Mission of Colibrí Legal

Colibrí Legal PLLC’s mission is to support immigrant entrepreneurs and their family members in both their immigration and small business legal needs. Colibrí Legal does this by using my experience in immigration and small business law, as well as extensive prior experience in economic development and small business lending, to provide reasonably priced legal services.

A secondary mission is to advocate for immigrant rights more broadly in the state of Minnesota.

Core Values of Colibrí Legal

I seek to maintain a healthy work-life balance: my practice prioritizes a healthy work-life balance so that I can be an effective attorney. I do this by having a four-day work week, while also working hard to meet the needs of my clients. I do not take on more clients than I can represent, providing the attention each client’s matter deserves.

Colorful abstract animal painting with a bird-like head, vibrant red, yellow, green, and blue shapes, and prominent black eyes.

I meet my clients where they are at. This includes:

Mission-driven:

Revenue is, of course, important but is not the only reason I do this work. My purpose for being an attorney is to serve the immigrant community and provide valuable services in a compassionate manner.

Practicing language equity:

I use a “Spanish language first” assumption in my practice. This means I will assume my clients wish to work with me in Spanish. (I am happy to switch to English when my client expresses a preference for English.)

Guided by a community-lawyering philosophy: 

I strive to use a community-lawyering framework by working in partnership with community-based organizations.

I strive to provide legal services which are community needs. I find the best way I can achieve this is to connect with organizations deeply rooted in the communities in which I work. 

Filling gaps / Providing access to legal services:

Gap-filling: I seek to fill legal service gaps. This includes the way I price my services as well as the types of services I will offer.

Affordability: My services include a significant “low bono” component. I set pricing which balances my need for income with affordability for those who do not qualify for free legal aid services, but for whom full private attorney rates are unaffordable.

Brenda Pfahnl

About Brenda

Brenda Pfahnl is a dedicated attorney with experience in immigration law and a robust background in small business finance and legal services. As the founder of Colibrí Legal PLLC, Brenda provides comprehensive legal support to Latinx entrepreneurs and immigrant communities, focusing on both immigration matters and business transactions.

  • Brenda's immigration practice encompasses:

    Citizenship and Permanent Residence: Assisting clients through naturalization processes and securing lawful permanent resident status.

    DACA and TPS: Guiding eligible individuals in obtaining and renewing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

    U and T Visas: Representing victims of crimes and human trafficking in obtaining U and T visas, ensuring their protection and legal status.

  • In addition to immigration services, Brenda offers legal assistance to small businesses, including:

    LLC Operating Agreements: Drafting tailored operating agreements that align with clients' business objectives and comply with state regulations.

    Contract Development: Preparing and reviewing contracts to ensure clarity, enforceability, and alignment with clients' interests.

    Commercial Lease Review and Coaching: Understanding your lease and knowing how and what to negotiate for can be challenging for a new business owner. Further, your lease is often your largest and longest-term financial commitment. It is critical to understand what the lease says, and to negotiate for terms that are friendlier to you as the renter and business owner. I am happy to review your proposed or existing lease and provide guidance to help you move forward with confidence.

    Small Business Legal Tune Ups: Brenda can work with you to do a comprehensive review of your formation documents, leases, and contracts to understand if they are up to date and to determine if anything is missing. We can work together to be sure that your business is operating effectively and that it is protected.

  • Juris Doctor, Mitchell Hamline School of Law (2022)

    Master of Business Administration (MBA), Southern New Hampshire University (1995)

    Master of Science (M.S.), International Community Economic Development, Southern New Hampshire University (1994)

    Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Community Economic Development, Goddard College (1992)

  • Pro bono attorney, Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota

    Board member, Minnesota Justice Foundation

    Board member, Cristosal

    City Commissioner, Eden Prairie Human Rights & Diversity Commission

  • Protecting American Blood From "Alien Contamination": Should Strict Scrutiny Apply to the Racist Roots of 8 U.S.C. § 1326? United States v. Carrillo-Lopez, 555 F. Supp. 3d 996 (D. Nev. 2021)

  • “Business Succession and Continuity Planning for Immigrant Business Owners,” a workshop for the clients of LEDC (2025)

    “Tearing Down Barriers to Prosperity: Reimagining Economic Equity for Undocumented Immigrants,” 2024 Fall Immigration Forum, Binger Center for New Americans (BCNA)

    “Aspetos Legales de Un Negocio,” a workshop for the clients of LEDC (2023 and 2024)

    “An Overview of the Corporate Transparency Act” (presentations to the staffs of the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC), the Minnesota Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD), and Shared Capital Cooperative (2024)

    “5 Legal ‘Must Haves’ for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses,” E1 Small Business Summit and Expo; Rochester, MN (April 2023)

    “An Overview of Immigration Law and Immigrant Communities in Minnesota,” presented to the Eden Prairie Human Rights & Diversity Commission (January 2023)

    Session moderator, “Demystifying the T Visa,” AILA Upper Midwest Conference (May 2021)