Pat's Bio

Pat has a highly-successful commercial litigation/trial practice representing clients throughout the country. His approach, regardless of the size of the case, is simple: provide focused, smart, aggressive representation aimed at achieving the client’s goals in the quickest, most cost-efficient manner possible. With Pat, the client always comes first.

In the 30+ years, he has been practicing Pat has represented virtually every type of client—from Fortune 50 companies and large, privately—held corporations, to individuals and single-owner LLCs. His cases have run the gamut, from shareholder and employee matters concerning contract disputes, non-competition agreements, and discrimination, to high-stakes, bet-the-company commercial claims involving allegations of misappropriation of trade secrets, trademark, copyright and patent infringement, products liability, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty. He has appeared and is licensed to practice in the state courts in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts, and has first-chaired cases in the United States District Courts in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Iowa, Colorado, Michigan, Delaware, New York and others. He has also briefed and/or argued numerous cases before the Minnesota Court of Appeals, the Minnesota Supreme Court, the Iowa Supreme Court, and the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In conjunction with his litigation practice, since 2001 Pat has served on the board for The Fund for the Legal Aid Society, an organization whose primary task is to raise money to support The Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis. Pat has been named a top lawyer in Minnesota in the area of business litigation and has been selected by his peers as a Super Lawyer every year since 2001 – a distinction received by less than 5% of the lawyers in Minnesota.

Patrick J. Rooney

Rated by Super Lawyers

loading …

University of Vermont (BA cum laude 1982)
Duke University (MA Economics 1986)
Duke University School of Law (JD 1986)

State of Massachusetts (1986)
State of Minnesota (1989)
State of Wisconsin (1994)
US District Court, District of Massachusetts (1987)
US District Court, District of Minnesota (1989)
US District Court, District of Colorado (2008)
US District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin (2014)
US District Court, Eastern District of Michigan (2014)
US District Court, Western District of Wisconsin (2015)
US District Court, Western District of Michigan (2017)
US Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit (1987)
US Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit (2019)
US Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit (2015)
US Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit (2016)

  • American Bar Association, Section of Intellectual Property Law
  • Minnesota State Bar Association
  • Hennepin County Bar Association
  • Board Member, The Fund for the Legal Aid Society
  • Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America

  • RG Golf Warehouse, Inc. v. The Golf Warehouse, LLC, —F. Supp. 3d —, LEXIS 158758 (D. Minn. Sept. 2, 2022); obtained summary judgment dismissal of all claims in a multi-million dollar contract claim arising out of a terminated referral agreement.
  • Karon v. Elliott Aviation, 937 N.W.2d 334 (Iowa 2020), Iowa Supreme Court (1/10/20); affirming the District Court’s dismissal of a potential multi-million dollar claim against client, and establishing new Iowa law that forum selection clauses in written contracts are enforceable notwithstanding generalized allegations of fraud with respect to the contract as a whole.
  • Groschopf v. Northern Tool & Equipment Catalog Company, Inc., 81 F. Supp. 3d 686 (E.D. Wis. 2014); obtained summary judgment dismissal of all claims in a $19 million products liability case arising out of an exploding target product sold by defendant.
  • Miller v. Elliott Aviation Aircraft Sales, Inc., 4:13-cv-161, Federal District Court, Southern District of Iowa (12/10/14); obtained a stipulation of dismissal of all claims on behalf of defendant with no monetary payment to plaintiff in a multi-million dollar claim arising out of the sale of a used $2.9 million Hawker Beechcraft Jet Aircraft.
  • Local Government Property Insurance Fund v. OPS America, Inc., 13-cv-648, Wisconsin Circuit Court, Waukesha County (6/27/14); obtained a stipulation of dismissal of all claims on behalf of importer-defendant with no monetary payment to plaintiff in a substantial fire case involving an allegedly defective industrial fan.
  • Ehrman v. Adam, et al.,  A08-2120 (Unpublished Opinion), Minnesota Court of Appeals (09/01/09); affirming District Court dismissal of plaintiff’s defamation lawsuit based on comments made by attorney during settlement discussions upheld.
  • Powell v. Anderson, A05-734 (Unpublished Opinion), Minnesota Court of Appeals (01/10/06);  affirming District Court’s dismissal of shareholder’s claims in closely-held business based on terms of a shareholder agreement signed by a minority shareholder.
  • Bolander v. Bolander, 703 N.W.2d 529 (Minn. App. 2005); obtained partial reversal of jury verdict on grounds that, when president of a closely held company admits to actions, not in the best interests of the company, some form of equitable relief under Minnesota Statutes is required.
  • Nelson Design Group. L.L.C. v. Scoville Press. Inc., A04-1603 (Unpublished Opinion), Minnesota Court of Appeals (06/21/05); summary judgment for defendant inappropriate if plaintiff able to raise even minimal fact issue concerning material issue of fact.
  • Crenlo, Inc. v. Austin-Romtech, A03-851 (Unpublished Opinion), Minnesota Court of Appeals (05/04/04); summary judgment in breach of contract claim not appropriate if there are factual disputes regarding what was bargained for and received as part of the contract.
  • In re Estate and Trust of Walter G. Anderson, 654 N.W.2d 682 (Minn. App. 2002); affirming District Court’s decision denying petitioner’s claim to remove trustee on grounds that prior decision is preclusive on all issues decided in first matter.
  • Raines v. Sony Corporation of America, 523 N.W.2d 495 (Minn. App. 1995); obtained reversal of jury verdict on grounds that trial court erred in submitting case to jury on theory of res ipsa loquitur when evidence would sustain other theories of causation.
  • Fire Insurance Exchange v. Adamson Motors, 514 N.W.2d 807 (Minn. App. 1994); affirming jury verdict in favor of client and establishing proper calculation of prejudgment interest; party not obligated to advise opponent prior to trial of opponent’s witnesses’ perjury conviction, and trial court did not err in not granting a continuance when witness failed to appear to testify.
  • Rennick v. Minnegasco, et al., C5-90-917 (Unpublished Opinion), Minnesota Court of Appeals (11/20/90); affirming District Court decision that, absent notice of a problem, prior owner of real estate is not liable for injury to purchaser or third party caused by conditions existing at the time the purchaser took possession.

