 Michael D. LaFountaine
Email: mlafountaine@quinlivan.com
Direct: (320) 258-7852
Mr. LaFountaine was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1959. He became a shareholder in the firm in 1991.
Mr. LaFountaine practices in all areas of civil litigation. He has been lead or exclusive trial attorney in nearly 100 civil jury trials taken to verdict in over 20 years of practice. His representation is overwhelmingly on behalf of defendants in such matters.
His specialties include defense of lawsuits arising from premise liability and automobile related claims including third party actions, first party direct actions, coverage issues and related litigation. Mr. LaFountaine has also handled employment-based claims including the defense of employers and their insurers.
Because of his extensive background in civil litigation, he has been selected as a mediator on a wide variety of matters as well as retained both as a party select arbitrator and neutral.
Education
Gustavus Adolphus College (B.A., cum laude, 1981)
William Mitchell College of Law (J.D., 1984)
Bar Admissions
Minnesota, 1984
U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, 1985
Concentration
Automobile Law
Civil Litigation
Insurance Law
Products Liability
Workers Compensation
Member
Defense Research Institute
Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association
Minnesota State Bar Association
Seventh Judicial District Bar Association
American Arbitration Association.
No-Fault Standing Committee. (1998 to 2004)
Panel of Arbitrators (1990 to present)
Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association (1985 to present)
Minnesota State Bar Association (1984 to present)
Seventh Judicial District Bar Association (1985 to present)
Stearns/Benton Bar Association (1985 to present) (past president)
Civic
United Way of St. Cloud:
Past committee member and chair of solicitations for annual fund drive,
professional division, attorneys section (1992-1995).
Member of Salem Lutheran Church, St. Cloud, MN:
Participation includes Sunday school teacher, various ages;
Church Counsel Member (2006 to present).
President of congregation (2008-2010).
St. Cloud Area Youth Basketball Association:
Past head coach, various ages and participant in Board of Directors.
LEAF:
Local Education Activities Foundation Counsel Member (past).
Co-Chair of Citizens Advocacy Committee:
Seeking passage of the 2002 operations levy for school district 742.
Trials
A partial list of Mr. LaFountaine’s jury trials which were tried to a verdict include the following:
Shroyer & Watters vs. Upsala Motors, Todd County District Court, January 2012
Schreifels v. Hackett, Benton County District Court, March 2011
Emslander by Heirs v. Bednarz and Pumps Plus, Inc. v. Raudabough, Kandiyohi County District Court, November 2010
Johnson v. Mid American Auction, Todd County District Court, July 2010
Lang v. Dockendorf, Stearns County District Court, July 2010
Staab v. Holy Cross, Stearns County District Court, April 2009
Reisenauer v. Pick, Grant County District Court, February 2009
Gettle v. Patrick, Douglas County District Court, December 2008
Svea v. State Farm Auto, Sherburne County District Court, February 2008
Stenco, LLC v. Mille Lacs Military Services Assoc., Mille Lacs County District Court,
October 2007
Ryberg v. RAM Mutual, Sherburne County District Court, July 2007
Kyllo v. Western National, Stearns County District Court, November 2006
Schmidt v. Johnson, Crow Wing County District Court, July 2006
Peters v. Silver Creek Traders, Crow Wing County District Court, June 2006
John Schueller Construction v. Stommes, Stearns County District Court,
April 2006
Van Ort v. Hanson, Kandiyohi County District Court, October 2005
Hansen v. Kramer, Crow Wing County District Court, August 2005
Moeller v. Moeller, Todd County District Court, May 2005
Berg v. Kreller, Crow Wing County District Court, May 2005
Movold v. Leon Foss Construction, Stearns County District Court, April 2005
Olson v. Fundermann, McLeod County District Court, August 2004
Halverson v. Klinkner, Stearns County District Court, January 2004
Dickinson v. Hendrickson, Morrison County District Court, July 2003
Lehman v. Thelen, Crow Wing County District Court, August 2003
Zins v. Gustafson, Stearns County District Court, March 2003
Schmiege v. Paananen, Sherburne County District Court, December 2002
Johnson v. Zniewski, Stearns County District Court, July 2002
Danielson v. State Farm Auto, Dakota County District Court, March 2002
Karst v. Minnesota Insurance Guaranty Assoc., Morrison County District Court,
November 2001
Brisk v. Josephson, Morrison County District Court, September 2001
Breczinski v. State Farm Auto, Kandiyohi County District Court, October 2000
Steffenhagen v. Kichter, Stearns County District Court, May 2000
Tuttle v. Bremer & Born, Pine County District Court, April 2000
Kulzer v. State Farm Auto, Stearns County District Court, October 1999
Thompson v. Binder, Dakota County District Court, June 1999
Jacobson v. Brauerd Recreation, Benton County District Court, May 1999
Zepplin v. State Farm Auto, Stearns County District Court, May 1999
Karst v. Hansen, Stearns County District Court, January 1999
Meester v. Dilley, Kandiyohi County District Court, October 1998
Gilman v. Jelinek, Stearns County District Court, August 1998
Fischer v. South Central Electric, Martin County District Court, November 1997
Smithes v. St. Cloud Hospital, Stearns County District Court, November 1996
Schafer v. State Farm Auto, October 1996
Tjaden v. ISD 347, Kandiyohi County District Court, September 1996
Wade v. Zawatski, Benton County District Court, October 1995
Plaintiff v. State Farm Auto, Kandiyohi County District Court, June 1995
Neitzert v. Douglas County, Douglas County District Court, January 1995
Desinger v. Prudential, Stearns County District Court, November 1994
Watson v. Quale, Kandiyohi County District Court, August 1994
Benesh v. Grinnell, Stearns County District Court, May 1994
Jan v. Diaz, Kandiyohi County District Court, January 1994
Brauchaurd v. Agriconk, December 1993
Schulman, Benton County District Court, November 1993
Nass v. Meeker County, Meeker County District Court, October 1993
Looker v. Creamers, August 1993
Kragarbrug v. Becker, August 1993
Rouandarie v. East Central Electric, Benton County District Court, April 1993
Mr. LaFountaine has been involved in over 20 additional jury trials
going back to 1985.
Mike works with the following staff members
Kristal M. Dill, Paralegal
Rachel A. Pollmann, Secretary
Mike LaFountaine riding a camel
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