FN-1984671 MN-1984671 LN-1984671, Esq.
Attorney, Arbitrator, Mediator - Trials and Appeals in Federal and State Courts
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Hanson ADR, LLC, President
Attorney, Arbitrator, Mediator - Trials and Appeals in Federal and State Courts
Arbitrator & Mediator, 2021 – Present; Of Counsel, Taft Stettinius & Hollister, 2020; Of Counsel, Briggs and Morgan, 2016 – 2019; Shareholder, Briggs and Morgan, 1966 – 2000 & 2008 – 2016; Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court, 2002 – 2008; Judge, Minnesota Court of Appeals, 2000 – 2002; Law Clerk, Minnesota Supreme Court, 1965 – 1966.
Prior to being appointed to the bench, was a commercial litigator for 34 years, handling complex commercial trials and appeals in the state and federal courts. Primary areas of experience are commercial litigation, including contracts, securities, antitrust and franchisees; public utilities including electric, gas, telephone, supply and purchase power contracts, energy regulations and rate regulation; insurance coverage, including business interruption/property loss, agency/ broker issues, directors & officers Insurance, property and casualty insurance, Life/Health/Disability Insurance, Fiduciary Liability Insurance, Fidelity Insurance, and Professional Liability Insurance and including allocation of loss among multiple insurers, primary and excess issues, trigger and exhaustion issues; and administrative law, including land use, eminent domain, employment, and pensions.
After 2008, participated in about 50 mediations, five as party attorney and 45 as Mediator. These mediations include claims of employment discrimination, employment termination, breach of distributor agreements, breach of business sales agreement, and other related commercial disputes.
My approach to Mediation is to become completely acquainted with the issues in the case, to be able to press the parties to be realistic about the potential outcomes of a trial, and to understand the costs and risks of a trial. Absolute confidentiality with each party is needed, to only disclose to the other party what has specifically been authorized to pass along. Joint conferences are rarely used, preferring to separate the parties unless some specific issue would benefit from a face-to-face discussion. In appropriate cases, a mediator’s proposal for settlement may be helpful in some cases, but generally only after significant exchanges have occurred. The bracket approach may be useful where the incremental offers and counter offers have either stymied or are moving at too slow a pace.
William Mitchell College of Law (LLB, cum laude-1965); St. Olaf College (BA, History/Economics-1961).
Admitted to the Bar: Minnesota (1965); US District Court: District of Minnesota; US Court of Appeals: 8th Circuit (1966); US Supreme Court (1971).
American Bar Association (Utilities Committee; Civil Litigation Committee); Minnesota Bar Association (Utilities Committee; Civil Litigation Committee; Appellate Committee); Hennepin Bar Association; National Conference of Bar Examiners (Past Board of Trustees, Past Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary); William Mitchell College of Law (Past Board of Trustees, Past Chair); American College of Trial Lawyers (Past Minnesota Chair); American Board of Trial Advocates; Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society (Past Chair); Minnesota Supreme Court No-Fault Standing Committee (Past Chair); Minnesota Supreme Court Legal Services Planning Committee (Past Chair); College of Commercial Arbitrators; American Academy of Appellate Lawyers.
"Guardians of the Common Law," Hamline University Law School, Law and Leadership Forum, 2008; "Character and Fitness: Conditional Admission to the Bar," National Conference of Bar Examiners, 2008; "The Relationship Between Bar Admissions and Law Schools," The Bar Examiner, 2003; "Forward, Recent Decisions," William Mitchell Law Review, 2003, 2006; "The Chinese Century," William Mitchell Law Review, 2001; "Ten Guidelines for an Effective Oral Argument," Minnesota CLE, 1996; "Judicial Review of Agency Action," William Mitchell Law Review, 1984; co-author, "Judicial Review of Rate Return," William Mitchell Law Review, 1982.
$550 Per Hour
English
United States of America
Minneapolis, MN
The AAA’s Rules provide the AAA with the authority to administer a mediation including, mediator appointment, general oversight and billing. Accordingly, mediations that proceed without AAA administration are not considered AAA mediations, even when the parties select an mediator who is on the AAA’s Roster.
The information contained in this resume has been supplied solely by the individual mediator and may, or may not, be a complete recitation of their experience. The AAA assumes no responsibility for the content, completeness, accuracy, or reliability of the information contained in a mediator’s resume. If you have any questions about a mediator’s experience or background, you are encouraged to contact your case manager.
Mediators on the AAA Roster are not employees or agents of the AAA.
The information contained in this resume has been supplied solely by the individual mediator and may, or may not, be a complete recitation of their experience. The AAA assumes no responsibility for the content, completeness, accuracy, or reliability of the information contained in a mediator’s resume. If you have any questions about a mediator’s experience or background, you are encouraged to contact your case manager.
Mediators on the AAA Roster are not employees or agents of the AAA.
