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Richard M. Dahl

Bio

Rich Dahl is a founding shareholder in the firm of Madigan, Dahl & Harlan.  For the past 30 years, he has been actively engaged in a nationwide practice in the above-reference areas representing both companies and individuals in a broad range of sophisticated commercial matters.  He is licensed in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin and the 8th Circuit Court of Appeal.  Rich has been AV rated by Martindale Hubble for many years.

Rich graduated (Cum Laude) from Hamline School of Law in 1983, where he was a published author and served as a primary editor of the Hamline Law Review. He received his B.S. (Summa Cum Laude) and Master's Degree (with honors) in Public Administration from Northern Michigan University (NMU). While attending NMU on an athletic and academic scholarship, Rich was honored as an All American by the NCAA. 

During the past thirty years, Rich has represented numerous members and licensees of the beverage alcohol industry in administrative, licensing, regulatory, transactional and litigation matters.   Rich’s diverse litigation practice has included the following representative cases:

  • MillerCoors, LLC v. Larrys Distributing Co., Inc. et al — Wisconsin State Court.
    Represented two highly successful Wisconsin beer distributors opposing brewer's efforts to terminate the Defendant's multi-million distribution rights. MDH asserted the Distributors were protected under with the Wisconsin Dealership Law and successfully defeated the Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment, after which, Plaintiff dismissed its claims and abandoned its termination efforts awarding Defendants new distribution agreements.
  • Mountain Beverage Co., LLC v. The Foursome, Inc. d/b/a Co-Orrison Distributing, Ltd. and d/b/a Orrison Distributing, Ltd. — Colorado Arbitration.
    Represented a Colorado beer distributor who received a 1.1 Million Dollar arbitration award following the termination of certain distribution rights.
  • Klindworth v. Prairie Island Mdewakanton Dakota Community, d/b/a Treasure Island Resort and Casino — Minnesota State Court.
    Represented Prairie Island in a negligence, dram shop, and wrongful death claim arising out of a two-car fatal automobile accident resulting in the death of a young college student. The case was satisfactorily resolved pursuant to a confidential settlement agreement prior to trial.
  • Nott Company v. Todd N. Palmer, et al — Minnesota State Court.
    Successfully defended a Minnesota Distributor in which Plaintiff sought damages in excess of 3.3 Million Dollars for claims alleging tortuous interference with a non-compete agreement, interference with business relationships, and unjust enrichment. Following a two week trial, the jury returned a unanimous defense verdict in favor of MDH's client dismissing all of the Plaintiff's claims.
  • Lucent Technologies, Inc., et al v. Entegris, Inc. f/k/a Fluoroware Corp. et al — Florida State Court (Orange County).
    Defended a Minnesota-based high-tech valve manufacturer in a subrogation case in which Plaintiff sought damages in excess of 52 Million Dollars arising out of a hydrochloric acid spill, in the clean room of a microchip fabrication facility located in Orlando, Florida. Following extensive nationwide discovery and motion practice, the case was ultimately resolved before trial pursuant to a confidential settlement agreement.
  • New Generation Food Co. v. Dairyland Products, Inc. — Minnesota State Court.
    Obtained a jury verdict, dismissing Plaintiffs multi-million dollar damage claims after a month long jury trial where the Defendant was accused of misappropriating Plaintiff’s trade secrets and proprietary formula in violation of the Minnesota Trade Secrets Act.
  • Chuck H E Vogel et al v. Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. et al — Wisconsin State Court.
    Successfully represented two of four shareholders in a shareholder dispute involving a company with annual sales in excess of 2.5 Billion Dollars.  Following extensive litigation, the dispute was satisfactorily resolved in accordance with a confidential settlement agreement.
