Joel A. Mintzer
Experience
Outside Experience
- Law Clerk to the Honorable Harold D. Vietor, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Iowa
Selected Results*
Daggett Truck Lines v. Blue Cross: Defended Blue Cross in ERISA class action alleging a failure to share negotiated provider savings. Plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed claims after discovery but before class certification.
In re Managed Care Litigation: Defended heath insurers in RICO class actions lawsuits alleging improper use of medical necessity definition and failure to properly pay physicians.
In re Blue Cross and Blue Shield Subscriber Litigation: Defended Blue Cross in class action lawsuit by subscribers who claim entitlement to Blue Cross's tobacco litigation settlement.
ValueMax litigation: Defended Pitney Bowes Credit Corporation in multiple class action lawsuits alleging that a contractual risk-of-loss provision constitutes insurance. Obtained summary judgment in two cases. One RICO class action was dismissed for failure to prove "intent," which was affirmed on appeal. Chris Albritton Construction Co. v. Pitney Bowes Credit Corp., 304 F.2d 527 (5th Cir. 2002).
In re Recomm Int'l Display Ltd. Contract Litigation: Defended leasing company from nearly 50 class action and multi-plaintiff lawsuits alleging RICO, securities claims, and fraud. Resolved most claims through another party's bankruptcy.
TCF Bank v. Blue Cross: Defended Blue Cross from claim by self-insured customer that asserted payment errors of over $2.5 million, based on statistical sampling. Settled for the value of actual errors without sampling.
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Minnesota
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Iowa
Education
- Columbia University School of Law, J.D. (1989)
- University of Iowa, B.A. with highest distinction and with honors in Economics and Political Science
Articles
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Mass Actions: An Alternative for Mass Torts
Minnesota Trial Lawyer (Summer 1997) (co-authored)
Selected Speeches
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Purposeful Written Discovery: Taking the Offensive (Panel Discussion)
Minnesota CLE's First Litigation Advocacy Institute, Winning Before Trial, Minneapolis, Minnesota
(June 4, 2009)
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Ethical Issues in Motion Practice Issues
Minnesota Association for Justice, Minneapolis, Minnesota
(December 18, 2008)
- RICO and ERISA vs. HMOs: the Industry's Greatest Challenge?
Minnesota Institute of Legal Education (May 16, 2000)