Litigation

Zealous Advocates.
Relentless Representation.

From local courtrooms to the United States Supreme Court, our litigators have a proven track record of obtaining favorable outcomes for our clients in a wide variety of legal disputes.

Litigation

Commercial Litigation

Our litigators have successfully resolved all types of commercial cases – some simple and others complex. With experience ranging from contract disputes and agreement violations to shareholder rights, we are not afraid to try cases, and we do so all across the country.

General Litigation

We take on a variety of cases – not just those of a commercial nature. Our team’s areas of experience range from personal injury to property damage to medical negligence defense.

Employment Litigation

With experience handling all types of employment claims brought against employers in state and federal courtrooms throughout the nation, FMJ’s Litigation group is prepared to aggressively protect employers’ and their businesses’ interests. We represent small, medium, and large organizations from privately-held to Fortune 500 companies across all industries.

Shareholder Litigation

Shareholder disputes are often complex and can deal with sensitive personal, financial, and business issues. Over the years, our Litigation team has represented both minority and majority shareholders and works to provide solutions from both the legal and practical business perspectives.

Insurance Defense Litigation

FMJ’s Litigation group has extensive experience in insurance defense and coverage issues. This extensive experience and innate interest in how things work have made FMJ a highly-successful and sought-after insurance defense litigation firm. Our track record includes favorable results in product liability, medical malpractice, premises liability, employment-related liability, and aviation-related issues.

Our insurance coverage practice involves evaluating coverage issues for clients in a variety of industries, including the following: automobile (commercial, fleet, and individual), trucking (commercial, fleet, and individual owner-operator), aviation, and professional liability. We have represented parties in claims and lawsuits involving multiple carriers, policies of primary and excess coverage, surplus lines coverage, manuscript policies, and wrongful refusal to defend.

Product Liability Litigation

We have represented numerous Fortune 500 companies in product liability matters, including preparation of warnings and execution of recalls. Our litigation team works closely with engineers and risk managers – before, during, and after litigation. We represent product manufacturers in regard to a variety of products ranging from electrical and industrial products to farm equipment and after-market automotive and boating products, in addition to aircraft and related components.

Aviation Litigation

Our aviation litigation team regularly handles aircraft repossessions, lease return condition disputes and FAA enforcement actions, among many other types of disputes. We try aviation liability cases in both state and federal courts. The veteran counsel at FMJ has tried many highly-publicized and nationally-important cases, including the landmark TWA #841 rollover case and Hoeper v. Air Wisconsin, a case that reached the United States Supreme Court. The Hoeper case not only ended in a victorious decision for our client, but confirmed the need to protect the flying public from suspicious activity.

Transportation Litigation

The transportation industries such as the airline, railroad, and trucking are subject to both state and federal regulation. Much of that regulation is designed to strike a balance between promoting public safety and enhancing economic vitality. Where a conflict arises between state and federal regulatory requirements, the federal requirements often govern or preempt state requirements. The federal preemption of state safety regulations can leave members of the public unprotected. FMJ has experience and a national reputation in handling such matters. FMJ’s experience includes addressing federal preemption of state-based railroad safety law and handling interstate commercial trucking matters.

Real Estate Litigation

Our real estate litigation team represents property owners, property management companies, and lessees in real estate disputes, such as property tax appeals, boundary line disputes, landlord/tenant disputes, breach of contract, and trespass and nuisance claims. We represent clients in district court and arbitration forums. We also represent lenders in commercial foreclosure and receivership proceedings and receivers in receivership proceedings.

Appellate Practice

FMJ attorneys have handled appeals in multiple state courts, U.S. appellate courts, and the U.S. Supreme Court. We represent individuals and businesses of all sizes, including multiple Fortune 500 companies. We also work with outside and in-house counsel, as well as accept referrals from other trial counsel.

 

FMJ Also Features Specific Probate & Trust Litigation and e-Discovery Practice Groups – Please Click the Buttons Below to Learn More!

Learn About Probate & Trust Litigation

Learn About e-Discovery

Litigation Team

Litigation Resources

March 2024

Pre-Litigation (Part 1) – FMJ Law Podcast Episode 18

Jamie Briones and Adam Brown discuss some of the topics and items that arise before litigation starts. Read more

March 2024

John Ella to Speak About Minnesota’s Non-Compete Ban on March 20, 2024

Join John Ella and other members of the Hennepin County Bar Association for an informative employment law panel on March 20! Read more

March 2024

In Re Bremer: What Really Constitutes a “Serious Breach of Trust?”

Patrick Rooney and David Ness analyze In Re Bremer and its impact on the legal standard in trust disputes/litigation. Read more

March 2024

Legislative Update: More Minnesota Employment Law Changes Might be on the Horizon

The Minnesota Legislature is considering more changes in 2024. Read more

February 2024

Twin Cities Business Selects Natolie Hochhausen for the 2024 Notable Emerging Leaders List

Congratulations to Natolie Hochhausen for her recognition as one of the 2024 Notable Emerging Leaders! Read more

February 2024

John Ella to Present CLE on Libel Law and the First Amendment in Wisconsin – February 12, 2024

John Ella has been invited to be part of a Wisconsin CLE/Webinar on February 12, 2024. John will analyze a number of current libel... Read more

January 2024

The U.S. Department of Labor Releases Final Rule on Classifying Workers as Employees or Independent Contractors

The Department of Labor's new independent contractor analysis rule takes effect in March 2024. Read more

January 2024

Bradley Hutter Elected as Shareholder

Congratulations, Brad! Read more

December 2023

Sick and Safe Time is Effective on January 1, 2024 – Is Your Organization Ready? FMJ Law Podcast Episode 14

We analyze Minnesota's new sick and safe time law with Natolie Hochhausen and John Ella. Read more

November 2023

FMJ is Moving to a New Eden Prairie Location in May 2024!

