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Kyle S. Willems

Shareholder

Kyle S. Willems

Shareholder

Practice Groups

Construction, General Liability, Products Liability, Real Estate Litigation

Industry Groups

Construction, Insurance

Overview

Mr. Willems is a litigator primarily practicing in business and tort litigation. His business litigation practice mainly focuses on the real estate and construction sectors, where he guides clients through construction defect, mechanic’s lien, contract and quasi-contract, commercial, and general liability disputes. As a tort litigator, Mr. Willems concentrates on complex cases that involve wrongful death, serious bodily injury, and substantial property damage.

Mr. Willems has significant experience representing both individuals and companies during the course of litigation, and at mediation, arbitration, trial, and on appeal. He recently obtained a substantial jury verdict in favor of his client in an insurance subrogation action. He also successfully got a discrimination lawsuit dismissed against his client on summary judgment in federal court.

Mr. Willems is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Construction Law Section Council, and the Association of General Contractors Contracts Committee, He recently served on the executive board of the Minnesota State Bar Association. Mr. Willems is recognized as a Minnesota Rising Star by Super Lawyers in construction and personal injury, and has been selected as an Up & Coming Attorney by Minnesota Lawyer. He was also recently named a Top Lawyer by Minnesota Monthly in construction law. Mr. Willems serves as co-chair of Bassford Remele's Construction Practice Group and is a member of its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Team and Pro Bono Committee.

Education & Admissions

Education

  • University of St. Thomas School of Law, J.D., 2013
    • Dean's Scholarship Recipient
    • First Place, Minnesota Intellectual Property Law Association Moot Court Tournament
    • Board of Advocates, member
  • University of Minnesota, B.A., 2010
    • Dean's List Recipient

Bar Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
  • Minnesota
  • Wisconsin

Certifications

  • Qualified Neutral Under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice
  • National Center for Dispute Resolution, Arbitration Panel Member

Experience

Representative Cases

Obtained a substantial jury verdict in favor of a non-profit organization in a premises liability matter, involving subrogation from the contractor whom it charged with ensuring the premises were safe for all festival entrants.

Obtained summary judgment in favor of a local business, who was sued for racial discrimination in federal court.

Obtained confirmance of a million-dollar jury verdict during post-trial motions and on appeal as part of trial and appellate teams.

Professional & Civic

Professional Achievements

  • Douglas K. Amdahl Inn of Court

Bar Associations

  • American Bar Association
  • Minnesota State Bar Association
    • Construction Section, Council, 2022-present
    • Council, 2020-2021
    • New Lawyers Section, Chair, 2020-2021
  • Hennepin County Bar Association

Professional Associations

  • Associated General Contractors of Minnesota
    • Contracts Committee, 2023-present
  • Association of Women Contractors
  • Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association
    • Products Liability Committee, Co-Chair, 2020-2021

Civic Involvement

  • University of St. Thomas School of Law
    • Mentor Program, Mentor, 2015-2018; 2020-present
    • Alumni Board, 2018-2020

Accolades

  • New Lawyers Distinguished Service Award, Minnesota State Bar Association New Lawyers Section, 2021
  • Top Lawyers list, Construction Law, Minnesota Monthly, 2022 and 2023
  • Up and Coming Attorney, Minnesota Lawyer, 2019
  • Selected to the Minnesota Rising Stars list, Super Lawyers, 2020-present
  • Minnesota Real Estate Journal Awards, Real Estate Lawyer of the Year Finalist, 2022 and 2023
  • North Star Attorney, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2015-2018
Kyle Willems
Rated by Super Lawyers


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Publications

  • Keeping an Eye on the Clock: Important Legal Deadlines That Construction Professionals Should Be Tracking, co-author, Associated General Contractors of Minnesota, February 2023
  • Special Verdict Forms and Jury Instructions, author, Chapter 19, Minnesota Motor Vehicle Accident Deskbook, 2020
  • TECH-SAVVY and HUMAN-CENTRIC - St. Thomas Lawyers embrace artificial intelligence's growing role within the law, author, St. Thomas Lawyer, fall 2019
  • Trends in E-Scooter Litigation, author, Minnesota Bench & Bar Magazine, September 2019
  • An Overview: The Impact of Rideshare Insurance on the Role of Liability Insurance in Motor Vehicle Accident Cases, author, Mitchell Hamline School of Law Journal of Public Policy and Practice, April 2019
  • Liability in Self Driving Cars, author, Hennepin Lawyer, January/February 2019
  • Protecting the Owner and the Project, author, Insurance and Bonding Issues in Construction, June 2016
  • Litigating Sports Concussions: What You Need to Know About the Science and the Law, author, Bench & Bar Magazine, August/September 2017
  • How to Level the Playing Field When the Insurers Fail to Pay, author, Attorney at Law Magazine, August 2015

Seminars

  • Office Market Update – State of the Market, moderator, Minnesota Real Estate Journal Mid-Year Forecast Summit, June 15, 2023
  • Avoiding Disputes, Winning Disputes & Construction Finance, presenter, Minnesota Real Estate Journal Construction Summit, January 25, 2023
  • High Exposure from High Tech: Preparing for Legal Risks Posted by High Tech Advancements in the Construction Industry, presenter, Associated General Contractors of Minnesota Construction Summit, January 18, 2023
  • How to Try a Civil Jury Trial, presenter, PowerHouse Mediation, December 6, 2022
  • Pre-empting Post-COVID Legal Issues Affecting Your Project, presenter, 18th Annual Land Development Summit, Minnesota Real Estate Journal, May 5, 2022
  • Opportunities in Today’s Residential Construction & Home Building Marketplace, presenter, 14th Annual Construction Summit, Minnesota Real Estate Journal, January 27, 2022
  • Commercial Land Development State of the Market, panel moderator, 17th Annual Land Development Summit, Minnesota Real Estate Journal, September 15, 2021
  • Legality of Electronic Scooters, presenter, St. Thomas School of Law Journal of Law and Public Policy, January 26, 2021
  • Ride Sharing and Other Non-Driver Based Chaos, presenter, Minnesota Deskbook Series, September 2020
  • Worksite Accident Litigation in the Tech Age, presenter, Minnesota State Bar Association, May 11, 2020
  • Pleadings and Insurance Coverage: What Every Litigator Needs to Know, presenter, Minnesota State Bar Association, February 2019
  • Legal Roles in Construction Law, panelist, Minnesota State Bar Association, January 2019
  • Bonding and Insurance Issues in Construction, presenter, Half Moon Publications Continuing Legal Education, 2016