Bruce D. Manning
Experience
- Represents corporations and individuals in a variety of business litigation matters, including patent, trade secret, commercial contract, and product liability disputes, as well as representing individuals and broker/dealers in regulatory matters.
- Practice includes work on various intellectual property litigation matters
- Represents large business insurers in first party coverage and complex industrial subrogation claims
- Advises corporate risk managers on insurance coverage and procurement issues
- Experienced in property coverage defense work
- Experienced in insurance insolvency matters
Selected Results*
Counsel representing Best Buy Co., Inc. in internal investigation, criminal referral to federal government, and related civil litigation against supplier. After discovering employee's acceptance of bribes from supplier, led team that referred matter to U.S. Attorney's Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, and U.S. Postal Inspector's Office. In February 2009, the employee pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and money laundering. In July 2009, the United States indicted the primary owner of supplier. In June 2010, a federal jury convicted the primary owner for 24 of 26 alleged federal crimes, including conspiracy to commit mail fraud, money laundering, income-tax evasion, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. Sentencing of employee and owners of supplier are pending.
Counsel representing Digital River, Inc. and Digital River Marketing Solutions, Inc. in internal investigation and subsequent civil investigation relating to alleged conspiracy to commit computer fraud and engaged in computer hacking. Within 48 hours of filing suit in May 2010, obtained ex parte federal order to seal the litigation and a separate temporary restraining order prohibiting defendant from, among other things, attempting to sell the alleged stolen data and from destroying all relevant documents. Litigation remains pending.
Greg LeMond, et. al v. Blixseth Group, Inc., et. al: Chris Madel and Bruce Manning represented three-time Tour de France winner, Greg LeMond, a former high-ranking banker at JP Morgan Chase, a Wisconsin corporation, and two other individuals in a minority-shareholder lawsuit against Timothy Blixseth, the then-billionaire majority owner of the elite Yellowstone Club located near Big Sky, Montana, and certain related entities. After valuing receiving a cash and land buy-out offer of less than $12 million collectively, our clients alleged fraudulent practices relating to the management of Yellowstone Club assets. In October 2007, our clients reached a $38 million settlement which required two settlement payments to be made before February 2008. When the defendants did not make the second settlement payment, the suit was renewed and settled for $39.5 million. In this second settlement, our clients also obtained confessions of judgment, a mortgage on Blixseth's former home, and protection against having their Yellowstone Club memberships unfavorably affected. In 2008, Yellowstone Development, LLC and Yellowstone Mountain Club, LLC filed for bankruptcy. Several interested parties in this bankruptcy litigation have relied upon and continue to repeatedly cite our work product in pursuit of claims against the debtors and others.
Represented plaintiff manufacturer in patent and trademark infringement litigation.
Represented subrogation property insurer in international arbitration.
Represented subrogated property insurer for losses arising from oil and gas pipeline explosion.
Defended insurer in series of suits related to disappearance of computer equipment from bankrupt dot-com business.
Recognition
- Named a "Rising Star" by Minnesota Law & Politics (2008, 2009, 2010)**
- Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. 2004 Pro Bono Award
Memberships
- American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America)
- American Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Hennepin County Bar Association
Bar Admissions
- Minnesota
- U.S. District Court, Minnesota
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Education
- University of Michigan Law School, J.D. (2001)
- Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, Master of Public Policy (2001)
- Carleton College, B.A., magna cum laude (1996)
Selected Speeches
-
When Jewish Law & Secular Law Go Head to Head
AISH MN, Minneapolis, Minnesota
(June 21, 2010)
-
The First Mental Retardation Death Sentence Commuted to Life in Alabama
Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights' Death Penalty Project
(July 18, 2007)
- Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights
Panelist, Minneapolis, Minnesota (March 11, 2007)