Lawyer Who Stabbed Man Barred From Practicing For 5 Years

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A personal injury lawyer who was convicted for stabbing another man at a bar on the main floor of the Foshay Tower has been suspended from practicing law for five years.

The stabbing happened early New Year's Day in 2014. According to court documents, Michael Riehm was involved in a confrontation with another man at Manny's Living Room and Prohibition Bar in the W Minneapolis Hotel on Marquette Avenue.

The other man, 31-year-old Daniel Kerkinni of Edina, was said to have made a joke about Riehm's wife, Heather Griego, who was complimenting Kerkinni's wife -- Sitania Syrovatka, former Miss South Dakota of 2002 -- on her looks.

The complaint said Kerkinni told Griego that Syrovatka was "already taken," which led to a physical altercation between Kerkinni and Riehm that bouncers broke up. However, when Kerkinni was getting ready to leave the bar, Riehm stabbed him with a steak knife from the serving counter. Kerkinni's lung collapsed as a result of the stab wound.

Riehm was convicted of first-degree assault, a felony, and was placed on seven years supervised probation. He was also ordered to pay Kerkinni $200,000 for medical expenses, emotional distress and loss of earnings.

This week, Riehm was suspended from practicing law in Minnesota for at least five years. Minnesota's Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility said Riehm's behavior "warrants an indefinite suspension with no right to petition for reinstatement for a minimum of five years."

The opinion released by the office also made note of an improper referral and fee-sharing arrangement they say Riehm had with an associate in another law firm, which resulted on more than 100 referrals to Riehm and for which he paid the other associate $11,000.