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David F. Herr 
Partner

p 612.672.8350
f612.642.8350
david.herr@maslon.com

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

David Herr, a partner in Maslon's Litigation Group, is a highly regarded appellate lawyer and complex case litigator. He is frequently sought out to provide practical and sophisticated advice on how to resolve difficult, multi-party disputes in trial courts and arbitral forums, as well as in the appellate courts. David is past president of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, past president of the Academy of Court Appointed Masters and regularly argues cases in the Minnesota appellate courts and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. He annotates the Federal Judicial Center's Manual for Complex Litigation, published and distributed nationally by Thomson West.

Areas of Practice
  • Litigation
  • Appeals
  • Minnesota Appeals
  • Eighth Circuit Appeals
  • Appeals to Other Courts
  • U.S. Supreme Court Appeals
  • Consulting Appellate Matters
  • Amicus Curiae Practice
  • Business Litigation
  • Mass Torts, MDL and Class Actions
  • Products Liability
  • Punitive Damages
Education
  • William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1978
    J.D.
    Honors: cum laude
    Law Review: William Mitchell Law Review, Staff Member, 1975 - 1976; Editor, 1976 - 1977
  • University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 1977
    M.B.A.
  • University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 1972
    B.A.
Bar Admissions
  • Minnesota, 1978
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, 1998
  • U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1978
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1986
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 1982
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 2000
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1998
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2004
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1978
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1998
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1998
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1999
  • U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit, 1990
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims, 1986
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1989
Certified Legal Specialties
  • Trained Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association
  • Arbitrator, Hennepin County District Court, 1985
  • Trained Mediator and Arbitrator, National Arbitration Forum, 1989
  • Court-appointed Arbitrator and Mediator, Ramsey County District Court, 1990
  • Appointed Special Master by several Courts in complex class-action litigation
  • Qualified neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice, Minnesota Supreme Court, since 1994
Professional Associations and Memberships
  • Minnesota State Bar Association - Member; Section of Civil Litigation, past Chair; Task Force on Complex Litigation, past Chair
  • Hennepin County Bar Association - Member
  • Ramsey County Bar Association - Member
  • Academy of Court-Appointed Masters - Member; President, 2007 - 2008
  • American Law Institute - Elected Member
  • Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules of Civil Procedure - Reporter, since 1983
  • Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Uniform Local Rules - Reporter, 1989 - 1992
  • Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committee on General Rules of Practice - Reporter, since 1992
  • Minnesota Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules of Civil Appellate Procedure - Co-Reporter, since 1996
  • William Mitchell College of Law Partners-in-Progress Annual Fund Drive - past Chair
  • Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society - Founding Member; Board of Directors since 2008; Treasurer, 2007 - 2012
  • United Hospital Foundation (St. Paul, MN) - Board of Directors since 2001; past Chair
  • Innocence Project of Minnesota - Board of Directors since 2008; Co-Chair (2011 - 2013)
  • USA Fencing - Board of Directors since 2008; Audit Committee, Member (2009 - 2010) (USFA is the National Governing Board for the Olympic sport of Fencing)
Classes Taught
  • Appellate Law and Practice, Adjunct Professor, William Mitchell College of Law, 2009 - 2010
  • Recent Supreme Court Decisions, Adjunct Professor, William Mitchell College of Law, 2002 - 2007
  • Advanced Civil Procedure, Adjunct Professor, William Mitchell College of Law, 1990 - 1999
  • Management of Complex Litigation, Adjunct Professor, William Mitchell College of Law, 1985 - 1998
