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Top Tier lawyer, recommended by The Legal 500
Named one of "World’s Leading Construction Lawyers" by Expert Guides
Named one of "America's Leading Business Lawyers" (Band 1) by Chambers USA (Construction)
"AV" (highest) rating by Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directory
Selected by Minneapolis Business Journal as one of the “25 Women to Watch”
Named a Minnesota Super Lawyer in Construction Law (2003-2011) and One of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Minnesota
Dorsey & Whitney Partner of the Year, 2007

William Mitchell College of Law (J.D., 1992), magna cum laude; Law Review
University of New Hampshire (B.S., 1986)

Minnesota
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth and Federal Circuits
United States District Court for the District of Minnesota

Citizenship

Dual citizen, Canada/United States

Jocelyn Knoll

Partner

Minneapolis

P: (612) 492-6622

F: (952) 516-5613

Jocelyn Knoll is a Partner in the Construction and Design Law and Insurance Law practice groups, and co-Chair of the Construction and Design group. 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 clients, trade associations, and lawyers.

Representative Litigation

Jeurissen v. NDI LLC (Minn. Ct. App.). Represented national developers in construction and real estate dispute. Successfully defended clients’ interpretation of purchase agreement.
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 construction scheduling and contaminated soils case. The Minnesota Court of Appeals held that the owner was responsible for all project delays and clean-up costs 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. 2004). 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.
Twinco Romax Automotive Warehouse, Inc. v. Olson (Minn. Ct. App.). Represented material manufacturer in a construction defect case. The Minnesota Court of Appeals held that Minnesota's two-year limitations' period for construction materials barred the owner's claims.
Stiglich Construction, Inc. v. Larson (Minn. Ct. App.). Represented general contractor in a payment dispute. The Minnesota Court of Appeals interpreted for the first time how arbitration affects mechanics' lien rights.
Hersh Properties, LLC v. McDonald's Corp. (Minn.). Represented owner in a real estate dispute involving easement and right-of-way rights. The Minnesota Supreme Court, interpreting the Marketable Title Act, held the owner's easement and right-of-way rights were enforceable.
Lovering Johnson, Inc. v. City of Prior Lake (Minn. Ct. App.). Represented disappointed bidder in a public procurement award protest. The Minnesota Court of Appeals held that the public authority violated public procurement laws and illegally awarded the contract to a non-responsive bidder.

Representative Work

Construction Defect and Design. Lead counsel for defendant in 120 lawsuits arising from the collapse of a major interstate bridge. Handled hundreds of construction defect and design claims, including collapse, water intrusion, mold, and product liability claims.
Energy. Counseled energy clients on a broad range of issues, including contract negotiation, design/build procurement, and dispute avoidance. Successfully defended in arbitration multimillion dollar fraud claims against owner arising out of expansion of $100 million waste-to-energy facility.
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 claim on projects ranging from $5 million to $2 billion.
Environment. Obtained complete defense verdict for highway contractor on contaminated soils, MERLA (CERCLA) claims.
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.
Insurance. Obtained over $150 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.
Procurement and Bid Protests. Drafted RFPs for over $1 billion of public procurement contracts, including the NorthStar Commuter Rail and the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit projects. Represented clients in 30 bid protests.
Contract Negotiation. Negotiated over $30 billion of design and construction contracts.

Professional Activities

Member, Minnesota State Bar Association
- Past Chair, Construction Law Section (2001-2002)
- Representative to the MSBA Board of Governors (2002-2003)
Member, American Bar Association
- Forum on the Construction Industry and Public Law Sections, Committee Member, Division 9
Member, American Arbitration Association, Commercial Panel of Arbitrators
Member, The Construction Specifications Institute, CDT Designation
Instructor on Construction, Surety And Insurance Law for Federal Publications, Inc.
Board Member, William Mitchell College of Law Alumni Association
Board Member, Children's Home Society & Family Services

Attorney Articles

2011	"Builders Risk Insurance,” Construction Insurance (ABA)
Spring, 2011	“Daubert. Use It To Your Advantage When Presenting Your Case,” presented to ABA Construction Forum
March 26, 2009	Replay: The Economic Recovery Act: Now the Hard Work Begins
Winter, 2009	Knoll and Dempsey: Letters of Credit in Construction Projects
2006	"Commercial Construction Law," (chair/author/lecturer) Minnesota Institute of Legal Education
2005	"A State-by-State Analysis of Current Legal Issues Affecting Architects, Engineers, Contractors and Owners (From a Contracting and Claims Perspective)," (co-author) Minnesota Chapter, Aspen Publications
2003	"Bid Protests: Why Bother?," (author/lecturer) presented to Construction Law Institute (Minnesota Institute of Legal Education)
1993	"Pricing Construction Claims," (co-author) presented to Construction Law Institute (Minnesota Institute of Legal Education)
2001 and 2002	"Construction Contracting for Public Entities in Minnesota," (chair/author/lecturer) Lorman Education Services
2001	"Constructing Coverage One Brick At a Time," (author/lecturer) presented to Construction Institute (Minnesota Institute of Legal Education)
2001	"The Liability Insurance Program in the Construction Industry," (co-author) CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS LAW REPORT (West Group)
2001	"Bonds, Liens & Insurance," (co-author/lecturer) Federal Publications, Inc.
2001	"Overview of Mechanic's Liens Under Minnesota Law, and Public Bonds Under Both Minnesota and Federal Law," (chair/author/lecturer) presented to Mechanic's Liens and Payment Bonds Seminar (Minnesota Institute of Legal Education)
2001	"Keeping Pace With the Design/Build Delivery Method," (author/lecturer) presented to Construction Institute (Minnesota Institute of Legal Education)
1999	"Fifty State Construction Lien and Bond Law," (co-author) Minnesota Chapter, 2d ed., Aspen Publications
1999	"National Construction Law Update (Midwest Region)," (co-author) Aspen Publications
1996	"The 1996 ISO/CGL Policy," (lecturer) presented to Construction Law Institute (Minnesota Institute of Legal Education)
1995	"Commercial General Liability Insurance," (author/lecturer) presented to Construction Claims Institute, Minnesota Seminar (Cambridge Institute)
1995	"Analyzing Claims Under Commercial General Liability Policies: A Four-Step Approach," presented to Bonds, Liens and Insurance Seminar (Federal Publications, Inc.)
1993	"Care, Custody, or Control Exclusion, and Related Exclusions," (co-author) presented to Commercial General Liability Policy Seminar (Minnesota Institute of Legal Education)

News & Press Mentions

1995	"Commercial General Liability Insurance," (author/lecturer) presented to Construction Claims Institute, Minnesota Seminar (Cambridge Institute)