She has assisted low-income people in need of legal services through a variety of ways. She worked at free legal clinics in Ramsey and Hennepin Counties for the nonprofit Civil Society, Ramsey County Law Library, and Minnesota Legal Corps. Recently, she worked as an advocate for crime victims and elders at the Council on Crime and Justice and the ElderCare Rights Alliance. Ellen is a trainer for the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies. She worked for the League of Minnesota Cities for over 20 years defending cities in civil litigation and as a loss control attorney. She has extensive experience providing training on such topics as harassment, records retention, employment issues and general liability issues.