  • Insurance Law, Adjunct Professor, William Mitchell College of Law, 1982 - 1992
  • Judicial Internship Clinic, Adjunct Professor, William Mitchell College of Law, 1978 - 1987
  • Numerous CLE programs, Minnesota CLE, Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, ALI-ABA, Hennepin County Bar Association
Publications
  • Conducting an Effective Litigation Hold, ON Litigation, Vol. 3, Summer 2011
  • Why Guess? Erie Guesses and the Eighth Circuit, (co-author with Haley N. Schaffer), 36 Wm. Mitchell L. Rev. 1625 (2010)
  • Chapter 66: Appeals, (co-author with Marschall Smith and Thomas A. Boardman), 4 Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel 66-1 (2010 ed.)
  • Multidistrict Litigation Manual: Practice Before the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, West, 2010
  • It's a whole new case, ON Litigation, Vol. 1, Spring 2009
  • Admissibility of E-Evidence in Minnesota: New Problems or Evidence as Usual?, (co-author with Keiko L. Sugisaka), 35 Wm. Mitchell L. Rev. 1453 (2009)
  • Suggestions from the Practicing Bar: Things Practitioners Wish the Court of Appeals Would Do Differently, (co-author with Haley N. Schaffer), 35 Wm. Mitchell L. Rev. 1286 (2009)
  • Courtroom Handbook of Minnesota Evidence, (co-author with Peter N. Thompson), West, 2009 - 2010
  • Improving the Odds on Appeal, (co-author with Cynthia F. Gilbertson), 50 Bench & Bar of Minnesota 17, 2003
  • Applying Amended Rule 26(b)(1) in Litigation: The New Scope of Discovery, (co-author with Jeffrey W. Stempel), 199 F.R.D. 396 (2001)
  • Annotated Manual for Complex Litigation, 4th, West, 2010; MP3 edition, 2010
  • Eighth Circuit Appellate Practice Manual, 4th ed., (co-editor with Eric J. Magnuson, Mary R. Vasaly and Michael Gans), Minnesota CLE, 2001, 5th ed. 2010
  • Minnesota Practice: General Rules of Practice Annotated, Thomson West, West, Vol. 3A, 2010
  • Motion Practice, (co-author with Roger S. Haydock), Little Brown, 1985, 5th ed. 2010
  • Handling Appeals: Beyond Litigation as Usual, (co-author with John Borg), ACCA Docket, 16, No. 6 at 34, 1998
  • Amici Curiae: Not Just Friends of the Court Anymore, (co-author with Michael C. McCarthy), The Practical Litigator, Vol. 9, No. 3, 1998
  • Summary of Minnesota Appellate Procedures/Basics of Appeals/Preparing for Appeal in the Trial Court/Timeline and Deadline, 1992; 6th ed. 2010
  • Multidistrict Litigation, Little Brown, 1986, Supp. 1996
  • Discovery Practice, (co-author with Roger S. Haydock), West Publishing, 5th ed. 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011
  • Minnesota Practice, West, 4 Vols., 1986, 3rd ed. 1996, 4th ed. 2002 - 2005; 5th ed. 2009, 2010
  • Minnesota Evidence Rules/Trial Objections/Evidence Basics, (co-author with Hon. Daniel Mabley), 6th ed. 2010
  • The Trial of a Punitive Damages Case In Minnesota - A Judicial Perspective, (co-author with Hon. Donald D. Alsop), 11 Wm. Mitchell L. Rev. 319 (1984)
  • Handling a Civil Case In the Minnesota Court of Appeals, (co-author with Eric J. Magnuson), 41 Bench & Bar of Minnesota 17, September 1984
Honors and Awards
  • Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America®, 1995 - 2013
  • Fellow, American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, 1993 – present; President, 2004 - 2005
  • Best Lawyers’ Minneapolis Appellate Lawyer of the Year, 2010
  • Leading Individual Attorney in Minnesota for Appellate Litigation, Chambers USA, 2007 - 2012
  • The only Minnesota Litigator ranked a Leader for Appellate Litigation, Chambers USA, 2006
  • Recognized on Minnesota Super Lawyers® list, 1994, 1997 - 2012 (Minnesota Super Lawyers® is a designation given to only 5 percent of Minnesota attorneys each year.)
  • Top 100 Minnesota Super Lawyers® List, 2005 - 2012 (The “Top 100” list represents attorneys who received the highest point totals overall in the yearly Minnesota Super Lawyers® balloting, research, and blue ribbon review process.)
  • Leading Appellate Practitioner in the Eighth Circuit, Benchmark Litigation, 2008 - 2011
  • Eighth Circuit Litigation Star, Benchmark Appellate, 2012 – 2013
  • Marcy S. Wallace Award of Excellence in Leadership, William Mitchell Law Review, 2009
  • Attorney of the Year, Minnesota Lawyer, 2005
  • Master of the Bench, Warren E. Burger Inn of Court
  • Distinguished Alumnus Award, William Mitchell College of Law, 1997
  • Advocate’s Award, Civil Litigation Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association, 1999
  • AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell® (AV Preeminent and BV Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell® certification procedures, standards and policies.)