Pat lives with his wife, Laura, in the western suburbs of Minneapolis. Pat is a season ticket-holder for the University of Minnesota Gopher football team. He also enjoys baseball, movies, reading and traveling with his family.

News About Pat

Sort by

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

August 2023

14 FMJ Attorneys Named to the 2024 Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch Lists!

We are proud to announce that 14 of our attorneys have been recognized in the 2024 editions of Best Lawyers in America® and Best... Read more

July 2023

16 FMJ Attorneys Named to the 2023 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists!

We are proud to announce that 16 of our attorneys have been named to the 2023 Minnesota Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists! Congratulations... Read more

January 2023

Why We Do It: FMJ’s Commercial Aviation Practice

In a world full of people, only some want to fly Isn’t that crazy? But we’re never gonna survive unless, we get a little... Read more

December 2022

Webinar January 19, 2023 – What to Expect When You are Sued

January 19, 2023: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central Time – Please click here to register Join FMJ Attorneys Pat Rooney, Jamie Briones, and Brad... Read more

November 2022

FMJ Manufacturing Team to Attend Enterprise Minnesota’s State of Manufacturing Event on November 15, 2022

Please join FMJ’s Manufacturing Team at the Enterprise Minnesota State of Manufacturing annual event on Tuesday, November 15, 2022. Attendees will learn about the... Read more

October 2022

The Minnesota Supreme Court Formally Adopts the Common-Interest Doctrine, Which Protects Against Waiver of the Attorney-Client Privilege and Work Product Protection

The “common-interest” doctrine is an important legal principle that enables parties with common legal interests to share information without waiving the attorney-client privilege or... Read more

July 2022

Sixteen FMJ Attorneys Named to 2022 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars List

We are proud to announce that sixteen of our attorneys have been named 2022 Minnesota ‘Super Lawyers’ and ‘Rising Stars.’ Congratulations to our current... Read more

July 2021

Thirteen FMJ Attorneys Named to 2021 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists

We are proud to announce that twelve of our attorneys have been named 2021 Minnesota ‘Super Lawyers’ and ‘Rising Stars.’ Congratulations to our ranked attorneys Heidi... Read more

July 2020

Eleven FMJ Attorneys Named to 2020 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists

We are proud to announce that eleven of our attorneys have been named 2020 Minnesota ‘Super Lawyers’ and ‘Rising Stars.’ Congratulations to our ranked... Read more

July 2019

FMJ Minnesota Super Lawyers 2019

We are proud to announce that 40% of our attorneys have been named 2019 Minnesota ‘Super Lawyers’ and ‘Rising Stars.’ Congratulations to our “Super... Read more

July 2018

Eleven FMJ Attorneys Named to 2018 Super Lawyers List

We are proud to announce that over 40% of our attorneys have been named 2018 Minnesota ‘Super Lawyers’ and ‘Rising Stars.’ Congratulations to our... Read more

December 2017

Freeze-Out Mergers and the New Minnesota LLC Act – Bench & Bar of Minnesota

The Minnesota Revised Uniform Limited Liability Act that will govern all Minnesota LLCs beginning at the start of 2018 contains sweeping changes, and one... Read more

July 2017

Eleven FMJ Attorneys Named ‘Super Lawyers’ and ‘Rising Stars’ for 2017

We are proud to announce that more than one-third of our attorneys have been named 2017 ‘Super Lawyers’ and ‘Rising Stars.’ Super Lawyers rates... Read more

July 2016

Ten FMJ Attorneys Named to 2016 ‘Super Lawyers’

We are proud to announce that more than one-third of our attorneys have been named 2016 ‘Super Lawyers’ and ‘Rising Stars.’ Super Lawyers rates... Read more