TODD L. HENNEN

representative cases​

• Civil Litigation

  • Represented private equity and investment firm with over $1 billion in total investment and majority of partners against disgruntled managing director and minority partner who alleged, inter alia, that a supposed oral partnership existed entitling them to an equal share of all future investment funds, as well as fraud, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, and violations of various employment statutes. Todd represented the clients in parallel proceedings in multiple jurisdictions, obtained orders compelling arbitration from each, and defeated the plaintiff’s attempt to commence a parallel arbitration in violation of those orders. Throughout the dispute, Todd advised the clients on all aspects of operating their business venture while the plaintiff remained a full voting member of the relevant entities and attempted to extract a favorable settlement through disrupting business operations.  The dispute settled on confidential terms after our clients obtained an order limiting the plaintiff’s attempted harassing discovery and removed the plaintiff from all the relevant entities.

  • Represented group of individual victims who had lost millions of dollars to a Ponzi scheme perpetrated by a local bank executive. We obtained favorable settlements for all clients shortly after providing draft amended complaint to the defendant bank. 

  • Represented local media personality in litigation against trust of deceased former attorney claiming entitlement to portion of our client’s earnings. After our countersuit against the attorney’s estate and others for legal malpractice, the former attorney’s trust and estate settled for $0 without waiving our clients claims against the other attorneys involved. 

  • Lead counsel representing homeowners against general contractor who walked off the job in building custom home on a guaranteed maximum price contract. After a 3-day jury trial in which Todd made opening and closing statements and questioned 5 witnesses, the jury found in our clients’ favor on all counts. Following the trial jury foreperson said that the turning point was Todd’s cross examination of the defendant and lauded Todd’s clear investment in our client’s case.

  • Represented leading direct marketer of vintage and modern collectible coins in litigation against former employee-turned-competitor involving theft of confidential information and tortious interference with non-solicitation agreements of former employees. The matter settled after our team obtained an order granting leave to seek punitive damages against the defendant based on our clients’ allegations that the defendant tortiously interfered with our client’s confidentiality and non-solicitation contracts with its former employees by using the former employees to reconstruct customer lists.

  • Represented large real estate developer in arbitration in Denver, Colorado against former executive over breach of confidentiality agreement related to theft of corporate opportunity.  Chris and Todd also represented the client in a subsequent lawsuit against the former executive’s new employer for tortious interference with that contract, which settled on confidential terms following a jury trial.

• Criminal Defense

  • Alongside Chris Madel and Peter Wold, represented Minnesota State Trooper Ryan Londregan against murder, manslaughter, and first-degree assault charges resulting from the death of Ricky Cobb II on July 31, 2023. 

    • The Hennepin County Attorney hired seven out-of-state attorneys to prosecute the case​​. In seeking approval from the Hennepin County Board for the $1 million contract to engage these special prosecutors, the Hennepin County Attorney said that the case was “unique in some ways in the ways it’s being litigated” and that the Hennepin County Attorney’s office would “have to pull at least three of our senior attorneys from their regular work to be handling this case alone.”

    • On June 2, 2024, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office dismissed all charges against Trooper Londregan. The next day, regarding the defense, the Hennepin County Prosecutor stated, “One of our experienced prosecutors said he had never seen anything like this before” and admitted that “[w]e do not believe we would have even made it to the jury.” 

    • For his work on the case, the Minnesota Lawyer named Todd one of their “Up & Coming Attorneys” for 2024.

  • Represented an individual living with a traumatic brain injury charged with criminal vehicular operation, DWI, and drug possession after crashing into and injuring prominent local attorney. Charges were based on alleged marijuana intoxication when officers questioned client alone in hospital room shortly after crash. Discovered evidence showing that crash had been caused by seizure, not client’s marijuana use, and brought motion to suppress inculpatory statements given to officers while in hospital. Obtained deal involving plea to DWI, 6 years of supervised probation, and no additional jail time despite prior alcohol-related DWI convictions. 

  • Represented 18-year-old accused by his adoptive mother of assaulting her and his younger brother and charged with multiple counts of domestic violence. After producing evidence that the adoptive mother had a history of abusing our client (who struggled with mental illness and PTSD from past abuse), including by repeatedly calling the police to claim she was being attacked by “a black man” in order to terrorize him, we reached a deal wherein our client received a continuance for dismissal and was allowed full contact with his younger brother.

  • Represented personal care assistant charged with felony shoplifting in multiple jurisdictions. Reached plea deals involving stay of adjudication in one county and diversion in the other, and successfully appealed to the Minnesota Department of Health to have client’s nursing license reinstated.

  • Represented  local business owner and father wrongly accused of indecent exposure in a parking lot by acquaintance in an apparent misunderstanding. Obtained a stay of adjudication, an Alford plea, and two years of unsupervised probation. Further representation of client enabled him to continue coaching his children’s youth soccer team.

  • Represented widow charged with felony credit card fraud for allegedly opening credit cards in estranged son’s name without his permission and separately charged with felony drug possession in a different county. Obtained stay of adjudication and Alford plea in connection with credit card fraud charge after explaining mitigating circumstances and family dynamics showing reason to doubt credibility of main witness, and separate stay of adjudication in drug possession case.

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awards

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• Named a “Minnesota Rising Star” by Super Lawyers (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)

• Named a “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch” in Commercial Litigation (2023, 2024)

• Named an “Up and Coming Attorney” by The Minnesota Lawyer (2024)

• Named "Attorney of the Year" by The Minnesota Lawyer (2024)

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bar admissions

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• Minnesota

• U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota

• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan

 

boards/community

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• Board of Directors, Illusion Theatre

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education

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• University of Michigan Law School (2016)

  • J.D., magna cum laude

  • Order of the Coif

• University of Minnesota: Twin Cities (2013)

  • B.A., magna cum laude

  • Major: Philosophy