Commercial Litigation Environmental Law Litigation - Intellectual Property
Katie Crosby Lehmann
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2021 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
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 decades in practice, Katie’s learned that the best litigation strategy may be an unconventional one. When not working, Katie can be found at her northern Minnesota cabin, running, or encouraging her three children in some new adventure.
- Trial counsel for plaintiffs and defendants in all areas of business litigation from consumer rights and alleged false advertising, to business contractual disputes, to science-based disputes involving modeling, water rights, and environmental issues.
- Litigation counsel for plaintiffs and defendants in patent infringement cases involving technology ranging from food packaging design, internet-based technology including web browsers and communication protocols, mailing machines, heart stents, and MRI.
- Co-Creator of OneBudget® – a software program designed for monitoring current budgets and modeling of future budgets.
- Architect of the Legal Project Management Program (LPM) launched at Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. LPM involves evaluating case scope, budget, and the legal work schedule to ensure proper communication with the client and case team and efficient work at all levels.
Overview
- William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., graduated 1995
- University of Notre Dame, B.A., graduated 1991
- Minnesota, 1995
- North Dakota, 2012
- U.S. District Court, Minnesota
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
- Minnesota, 1995
- North Dakota, 2012
- William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., graduated 1995
- University of Notre Dame, B.A., graduated 1991
- U.S. District Court, Minnesota
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Commercial Litigation
- Environmental Law
- Litigation - Intellectual Property
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Litigation - Environmental
- Litigation - Patent
- Litigation - Trusts and Estates
- Trusts and Estates
Awards:
- Named “Attorney of the Year” by Minnesota Lawyer (2019, 2017, 2013)
- Named to The Best Lawyers in America (2021, 2022)
- Named to “Notable Women in the Law,” Twin Cities Business (2020)
- Named to Lawdragon’s list of 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers (2020-2022)
- Named Minnesota Super Lawyer (2018-2021)
- Named to list of “Top Attorneys in Minnesota” by Peer Recognition and Professional Achievement, as published in Mpls St. Paul Magazine (2018-2020)
- Named to list of “Top Women Attorneys in Minnesota” in recognition for excellent customer service and overall satisfaction, as published in Mpls St. Paul Magazine (2019, 2020)
- Named to Lawdragon’s list of 500 Plaintiff Financial Lawyers (2019-2021)
- Named “40 Under Forty” by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal (2007)
- Named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers (2008)
News & Media
Case History
Cases
- Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness v. Minnesota DNR
Lead Counsel for Minnesota environmental rights act case against Minnesota Department of Natural Resources alleging that DNR’s existing rules and regulations will fail to protect the water, land, and air from material harm caused by copper mining on the edge of the Boundary Water Canoe Area. (2020)
- Dietary Supplement Class Action
Defense of dietary supplement company from allegations of false or misleading advertising in violation of consumer protection laws. (2020)
- Minnesota Environmental Rights Act Litigation
Lead Trial and Appellate Counsel representing White Bear Lake Restoration Association against Minnesota DNR in an action to enforce the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act seeking to prevent further destruction and impairment of White Bear Lake and the underlying aquifers. The over three week trial resulted in a finding that DNR violated MERA by violating many environmental laws and materially harming the Lake and underlying aquifer, resulting in equitable relief. (2017) Supreme Court affirmed trial court in 2020, with case reverting to Court of Appeals. (2013-20)
- Ligons v. Minnesota Department of Corrections
Ciresi Conlin was appointed lead counsel in a class action on behalf of Minnesota prisoners seeking treatment for chronic Hepatitis C, a highly contagious and fatal disease that affects up to 10 percent of the incarcerated population. The class action, based on the Eighth Amendment, challenged the Department of Corrections’ policy of treating only those at an advanced stage of Hepatitis C. Shortly before trial, Ciresi Conlin secured a settlement compelling the DOC to provide potentially life-saving medication to qualifying prisoners at all stages of the disease. (2019)
- Metropolitan Council, Hennepin County, Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority v. Twin Cities & Western Railroad
Represented the Council, Hennepin County and HCRRA regarding colocation of freight and light rail in the Bass Lake Spur and Kenilworth Corridor for the Southwest Light Rail Transit Project. (2018)
- St. Paul Public Schools/Silva:
Negotiated Separation Agreement on behalf of Valeria Silva, the Superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools, providing her at least $787,500 in payments and benefits from the School District. Represented by Mike Ciresi, Katie Crosby Lehmann and Mat Korte on behalf of the firm. (2016)
- Sightpath Medical, LLC v. Precision Lens, et al.
Represented Defendants in a business-to-business dispute involving defense of breach of confidentiality agreement, tortious interference with contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and other claims. Settlement obtained weeks before trial set to begin. (2015)
- Mondelez International, Inc.
Worked along with a team of inside counsel for Mondelez International, Inc. in a negotiation and/or then potential litigation dispute with Kraft Foods Group, Inc. involving a wide variety of intellectual property and treatment of certain provisions of key contracts impacting worldwide rights. Settlement was reached and involved, among other things, a division of IP by product and country across the world, agreed treatment of certain provisions of key contracts as they relate to contemplated transactions by the involved parties, and future treatment of key contract provisions. (2015)
- Kraft Foods Group, Inc./Mondelez International, Inc. v. Starbucks Coffee Company
Counsel represented Kraft in a three-year arbitration regarding a breach of contract after Starbucks unilaterally terminated its agreement, cutting off Kraft’s exclusive rights to sell, market and distribute Starbucks roast and ground coffee in grocery and other retail outlets. The arbitration resulted in a $2.7 billion cash award to Kraft.
- Mineral Rights Class Action
Represented mineral rights owners in a putative class action against the State of North Dakota and others for the alleged unlawful taking of mineral interests along navigable waters in the State. Our clients claimed that the State and others wrongfully claimed title to their mineral interests and wrongfully leased those interests for the extraction and production of oil and gas. Case was dismissed.
- Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Kashiv Pharma
Represented Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Kashiv Pharma in a Hatch-Waxman patent dispute brought by Purdue Pharma over a generic drug, which successfully concluded.
- Mondelez International, Inc. v. Kellogg
Represented Mondelez International, Inc. in a patent dispute against Kellogg over a patent on a resealable cookie package. Argued appeal to Federal Circuit. Case was dismissed.
- Ricoh Corp. v. Pitney Bowes Inc.
Trial counsel for Pitney Bowes defending a patent infringement case involving communications and control within Pitney Bowes’ mailing machines. The case was tried in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Trenton Division, with Judge Brown presiding. The jury returned a verdict of invalidity in favor of Pitney Bowes finding anticipation of all 18 asserted claims. In addition, during trial, the Court entered summary judgment of anticipation of four additional claims. Jury decision was affirmed in a post-trial memorandum by the district court and summarily affirmed by the Federal Circuit.
- Pitney Bowes Inc. v. Hewlett Packard Co.
Trial counsel for Pitney Bowes in which Pitney Bowes obtained $400 million and certain intellectual property from Hewlett Packard in settlement of a patent dispute over laser jet printers.
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