Fired in Minneapolis? Minnesota gives you more protection than at-will law suggests.
Top 10 Wrongful Termination Lawyers in Minneapolis
Minnesota's Human Rights Act protects more categories than federal law alone, and the Whistleblower Act covers good-faith reports of legal violations. The deadline to file with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights is a year. The firms below have built their practices on these exact statutes.
Updated October 30, 202513 min readEditorially independent
These 10 Minneapolis employee-side employment firms are the most often cited by Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Avvo, and the Minnesota State Bar. Each firm handles wrongful termination across the full range of federal (Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA) and Minnesota statutes (MHRA, Minnesota Whistleblower Act, MN Parental Leave Act). We did not accept payment for placement and we do not write sponsored reviews.
How we picked these 10: We reviewed verifiable peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, Avvo), bar association recognition, state bar standing, published verdicts and settlements, client review patterns, and board certifications where applicable. Firms that appeared consistently across independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
1
Madia Law LLC
Minneapolis, MNFounded 2007Boutique
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, discrimination, whistleblower, civil rights
Located at IDS Center, Suite 4155, 80 South 8th Street. Trial-first plaintiff firm with a track record that includes a $4.5M partnership-breach settlement, $3M for a disability retaliation client in Eagan, and $2.4M for a Minneapolis whistleblower. Anthony Madia is consistently cited in Super Lawyers and on national plaintiff-firm lists.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: Built to try cases. That posture changes how defendants negotiate from the first phone call.
Practice focus: Employment, class action, whistleblower, FLSA
One of the largest plaintiff-side employment firms in the country, headquartered in Minneapolis with offices in San Francisco. Lead counsel on landmark wage-and-hour class actions; serious capacity to take on Fortune 500 defendants. Frequent Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers honoree.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: When the employer is large and the case has class-action potential, this is the Minnesota firm most likely to take it.
Practice focus: Whistleblower, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, qui tam
Clayton Halunen founded the firm in 2002 and has built a national reputation in whistleblower and qui tam cases. Notable verdicts and settlements in employment fraud and retaliation matters. Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers recognized.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: Strong fit for retaliation cases tied to a report of fraud, safety violation, or other protected disclosure.
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, sexual harassment, civil rights class actions
Larry Schaefer and Jean Boler co-founded the firm after serving as lead counsel in Jenson v. Eveleth Mines, the first U.S. sexual-harassment class action (later the basis for the film North Country). Plaintiff-only employment firm with deep trial experience.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: Senior lawyers with a track record on cases that shaped the national law. Right pick for cases with novel facts.
Practice focus: Plaintiff employment, whistleblower, severance, executive separation
Minneapolis employment boutique with attorneys recognized in Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers. Handles individual wrongful-termination matters and executive separation packages across Minnesota.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: Strong intake, careful case selection, and a calm pre-litigation negotiation style. Good for high-earner severance fights.
Practice focus: Plaintiff employment, whistleblower, ERISA, sexual harassment
Plaintiff-employment boutique with Super Lawyers recognition across multiple partners. Handles Minnesota Whistleblower Act, MHRA, and ERISA benefits cases out of downtown Minneapolis.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: ERISA fluency that most plaintiff firms lack. Right pick if your termination is tangled with benefits or pension issues.
Practice focus: Plaintiff employment, severance, executive separation
Brian Rochel and Phillip Kitzer started this Minneapolis boutique focused on plaintiff-side employment. Both lawyers carry Super Lawyers Rising Stars recognition and the firm emphasizes early, leverage-driven settlement.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: Newer firm, senior lawyers. Often quicker to respond and willing to take cases that volume firms pass on.
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, retaliation, severance
Sara Wahl founded this Minneapolis-based plaintiff-employment practice in 2012. Focused on wrongful-termination and retaliation cases, with emphasis on individualized attention from a single senior lawyer.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: Solo trade-off: you talk to the actual attorney every time. Strong choice when responsiveness matters more than firm depth.
Practice focus: Whistleblower, sexual harassment, retaliation, discrimination
Plaintiff-only Minneapolis employment firm representing whistleblowers and employees in retaliation, harassment, FMLA, and discrimination matters. Recognized in Super Lawyers Rising Stars.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: Strong on the procedural pieces other firms miss. Good fit for FMLA-interference and ADA-accommodation termination cases.
Practice focus: Discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, severance
Brendan MacDonald represents employees across Minnesota in discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and severance matters. Covers Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Edina, and Plymouth from a Twin Cities base.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: Frequently takes calls plaintiff firms decline, including suburban-employer cases that other downtown firms find too small.
What to expect from a Minneapolis wrongful termination case
First call is free and runs 30 to 60 minutes. If your case is viable, the firm files either an EEOC charge or a complaint with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR). Administrative investigation runs 6 to 14 months. After a probable-cause finding or a right-to-sue letter, the lawsuit is filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota or Hennepin County District Court. Most cases settle in 9 to 18 months; trial is 18 to 36 months out. Severance-only matters often resolve in 2 to 6 weeks.
What does a Minneapolis wrongful termination lawyer cost?
Most viable Minneapolis wrongful-termination cases are taken on contingency (33 to 40 percent of recovery) or hybrid fee. Severance-review and negotiated separation work is often billed flat or hourly: $300 to $625/hour, or a $1,800 to $4,500 flat to review and negotiate a severance package. Title VII, MHRA, and the Minnesota Whistleblower Act all have fee-shifting provisions, meaning a successful plaintiff can recover attorney's fees from the employer in addition to damages. That fee-shifting is what makes contingency representation economically viable for smaller cases.