Experience

  • McCaughtry v. City of Red Wing, 808 N.W.2d 331 (Minn. 2011). The Supreme Court held that a challenge to the constitutionality of a rental inspection ordinance presented justiciable controversy. Maslon represented friends of the Court whose position was adopted by the court.
  • U.S. Bancorp v. Mitgang, No. A09-1472 (Minn. Ct. App., June 1, 2010). Obtained reversal of decision misconstruing recourse agreement in conjunction with multiple loans.
  • Brayton v. Pawlenty, 781 N.W.2d 357 (Minn. 2010). Counsel for amici curiae providing constitutional law support for Governor in high-profile "unallotment" decision.
  • Savig v. First Nat'l Bank of Omaha, 781 N.W.2d 335 (Minn. 2010). Established standard for garnishment of jointly owned accounts, resolving persistent problem for creditors.
  • Clifford L. Whitaker, et al. v. 3M Co., 764 N.W.2d 631 (Minn. Ct. App. 2009). Established standards for obtaining class certification (counsel for Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, amicus curiae).
  • Otter Tail Power Co. v. Surface Transportation Board, Nos. 06-1962 & 06-2412 (8th Cir. 2007). Appellate challenge to massive rate proceeding before Board involving construction of interstate railroad.
  • OneBeacon Ins. Co. v. A.P.I., Inc., No. A06-1229 (Minn. Ct. App.). Appellate counsel to respondent on appeal from $60 million insurance coverage judgment.
  • Commandeur LLC v. Howard Hartry, Inc., 724 N.W.2d 508 (Minn. 2006). Won reversal of dismissal of appeal for untimeliness due to court of appeals failure to recognize holiday.
  • Jaenty, Inc. v. Northern States Power Co., A04-901 (Minn. 2006). Won affirmance of appellate court decision affirming dismissal of actions relating to gas explosion on statute-of-limitations grounds; argued on behalf of several separately represented respondents.
  • Antone v. Mirviss, 720 N.W.2d 331 (Minn. 2006). Appellate counsel for Minnesota Lawyers Mutual as amicus curiae in case involving novel interpretation of Minnesota's statute of limitations for malpractice actions arising from drafting of antenuptial agreements.
  • State of Minnesota v. Philip Morris USA, Inc., 713 N.W.2d 350 (Minn. 2006). Appellate counsel on unsuccessful challenge that health impact fee of 75 cents did not violate 1998 settlement agreement between state and cigarette manufacturers and distributors.
  • MedCam, Inc. v. MCNC, 414 F.3d 972 (8th Cir. 2005). Court declined to reverse district court order compelling arbitration.
  • Afremov v. AGA, numerous reported and unreported decisions. This shareholder dispute involved numerous appellate proceedings arising from a single trial court action, applications for extraordinary writs, discretionary appeals, interlocutory appeals as of right, and petitions for further review by the Minnesota Supreme Court of numerous Court of Appeals decisions. The Maslon appellate team prevailed in all of these except one ancillary award of sanctions that was reversed by the court of appeals after the case had settled on all merits issues.
  • Triple Five of Minnesota, Inc. v. Simon, 404 F.3d 1088 (8th Cir. 2005). Won partial reversal in case involving complex claims of ownership and partnership rights in Minnesota's Mall of America.
  • Tuttle v. Lorrilard Tobacco Co., 344 F.3d 753 (8th Cir. 2005). Affirming dismissal of variety of tort claims.
