Practicing for more than 30 years, Steve Kirsch is an accomplished litigator skilled in mediation, arbitration, and civil litigation. Over 50 jury and 25 court trials led by Steve have progressed to verdict and 90 percent of those cases resulted in winning outcomes. As national counsel for Target, Mervyn's, Kmart, Sears, and other prominent retail chains, manufacturers, and excess carriers, Steve is recognized as one of the nation's most experienced lawyers in flammable fabrics litigation and serves as national counsel in a number of different product liability and toxic tort areas including asbestos and toxic tort litigation, flammable fabrics, and dietary supplements.

His commitment to the profession has earned him two gubernatorial appointments to the state Judicial Selection Panel. For the past nine years Steve has chaired the Campaign Leadership Committee of Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS), raising more than $7 million on behalf of Minnesota's oldest and largest legal aid society. A leader in the firm, Steve chaired the firm's management committee and served as its president for eight years. Steve is licensed in Minnesota state and federal courts and has been admitted pro hac vice in over 35 state and federal court jurisdictions around the country.

Steve received his J.D., summa cum laude, from Hamline University School of Law in 1976 and is a member of the Silver Gavel Society. Steve also serves on the Dean's Advisory Board for Hamline University School of Law. He completed his undergraduate studies with a B.A. from the University of Missouri. Steve is a frequent lecturer, adjunct professor at Hamline University School of Law, and a contributing author to the Minnesota State Bar Association, Bench and Bar publication. He was named Fellow by the American College of Trial Lawyers in 1997, and Associate in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 1998, and a Fellow by the International Society of Barristers in 2001.

A dedicated writer, Steve has been published frequently throughout his career. His novel, entitled Oath of Office, (published by Fawcett in 1988) details the story of the first Jewish President of the United States who is kidnapped on election night, beginning a true Constitutional crisis. Steve also is the author of Minnesota Practice, Methods of Practice, volumes 5-6A, 3rd Edition (West 1990). He was also awarded the Minnesota State Bar Association's Author's Award for his article entitled In Preparation of the Products Liability Lawsuit in 1980.

KEY PRACTICE AREAS

Civil litigation with concentrations in products liability, flammable fabrics, dram shop, toxic torts, asbestos, chemical, pharmaceutical and dietary supplement litigation with special emphasis on mediation and arbitration.

REPRESENTATIVE CASES

• Shari Vail v. Kmart, New York, 2001. Flammable fabrics case
• Gonnerman v. Mervyn's, California, 2000. Flammable fabrics case
• Anderson v. Combustion Engineering, Wisconsin, 2000. Mesothelioma case

REPRESENTATIVE APPLELLATE DECISIONS

• Abel v. J.C. Penney Co., Inc., 488 F.Supp. 891 (D.Minn. 1980) (flammable fabrics)
• Stadler v. Cross, 295 N.W.2d 552 (Minn. 1980) (zone of danger)
• Nuessle v. Nuessle, 295 N.W.2d 505 (Minn. 1980) (parental immunity)
• Germann v. F.L. Smithe Machine Co., 395 N.W.2d 922 (Minn. 1986) (products liability)

HONORS

• Top 100 Minnesota Super Lawyers (Minnesota Law & Politics)
• Best Lawyers of America (2007 edition)
• Madison's Who's Who (2007 edition)
• Marquis Who's Who (2007 edition)
• Top 25 Distinguished Alumni from Hamline University School of Law
• Minnesota Super Lawyer Top 40 Mediators (Minnesota Law & Politics)
• President, Minnesota Chapter of American College of Trial Lawyers, 2003-04
• President Minnesota Chapter of ABOTA, 2004
• Current National Board Representative for ABOTA