Blackwell Burke secured a summary judgment win in Minnesota state court for this Fortune 500 coffee company with nearly 29,000 retail stores globally.  Plaintiff alleged Starbucks discriminated against him in a public accommodation based on his status as a transgender male.  The Court of Appeals reversed and remanded this case of first impression and a trial on the merits is pending. #blackwellburke #foodlitigation #summaryjudgment

Blackwell Burke resolved a long-standing environmental contamination action brought by the State of Minnesota Attorney General against 3M Company. The $850 million settlement was the largest environmental settlement in Minnesota, and the third largest in U.S. history, ending eight years of litigation over a former ingredient (fluorochemicals, or PFCs) that allegedly contaminated the state’s drinking water. The settlement was widely covered by the media. #blackwellburke #environment #litigation

Blackwell Burke P.A. won summary judgment for Medtronic, Inc., one of the world’s leading medical device companies, in the first of 44 cases pending in Minnesota state court. Plaintiff alleged that her Virtuoso implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) was defectively manufactured and failed prematurely. The court agreed with Blackwell Burke that Plaintiff’s ICD was manufactured within federally approved requirements, and all of Plaintiff’s claims are preempted by federal law.  This case was designated by the parties as a bellwether to test Medtronic’s preemption defense.  43 other similar cases are pending. #blackwellburke #summaryjudgment #litigation

Blackwell Burke P.A. won a complete defense verdict for one of the world's largest global innovation manufacturing companies in a seven-figure benzene exposure case in Madison County, Illinois after a two-week trial. Madison County has consistently been named a “judicial hellhole” for corporate defendants. #blackwellburke #verdict #litigation

Blackwell Burke P.A. won a complete defense verdict for one of the world's largest global innovation manufacturing companies in a seven-figure asbestos exposure case in St. Louis, Missouri for one of the world's largest global innovation manufacturing companies. Successfully demonstrated that the plaintiff did not have silicosis, but instead had a rare, non-occupational and misdiagnosed vascular tumor. St. Louis has consistently been named a “judicial hellhole” for corporate defendants. #blackwellburke #verdict #litigation

Blackwell Burke P.A. won a complete defense victory on behalf of General Mills in a contractual-indemnity claim. CSX Transportation sought reimbursement for a settlement of $16 million it paid to a former General Mills’ employee following a serious railcar accident at General Mills’ Covington, Georgia facility in 2005. The settlement was made pending CSX’s appeal of a $20.5 million jury verdict against it, based on the jury’s finding that CSX was at fault for the accident. The Court dismissed CSX’s indemnity claims against General Mills, agreeing that it was not contractually required to indemnify CSX for claims arising from CSX’s…