Practice Areas
  • Alcohol Beverage Law and Litigation
  • Administrative Law
  • Business/Civil/Commercial Litigation
  • Business/Corporate/Commercial Law
  • Distribution and Franchise Law and Litigation
  • Contracts
  • Insurance Defense
Current Employment Positions
  • Shareholder
Past Positions
  • Dunkley, Bennett, Christensen & Madigan, P.A., Partner, 1983 to 2003
Bar Admissions
  • Minnesota, 1983
  • Wisconsin, 2012
  • U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1984
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1984
  • Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux (Dakota) Tribal Court, 1999
Professional Associations
  • Minnesota State Bar Association, Member, 1983 to Present
  • Hennepin County Bar Association, Member, 1983 to Present
  • Wisconsin State Bar Association, Member, 2012 to Present
Education
  • Hamline University School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota
    • J.D. - 1983
    • Honors: cum laude
  • Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan
    • M.A. - 1981
    • Honors: With Honors
    • Major: Public Administration
  • Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan
    • B.S. - 1979
    • Honors: summa cum laude
    • Major: Political Science/Secondary Education
Honors
  • AM JUR Award Winner
  • Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
  • Silver Gavel Honor Society
  • Dean's Honor Roll
  • Class Rank
  • National Dean's List
  • NCAA - All American Athletic and Academic Scholarship Award Winner
Pro-Bono Activities
  • University of St. Thomas School of Law, 2006 to 2007
  • Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, 1999 to 2001
  • Minnesota for ISTEA, 1998 to 1999
  • Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, 1985 to 1988
  • Special Olympics (Judge), 1976 to 1979
Classes / Seminars
  • The Modern Residential Moisture Intrusion Claim, Lorman, 2008
  • Anatomy of a Residential Construction Defect Case, MN State Bar Assoc. of Continuing Education (CLE), 2007
  • Construction Claims Handling, R.J. Ahman Company, 2006
  • Child Care Claims Handling, New Horizon Child Care Inc., 2000
Published Works
  • Anatomy of a 2007 Residential Construction Defect Case, Minnesota CLE, May, 2007
  • How to Maximize the Homeowner's Recover, Minnesota CLE, 2007
  • How to Skin the cat in a Wet Home Case Using ADR, Minnesota CLE, 2007
  • Sovereign Immunity - Discretionary Function Exemption to the Tort Claims Act: 5, Hamline L. Rev., Vol. 5, 103-121, 1982
Representative Clients
  • Hudson Insurance Group
  • New Horizon Academy
  • Applied Power Products
  • Schlagel, Inc.
  • Winroc
  • Entegris, Inc.
Representative Cases
  • Comm-Works Investment Holding Co. et al v. Wachter Technology Solutions, Inc. et. al, 0:11-CV-02687-ADM-JJK, 2011, Federal Ct. MN
  • Nott Company v. Todd N. Palmer, Drew Stoffell, Schlagel, Inc., Applied Power, 27-CV-11-25183, 2011, MN 4th Judicial Dist.
  • Dexterity Dental Arts Inc. v. Boos Dental Laboratory and Kari Houle, 27-CV-11-11116, 2011, MN 4th Judicial Dist.
  • MillerCoors, LLC v. Larrys Distributing Co., Inc et al, 2009-CV-000273, 2009, Wisconsin Cir.Ct.
  • 3M Innovative Properties, Co. v. Dupont Dow Elastomers, LLC, 0:03-3364-PAM-RLE, 2005, Federal Ct. MN
  • Kern, Paul; Kern, Lisa v. Dan Brown Builders, Inc; Pete Rohlf; Anderson Windows, Inc., 27-CV-05-013179, 2005, MN 4th Judicial Dist.
  • Chuck H E Vogel et al v. Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. et al, 2002-CV-000219, 2002, Wisconsin Cir. Ct.
  • Christa Nejezchleba, individually and o/b/o New Horizon Enterprises, Inc. v. New Horizon Enterprizes, Inc., William M. Dunkley, et al, 27-CV-97-006717, 1997, MN 4th Judicial Dist.
  • CPT Corporation v. Sims, Arthur B., 27-CV-89-012037, 1989, MN 4th Judicial Dist.
  • Schlagel, Inc. v. Jacobson Machine Works, Inc., 27-CV-88-012948, 1989, MN 4th Judicial Dist.
References
  • DuPont Dow Elastomers, LLC
  • White Earth Band of Ojibwe