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Loren L. Hansen

“The best part of my career is helping clients focus on their business while they are facing a legal dispute. It’s an honor to work with people who love what they do.”

Loren Hansen is a Registered Patent Attorney and first chair trial lawyer who focuses his practice on patent infringement, software / technology disputes, trade secret misappropriation and other intellectual property litigation. He is also experienced in antitrust and other complex commercial litigation. Loren represents clients in a variety of industries, including agribusiness, renewable energy, software, manufacturing, construction, high technology and oilfield services.

Earlier in his career, Loren worked as a consultant with Accenture, Ltd., where he designed and developed custom software packages for large, national health insurers. His experience in software development, and education as a chemical engineer, continues to inform his practice – providing him with not only the insight needed to address the complex technical questions of many of his clients’ cases, but also the communication skills needed to untangle that complexity and convey it in understandable terms.

Loren's practice encompasses a variety of complex civil litigation. He represents his clients at trial (court and jury) and in arbitration proceedings throughout the country. Recognizing that many clients prefer pragmatic solutions to prolonged litigation, Loren works to provide solutions for his clients that help them minimize or avoid litigation whenever possible. Loren loves working with clients that have a genuine passion for what they do, and he strives to deliver advice that helps them grow.

Loren is the practice group leader for the firm's IP litigation practice group. Formerly, Loren chaired the associate recruiting committee, and was a member of the firm's finance committee. 

Loren was born on a small-town family farm in southwest Minnesota and went to high school in West Fargo, North Dakota. The work ethic and values that he developed at an early age carry throughout his practice and his engagement with the community. In addition to being the past president of his church’s Council of Ministers, Loren served as Secretary of the board, and sat on the governance and executive committees for the Minnesota Land Trust – a member-supported, nonprofit conservation organization whose mission is to protect and restore Minnesota's most vital natural lands in order to provide wildlife habitat, clean water, outdoor experiences, and scenic beauty for generations to come.

Representative Experience

Patent Litigation

  • CellTrust Corporation v. ionLake et al, -- F. Supp. 3d --, 2022 WL 4018042 (D. Minn. 2022) (Led representation of CellTrust in its enforcement of two of its software-related patents against a competitor).
  • Boost Oxygen, LLC v. Oxygen Plus, Inc., 477 F. Supp. 3d 871 (D. Minn. 2020) aff’d 843 Fed. Appx. 322 (Fed. Cir. 2021) (Took over the representation of Oxygen Plus in its defense of design patent infringement claims and contempt claims made against it by a competitor, achieving dismissal of Boost’s claims).
  • Olaf Soot Design, LLC v. J.R. Clancy, Inc. (N.D.N.Y 2019) (First-chaired the defense of accused patent infringer in high-capacity hoist technology).
  • Accu Steel, Inc. v. Legacy Building Solutions, Inc., Civ. No. 16-00050 (S.D. Iowa 2017) (Led representation of patent owner, Legacy Building Solutions, in enforcing its patent rights related to building technology).
  • Federal Appellate Argument: Concaten, Inc. v. AmeriTrak Fleet Solutions, 131 F. Supp. 3d 1166 (D. Colo. 2015) affirmed (Fed. Cir. Oct. 11, 2016) (Obtained a Judgment on the Pleadings invalidating all five asserted patents as directed to ineligible subject matter. Argued appeal before the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, which affirmed).
  • Beavertail Products, LLC, et al. v. YETI Coolers, LLC, Civil Action No.: 15-cv-1181 (D. Minn. filed Mar. 5, 2015); YETI Coolers, LLC v. Beavertail Products, LLC, et al. Civil Action No.: 15-cv-3267 (W.D. Tex. filed May 15, 2015) (Led defense of outdoor equipment manufacturer against claims of design patent infringement, utility patent infringement, and trade dress infringement).
  • TiVo Inc. v. Verizon Commc’ns Inc., Case No. 2:09-cv-257 (E.D. Tex. filed Aug. 27, 2009) (Represented TiVo in a multi-patent case asserting that Verizon infringed several of TiVo’s patents related to digital video recording and defending Verizon’s patent infringement counterclaims).
  • Imation Corp. v. Koninklijke Philips Elec. N.V., et al., 586 F.3d 980 (Fed. Cir. 2009) (Represented Imation in a declaratory judgment case, asserting that Imation did not infringe nine of Philips’s patents related to optical disc technology).

