Leah Kippola-Friske
Partner
Overview
Leah Kippola-Friske is a partner in Maslon's Litigation Group with a decade of experience in complex commercial disputes. Leah’s practice focuses on business litigation, including breach of contract, ownership disputes, fraud, defamation, and other business torts. Leah also represents clients in product liability defense, insurance disputes, and construction and real estate matters. She practices in state and federal courts nationwide and also represents clients in the appellate courts.
Leah assists clients in navigating all phases of litigation. With more than 300 court appearances, she knows litigation inside and out—and appreciates the importance of employing whatever strategies best serve a client’s needs. Leah is equally comfortable tackling trials, arbitrations, mediations, or administrative hearings. She also has significant experience advising clients on strategies to limit litigation risk and training employees on these initiatives.
Leah is a frequent presenter on issues involving litigation in the insurance industry and best practices and strategies in various phases of litigation, including discovery, depositions, and trials.
Outside of work, Leah enjoys spending time with her husband and sons, cooking, being outdoors, and reading historical fiction and non-fiction.
Experience
- Secured a significant summary judgment victory on behalf of a manufacturer of industrial cleaning supplies and equipment in defense of a fraud counterclaim in a breach of contract case.
- Successfully disqualified a damages expert through a Frye-Mack challenge in defense against a fraud claim.
- Represented several physicians in a minority shareholder oppression case against an ambulatory surgical center, its board of directors, and the management company, including the granting of a motion for punitive damages.
- Obtained a favorable jury verdict in a construction payment dispute for a manufacturer of construction site access mats.
- Represented a reinsurer in an arbitration involving a coverage dispute.
- Secured dismissal of a bad faith claim through summary judgment in a coverage dispute involving long-term disability benefits.
- Served on a team representing an insurance carrier in an ERISA case that was appealed to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals twice, resulting in a favorable decision for the client.
Honors
Recognized on Minnesota Rising Stars list as part of the Super Lawyers® selection process, 2019-2023 (Minnesota Rising Stars is a designation given to only 2.5% of Minnesota attorneys each year, based on a selection process that includes the recommendation of peers in the legal profession.)
Selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, 2022-2024 (These awards recognize attorneys, who are earlier in their careers, for outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.)