William D. Harper - Woodbury, MN

Overview

Awards and Honors

Super Lawyers® Selectees

Super Lawyers® is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The top 5% of lawyers in each state are selected using a patented selection process that includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations.

William D. Harper included in a Super Lawyers® list

Education

Past Positions

• Daly and Harper, 1977 - 1979
• Streefland, Daly and Harper, 1979 - 1980
• Harper and Wirth, 1980 - 1983
• Harper and Anderson, Chartered, 1983 - 1989
• Harper and Harper, Chartered, 1990 - 1993
• William D. Harper, Chartered, 1994 - 1999
• Harper & Peterson, P.L.L.C. - 2000- Present

Classes and Seminars

• How to Unpick a Jury, MTLA, March 10, 1989
  
• Handling the Automobile Injury Case, MTLA, May 4, 1989
  
• Measuring Damages in Wrongful Death Cases, MTLA, June 23, 1989
  
• Independent Medical Examiners, MTLA, November 17, 1989
  
• Drama in the Courtroom, MTLA, January 12, 1990
  
• Trial by Jury, Mock Trial Presentation, State Bar, August, 1990
  
• Independent Medical Examiners, MTLA, January 30, 1990
  
• Independent Medical Examiners, MTLA, October 31, 1990
  
• Cross-examining Expert Witnesses, MTLA, October 31, 1990
  
• Hard Issues in Soft Tissues, MTLA, January 13, 1991
  
• Maintaining Integrity and Control in the Courtroom, MTLA, February 8, 1991
  
• Handling the Automobile Injury Case - Wrongful Death, MTLA, February 22, 1991
  
• Head Injury, MTLA, June 24, 1991
  
• Cross-examining Adverse Examiners, MTLA, July 12, 1991
  
• Trial by Jury, Mock Trial Presentation, The State Bar, August, 1991
  
• Voir Dire, Opening Statements, and Closing Arguments, MTLA, September 27, 1991
  
• Personal Injury Damages, MTLA, November 8, 1991
  
• Wrongful Death, MILE, December 13, 1991
  
• Current Attitudes and Philosophies of Communication and Persuasion, MTLA, April 17, 1992
  
• Handling the Automobile Accident Case--Wrongful Death, MTLA, October 30, 1992
  
• Maximizing Damages in Personal Injury Cases--Head Injuries, MSBA, January 27, 1993
  
• Communication and Persuasion, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, ACTLM and MTLA, March 22, 1993
  
• Personal Injury Concepts, Certification Review Course, ACTLM, July 23, 1993
  
• Opening Statements, MTLA, October 27, 1993
  
• Handling the Automobile Accident Case--Wrongful Death, MTLA, October 29, 1993
  
• Adversely Examining Adverse Examiners, MTLA, November 16, 1993
  
• How to Handle the Difficult Lawyer or Judge, ACTLM/MTLA, January 13, 1994
  
• Medical Subrogation: Dealing with the Uninvited Guest, MTLA, March 10, 1994
  
• Civility, Saint Martin, ACTLM/MTLA, March 17, 1994
  
• How to Get Your Own Automobile Insurance Carrier to Buy You a House, DTLA, May 24, 1994 - August 24, 1994
  
• Closing Arguments, February 10, 1995
  
• Demonstrative Evidence, MTLA, March 10, 1995
  
• Voir Dire, PERC, June 27, 1995
  
• Handling the Auto Accident Case-the Adverse Medical Exam, MTLA, December 8, 1995
  
• Obstructive Defense Counsel, MTLA, March 6, 1996
  
• The Six Figure Soft Tissue Injury, MTLA, April 12, 1996
  
• How to Conduct an Effective Deposition, MSBA, April 29, 1996
  
• Handling the Auto Accident Case - The Adverse Medical Exam, MTLA, December 13, 1996
  
• Final Arguments in UM and UIM Trials, MTLA, February 21, 1997
  
• What I Didn't learn in Law School about being a Trial Lawyer, Hamline University School of Law, March 6, 1998
  
• Opening Statement in a Soft Tissue Case, MTLA, March 20, 1998
  
• Anatomy of a Multimillion Dollar Products Liability Verdict, MTLA, September 25, 1998
  
• Closing Arguments in a Wrongful Death Trial, MTLA, June 9, 1999
  
• Evaluation of a Personal Injury Case, MN Law & Politics, June 24, 1999
  
• Communicating With the Jury of Today About Insurance, MTLA, October 22, 1999
  
• How to Practice Civil Law without Starving, MSBA Continuing Legal Education, June 13, 2000
  
