Hal Shillingstad is one of the founding shareholders of the Minneapolis Office. He has extensive experience in single plaintiff and collective actions involving employment law, commercial litigation, products liability and mass tort litigation nationwide. He has tried over thirty civil cases to verdict with some trials lasting several weeks. He also assists clients in workplace safety and OSHA matters and counsels clients on crisis management in matters involving accidents, fires, and explosions at manufacturing and production facilities and assists clients in enhancing workplace safety.
Labor and Employment Law—Hal has successfully defended employers by obtaining defense verdicts, dismissals (voluntary and summary judgment ) and settlements in matters involving Title VII, Minnesota Human Rights Act, South Dakota Human Relations Act, Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, disability claims including the ADA, age claims including the ADEA, reprisal, retaliation, whistleblower claims under state statutes and SOX, harassment, wage and hour, leave claims including under the FMLA, breach of employment contract, wrongful termination, negligent hiring and retention, tortious interference with contract, promissory estoppel, shareholder oppression claims, ERISA violations, non-compete, unfair competition, and defamation. He also represents employers in labor arbitration proceedings.
Workplace Safety and Health—Hal specializes in crisis management for clients involved in workplace accidents resulting in fatalities, injuries, and/or significant property damage from fires and explosions. Hal works with the client to coordinate the company response, investigation, preservation of evidence, preservation of privilege, and responses to requests from investigative agencies such as OSHA, U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, and property insurers. He represents clients in connection with OSHA citations and contests. He also assists clients in developing safety audits at their facilities.
Commercial Litigation—Hal has represented clients in commercial disputes ranging from breach of contract, construction disputes, consumer fraud, deceptive trade practices, food contamination, false advertising, insurance coverage (representing insurers), fraud, copyright, trademark, patent infringement, and groundwater contamination cases.
Products Liability/Mass Tort—Hal has represented clients in products liability and mass tort cases involving claims of manufacturing defects, design defects, failure to warn, duty to recall, breach of warranty, and occupational exposures cases involving death, personal injury and property damage. He has attended hundreds of accident scene investigations and has worked with engineers and occupational experts to develop defense strategies to successfully defend and try these cases.