  • Broek v. Park Nicollet Health Services et al., 660 N.W.2d 439 (Minn. Ct. App. 2005). Obtained reinstatement of medical malpractice claim following dismissal on statute of limitations grounds.
  • Roehrdanz v. Brill, 682 N.W.2d 626 (Minn. 2004). Obtained reversal of court of appeals decision on proper method of service of notice of removal.
  • Schumacher v. Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., (8th Cir. 2004). Obtained affirmance of class certification in expedited appeal under Fed. R. Civ. P. 23(f).
  • Seed v. Astra Genstar P'ship, 2003 WL 178790 (Minn. Ct. App. 2003).
  • Barbara Grutter v. Lee Bollinger, et al., and Jennifer Gratz and Patrick Hamacher v. Lee Bollinger, et al., 188 F.3d 394 (6th Cir. 1999), aff'd, 123 S. Ct. 2411 (2003), intervention appeal, 288 F.3d 732 (6th Cir. 2002), rev'd, 123 S. Ct. 617 (2003) (two companion civil rights class actions).
  • In re Silicone Implant Ins. Coverage Litig., 652 N.W.2d 46 (Minn. Ct. App. 2002), aff'd in part, 667 N.W. 2d 405 (Minn. 2003). Insurance coverage litigation and appeals involving over 100 parties.
  • Todd v. Ortho Biotech, Inc., 138 F.3d 733 (8th Cir. 1998), cert. granted, vacated and remanded, 525 U.S. 802 (1999). Won reversal of $780,000 sexual harassment award on basis that trial court applied erroneous standard for finding liability under state and federal law.
  • Minnesota Min. & Mfg. Co. v. Nishika, Ltd., 565 N.W.2d 16 (Minn. 1997). On certified questions from Texas Supreme Court relating to multi-million dollar UCC dispute.
  • In re Minnesota Asbestos Litigation, 552 N.W.2d 242 (Minn. 1996), rev'g 540 N.W.2d 896 (Minn. Ct. App. 1995). Obtained reversal of case involving unconstitutional exercise of jurisdiction over Australian corporation; David Herr served as national coordinating counsel for client.
  • Independent School Dist. No. 622 v. Keene Corp., 511 N.W.2d 728 (Minn. 1994). Obtained reversal of multi-million dollar punitive damage award, including fraud claim.
  • La Societé Générale Immobiliére v. Minneapolis Community Development Agency, 44 F.3d 629 (8th Cir. 1994), rev'g, 827 F. Supp. 1431 (D. Minn. 1993). Special appellate counsel for appellant; obtained reversal of multi-million dollar judgment.
  • Seagate Technology, Inc. v. Int'l Business Machines Corp., 962 F.2d 12 (8th Cir. 1992). Represented individual appellant and obtained vacation of preliminary injunction in complex trade secrets case; case stands as a leading case on "inevitable disclosure doctrine."
  • Minnesota Mining & Mfg. Co. v. Travelers Ins. Cos., 457 N.W.2d 175 (Minn. 1990). Counsel for plaintiff Tonka Corp. on question certified from federal court. Case established standards for issuance of coverage for environmental claims.
  • Uselman v. Uselman, 464 N.W.2d 130 (Minn. 1990). Counsel for appellant in seminal case establishing standards for Rule 11 sanctions in Minnesota. Won reversal of $180,000 sanction judgment; heard on accelerated review. Case remains leading sanctions case 20 years later.
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Selected as a "2010 Lawyer of the Year" for Appellate Law (Minneapolis) by Best Lawyers Top Ranked | Chambers USA 2012 | David Herr

Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP  | 3300 Wells Fargo Center | 90 South Seventh Street | Minneapolis, MN 55402-4140 | p 612.672.8200