In Memoriam Of
Floyd E. Siefferman. Jr.
Floyd Siefferman’s soft-spoken achievements are reflected not only in his own extraordinarily fine professional work, but also in the achievements of his children. Dr Christina Siefferman, a distinguished veterinarian; Allen Floyd O’Day, an accomplished business person, Dr. Stephen Siefferman, a distinguished dentist, and Dr. Thomas Siefferman, who is former president of the Twin Cities Medical Society. Above all, these achievements are reflected in a long marriage to his beloved wife, Jane.
These achievements also include being at the top of his class at West Point, a Rhodes Scholarship selectee, law school valedictorian, and service in significant positions with the U.S. Army and Reserves, including as an Army jumpmaster. Floyd, moreover, was a devoted member of the Christian Faith.
Floyd’s legal career also included being a member of the Minneapolis law firm of Saliterman & Siefferman, P.C. and the law firm family: and a partner and confidant for decades. At the time he was a mentor to generations of lawyers. Prior to that, he was a partner of the law firm of litigation, and lead counsel and author of briefs in more than 50 reported federal and state Supreme Court, Appellant Court and District Court decisions. For years, he was a loyal member of the Hennepin County Bench and Bar Committee. Later in his career for almost 25 years, Floyd served extremely conscientiously and effectively as an AAA Qualified Arbitrator. The Decisions in some of Floyd’s cases that have been cited by courts and others include: THS Northstar v. WR Grace (Federal Court): Jerry’s Restaurants v. Pannekoeken Huis (Federal Court): E-Z Stop Stores v. Minnesota Department of Tax Revenue (Minnesota State Tax Court and Minnesota Supreme Court); 35W Bridge Collapse cases: Langslang v. KYMN Radio (Minnesota Supreme Court).
The last case, like many of Floyd’s cases, was a landmark case on the national level, in the area of international infliction of emotional distress that was directed against a client who was a radio station owner. It is noted and appears in law school casebooks used by law students in their legal education around the country.
Floyd was quite proud of his heritage and the long line of service of his forebears in national defense and security, going back to more than 150 years. He authored on e of the first articles on the subject of interception of telephone communications, which was published in a university law school-level law review more than 50 years ago.
It may be worth noting, and perhaps an index of Floyd’s selflessness and principles, that he declined to accept a Rhodes Scholarship awarded to him upon graduation at West Point in order to be able to maintain the commitment he had made to his marriage and marriage vows to his beloved wife, Jane.
Reprinted: Annual Hennepin County Bar Memorial Book 4/22/15
Dick Saliterman, author, book biographical entry
