Selected Trial Results
Lead trial counsel for Willis Electric Co., a manufacturer of artificial Christmas trees, against its largest competitor, in Willis Electric Co., Ltd., v. Polygroup Limited et al, wherein a jury awarded Willis Electric a $42.4 million verdict including a finding that Polygroup's patent infringement was willful, and the district court entered final judgment for over $71.4 million.

Lead trial counsel for Dr. Richard Tholen, a top Twin Cities plastic surgeon who endured an amputated leg after Assist America refused to evacuate him for proper medical care, in Tholen v. Assist America (D. Minn.), wherein a federal jury awarded Dr. Tholen a $27.8 million verdict, including $10 million in punitive damages.

Lead trial counsel for ionLake LLC, Derrick Girard, and Wade Girard in CellTrust v. ionLake (D. Minn.), wherein the jury rejected the patent owner’s multi-million dollar claims in a competitor-v-competitor dispute through its verdict finding the asserted patents both not infringed and invalid as obvious.

Trial counsel for celebrity chef Chloe Coscarelli v. ESquared Hospitality and BCHG, an AAA arbitration in which the Honorable Faith S. Hochberg (ret.) restored Chloe’s business entity as a 50% owner in the “by Chloe” fast-casual vegan restaurant company she founded, enjoined the company from selling retail products using Chloe’s name, and awarded over $2.2 million in attorneys’ fees and costs.

Lead trial counsel for celebrity chef Chloe Coscarelli in In re BCHG, a bankruptcy case in which the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware rejected the investors of the “by Chloe” company, like Bain Capital and Kitchen Fund, attempt to purchase the “by Chloe” trademark—the company’s “crown jewel asset”—in a Chapter 11 proceeding without Chloe’s consent.

Trial counsel in Covidien v. Esch (D. Mass.) in which a federal jury held the defendant, a former Covidien employee, liable for breaching his contracts with Covidien by disclosing and using confidential information to start his own company. Final judgment exceeded $2 million.

Trial counsel in Megdal Associates LLC v. La-Z-Boy, Inc, (S.D. Fla. 2016), a case in which a federal jury in Fort Lauderdale awarded our client, Megdal Associates, $5.7 million for breach of a technology license agreement. The award was increased to $6 million with the award of prejudgment interest. While the case was pending on appeal, it settled with La-Z-Boy, paying Megdal Associates $13.5 million.

Lead trial counsel in Twin Cities Angels v. Once (AAA Arbitration 2020), following a remote Zoom Final Hearing, the arbitrator granted a six-figure award to an investor in a dispute over calculating an internal rate of return on an investment.

Trial counsel in Personal Audio LLC v. Apple Inc. (E.D. Tex.), a patent infringement case in which a federal jury awarded our client, Personal Audio LLC, $8 million in damages for infringing a patent for an audio player that can download or receive navigable playlists. The jury found that Apple's iPods infringed the patent. The district court then denied Apple's equitable defenses of laches and inequitable conduct following a bench trial, which Mr. Arenz tried as second-chair counsel. The verdict was announced on July 8, 2011, and the district court issued a final judgment in excess of $12 million on August 30, 2011.

Lead trial counsel in Vang v. Prataya (D. Minn. 2017), in which a federal jury found that the defendant had sexually assaulted our client when she was 14 years old in Laos, and awarded $950,000 in damages. This verdict is reported to be the first of its kind in a civil “sex tourism” case—in which an American citizen travels overseas for illicit sexual conduct—brought under the PROTECT Act.

Lead trial counsel in J.H. v. A.I. (D. Minn.), an international Hague convention case venued in federal court. After a multi-day bench trial, the Court denied the father’s request to make a 5-year-old girl living in the United States with her mother leave the country and live with him in Juarez, Mexico.

Lead trial counsel in State v. Martin, a pro bono criminal defense matter in Minnesota state court (Ramsey County). The jury issued a split verdict on two felonies.

Lead trial counsel in U.S. v. Indres, a pro bono trial in immigration court. After a contested trial with the federal government, the immigration court denied the government’s request for removal and granted Ms. Indres asylum based on a finding of the political persecution she experienced in Ethiopia.

Selected Appellate Results

Lead appellate counsel in Smits v. Park Nicollet at the Minnesota Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, which remanded the trustee’s wrongful death claim over mental health patient’s wrongful death by suicide.

Lead appellate counsel for Dr. and Mrs. Tholen in Tholen v. Assist America at the Eighth Circuit, which led to a reversal and remand to the district court for the Tholens’ defamation claim.

Lead appellate counsel in Daniels v. Walt Disney Company at the Ninth Circuit in a copyright case over the characters in the blockbuster film Inside Out.

Selected Cases that Settled or Resolved Before Trial

Lead trial counsel for two Hollywood screenwriters in their high-profile copyright case against Disney (Alfred v. Walt Disney Pictures, (C.D. Cal.)) over the multi-billion-dollar blockbuster movie franchise, “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Argued and defeated Walt Disney Pictures’ motion for summary judgment and motion to certify to the Ninth Circuit. Case settled confidentially before trial.

Lead trial counsel in Jacam v. Shepard (D.N.D.) in a case for breach of contract, trade secret misappropriation, and business torts against a former employee with over $6 million at stake. Won summary judgment on all claims. 

Lead trial counsel in ESG Inc. v. Seven Mile Food & Beverage LLC (D. Nev.) in a case for breach of contract, business torts, and fraud. Won motion to dismiss on all claims.

Lead trial counsel in Assurance Drug Testing Labs v. O’Boyle (Wisconsin state court), a breach-of-contract/non-compete enforcement action following a multi-million-dollar purchase agreement. Case settled confidentially before trial.  

Lead trial counsel in Mehlhaff v. Miller (Washington state court), a wrongful death case against a psychologist over a patient’s suicide. Case settled confidentially before trial.

Lead trial counsel for heir to celebrity estate against a financial advisor for breach of fiduciary duty and other business torts. Dispute resolved through a confidential pre-suit agreement.

Trial counsel for Medtronic v. Edwards Lifesciences (D. Minn.) in a patent infringement case over artificial heart valves. Case settled confidentially before trial.

Trial counsel for defendant Draeger Safety Inc. in Sperian Respiratory Protection USA LLC v. Draeger Safety Inc., a patent infringement suit brought by Sperian Respiratory Protection U.S.A. in the Central District of California involving Self Contained Breathing Apparatus for the fire service industry. Following discovery and a Markman hearing, case settled confidentially with no changes made to Draeger Safety’s product.

• Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, Board Member
• Compatible Technologies International, Board Member
• FBI Citizens’ Academy Alumni Association