Jocelyn Knoll
Partner
Jocelyn Knoll is a Partner in the Construction and Design Law and Insurance Law practice groups, and Co-Chair of the Construction and Design practice. She has extensive experience in construction law, representing all participants in the construction industry in a wide variety of negotiation, mediation, arbitration, litigation, insurance, and business related matters.
She is the co-author of the Minnesota chapter of a multi-volume construction law treatise titled: A State-by-State Analysis of Current Legal Issues Affecting Architects, Engineers, Contractors, and Owners (From a Contracting and Claims Perspective). She regularly presents construction and insurance programs for construction clients, trade associations and lawyers.
Representative Work
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Construction Defect and Design. Handled hundreds of construction defect and design claims, including collapse, water intrusion, mold, and product liability claims.
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Construction and Design Contract Claims. Handled more than 100 delay, disruption, acceleration, differing site conditions, work scope, breach of warranty, payment, mechanics’ liens, and surety claims.
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Energy. Counseled energy clients on a broad range of issues, including contract negotiation, design/build procurement, and dispute avoidance.
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Environment. Obtained complete defense verdict for highway contractor on contaminated soils, MERLA (CERCLA) claims.
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Transportation. Obtained three $1 million plus settlements with MnDOT arising out of bridge and highway construction projects. Represented parties in various disputes arising out of the Hiawatha Light Rail project. Successfully represented contractors in disputes arising out of federal contracts with the Army Corps of Engineers.
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Insurance. Obtained over $100 million in coverage for construction and design defects, loss of use, and diminution in property value arising out of collapse, water intrusion, mold, and improper construction and design.
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Procurement and Bid Protests. Drafted RFPs for over $500 million of public procurement contracts. Represented clients in 25 bid protests.
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Contract Negotiation. Negotiated over $10 billion of design and construction contracts.
Representative Litigation
- Westfield Insurance Company v. Weis Builders, Inc. (D. Minn.) Represented general contractor in a large construction defect case involving water intrusion. Obtained over $15 million in insurance coverage for diminution in property value and repair costs.
- Frerichs Constr. Co. v. Minnesota Counties Insurance Trust (Minn. Ct. App.). Represented contractor in a contaminated soils case. The Minnesota Court of Appeals held that the owner was responsible for all clean-up costs and project delays caused by discovery of asbestos-containing soils at the project site.
- Vlahos v. R&T Constr. of Bloomington, Inc. (Minn. Ct. App.), reversed on other grounds (Minn.). Represented subcontractor in a construction defect case. The Court of Appeals held that Minnesota's two-year limitations period begins to run when real property owners have or should have had knowledge of injury to their property, and the sale of realty does not revive for subsequent purchasers an already time-barred claim.
Admissions
- Minnesota
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth and Federal Circuits
- United States District Court for the District of Minnesota
Honors
- Dorsey & Whitney Partner of the Year, 2007
- "AV" (highest) rating by Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directory
- Selected by Minnesota Journal of Law & Politics as: a "Super Lawyer" in Minnesota Construction Law and One of the Top 100 Women Lawyers in Minnesota
Education
- William Mitchell College of Law
J.D., 1992, magna cum laude; Law Review
- University of New Hampshire
B.S., 1986
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