Line design

Robins Kaplan LLP is pleased to announce that fourteen attorneys have been named 2024 Attorneys of the Year by Minnesota Lawyer, recognizing their exceptional leadership, involvement in significant and noteworthy cases, and commitment to public service. 

Philip Sieff, Tara Sutton, Michael Reif, Rashanda Bruce, and Julie Reynolds were recognized for securing a groundbreaking $7.75 million verdict against CRC Industries, Inc., a manufacturer of aerosol dust remover products. Recently, the total judgment increased to nearly $10.5 million after the court granted a post-trial motion for prejudgment interest and costs. This is believed to be the first plaintiff verdict against a dust remover manufacturer. It stems from the tragic 2019 death of Cynthia McDougall, who was killed in a vehicle crash after an individual impaired by huffing CRC Duster struck her car head-on. The case centered on the well-known abuse of aerosol dust removers and CRC Industries’ failure to prevent the foreseeable misuse of its products.

Jason Pfeiffer, Liz Burnett, Marcus Guith, and Allie Zakon were honored for achieving a $73 million jury verdict in a complex product liability case and subsequent entry of judgment on contractual indemnity claims to include attorneys’ fees and costs. The case involved a propane-powered forklift that caught on fire and exploded at a tissue mill, causing extensive property damage and disruption to the clients’ business. Over four years of litigation, the team navigated extensive discovery and depositions and argued myriad pre-trial motions, culminating in an eight-week jury trial.

Patrick Arenz, Emily Niles, Jessica Gutierrez, Brenda Joly, and Prateek Viswanathan were recognized for obtaining a $42.4 million verdict in a high-stakes patent infringement case, which is believed to be the largest patent jury verdict in the District of Minnesota history. The case involved Willis Electric’s innovative One Plug Tree, which allowed users to quickly assemble and illuminate artificial Christmas trees with a single plug. After Polygroup, Willis Electric’s largest competitor, studied the design and released its version the following year, Willis Electric filed a lawsuit in 2015. After years of hard-fought litigation, Willis Electric won a unanimous jury verdict of willful infringement in early 2024. The district court entered final judgment for over $71.4 million.

View all Minnesota Lawyer 2024 Attorneys of the Year here

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