Cooper Ashley is a partner in Maslon's Litigation Practice Group. Since 2003, he has served on the firm's Governance Committee and is currently the Chair. Cooper's practice is focused primarily on products liability matters on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants and complex class action and tort cases. He also has significant litigation experience in fire/explosion cases. Cooper's litigation experience is extensive. He has represented clients in numerous first-chair jury and bench trials in state and federal courts; appellate arguments before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals (en banc); the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals; binding arbitrations; successful mediations in well over one hundred cases; and all manner of related fact and expert discovery and motion practice. Cooper has appeared on behalf of clients in multiple state and federal jurisdictions, including courts in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Montana, Texas, Nevada, Florida and North Dakota.
Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, Illinois,
1980, J.D.
The Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado,
1976, B.A.
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Experience
Brooks v. Howmedica, 273 F.3d 785 (8th Cir. 2002)
Obtained summary judgment for defendant medical device manufacturer in precedent-setting 8th Circuit federal preemption case.
Association for Better Living v. Federal Reserve Bank, 1994 WL 323412 (Minn. App. 1994)
Successfully represented Federal Reserve Bank in defense of offer to block construction of new bank facility in Minneapolis.
Texas City Refining, Inc. v. GT & MC, Inc., 822 S.W.2d 252 (Tex. 1991)
Obtained 7-figure verdict for plaintiff refinery in a crude oil storage design defect case.
In re 3rd and Maria Gas Explosion Cases, State of Minnesota, Ramsey County District Court, C9-95-6556 (1993-1997)
Defended and successfully mediated multiple death, burn, injury and property damage claims against local utility arising from natural gas explosion.
In re St. Cloud Gas Explosion Cases, State of Minnesota, Stearns County District Court, C3-99-2293, et al. (1999)
Defended and successfully mediated multiple death, burn, injury and property damage claims against cable company arising from natural gas explosion.
G&K Services, Inc. v. Syswa, Inc., et al. (D. Minn. 2006)
Obtained multi-million dollar jury verdict in favor of plaintiff uniform supplier against defective industrial detergent supplier.
Palmer v. 3M (Washington Co. Dist. Ct. 2004 - present) Defeated motion seeking class certification of a 67,000 member putative class claiming chemical exposure via drinking water contamination.
