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Cooper S. Ashley 
Partner
Member of Governance Committee since 2003

p 612.672.8363
f612.642.8363
cooper.ashley@maslon.com

3300 Wells Fargo Center
90 South Seventh Street
Minneapolis, MN 55402

Cooper Ashley is a partner in Maslon's Litigation Group. Since 2003, he has served on the firm's Governance Committee and served as Chair from 2007 - 2011. Cooper's practice is focused primarily on products liability matters on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants and complex class action and tort cases, including environmental toxic tort and fire/explosion cases. He has first-chaired numerous jury and bench trials in state and federal courts, argued appeals before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals (en banc), the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals, and conducted 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.

Areas of Practice
  • Litigation
  • Tort & Product Liability
  • Drugs and Medical Devices
  • Environmental Litigation
  • Explosions and Fire
  • Federal Preemption
  • Mass Torts, MDL and Class Actions
  • Insurance Coverage Litigation
Education
  • Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, Illinois, 1980
    J.D.
  • The Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1976
    B.A.
Bar Admissions
  • Minnesota, 1980
  • U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1980
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1989
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 2001
Professional Associations and Memberships
  • International Society of Barristers - Fellow
  • Minnesota State Bar Association - Member
  • Hennepin County Bar Association - Member
  • Minnesota Loan Repayment Assistance Program - Board Member
  • Fund for the Legal Aid Society - Board Member
Classes Taught
  • “Paulson v. 3M: The Jury’s Verdict—3M Groundwater Litigation,” Hennepin County Bar Association, 2009
  • “Hold Everything! Document Preservation Requirements and ‘Litigation Holds’ and How to Survive Them,” Maslon Speakers Series, 2006
Honors and Awards
  • Attorney of the Year, Minnesota Lawyer, 2009
  • Recognized on Minnesota Super Lawyers® list, 2007 - 2011 (Minnesota Super Lawyers® is a designation given to only 5 percent of Minnesota attorneys each year.)
  • AV Rating, Martindale-Hubbell (AV, BV, and CV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies)

Experience

  • State of Minnesota v. 3M, 27-CV-10-28862 (Hennepin County District court, Minnesota). Defending 3M in a pending natural resources damages claim brought by State of Minnesota relating to presence of perfluoronated chemicals in certain environmental media.
  • Braswell v. Polaris Industries, No. 09-02919 (D. Colo.). Worked in conjunction with Colorado counsel to obtain early resolution of a nationwide putative class action where it was alleged that Polaris overstated snowmobile engine horsepower and durability; participated in case and settlement strategy and was charged with the management of Polaris documents and e-discovery.
  • American Medical Systems, Inc. (U.S.D. Ct., D. Minn.). Defending multiple individual pending cases alleging multiple tort theories against American Medical Systems relating to female mesh products.
  • In re American Medical Systems, Inc., CV-11-3933 (Hennepin County District Court, Minnesota). Defending pending consolidated state court actions alleging multiple tort theories against American Medical Systems related to female mesh products.
  • Paulson et al. v. 3M, C2-04-6309 (State of Minnesota, Washington County District Court). Defeated motion seeking class certification of a 67,000 member putative class claiming chemical exposure via drinking water contamination (2007) and obtained a defense verdict on the merits after a seven-week jury trial (2009).
  • 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.
  • Brooks v. Howmedica, 273 F.3d 785 (8th Cir. 2002). Obtained summary judgment for defendant medical device manufacturer in precedent-setting Eighth Circuit federal preemption case after en banc argument
  • In re St. Cloud Gas Explosion Cases, C3-99-2293, et al. (State of Minnesota, Stearns County District Court). Defended and successfully mediated multiple death, burn, injury and property damage claims against cable company arising from natural gas explosion.
  • In re 3rd and Maria Gas Explosion Cases, C9-95-6556 (State of Minnesota, Ramsey County District Court). Defended and successfully mediated multiple death, burn, injury and property damage claims against local utility arising from natural gas explosion.
  • Association for Better Living v. Federal Reserve Bank, 1994 WL 323412 (Minn. Ct. App. 1994). Obtained defense verdict for the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank against organization seeking to block construction of new bank facility in Minneapolis.
  • GT & MC, Inc. v. Texas City Refining, Inc., 822 S.W.2d 252 (Tex. 1991). Obtained seven-figure verdict for plaintiff refinery in a crude oil storage tank design defect case.
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Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP  | 3300 Wells Fargo Center | 90 South Seventh Street | Minneapolis, MN 55402-4140 | p 612.672.8200