Recognized Minnesota Employment Lawyers Join Fulbright

Business Wire, June 26, 2007

MINNEAPOLIS -- Eighth graph, first sentence of release should read: Through her work with the American Bar Association's Section of Labor and Employment Law, D'Aquila has strong professional relationships with numerous employment lawyers and various government agencies. (sted Through her work as the management co-chair of the American Bar Association's Section of Labor and Employment Law, D'Aquila has strong professional relationships with numerous employment lawyers and various government agencies.).

The corrected release reads:

RECOGNIZED MINNESOTA EMPLOYMENT LAWYERS JOIN FULBRIGHT

Three well-known Minnesota trial lawyers, who have represented leading companies in employment and commercial litigation, have joined the international law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.

Barbara D'Aquila comes to Fulbright as a partner and Cynthia Bremer and Patrick Martin join as senior counsel. All three lawyers are recognized as Top 40 Employment Super Lawyers by Minnesota Law & Politics.

"This group of litigators nicely complements our labor and employment practice that has spent more than 85 years representing corporate clients before state and federal courts, as well as in arbitrations and before administrative agencies," said Steven B. Pfeiffer, Chair of Fulbright's Executive Committee. "We continue to grow our Minneapolis office to meet the needs of our global client base."

D'Aquila, Bremer and Martin have focused on employment and commercial litigation throughout their careers. The group has built a strong client base of large Fortune 500 corporations and significant Minnesota companies. In addition to employment litigation, the group has also handled commercial litigation matters throughout the country.

"We are excited to be at Fulbright. It is a firm that offers us a global platform from which to expand our vibrant and growing practice," D'Aquila said. "Fulbright is known for its great litigators and has an expansive labor and employment practice that we view as a perfect fit for our group. We are pleased to join such an accomplished and strong international firm."

D'Aquila is the daughter of late Minnesota Legislator Carl D'Aquila, who at 22 became the youngest person elected to the Minnesota Legislature in 1946. The elder D'Aquila was a businessman who was often called on to mediate difficult labor and other business disputes. His daughter is known for her skills as an employment and commercial litigator and for her community involvement.

For 14 years, D'Aquila managed her prior firm's employment law practice, handling a variety of cases with precedent-setting decisions. She has handled a number of matters involving virtually every area of employment law, including discrimination, reasonable accommodation and retaliation under a variety of statutes, non-competition and other breach of contract claims, and defamation and other torts. She has also successfully handled a number of commercial cases.

Through her work with the American Bar Association's Section of Labor and Employment Law, D'Aquila has strong professional relationships with numerous employment lawyers and various government agencies. She has handled some of the largest employment cases in Minnesota.

"This group attracts complex and high-profile employment and commercial litigation and has a strong reputation in the Minnesota bar and the community," said Ronn Kreps, head of Fulbright's Minneapolis office. "They have handled significant class and complex litigation and are perfectly poised to continue that practice with our firm."

In addition to defending employment suits, Bremer has handled numerous securities arbitrations and other commercial and civil litigation. She has tried and won an ERISA case in federal court and previously worked as a special assistant attorney general and private practice attorney in North Dakota, where she handled dozens of administrative hearings.

Bremer started her legal career in Missouri as an assistant attorney general. She spent three years working as part of Missouri's complex litigation group and was instrumental in one of the state's largest RICO cases. She later became a special assistant attorney general for the prosecution of election law violations. Bremer is licensed to practice in Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois, and North Dakota.

Martin is an experienced trial lawyer who has defended numerous employment matters, including claims involving Sarbanes-Oxley, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, discrimination, harassment and whistle-blowing. He has also successfully defended and prosecuted several commercial, non-competition and trade secret lawsuits in state and federal courts. An active member of the Federal Bar Association, Martin has served for seven years on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and three years as a vice president of the organization.

"Our new Minnesota attorneys have proven themselves time and time again," said John Harper, head of Fulbright's Labor and Employment Law Department. "This experienced team stands ready to assist our clients not only in litigation, but in actively preventing litigation."