University of Minnesota Successfully Defends Breach-of-Contract Claim

Facing a plaintiff that asked the jury for $28 million, the University of Minnesota successfully convinced the jury to award the plaintiff only $52,300 over breach of contract and breach of duty of good faith claims.

A team of Faegre Drinker trial lawyers teamed with a trial lawyer and paralegal from the Office of General Counsel of the University of Minnesota to defend the claims, which related to an effort to increase cellular coverage of underground areas on the university’s campuses. The university terminated its relationship with the vendor that it had hoped would take on the project, after which the plaintiff sued for $28 million in alleged lost profits.

After 10 days of trial, the jury awarded the plaintiff a grand total of $52,300. Additionally, the plaintiff will be responsible for costs incurred by the university over the preceding eight months of litigation, an amount that may exceed the amount of the jury’s verdict. The Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed the district court’s costs order in a published opinion in July 2022.

The jury’s verdict was the first achieved by our firm after Faegre Drinker was formed through a law firm combination.