
- Represented homeowners with a failing slab on grade home, reaching a settlement that required the builder to buy the home back from the homeowners and pay damages. Represented two separate couples, in two separate actions against the same builder and attained a similar result for both.
- Represented a Minneapolis commercial building in its claim for the defective installation of its roof. Negotiated a settlement for all funds necessary to remove and replace the roof valued at $315,000.
- Represented homeowners with multiple construction defects. Obtained a favorable ruling after a 4-day arbitration.
Land Use
- Represented Minneapolis landlords in an action to declare a Minneapolis ordinance to be the unconstitutional taking of private property.
- Represented landowner granted variances from a county in an appeal by a homeowner’s association to overturn the variances. Currently under advisement at the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
- Defended a developer in litigation commenced by a school district. The district claimed breach of contract, requesting specific performance and damages. Brought a third party claim against the City for delays preventing the developer from completing requirements and a counterclaim against the school district for compounding the delays. Reached a global settlement ending the dispute.
Real Estate
- Defended the owner of a convenience store and gas station in an action brought by the developer and owner of several parcels in a large shopping center who was seeking declaratory judgement that it was allowed to develop a gas fuel station across from our client’s property. After a 3-day trial, we were successful in enforcing restrictive covenants and plaintiff’s claims were denied.
- Defended a landowner from a claim for a prescriptive easement. After a week-long trial, the prescriptive easement was denied.
- Represented a landowner in a 4-day trial establishing adverse possession. Defendants appealed the decision which was recently affirmed by the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
Other Litigation
- Represented a supplier who was not paid for its products by a large retailer, obtaining a $1.6-million settlement.
- Represented a restaurant owner who was being sued for a substantial share of the business and the business’s name, reaching a settlement returning ownership and exclusive rights to the name.
- Hamline University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1997)
- Centenary College of Louisiana (B.A., summa cum laude, 1994)
- Major: Political Science
- Minors: Psychology and Sociology
- South Dakota
- Wisconsin
- Minnesota
- U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
- U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota
- U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
- Larkin Hoffman, Member, Board of Directors; Chair, Professional Development Committee; Ethics Counsel
- March of Dimes - Minnesota Chapter, Former Board of Directors/Legal Counsel (2010 - 2014)
- Minnesota Judicial Council (2011-2016), Former Gender Fairness Subcommittee-Co-chair, Former Community Dialogue Subcommittee-Co-chair
- Minnesota Commercial Real Estate Women, Member
- Minnesota State Bar Association, Member
- Minnesota Women Lawyers, Member
- National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, Member
- Minnesota Shopping Center Association, Member
- Minnesota Lawyer Top Women in Law Honoree, 2025
- Tamara is a MSBA Board Certified Real Property Specialist
- Minnesota Lawyer, The POWER 30: Construction and Real Estate, 2023 - present
- Best Lawyers in America®, Land Use & Zoning Law, 2020-present
- Super Lawyer ®, Super Lawyers magazine, 2014-present
- Minnesota Monthly®, Top Lawyers in Minnesota, 2022 - present
- Rising Star,® Super Lawyers magazine, 2005-2012
- Larry A. Bakken Scholarship Award, 1997
- Hamline Journal of Public Law & Policy, 1995-1997
- Minnesota State Bar Association Board Certified Real Property Specialist
- Law Clerk, The Honorable John J. Sommerville, 1997-1998
