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Stephen F. Rufer - Fergus Falls, MN
110 North Mill Street Fergus Falls, MN 56537- 2135
Pemberton, Sorlie, Rufer & Kershner, PLLP
Fergus Falls Litigation Lawyer
Overview
MSBA Certified Civil Trial Specialist
Steve joined Pemberton Law in 1974 and works in the Fergus Falls office. Steve's practice includes general civil litigation, personal injury, auto and farm accidents, business litigation, professional malpractice, real estate, construction, and aviation. Foremost in Steve's practice of law is his concern for his clients. Every client and every case is important. He has achieved settlements for clients in excess of one million dollars on several occasions...
MSBA Certified Civil Trial Specialist
Steve joined Pemberton Law in 1974 and works in the Fergus Falls office. Steve's practice includes general civil litigation, personal injury, auto and farm accidents, business litigation, professional malpractice, real estate, construction, and aviation. Foremost in Steve's practice of law is his concern for his clients. Every client and every case is important. He has achieved settlements for clients in excess of one million dollars on several occasions...
MSBA Certified Civil Trial Specialist
Steve joined Pemberton Law in 1974 and works in the Fergus Falls office. Steve's practice includes general civil litigation, personal injury, auto and farm accidents, business litigation, professional malpractice, real estate, construction, and aviation. Foremost in Steve's practice of law is his concern for his clients. Every client and every case is important. He has achieved settlements for clients in excess of one million dollars on several occasions.
Every year, Steve is selected as a "Super Lawyer" by Minnesota Law & Politics and was selected as a leading attorney in Minnesota by American Research Institute.
Professionally, he is a past chair of the Civil Litigation Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association and is also on the Board of Governors of the Minnesota Association for Justice. Steve is licensed to practice in state and federal courts in both Minnesota and North Dakota. He is a MSBA Board Certified Specialist in Civil Trial Law and is a Civil Trial Specialist certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
He served on the MSBA Civil Litigation Jury Task force from 1994 to 1996 and was the publications committee co-chair for the Minnesota Association for Justice. He served on the MNAJ Board of Governors from 1996 - 2006. He is a member of the Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota and was elected to its Board of Governors in 1996, where he continues to serve. He currently serves on the Minnesota Judicial Selection Commission, appointed by Governor Mark Dayton.
He serves as a neutral for both arbitration and mediation. He was selected to serve on the panel of arbitrators for the Prudential Insurance mass litigation appeals process, deciding dozens of appeals by policyholders. He serves as a panel member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association legal services plan.
A Fergus Falls native, Steve graduated from Fergus Falls High School and was awarded a National Merit Scholarship to attended Macalester College, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude, was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and was president of student government. Steve graduated Cum Laude in 1974 from the University of Minnesota Law School.
In the community, Steve is a member of United Methodist Church of Peace, member and past president of the Otter-Risers Kiwanis Club, and is past president of Fergus Falls Center for the Arts. Steve is a trustee and past board chair of Lake Region Healthcare Corporation and director, general counsel, and past president of Communicating for America, Inc., a non-profit rural advocacy group which hosts the largest international agricultural exchange program in the country. Steve is past president of the Otter Tail County Historical Society and the Otter Tail County Bar Association. He is an Eagle Scout and is involved in Boy Scouts (where he currently serves as District Finance Chair), and has served on the Fergus Area College Foundation board, the Salvation Army community board, the regional board of KCCM-Minnesota Public Radio and the board of Pioneer Public TV. He is also a trustee of the Roger and Agnes Dell Charitable Trust and is chair of Fergus Falls Downtown Council, Inc. Steve rides annually in Minnesota's MS150 bike ride.
Steve's interests include travel, bicycling, photography, history, politics and camping. Steve is a licensed commercial pilot and certified flight instructor. He is married to Sandy Rufer, an American Sign Language interpreter, and has three grown children and five grandchildren.