Complex Litigation

  • Blattner Energy, Inc. v. Jones, et al., 2020 WL 2848181 (D. Minn. 2020) (Led representation of Blattner Energy in its assertion of trade secret misappropriation against former employees and a competitor in state and federal court in Minnesota.
  • North Dakota Supreme Court Argument: Minn-Kota Ag Products, Inc. v. N.D. Public Service Commission, 938 N.W.2d 118 (ND 2020) (Represented Minn-Kota in its efforts to use public utility for power to its new grain facility, obtaining a Supreme Court reversal in client’s favor on standing to pursue its claims).
  • Jury Trial: Energy Intelligence Group, Inc. et al v. CHS McPherson Refinery, Inc., Civ. No. 16-cv-1015 (D. Kan. 2018) (First-chaired the defense of the Refinery in a copyright infringement matter through a four-day jury trial, obtaining a defense verdict in which plaintiffs’ recovery was approximately two percent of the requested $50 million award).
  • Four51, Inc. v. PFG Ventures, L.P., et al (D. Minn 2017) (Led the defense of a custom software purchaser accused of breaching a software agreement and trade secret misappropriation when the company replaced the software vendor).
  • Geotek, LLC v. Aluma-Form, Inc., Civ. No. 27-cv-17-2441 (4th Dist. Ct. Minn. filed Feb. 22, 2017) (Led defense of Geotek as a declaratory judgment plaintiff against Aluma-Form’s allegations of Lanham Act false advertising and product defamation. Case settled with Aluma-Form dismissing its claims and no monetary terms).
  • Super Chefs, Inc. v. Second Bite Food, Inc., Civ. No. 15-00525, 2015 WL 12914330 (C.D. Cal. June 15, 2015) (Led defense of specialty food development and manufacturing company as it faced allegations of trade secret misappropriation, unfair business practices, fraud, breach of contract and other claims. After successfully defeating plaintiff’s motion for preliminary injunction and obtaining dismissal of the majority of the allegations, the matter settled before trial).
  • Bench Trial: Sterling Development Group Three, LLC et al v. Carlson, 2015 ND 39, 859 N.W.2d 414 (N.D. 2015) (Represented Dr. Carlson in his defense against a claim that he owed $2,000,000 pursuant to a personal guarantee. Following a two-day trial, the Court ruled that Dr. Carlson’s guarantee was exonerated by statute. The result was affirmed by the North Dakota Supreme Court).
  • Bucks County Community College v. Augusoft, Inc. (EDPA 2015) (Represented software developer in its defense and counter-claims regarding a dispute involving a software development and implementation project).
  • Jury Trial: Represented an oil field services company in Colorado state court though a six-day jury trial related to a proposed asset sale that failed to materialize. This case and its details are confidential pursuant to Colorado rules.  
  • Omnicare, Inc. v. UnitedHealth Group, Inc., 594 F. Supp. 2d 945 (N.D. Ill. 2009) (Represented UnitedHealth Group where summary judgment was granted and affirmed in its defense of Omnicare’s antitrust and fraud claims).

Pro Bono Litigation

  • Bench Trial: State by Friends of the BWCA v. AT&T, No. 27-CV-10-15159 (4th Dist. Ct. Minn. filed June 22, 2010) (Represented the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness in its enforcement of the Minnesota Environmental Rights Act).
  • Bench Trial: In re Kadiatou Toure, No. A-089-118-477 (Immigration Ct. 2009) (Represented Ms. Toure in removal proceedings where she gained asylum in the United States).

Presentations

  • Speaker, "Civil Practice in Minnesota State District Court - Motions and Tips Related to Remote Motion Arguments," Minnesota CLE, February 20, 2024
  • Co-presenter, "Mission Critical - Updates on Trade Secret Litigation and Non-Compete Agreements," Lathrop GPM 2023 State of Litigation: Draft Edition, April 12, 2023

Professional Affiliations

  • Hon. Jimmie V. Reyna IP Inn of Court
  • Minnesota State Bar Association
  • American Intellectual Property Lawyers Association

Community Involvement

  • Edina Community Lutheran Church, Council of Ministers, Past President
  • Minnesota Land Trust, Board Secretary

Honors

  • Selected among The Best Lawyers in America®, 2022-2024
  • Minnesota State Bar Association, "North Star Lawyers," 2012-2015, 2023
  • Minnesota Monthly, "Minnesota's Top Lawyers," 2022
  • Thomson Reuters, "Minnesota Rising Star," 2014-2018
    • "Up & Coming Attorney," 2014
Photo of Loren L. Hansen
  • Minneapolis

    80 South Eighth Street
    3100 IDS Center
    Minneapolis, MN 55402
  • Fargo

    118 Broadway
    Suite 506
    Fargo, ND 58102
F: 612.632.4389

Assistant

Tammy Hahn
612.632.3216

Court Memberships

  • Minnesota
  • North Dakota
  • U.S. District Court District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court District of Minnesota
  • U.S. District Court District of North Dakota
  • U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Education

William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2007

University of Minnesota, 2001, Bachelor of Chemical Engineering