Robins Kaplan LLP

Robins Kaplan LLP
Name	Robins Kaplan LLP
Founded	1938
Headquarters	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Num offices	12
Num attorneys	~250
Practice areas	Civil litigation, intellectual property, antitrust, securities, appellate, mass torts
Key people	Former partners and leaders

Robins Kaplan LLP

Robins Kaplan LLP is a United States litigation-focused law firm headquartered in Minneapolis with a national profile in complex civil disputes, intellectual property litigation, antitrust litigation, and plaintiff- and defense-side matters. The firm emerged from regional origins to secure national and trans‑regional representation in high-stakes cases involving corporations, institutions, and individuals across the United States and in matters touching European Union regulatory questions, often litigating in federal and state trial and appellate courts. Its attorneys have participated in precedent-setting disputes argued before courts such as the United States Supreme Court and in arbitration forums under rules like the International Chamber of Commerce and American Arbitration Association.

History

Founded in 1938 in Minneapolis, the firm traces roots to litigators practicing during the interwar period and expansion through mid‑century commerce and regulatory developments. Over decades the firm grew via lateral hires and mergers with boutique firms, responding to litigation trends from antitrust cases in the mid‑20th century to modern intellectual property controversies arising with the rise of Silicon Valley technology companies. Strategic openings of offices in markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. reflected shifts toward national class actions, securities litigation tied to Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement activity, and transborder disputes implicating European Court of Justice standards. The firm’s evolution parallels periods of major litigation activity including mass tort waves tied to pharmaceutical and product liability litigation, and patent portfolios litigated in district courts and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Practice Areas

Robins Kaplan handles a spectrum of civil litigation practices including complex plaintiff‑side litigation in class actions and mass torts, defense and plaintiff representation in intellectual property disputes including patents and trade secrets, antitrust and competition litigation, securities and shareholder derivative litigation, and commercial litigation involving contracts and fraud allegations. The firm also litigates in appellate courts such as the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and Eighth Circuit and represents clients in alternative dispute resolution before institutions like the International Centre for Dispute Resolution. Practice groups intersect with regulatory matters involving agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice Antitrust Division and with insolvency matters arising in United States Bankruptcy Court proceedings.

Notable Cases and Clients

Attorneys from the firm have represented plaintiffs and defendants in high‑profile matters against multinational corporations and institutions, including complex patent infringement suits tied to Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics, and technology platforms; class actions involving consumer product manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies; and shareholder derivative suits against public companies listed on exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. The firm has litigated matters that reached the United States Supreme Court and has secured substantial verdicts and settlements in jury trials conducted in federal district courts including the District of Minnesota and the Central District of California. It has represented health systems and hospitals in disputes connected to reimbursement and contract claims involving entities such as Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services-related arrangements and litigated against insurers and financial institutions including JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo in commercial disputes.

Rankings and Awards

The firm and its lawyers have received recognition from ranking organizations including Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, and Best Lawyers; individual attorneys have been listed in Super Lawyers and featured in client‑service awards from professional associations tied to trial advocacy such as the American Association for Justice. The firm’s trial teams have been cited in lists of top verdicts by publications tracking national jury outcomes and have achieved high placements in rankings for intellectual property litigation and antitrust work. Industry honors have also recognized pro bono achievements and diversity initiatives supported by internal committees and external organizations such as the Minnesota State Bar Association.

Offices and Organization

The firm operates offices across major U.S. markets including Minneapolis, New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and other regional centers. Organizationally, the firm is structured around litigation practice groups, with cross‑office teams assembled for nationwide class actions, multidistrict litigation overseen by judges in venues such as the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, and patent litigation coordinated for proceedings in districts known for patent dockets. Administrative and practice leadership coordinates case staffing, client relations, and compliance with professional rules promulgated by state bar authorities such as the Minnesota Board of Law Examiners and licensing bodies across jurisdictions.

Leadership and Notable Attorneys

The firm’s leadership has included managing partners and chairpersons who previously held roles in prominent litigation and bar organizations; several partners have served as presidents or board members of local and national bar associations including the American Bar Association and Minnesota State Bar Association. Notable litigators from the firm have argued before appellate panels in the Eighth Circuit and the Ninth Circuit and have been lead counsel in multidistrict proceedings and national class actions. Alumni and current attorneys have been frequent speakers at conferences hosted by institutions such as the Federal Bar Association and university law schools including Harvard Law School and University of Minnesota Law School.

Pro Bono and Community Involvement

Robins Kaplan attorneys engage in pro bono representation spanning civil rights matters, asylum and immigration cases before United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and immigration courts, and public interest litigation with legal aid organizations and nonprofit partners including local Legal Aid societies. The firm supports civic and cultural institutions in regions where it practices, partnering with museums, universities, and community foundations, and encourages attorney participation in volunteer programs coordinated with bar association initiatives such as access‑to‑justice campaigns.

Category:Law firms based in Minnesota