John Carlson

Tony has spent a large part of his career handling large loss and catastrophe litigation including fires and explosions, product liability, property and casualty litigation. He has handled a range of complex insurance coverage disputes. Tony is often called upon to go to fire scenes and take control of fire investigation to protect his clients’ interests. He has substantial trial experience, having tried cases in state courts throughout the Midwest and in federal court. He also has subs...

John Holper is an experienced construction and real estate trial attorney. John has more than 30 years of experience representing commercial and residential owners, commercial landlords and tenants, lenders, business entities, developers, contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, architects, and engineers. John works with his clients not only when a dispute arises but also on the front end by applying his litigation experience to help draft and negotiate construction-related contacts i...

Roberta B. Walburn has focused her legal career on complex, high-stakes litigation. Most notably, she played a pivotal role in the Minnesota tobacco litigation, representing the State of Minnesota and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota in their groundbreaking lawsuit against the tobacco industry. After four years of litigation—including unearthing more than 30 million pages of internal documents, litigation of crime-fraud issues, more than a dozen unsuccessful interlocutory appeals...

Gary Speier is a registered U.S. patent attorney with a focus on issues facing companies in the life sciences sectors. He provides counsel on a broad range of patent-related matters and regularly conducts pre-suit investigations, intellectual property valuations, and IP due diligence. Gary provides freedom-to-operate clearance reviews and opinions relating to infringement and validity and develops patent procurement and patent prosecution strategies for domestic, international, and foreign ju...

Kodi J. Verhalen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Energy Regulatory Law and Environmental Law. Kodi J., who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kodi J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

As Founding and Managing Partner of Ciresi Conlin, Katie’s known for practicing at the intersection of science and the law. She pinpoints the advantages and disadvantages of each case, quickly and efficiently. In order to know how to maneuver your client’s case, you also need to understand your opponent’s path. Seeing through the pitfalls while recognizing the advantages both sides face helps to refine the business goals and litigation strategies for any dispute. Plus, after...

Stuart L. Goldenberg is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Stuart founded his first law firm in 1986 with the idea that injury law should value client service and dignity above everything else. He has litigated some of the largest pharmaceutical, personal injury, medical malpractice, and product liability cases in the country- including cases involving wrongful death, brain...

William F. Bullard is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Intellectual Property. William F., who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William F. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michelle Jester is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law. Michelle, who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michelle is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

"As a mediator or arbitrator my goal is to have the perspective, persistence, and patience to resolve business disputes and settle cases effectively." With more than 40 years of experience as a litigator representing both plaintiffs and defendants, I know business issues. This wealth of experience and knowledge now serves as the foundation for successfully resolving disputes through alternative dispute resolution (ADR). I am a leading provider of commercial litigation ADR services and have an...