Nate Bjerke, Minnesota Lawyer

Education:

University of Minnesota Law School, 1996
Honors: Cum Laude, Dean's List, Moot Court

University of St. Thomas, 1993
B.A. Financial Management
Honors: Cum Laude, Dean's List

Hamline University, 1989-1991
Honors: Dean's List, two-time All Conference Football Selection

Bar Admissions
Minnesota, 1996
California, 1998
Wisconsin, 2007
U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, 1997
U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 2000
U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin, 2005

Professional Associations and Memberships:

Hennepin County Bar Association
American Association for Justice
Minnesota State Bar Association
Minnesota Association of Justice, Publications Committee
Chair of the Minnesota Association for Justice Product Liability Committee

"I love being in court; I'd rather try cases than do just about anything else. But as much as I love being in court, I'm always looking for a creative solution for my client. Fighting for a cause - it is a real privilege to do what I do for a living."

Nate originally planned on getting his MBA, but his undergraduate business law professor pointed him in a new direction. Nate was the only student in the professor's 20 years of teaching who maintained a perfect score throughout the entire class. It was a good decision; Nate hasn't lost a trial since 1998.*

"I credit my trial success to preparation. Most trials are won or lost before they start. I won't take a case to trial without knowing the facts and the law cold. This preparation leads to persuasive arguments that win cases. At trial, I enjoy reading and connecting with the jury. I've had jurors tell me they trusted me - not only to tell the truth, but to get the facts right because they thought I knew more about the case than anyone else in the courtroom. That's the highest professional compliment I've ever received."

Before joining Champion Law, Nate handled high exposure cases in more than 25 states and tried cases in nine states across the country. Most of his work was for some of the biggest manufacturing companies in the world. Companies with household names that could have picked any lawyer anywhere, at any price, came to Nate because of his abilities in and out of the court room.

"I've had good opportunities and have done good things with them. I enjoyed my work for the Fortune 500 companies, but at some point I started having this nagging feeling I could be doing more. I want to make a difference in people's lives and didn't feel like I was doing that. Once I had kids of my own, my perspective changed. I have a soft spot for kids and sometimes that soft spot turns into a giant mass. That is who I want to help. Families. Small business. In short, people."

Nate is highly regarded by his peers, having been voted a Minnesota Rising Star several times. His peers also frequently ask him to speak at continuing education seminars dealing with pre-trial issues, expert witnesses, engineering and testing issues and trial work.

When Nate isn't enjoying the mental fencing of law, he is spending time with his wife and two girls. He is also a marathon runner who enjoys competing against himself to improve. He has ten marathons under his belt with no plans of letting up. Nate is also active in city government, lending his skills to different committees, and teaches his daughter's Sunday school class.

*Of course, past case success does not guarantee - or even predict - a similar result in future cases. Every case is different and the outcome depends on a variety of factors, but Nate keeps working to keep the streak alive.