Tom Sipkins is head of Maslon's Labor & Employment Group. He is a trial lawyer and counselor who has focused the majority of his practice on commercial litigation, internal investigations, and employment and labor law matters on behalf of management. He has been practicing law for 34 years. Tom has tried over thirty cases in state and federal courts, and before state agencies. He has also handled appeals at the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
Tom has frequently lectured on employment discrimination, harassment and wrongful discharge law for continuing legal education courses. In 1994, at the Chinese Law Society, he lectured to 600 Chinese and Far Eastern lawyers in Beijing, China, on sex discrimination and sexual harassment, and also on the roots of the Chinese Labor Law. He also coordinated and contributed to Minnesota Employment Laws and Regulations: A Survival Guide, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Business Services, 1995. Tom has also lectured on the False Claims Act and qui tam litigation. He lectured annually for the Minnesota School Board's Association on discrimination and sexual harassment law for ten years.
Tom's recent focus has been on the defense of age, race, sex, religious and disability discrimination claims, a variety of commercial litigation, whistleblower claims, and claims under the False Claims Act. He has also assisted government contractors in responding to investigations of alleged government contract improprieties and in the prevention of potential qui tam suits. Tom's clients include Simon Property Group, Mel Simon & Associates, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Quality Wine & Spirits, Pioneer Metal Finishing and Unisys. In addition to performing internal investigations, he has performed human resources audits for multinational and regional companies.
Tom is a 1969 graduate of Williams College, and a 1973 graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School, following service in the United States Army as a Russian linguist. He began his career as an attorney at the U.S. Renegotiation Board in Washington, D.C. specializing in government contracts and Freedom of Information Act litigation. Later, he tried civil rights, discrimination, personal injury, and zoning matters for the City of St. Paul. Tom has been in private practice since 1977. He is also an experienced Certified Mediator. He has been selected by Minnesota Law & Politics as a Super Lawyer in the labor and employment and commercial litigation areas from 1997-present, and has also been a Top 40 Employment Lawyer from 2003 to the present.
Tom has served as national coordinating counsel in consumer fraud and employment litigation for Fortune 500 Companies; defended against and prevented the certification of class actions in numerous employment discrimination cases; and served as case manager for clients defending against multiple employment and toxic tort cases.
University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, Minnesota,
1973, J.D.
Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts,
1969, B.A.
Thomas Sipkins
Cases & Transactions
Triple Five of Minnesota, Inc. v. Melvin Simon, et al. USDC MN 8th Cir., various.
Lange v. Quality Wine & Spirits, Ct. File No. 27CV05-10781 (Minn. Dist. Ct. 12-29-06).
Bolander v. Bolander & Sons, Court File No. C6-01000482 (Minn., Ramsey County Dist. Ct.). On appeal, A-04-2003 (Minn. App., Sept. 8, 2004) (successfully tried to jury verdict a shareholder dispute for a judgment of $1.6 million dollars and over $500,000 in attorneys fees).
Reischauer v. Unisys Corp., No. 95-00743 (D. Minn. 1996) (Successfully defended a billion dollar Qui Tam case voluntarily dismissed by the relator after several years of litigation) (2004).
Gundacker, et. al. v. Unisys Corp., No. 98-763, 14 IER Cases (BNA) 1216 (U.S. Jan. 11, 1999) cert. denied, Gundacker, et. al. v. Unisys Corp., 151 F. 3d 842, 14 IER Cases (BNA) 1205 (8th Cir. 1998) (Successfully defended against a multi-billion dollar Qui Tam and False Claims Act matter).
Phillips v. Northwest Airlines, (USDC Minn.) (unpublished) (Summary Judgment under the Americans with Disabilities Act).
Stanley v. Wings Holding, Inc., No. 96-1141, 75 FEP Cases (BNA) 1293 (D. Minn. Sept. 23, 1997) (Motion to Dismiss granted on enforceability of arbitration clause).
Smith v. United HealthCare Services, Inc., 2000 WL 1198418 (D.Minn., Aug 18, 2000) (NO. CIV. 00-1163 ADM/AJB)
Gundacker v. Unisys Corp., 151 F.3d 842, 136 Lab. Cas. P 58,464, 41 Fed.R.Serv.3d 874, 14 IER Cases 1205 (8th Cir. (Minn.), Aug 07, 1998) (NO. 97-2969, 97-4380)