About Stephen F. Rufer
Practice Areas
- Litigation
- Aviation Law
- Professional Malpractice
- Mediation & Arbitration
- Personal Injury
Current Employment Position(s)
- Partner
Year Joined Firm
- 1974
Qualifications
Bar Admissions
- Minnesota, 1974
- North Dakota, 1974
- U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1974
- U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1974
- U.S. District Court District of North Dakota, 1984
Specialties and Certifications
- Civil Trial Specialist, Minnesota State Bar Association, 1994
- Civil Trial Specialist, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1995
Other Affiliations
- Civil Litigation Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association (Past Chair )
- Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association (Board of Governors )
- Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association (Co chair)
- MTLA Board of Governors, 1996 - 2006
- Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota (Member)
- Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota (Board of Governors)
- Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association legal services plan (Panel member)
- Prudential Insurance mass litigation appeals process (Panel of arbitrators)
- Otter-Risers Kiwanis Club (Past President)
- A Center for the Arts (Past President)
- A Center for the Arts (Member)
- Communicating for Agriculture and the Self-Employed (Director)
- Communicating for Agriculture and the Self-Employed (Past President)
- Lake Region Healthcare Corporation (Board Chair)
- Communicating for America, Inc. (Director)
- Communicating for America, Inc. (Past President)
- Otter Tail County Historical Society (Past President)
- Otter Tail County Bar Association (Past President)
- Fergus Area College Foundation board
- Regional board of KCCM-Minnesota Public Radio
- Pioneer Public TV (Board )
Education
- University of Minnesota Law School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1974
Honors: cum laude - Macalester College
Honors: magna cum laude
Fraternities and Sororities
- Phi Beta Kappa
Pro Bono Activities
- Trustee of the Roger and Agnes Dell Charitable Trust
Achievements
Other Sources of Feedback About Stephen F. Rufer
Included on the 2023 Minnesota list
Past Lists
- 2022 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2021 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2014 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2013 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2012 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2011 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2010 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2009 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2008 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2007 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2006 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2005 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2004 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2003 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2002 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2001 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 2000 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
- 1997 Minnesota Super Lawyers list
Honors
- Every year, Steve is selected as a “Super Lawyer” by Minnesota Law & Politics
- Leading attorney in Minnesota by American Research Institute
Office Information
Address
110 North Mill Street Fergus Falls, MN 56537- 2135
Phone
Fax
- 218-736-3950
Websites
Publication
Representative Cases
- Hellermann v. Sunderman, 1992 WL 350289 (Minn.App., Dec. 1, 1992)
- 2. Maroney v. Peterson, 1992 WL 15577 (Minn.App., Feb. 4, 1992)
- Hough Transit, Ltd. v. National Farmers Organization, 472 N.W.2d 358, 1991-1 Trade Cases P 69,469 (Minn.App., Jun 25, 1991)
- Hegerle v. Hegerle, 355 N.W.2d 726 (Minn.App., Sep 18, 1984)
- Alexandria Lake Coalition Inc. v. Douglas County, 348 N.W.2d 369 (Minn.App., May 15, 1984)
- Koons v. National Family Ins. Co., 301 N.W.2d 550 (Minn., Jan 09, 1981)
- P.M.B. v. Anderson et al, 61 Fed 3d 908 (8th Cir. 1995)
- Storm v. Swike, 1995 WL 365368 (Minn.App. 1995)
- Lindquist v. Liebl, 1996 WL 162565 (Minn.App. 1996)
- D.E.M. v. North Star, 555 N.W.2d 596 (N.D. 1996)
- Hindt v. Hindt, 1998 W.L. 799167 (Minn.App. 1998)
- Jenson v. Dept. of Econ. Security, 617 N.W.2d 627 (Minn.App.2000)
- Westrom v. MN Dept. of Labor and Industry, 686 N.W.2d 27 (2004)
- Anderson v. State, Dept. of Natural Resources, 693 N.W.2d 181 (2005)
- Brian and Kevin Kuehl Farms, v. Gerald Barth WL 9598 (2006)
- Kenneth L. Johnson v. Elkton Township, Clay County, MN WL 91809 (2006)
- Custom Ag Service of Montevideo, Inc. v. Commissioner of Revenue 728 N.W.2d 910 (2007)
- Cook Sign Company v. Daniel Combs, et al WL 3898267 (Minn.App.) (2008)
- Terry C. Colton, et al d/b/a Scenic Point Resort v Clitherall township WL 113260 (Minn.App.) (2009)
- Bennie James Gilyard, Jr., as Trustee of the Gilyard Family Trust v Craig Stephen Lichtsinn, Jay Eileen Lichtsinn WL 5137126 (Minn.App.) (2008)
- Slindee v Fritch v Landecker & Assoc., Inc. 760 N.W.2d 903
- In the Matter of the Application of: Holiday House II, LLC WL 1587090 (Minn.App.) (2009)
- American National Bank of Minnesota v. Housing & Redevelopment Authority for City of Brainerd 773 N.W.2d 333
- Terry Drake, et al v Ryan Norman Brady, et al WL 2928157 (Minn.App) (2009)
- Randy A. Vee, et al v Badri Abas Ibrahim, et al American President Lines, Ltd.
- DLM, LLC v Jon A. Saetre WL 5071336 (Minn.App.) (2010)
- EEP Workers' Compensation Fund v. Fun & Sun, Inc., Wagner/Hanish 794 N.W.2d 126
- Ralph Schmitz, et al v. Rinke, Noonan, et al 783 N.W.2d 733
- Dean deNeui, et al v Eric J. Slindee, et al WL 292156 (Minn.App.) (2011)
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