Saliterman & Siefferman, P.C. and its attorneys have represented business entities, managers, owners, and debt capitalizers of those entities in litigation of all natures, and in avoidance of litigation and preservation of mutually beneficial business relationships. The Firm has represented businesses and individuals in both simple and complex litigation and negotiations throughout the United States and often serves as local counsel for national and international clients.
Representative Experience
- The Firm represented an out of state owner of a downtown Minneapolis office building complex property (most of a city block in the main commercial section of downtown Minneapolis) against one of the world’s major manufacturers of asbestos, for asbestos content in building, and received a $16,000,000 jury verdict in United States District Court in Minnesota. It is believed to be the largest asbestos/hazardous substance verdict for a downtown Minneapolis real property interest. The Firm also successfully represented the client in a major real property tax abatement proceeding that followed.
- The Firm served an expert legal and engineering consultant plaintiffs’ counsel in the 35W Bridge collapse. Mr. Floyd Siefferman, who received his engineering degree at West Point and is a trained combat engineer, was lead counsel from the Firm. His interview, by a reporter for one of the main Minneapolis newspapers as to the reasons for the bridge collapse, was the first published written interview of an attorney and expert after the collapse.
- The Firm represented a Connecticut based minority shareholder and former Chairman of the Board of Directors against a major geospatial mapping technologies company for claims of breach of fiduciary duty and other statutory and common law shareholder protections including claims exceeding $136,000,000. The ten-day Trial resulted in Judgments against each of the seven defendants in favor of the Firm’s client.
- The Firm represented a founding shareholder of a Minnesota based Department of Defense Contractor in a case involving minority shareholder claims for breach of fiduciary duty, dissenter’s rights, unfairly prejudicial conduct and employment whistleblower claims. The Firm represented the shareholder through litigation and resolved the dispute on terms favorable to the client including a continuing business relationship between the defendant company and the Firm’s client.
- The Firm represented a family owned Minnesota radio station in a lawsuit brought against the station and one of its employees who alleged sexual harassment. The Firm counterclaimed for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The litigation resulted in a jury verdict of over $600,000 on for our client and the Plaintiff took nothing. The case is a national landmark case on the subject of emotion distress damages in the context of employment.
- The Firm has served as principal legal counsel to two different banking systems, one of the largest in the State of Minnesota, as counsel in litigation, including loan foreclosures, loan enforcements, and other commercial litigation.
- The Firm assisted with franchise cases, including termination of franchises, inter-franchise disputes, franchisor and franchisee litigation, area franchise litigation, employment litigation, and trademark/trade name litigation. The Firm has (on separate instances) also represented clients on both sides of very serious franchise termination issues and dealership termination issues.
- The Firm has served as general counsel from the outset of two major well known inns/resorts on Lake Superior.
- The Firm recovered over $1 million for Minnesota based general contractor against quasi governmental entity for work done on a large federally funded construction project. An amicable resolution was reached without formal litigation, helping to preserve the business relationship of the parties.
- The Firm recovered full contract price for Texas Based food products distributor for the delivery of Indonesian Food Products to a Minnesota based company. The client overcame allegations of transshipping and enforced its contract claims to recover 100% of the invoiced balance, almost $500,000.
- The Firm served as local counsel and enforced an Australian Supreme Court Judgment in Minnesota for Australian corporate client against a Minnesota based entity for breach of contract and unfair trade practices. The client was awarded all interest, costs and attorney fees demanded, over $200,000 more than the original Australian Judgment.
- The Firm represented the plaintiff in the first major corporation share transfer litigation of a Minnesota Professional Corporation’s shares or ownership units in Minnesota. This case was eventually decided by the Minnesota Supreme Court and established new law regarding transferring shares in a professional corporation absent a share purchase agreement.
- The Firm successfully represented president and major shareholder of a close corporation that owned and operated an airport aircraft service and fixed flight facility in Minnesota.
- The Firm successfully represented major owner of chain of Italian and European restaurants in shareholder dissolution litigation.
- The Firm represented a California based investor and capitalizer of a geospatial mapping and technologies company for breach of contract. The Firm assisted in resolving the litigation on terms favorable to the client, including negotiating and drafting a software licensing agreement.
- The Firm successfully represented a securities brokerage employee in a whistle blower action under Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as amended by the Dodd Frank Act in which the securities broker was unlawfully terminated for cooperating with an SEC investigation against a large Minneapolis based brokerage house.
- The Firm successfully represented an investor regarding claims of breach of fiduciary duty and related state and federal statutory claims against a New York based brokerage.