FMJ is moving across town this spring! Read more

November 2023

John Ella and Anna Swiecichowski to Present in a Webcast Series on New Developments in Defamation Law

Defamation cases around the country have been in the news lately. As a result of this interest, and because of the volume of comments... Read more

November 2023

Minnesota Amends Deceptive Trade Practices Act to Include Unfair Competition

Businesses faced with unfair competition could consider making a statutory claim. Read more

October 2023

Twin Cities Business Notable Women in Law: Shannon McDonough

Twin Cities Business (TCB) has named Shannon McDonough as one of its 2023 Notable Women in Law! Read more

Other Practice Areas

Agriculture

Agriculture

Our Agriculture group has legal experience in all aspects of agribusiness, including general corporate and transactional matters, farm succession planning, and litigation. Our attorneys also represent many types of cooperatives and independent elevators, including grain, feed, chemical, and fuel.
Appellate

Appellate

Our Appellate group has years of experience in assessing, briefing, and arguing appeals at all levels of courts throughout the United States. We have the ability to synthesize and analyze the record and the law, as well as narrow the case focus to those issues most likely to bring client benefit and appellate success.
Aviation & Transportation

Aviation & Transportation

Recognized nationally and internationally for our experience and insider knowledge of the transportation industries, our Transportation & Logistics attorneys are equipped with immense insight and a practical approach to complex logistical and legal issues.
Banking & Financial Institutions

Banking & Financial Institutions

Our Banking & Financial Institution team includes lending attorneys, bankruptcy attorneys, corporate attorneys, commercial and special asset attorneys, and attorneys with experience serving on bank loan committees, boards of directors of banks, and bank holding companies.
Bankruptcy & Insolvency

Bankruptcy & Insolvency

Our Bankruptcy & Insolvency attorneys represent creditors in all aspects of bankruptcy, reorganization, and workouts, and appear in courtrooms across the country. Our philosophy is to actively participate in every phase of the workout and reorganization process.
Competition & Trade

Competition & Trade

We work with clients daily to help them better compete in their marketplace, whether that be local, national, global, or virtual. Our goal is to understand our clients’ businesses and challenges and help them navigate the business and legal obstacles to success.
General Corporate & Business

General Corporate & Business

Our General Corporate & Business group works with organizations of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, across all industries, helping them devise strategies and solve problems. Much of the work we do is contractual – structuring, negotiating, and reviewing contracts.
HR & Employment

HR & Employment

Our HR & Employment attorneys guide our clients through the complexities of employment procedures and policies, employee benefits, hiring and termination practices, and compliance with ever-changing employment laws. We combine our knowledge of the law with specifics of our clients’ businesses to produce optimal outcomes.
Insurance

Insurance

FMJ’s Insurance group represents commercial and nonprofit insurers, as well as serves as outside general counsel to fraternal insurance companies. We advise insurance companies on all aspects of corporate, nonprofit, and insurance law.
Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property

Our Intellectual Property attorneys assist with trademark and copyright registration, compliance and licensing, dispute resolution, and pre-dispute counseling. We also have the technical, business, and legal acumen necessary to provide counsel on various intellectual property matters.
Manufacturing

Manufacturing

FMJ’s Manufacturing attorneys have been holistically representing manufacturers for two decades. From R&D, through supply chain, operations, distribution, and sale channels, we know your challenges. We have a history of efficiently solving our clients’ legal issues in every phase of manufacturing.
Mergers & Acquisitions

Mergers & Acquisitions

Our Mergers & Acquisitions team has handled deals collectively worth billions of dollars. With experience representing buyers, sellers and investors, we have the capacity and depth of knowledge to understand the issues that arise during the course of a transaction and offer solutions to ensure your deal moves forward and closes.
Nonprofit & Philanthropic

Nonprofit & Philanthropic

FMJ’s Nonprofit & Philanthropic group is passionate about assisting philanthropies and nonprofit organizations in carrying out their meaningful missions, paired with their extensive experience in an array of areas, makes the firm an ideal fit to help nonprofit and philanthropic organizations face the many nuances of nonprofit law.
Products Liability

Products Liability

With their expansive product knowledge and extensive experience, FMJ’s Products Liability group is able to handle cases effectively, efficiently, and with their clients' interests always at the forefront. The group has served as regional and national counsel to multi-level international Fortune 500 companies in 30 states for over 40 years.
Real Estate

Real Estate

Our Real Estate team has the experience and practical business knowledge necessary to navigate, negotiate, and manage the nuanced elements of real estate transactions, whether you are a business that has ongoing commercial purchase and sale or lease transactions, you are an experienced investor, or you are investing in real estate for the first time.
Sports & Entertainment

Sports & Entertainment

FMJ’s attorneys represent sports and entertainment entities of all sizes holistically and comprehensively. From contracts and operating agreements, through event planning, intellectual property, HR/employment, real estate, and even aviation, we know your needs and your challenges. FMJ is committed to solving each client's legal issues efficiently, so they can focus on their game, their craft, or their content.
Trusts & Estates

Trusts & Estates

Our Trusts & Estates group provides estate planning, estate administration, business and unique asset succession planning, estate controversy assistance and related services to individuals, closely-held businesses, tax-exempt organizations, and corporate fiduciaries. We are always accepting new clients and offer complimentary 30-minute initial consultations and flat-fee estate planning to fit every budget.