The POWER 30: Joseph W. Anthony

That’s because he and the others don’t get involved until a deal goes south. Then as litigators they solve the problem. The firm is the very definition of a business litigation boutique and emphasizes financial fraud, securities, employment, antitrust and commercial real estate litigation.

Anthony’s success at trial can be traced to many things, including the effort he makes to understand jurors, and create a narrative or theme for the opening statements and argument. “There are points to be earned by being interesting, entertaining and brief,” he said.

Then the task is to pull the theme all the way through the trial, thus creating “cognitive ease,” a term for the familiarity with the facts or the arguments which allows decision-making.

Anthony’s litigation success includes multimillion-dollar lawsuits in the areas of shareholder rights, securities, antitrust, employment and unfair competition. He has also represented plaintiffs and defendants in class actions and a variety of corporate disputes. In 2007, he represented a plaintiff professional dental association which was awarded $130 million by a jury in a case of unfair competition. It is the largest jury verdict in a Minnesota business litigation case, he said. He also has won a number of multimillion-dollar jury verdicts and FINRA arbitration awards for individuals and investment banks, and broker dealers in raiding cases.

As Minnesota Lawyer went to press, the firm was preparing to litigate Kelley v. BMO Harris Bank, a $4 billion claim by the trustee in the bankruptcy resulting from Tom Petters’ Ponzi scheme, which collapsed in 2008 when he was indicted.

Also, last summer U.S. District Court Judge Donovan W. Frank approved a settlement in Murphy v. Harpstead, a federal civil rights action on behalf of a class of people with disabilities living in group homes. Anthony’s firm represented the class, along with Nichols Kaster PLLP and Legal Aid. The lawsuit will provide avenues for persons living in group homes who wish to live independently or in different settings.