Thom Gilligan has been with Murnane Brandt since 1990 and over the years has deliberately broadened his practice into many areas of litigation. Thom enjoys the changing landscape that variety brings to his practice. This general practice has forced him to become practical, efficient, versatile and a quick study. Like most other Murnane lawyers, he handles matters vertically – from the inception of a case to the conclusion of an appeal.

He has tried over twenty jury trials, arbitrated dozens of cases and handled hundreds of other lawsuits which have been successfully resolved through summary judgment or various methods of alternative dispute resolution. He has also handled appeals in the Minnesota Supreme Court, Minnesota Court of Appeals, Wisconsin Court of Appeals and the Seventh and Eighth Circuit Courts of Appeal.

Thom received his undergraduate degree in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1986. He received his law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in 1989 and was a judicial clerk for the Honorable Ann D. Montgomery before joining the firm.

Thom is a volunteer guardian ad litem in Ramsey County child protection cases, works as a volunteer attorney for the Chrysalis Pro Bono Safety Project, and coaches youth soccer for the Saint Paul Blackhawks. He has served as a member of the Ramsey County District Ethics Committee and currently serves on the Minnesota State Bar Association Operations Committee. He is an Adjunct Professor in Appellate Advocacy at the University of Saint Thomas School of Law.

KEY PRACTICE AREAS

Civil litigation, with specific concentration and experience in personal injury, products liability, employment, insurance coverage and appeals.

REPRESENTATIVE TRIALS

Among other trials, Thom has obtained defense verdicts in a Civil Damage Act case for a leading hospitality company, a $1.3 million dollar property damage case against the Union Pacific Railroad, a civil conspiracy and breach of contract case for a national dairy cooperative, a whistle blower/retaliatory discharge case involving a local condominium association, and a disability discrimination case on behalf of a western Wisconsin municipality.

REPRESENTATIVE APPELLATE DECISIONS

• Williamson v. Guentzel, 584 N.W.2d 20 (Minn. Ct. App. 1998)
• Louis v. Louis, 636 N.W.2d 314 (Minn. 2001)
• Dixon v. City of New Richmond, 334 F.3d 691 (7th Cir. 2003)
• Doubet v. Eckelberg, 81 Fed. Appx. 596 (7th Cir. 2003)
• Buros v. Dairy Farmers of America, 2004 WL 2964649 (Wis. Ct. App. 2004)
• Town of Brockway v. City of Black River Falls, 702 N.W.2d 418 (Wis. Ct. App. 2005)
• Urban v. American Legion Dept. of Minnesota, 723 N.W.2d 1 (Minn. 2006)

HONORS

• Member and Associate Editor, William Mitchell Law Review
• Received highest rating for legal ability and professional ethics by Martindale-Hubbell
• Recognized as a Rising Star and Super Lawyer by Minnesota Law & Politics

MEMBERSHIPS

• Defense Research Institute
• Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association
• American Bar Association
• Ramsey County Bar Association
• Wisconsin Bar Association
• Minnesota State Bar Association