• Cross Examining the Adverse Expert, MTLA, November 29, 2000
  
• Final Arguments in UM and UIM Cases, MTLA, December 1, 2000
  
• Wrongful Death: Start to Finish, MTLA, January 5, 2001
  
• Direct Examination of the Physical Therapist, MTLA, March 2, 2001
  
• How to Ask for Money, MTLA, April 6, 2001
  
• Opening Statements, MTLA, April 12, 2001
  
• Winning Opening Statements, MTLA, September 6, 2002
  
• Issues in Wrongful Death Cases, MTLA, February 14, 2003
  
• Damages Workshop - Opening Statements, MTLA, March 14, 2003
  
• Overcoming Juror Bias, MTLA, March 5, 2004
  
• Masters in Trial ? ABOTA Foundation/MSBA, CLE, October 5, 2005
  
• Wrongful Death, MTLA, November 4, 2004
  
• Issues in Wrongful Death Cases, MTLA, January 27, 2006
  
• New Issues in Wrongful Death Cases, MTLA, February 9, 2007
  
• The Constitution and Closing Arguments, North Dakota Trial Lawyers, May 11, 2007
  
• Wrestling with Change, MnAJ, August 10, 2007
  
• New Issues in Wrongful Death, MnAJ, March 12, 2008
  
• View From the Bench and Jury Box?an actual $425,000 soft tissue trial, MnAJ, November 12, 2008
  
• Power Deposition Practice ? the difficult deponent, MSBA CLE, January 5, 2009
  
• Handling the Car Crash ? tips and strategies for arguing pain damages, MnAJ, February 25, 2009
  
• New Twists & Turns in Wrongful Death Cases, MnAJ, March 31, 2009
  
• Wrongful Death, MnAJ, January 29, 2010
  
• Gathering and Using Evidence, MSBA CLE, July 14, 2010
  
• Using New Age Video to Prove Your Case, MnAJ, August 14, 2010
  
• Trying the Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Case, North American Brain Injury Society, October 7, 2010
  
• Wrongful Death, MnAJ, January 27, 2011
  
• Brain Injuries, North Dakota Association for Justice Annual Convention, May 5, 2011
  
• Litigating with the Legends-Breathing life into Complex Liability Cases, MnAJ, December 9, 2011
  
• Traumatic Brain Injury ? The Evolution of Proof, MnAJ, January 12, 2012
  
• Cross Examining Adverse Drs, ABOTA, July 11, 2012
  
• Swenson V. ADT presentation- Washington County Law Clerks CLE , October 3, 2013 - Present
  
• Voir Dire - Amdahl Inn of Court, January 16, 2014 - Present
  
• Use of Experts from a Plaintiff's Perspective - MDLA Mid-Winter Conference, February 1, 2014 - Present
  
• Cross Examining Adverse Drs., ABOTA, July 11, 2012 - Present
  
• Swenson V. ADT presentation, ABOTA, October 3, 2013 - Present
  
• Voir Dire, ABOTA, January 16, 2014 - Present
  
• Use of Experts from a Plaintiff’s Perspective, ABOTA, February 1, 2014 - Present
  
• Understanding and Eliminating Gender and Racial Bias in Jury Trial, MnAJ, June 23, 2015 - Present

Representative Clients

• The Injured

Representative Cases

• Gawel v. Two Plus Two, Inc.
  • Citation: 309 N.W.2d 746
  • Court: Minn.
  • Year: 1981
  • Serial Number: 1981136755

Published Works

Articles

• "Proving an Insurers Course of Conduct", Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association Magazine
  
• "Litigating Spinal Cord Injuries Chapter 16 " - The Use of Nonexpert Damages Witnesses, Wiley Law Publications, 1995
  
• Minnesota Consumer Guidebook of Law & Leading Attorneys: Accidents and Personal Injury Law
  
• "Bill Harper: Ex-Prizefighter Battles for Plaintiffs", Minnesota Lawyer, January, 17, 2000
  
• "The Prizefighter", Minnesota Law & Politics, May, 2002
  

Bar Admissions

• Minnesota, 1977
• U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1978
• U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1981

Specialties and Certifications

• Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1986
• Civil Trial Advocate (Recertified), National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1991
• Civil Trial Advocate (Recertified), National Board of Trial Advocacy, 2001
• Civil Trial Specialist, Minnesota State Bar Association, 1988
• Civil Trial Specialist (Recertified), Minnesota State Bar Association, 1994
• Civil Trial Specialist (Recertified), Minnesota State Bar Association, 2000

Other Affiliations

• Minnesota State Bar Association (Member)
• Washington County Bar Association (Member)
• Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, 1986 - 2012 (Member, Board of Governors)
• Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, 1989 (Member of the Executive Committee)
• Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, 1993 (Member of the Executive Committee)
• Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, 1988 (Chair Person, Litigation Support Committee)
• Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, 1990 (Chair Person, Finance Committee)
• Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, 1994 - 1995 (Treasurer)
• Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, 1995 - 1996 (Secretary)
• Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, 1996 - 1997 (Vice President)
• Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, 1997 - 1998 (President Elect)
• Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, 1998 - 1999 (President)
• Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2007 - 2010 (Sustaining Member, Board of Governors)
• The Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota, 1991 (Secretary)
• Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota, 1992 (Dean Elect)
• Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota, 1993 (Dean)
• Justice Amdahl Inn of Court, 1992 - Present (Organizer and Master)
• Minnesota Consumer Alliance, 1997 - 1998 (Board of Directors)
• American Arbitration Association
• American Creativity Association (Charter Member)
• American Board of Trial Advocacy, 1999 (Elected)
• The National Trial Lawyers Association (Invited Member)
• International Society of Barristers