Patrick Arenz is a partner at Robins Kaplan LLP and a fellow in both the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Arenz’s practice spans patent and copyright infringement, trade secret misappropriation, rights of publicity, defamation and high-stakes personal injury litigation.

As lead trial counsel, he won a $42.4 million jury verdict in Willis Electric v. Polygroup, reported to be the largest patent jury verdict in the District of Minnesota’s history, resulting in a $71.4 million final judgment. He also won a $27.8 million jury verdict on behalf of a Twin Cities plastic surgeon who lost a leg after an air evacuation company refused to transport him from Mexico for proper medical care. In 2022, he served as lead trial counsel for two Hollywood screenwriters in a high-profile copyright case against Disney over the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

He earned his law degree magna cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law in 2006.

Jason Asmus is a partner and firmwide co-chair of the Commercial Litigation practice at Taft, based. He earned his undergraduate degree from Concordia College in 1999 and his law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in 2002. He is admitted to practice in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin, as well as several federal courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Asmus focuses his practice on banking litigation, commercial real estate and construction defect litigation, land use planning and zoning, professional liability, and environmental litigation. He represents a broad range of corporate and individual clients in complex business disputes, including trade secret, securities, non-compete and shareholder matters.

His courtroom results include a complete defense verdict following a nine-day lender liability jury trial in Clay County, Minnesota, and multiple Rule 12 dismissals in professional liability and legal malpractice cases on behalf of law firm clients.

Barbara Podlucky Berens is the majority shareholder and president of Berens & Miller P.A. in Minneapolis, where she practices in antitrust, complex business and commercial litigation, patent and copyright litigation, securities, and shareholder disputes.

Before entering law, Berens worked as an investment broker, reinsurance broker, and insurance agent, including as one of the first female stockbrokers at Merrill Lynch in New York in the 1970s. After law school, she clerked for Judge David Doty of the U.S. District Court, then worked as a law firm associate before co-founding the practice with her husband, Michael Berens.

Berens has represented high-profile clients across multiple industries, including the NFLPA, KFC, Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, and VantageScore. She worked on the 2011 NFL antitrust litigation challenging the player lockout. She also advises clients on employment matters and has served as outside general counsel for several companies.

Berens & Miller holds certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise and is a member of the National Association of Women and Minority Owned Law Firms.

Theresa Bevilacqua is a partner at Dorsey & Whitney LLP where she serves on the firm’s Management Committee and previously served as co-chair of the Commercial Litigation Practice Group and chair of the Minneapolis Trial Group.

Bevilacqua has a proven record of leading trial teams across litigated forums and securing total defense verdicts in both jury and bench trials. Her experience spans manufacturing, energy, agribusiness, aviation, and technology.

Among her notable matters, Bevilacqua served as trial counsel for 3M Company in Meda v. 3M Company, defending a breach of contract and fraud claim arising from the divestiture of 3M’s European pharmaceutical business, resulting in a complete defense judgment.

She is a fellow of both the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers,.

“Theresa consistently demonstrates mastery of facts, law, and strategy that inspires confidence in clients, colleagues, and courts. She excels at simplifying the most intricate disputes and presenting them with clarity and credibility. Opposing counsel respect her, clients trust her, and younger lawyers look to her as a role model,” said Dorsey Managing Partner Peter Nelson.

Robins Kaplan LLP Partner Elizabeth Burnett serves as deputy chair of the national business litigation group and member of the executive board. Burnett represents plaintiffs and defendants nationwide in products liability, commercial and disaster litigation, including toxic tort and class action cases. Much of her practice involves fires and explosions caused by combustible dust or natural gas, with clients ranging from product manufacturers and plant owners to subrogated property insurers.

Her results include a $15.4 million settlement for a burn victim from an industrial accident, a $3.4 million settlement for a victim of a dust explosion at a manufacturing facility, and dismissal with prejudice for a product manufacturer following an explosion and fire at a natural gas refinery that killed more than 30 people.

A former claims adjuster, Burnett also brings practical experience to property and commercial insurance coverage disputes for industry leaders. She earned her law degree cum laude from the University of St. Thomas School of Law and her undergraduate degree magna cum laude from Creighton University.