About Zane
Zane Umsted combines a federal clerkship background with private practice experience across two state bars. He earned his J.D. from the University of Iowa in 2015 after completing a bachelor’s degree in cinema and communication studies at the same school in 2011. He arrived at law school after an undergraduate course of study that emphasized analysis and storytelling, skills he later applied to legal writing and research.
His legal training included a year as a judicial clerk in 2015 for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. In that role he handled legal research, drafted bench memoranda and assisted in the preparation of opinions. The clerkship exposed him to federal procedure and the daily workings of a trial court. The responsibilities gave him a practical sense of case management and the demands of litigation practice.
After his clerkship he moved into private practice and became licensed to practice in both North Carolina and Minnesota. He is a member of professional legal associations and maintains active involvement in bar-related activities. Colleagues describe him as methodical in his approach to litigation tasks and thorough in written work, traits that trace back to his time on the bench.
At Madia Newville LLC he handles client matters that arise in the state and federal systems where he is admitted. His work requires regular interaction with judges, opposing counsel and expert witnesses, and it draws on the research and drafting skills he refined during law school and the clerkship. He balances courtroom preparation with document review and settlement discussions, tailoring strategies to the procedural posture of each matter.
Outside the office he continues to follow developments in procedural law and federal decisions that affect trial practice. He keeps an active caseload across Minnesota and North Carolina and adapts to differing local rules and norms. He currently practices at Madia Newville LLC, where he represents clients in matters across Minnesota and North Carolina.
