Russ Ponessa is an experienced trial lawyer whose practice includes products liability, tort, toxic tort and chemical exposure, general business and commercial litigation matters in state and federal courts throughout the country.
Mr. Ponessa has spent more than two decades handling a wide variety of single- and multiple-claim lawsuits, often serving as coordinating and trial counsel. His clients include manufacturers and sellers of consumer, industrial and health care products and services, construction professionals and contractors, national insurers and claims administrators.
Mr. Ponessa’s representative cases include:
- Dakota West Credit Union v. CUMIS Ins. Society, Inc., 532 F. Supp. 2d 1110 (D.N.D. 2008).
- Hughes v. Black & Decker, 2007 WL 10768 (D. Minn. Jan. 10, 2007) and 2007 WL 624333 (D. Minn. Jan. 24, 2007).
- Wagoner v. Black & Decker, 2006 WL 2289983 (D. Minn. Aug. 8, 2006).
- Yoder v. Honeywell Inc., 104 F.3d 1215 (10th Cir. 1997).
Mr. Ponessa is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and the Minnesota Civil Trial Certification Council. He holds the AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability.
Mr. Ponessa joined Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in May 1997. He has been included on the Minnesota
Super Lawyer list annually since 1998 (based on survey of lawyers and judges published in
Minneapolis/St. Paul magazine and other Minnesota legal publications). In addition, Mr. Ponessa was selected for inclusion in the area of Personal Injury Defense: Products, in the 2009 and 2010 editions of
Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel, focusing on “The Top Attorneys in Civil and Criminal Litigation.”
He is a member of the American Bar Association (Health Law Section, Tort and Insurance Practice Section), the Minnesota State Bar Association (Litigation Section), the Defense Research Institute (Product Liability and Fire Loss Committees) and the Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association.
Mr. Ponessa has written publications of interest to insurers and product manufacturers, and is a frequent speaker, instructor and adjunct professor on topics involving trial practice and jury matters.