Professional Liability

Experience

Brownson PLLC has substantial experience representing individuals and companies who are defendants in professional liability litigation in state courts, federal courts before regularity authorities. The firm has an active practice counseling insurance agents and brokers in corporate transactions, licensing and regulatory matters.

At Brownson PLLC, our approach in defending professionals is unique and intellectual:

  • Defending professionals is dynamic because our client is sophisticated and often highly involved in the litigation process;
  • Defending professionals frequently involves complex and nuanced questions regarding duty and standard of care; and
  • There is usually a “case within a case” when defending professionals, which adds to the complexity of each case..

Brownson PLLC has represented the following types of professionals:

  • Insurance agents
  • Insurance brokers
  • Risk managers
  • ERISA pension plan actuaries and administrators
  • Real estate agents and brokers
  • Surety bond administrators

Our professional liability experience is wide-ranging and deep and constitutes part of our litigation experience throughout Minnesota.

Our attorneys have handled, among other cases, the following:

  • Kristi Brownson is North Dakota Portfolio Network Counsel for a group of commercial property and casualty insurers that, among other things, provide coverage to insurance agents and brokers in North Dakota litigation.
  • Robert Brownson has successfully defended professional liability cases involving title insurance agents, surety bond disbursing agents, ERISA pension plan actuaries and administrators, and life insurance agents.
  • The firm is Minnesota Portfolio Network Counsel for a group of commercial property and casualty insurers that, among other things, provides coverage to veterinarians.
 
 

Attorneys

Kristi
Kristi K. Brownson		 Bob
Robert D. Brownson		 Joe
Joseph F. Lulic		 I'nayah J. Smith-Marsette
I’nayah J. Smith-Marsette

Recognition

Memberships

Representative Cases

  • Ma Amba Minnesota, Inc. v. Auto-Owners Insurance Company et al:
    Brownson PLLC Successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of his insurance agency client in the United States District Court, District of Minnesota, case 0:18-cv-00680-SRN-TNL (May 2019).
  • Morgan v. Groveland Condominium Homeowner’s Association: Brownson PLLC Successfully obtained summary judgment in favor of condominium homeowner’s association client regarding no duty owed to prevent neighbor’s smoking. Minnesota Court File No. 27-CV-16-12890 (March 2017).
  • Philter, Inc. v. Wolff Ins. Agency, Inc., A10-2230, 2011 WL 2750709, (Minn. Ct. App. July 18, 2011). Brownson PLLC successfully defended an insurance agency for a claim of allegedly failing to properly place insurance, with a successful bench trial order of dismissal, which was affirmed by the Minnesota Court of Appeals
  • Business Impact Group., LLC v. Stanton Group, LLC, A09‐2187, 2010 WL 2733390, (Minn. Ct. App. July 13, 2010). Brownson PLLC successfully defended Stanton Group, LLC, an insurance agency, in Hennepin County District Court, prevailing on a motion for summary judgment, which was affirmed by the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
  • Rodney Miller v. Daniel Faust, Wright County District Court, Court File #86-CV-11-2741. Brownson PLLC successfully defended insurance agent Daniel Faust, prevailing on a motion for summary judgment on behalf of the agent to be dismissed from the case.
  • APM, LLLP v. TCI Insurance Agency, Inc., 2016 ND 66, 877 N.W.2d 34. Kristi Brownson successfully defended TCI Insurance Agency, Inc., prevailing on a motion for summary judgment to dismiss the commercial property developer’s claims against the agency.
  • Swanny of Hugo, Inc. v. Corporate 4 Insurance Agency, Inc., Washington County District Court, Court File #82-CV-12-347. Brownson PLLC successfully defended Corporate 4 Insurance Agency, prevailing on a motion for summary judgment to get the agency dismissed from the case.
  • Kelly Danielson v. G.P. Agencies, Stearns County District Court, Court File #73-CV-12-8754. Brownson PLLC successfully defended G.P. Agencies in this case prevailing on a motion for summary judgment to get the agent dismissed from the case.
  • Fidelity National Title Insurance Company v. Premier Title Agency, Inc., 1st Title, LLC, Principle Title, LLC, Foundation Title, LLC, Timberland Title, LLC, and Fortress Title, LLC, Hennepin County District Court, Court File #27-CV-10-7189, Bob Brownson successfully defended title insurance agents against a series of claims by a title insurer that they negligently placed title insurance. The case was dismissed.
  • In the Matter of the Arbitration between First National Insurance Company of America (SAFECO), and North American Construction Services, Inc., American Arbitration Association Commercial Arbitration Tribunal, Hennepin County, Minnesota Bob Brownson won an arbitration by a surety bond insurer against a surety construction contract disbursing agent. The arbitrator ruled that the contract allowed no claim and damages against North American Construction Services, Inc., the surety contract disbursing agent.
  • Mary E. Degan Heffelfinger v. Jeffrey Severtson, et. al., Hennepin County District Court, Court File #27-CV-07-17187. Bob Brownson successfully defended a life insurance agent against claims that life insurance annuity contract was improperly placed.

LEGAL SERVICES

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