Jerry W. Blackwell is the founding partner and chairman of Blackwell Burke P.A.  Mr. Blackwell serves as National Counsel for several

major corporations, having represented them in federal and state courts in 47 states, Australia, England, Puerto Rico, and Canada. 

He is admitted to practice in Minnesota as well as in federal district courts in Minnesota, Michigan, Arizona, Colorado, and Illinois, as

well as the United States Supreme Court and Fourth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeals.  He has broad experience

in civil litigation, particularly in food industry defense, products liability defense, toxic tort litigation, and commercial litigation.  Mr.

Blackwell has taught classes and delivered presentations for the Federal Bar Association, American Bar Association, Minnesota State

Bar Association, National Bar Association, International Association of Defense Counsel, National College of Advocacy, and for various Fortune 500 corporations.

• University of North Carolina School of Law (J.D., 1987)
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.S., 1984)

• BTI Client Service All-Star, 2010
• Minnesota Minority Business Owner of the Year, 2008
• Distinguished Citizen Award, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, 2007
• Equal Justice Award, 2006
• Minnesota Attorney of the Year, 2005
• Since 2002, consistently named a “Super Lawyer” by Minnesota Law & Politics

• ConAgra Foods Inc. (National Coordinating Counsel)
• General Mills (National Counsel)
• Graco Inc. (National Counsel)
• 3M Company (National Counsel)
• VHA Inc. (National Counsel)

• Khoury v. ConAgra Foods (Jackson County, Missouri, 2010) (After a month-long trial, the jury found in favor of ConAgra Foods on all

claims.  The Missouri Court of Appeals (Western District) affirmed.).

• Newkirk v. ConAgra Foods, 727 F.Supp.2d 1006 (E.D. Wash., 2010), aff'd 438 Fed.Appx. 607 (9th Cir. 2011) (Federal district court judge rendered a 70-page opinion in awarding summary judgment and dismissing all claims in favor of ConAgra Foods.  The United States

Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed.).

• Kleinaitis v. 3M (Madison County Circuit Court, 2010) (Jury awarded defense victory on all personal injury claims arising from

alleged exposure to benzene.)