Joel A. Mintzer

Of Counsel

Joel A. Mintzer

Joel brings a breadth of litigation experience, arising from 22 years at a national law firm, and the insight of an in-house lawyer arising from 8 years as chief litigation counsel at Blue Cross of Minnesota.  As outside counsel, he successfully defended complex litigation, including class actions, mass actions, multi-district litigation, ERISA, employment, privacy, product liability, and a wide variety of other common-law and statutory claims.  In-house, he worked closely with internal business clients to identify, investigate, prevent, and mitigate risk.  While in-house, Joel did not merely liaise between outside counsel and internal business units, but he actively advocated for Blue Cross in trial and appellate courts, state and federal.

  • Juris Doctor, Columbia University Law School, 1986
  • Bachelors of Arts, with Highest Distinction, and with Honors in Economics and with Honors in Political Science, University of Iowa, 1982
  • 15th National Forum on ERISA Litigation, Healthcare Related ERISA Litigation: Addressing the Uptick in Medical Provider Claims, and Litigation Arising from the Intersection of ERISA and ACA, American Conference Institute (November 2017)
  • Complex Litigation Seminar, Adjunct Professor, University of St. Thomas Law School, Minneapolis, Minnesota (Spring 2013)
  • An Unresolved Issue: Article III Standing for Statutory Damages
    California Litigation, The Journal of the Litigation Section, State Bar of California, Number 1 (2013)
  • A Low Bar – But Not “No Bar”, The United States Law Week (November 27, 2012)
  • Putting Class into Class Actions: The Ethics of Class Representation, Minnesota CLE, Webcast (April 18, 2012)
  • Not So Fast: Recent Challenges to Efficiency and Finality in Class Actions, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. Antitrust Bulletin (Winter 2011)
  • Class Action Certification and the Anti-Injunction Act, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. LAWx (July 5, 2011)
  • Putting the Business Back in Business Litigation: Understanding the Intersection Between Business and Litigation, Minnesota CLE (June 7, 2011)
  • New Law: Putting up with Dukes – Class Action Fights that Remain After Dukes v. Wal-Mart, Minnesota CLE, Webcast (September 27, 2011)
  • Where’s the Action? The Interplay of Federal and State Class Litigation, Minnesota CLE, Webcast (August 10, 2011)
  • Dealing with Practical Class Issues: Competing Class Actions, Trial and Attorneys’ Fees, Hennepin County Bar Association, Minneapolis, MN (May 17, 2011)
  • Defending Depositions in Complex Litigation, Minnesota CLE, Minneapolis, Minnesota (November 10, 2010)
  • Effect of Drafting Errors in ERISA Plans, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. LAWx (September 29, 2010)
  • Interpretation of Arbitration Clauses in Putative Class Actions, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. LAWx (September 15, 2010)
  • Deference for Post-Mistake Administrator Interpretations of ERISA Plans, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. LAWx (May 10, 2010)
  • ERISA Preemption and Rate of Payment Disputes After Davila, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. LAWx (February 23, 2010)
  • Plan Duties Under ERISA’s Exhaustion Requirement, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. LAWx (February 2, 2010)
  • Purposeful Written Discovery: Taking the Offensive (Panel Discussion), Minnesota CLE’s First Litigation Advocacy Institute, Winning Before Trial, Minneapolis, Minnesota (June 4, 2009)

State Supreme Courts

  • Iowa (admitted 1990)
  • Illinois (admitted 1991)
  • Minnesota (admitted 1992)

United States Courts of Appeals

  • First Circuit
  • Fifth Circuit
  • Seventh Circuit
  • Eighth Circuit
  • Ninth Circuit
  • Eleventh Circuit

United States District Courts

  • District of Minnesota
  • Southern District of Iowa