How to choose between these 10 firms
All ten firms above are competent practitioners. The right pick depends on the shape of your matter, not on which firm has the biggest billboard. The patterns we see:
Pick a boutique when your case is high-stakes but narrow in scope, you want a senior attorney doing the actual work, and you are willing to trade brand recognition for senior attention. Boutiques typically run $325-$525 per hour for the lead attorney and have lower overhead. The risk: if the firm gets conflicted out or busy, your case may stall.
Pick a mid-size firm when your matter has multiple moving parts, or when you need a steady team with a bench behind it. Mid-size firms in Minneapolis typically charge $375-$650 per hour and are the natural fit for most wrongful termination cases.
Pick a large firm when the matter is genuinely large in dollars at stake, complex in legal issues, multi-jurisdictional, or institutionally sensitive. Large firms charge $450-$850 per hour but bring depth across practice areas. The risk: junior attorneys do most of the day-to-day work unless you push for senior involvement.
What is specific about wrongful termination cases in Minneapolis
Minneapolis is its own market. The procedure, the courts, and the strategy are city- and state-specific in ways that matter to your outcome.
The local courthouse matters. Hennepin County District Court is the venue for most wrongful termination matters originating in Minneapolis. The judges have published procedures, scheduling preferences, and trial calendars that an experienced local lawyer knows by heart. A firm that has never appeared in front of your judge is starting from scratch on the procedural side, and that costs you time and money.
Filing deadlines are strict. Statutes of limitations, notice requirements, pre-suit certifications, and Minnesota procedural rules are unforgiving. A missed deadline often means a lost case — full stop. Your first conversation with a lawyer should include a written confirmation of the controlling deadlines.
Minnesota law has specific quirks. Minnesota statutes governing this practice area shape strategy, leverage, damages, and settlement value. A firm that primarily practices in another state is starting at a disadvantage even when admitted in Minnesota.
Local juries and judges have patterns. Verdict patterns, judicial temperament, and settlement norms in Hennepin County District Court are local knowledge. A trial-capable firm uses venue, judge assignment, and jury demographics strategically.
Red flags to watch for when picking a wrongful termination lawyer in Minneapolis
Most firms in Minneapolis are competent. A few are problematic. The patterns to avoid:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, dismissal, custody outcome, or settlement number, walk away. Ethics rules in every U.S. state prohibit guarantees, and any lawyer making them is either uninformed or willing to lie to get your business.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior partner at intake, then never speak to them again. The case is handled by an unsupervised junior or a paralegal. Ask in writing who will be your day-to-day attorney, how often you will hear from them, and what happens when they are unavailable.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the retainer in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a sign of a volume mill rather than a craftsperson's practice.
No verifiable track record. The firm should be able to point to verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, or bar association recognition. "We have helped thousands of clients" is marketing copy. Specific numbers, named cases, and third-party rankings are evidence.
Vague fee terms. "Do not worry about cost" is a red flag. Every legitimate Minneapolis lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them.
10 questions to ask in your free consultation
Most firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions and write down the answers. Compare across at least two firms before you sign.
Who, specifically, will handle my case day to day? Get a name. Get an email. Get their bar number so you can verify their standing.
How many cases like mine have you handled in the last three years? You want a number, not a brochure line.
How many of those went to trial? Settlement skill is important. Trial skill is what gives you leverage to settle well.
What is your fee, and what does it cover? Get the answer in writing before you sign anything.
What case expenses am I responsible for, and when? Out-of-pocket costs (filing fees, deposition costs, expert witnesses) surprise people. Ask now.
What is the realistic range of outcomes for a case like mine? A good lawyer will give you a range. A bad one will promise the high end.
How long will it take? Honest estimate, with the assumptions stated.
How and how often will I hear from you? Email-only? Calls? Monthly updates? Set the expectation now.
What happens if I want to change lawyers later? Rules allow it; the fee is sorted between firms. Make sure you understand the mechanics.
What is the worst-case outcome for my case? A lawyer who refuses to discuss downside risk is selling you something.
Get matched with a vetted Minneapolis wrongful termination firm
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Frequently asked questions
What counts as wrongful termination in Minnesota?
Minnesota is an at-will state, but firing you for a protected reason is illegal. Protected categories under the Minnesota Human Rights Act include race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, and familial status. The Minnesota Whistleblower Act protects employees who report suspected legal violations in good faith.
How long do I have to file in Minneapolis?
300 days to file an EEOC charge (because Minnesota has a deferral agency). One year to file a charge with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights under the MHRA. Two years for most Whistleblower Act claims. Six years for breach-of-contract claims arising from your employment. Talk to a lawyer immediately; deadlines run from the date of the adverse action.
Do I have to file with the EEOC before I can sue?
For Title VII, ADA, ADEA, and most federal employment-discrimination claims, yes. For MHRA claims, you can file with MDHR or go straight to court. For Minnesota Whistleblower Act and common-law claims, no administrative filing is required. Your lawyer will pick the venue with the strongest leverage for your facts.
What can I recover in a Minneapolis wrongful termination case?
Back pay, front pay, emotional-distress damages, punitive damages on some claims, reinstatement (rare), and attorney's fees on most civil-rights and statutory claims. Title VII caps combined compensatory and punitive damages from $50,000 to $300,000 based on employer size. MHRA allows treble damages plus an additional civil penalty of up to $25,000.
Should I sign the severance my employer offered?
Not yet. Most Minneapolis employment lawyers will review your severance for $500 to $2,500 or as part of a contingency engagement. ADEA-covered severance gives you 21 days to consider and 7 days to revoke. The first offer is rarely the best; an attorney often doubles or triples the package, recovers unpaid bonuses, removes overbroad non-competes, and tightens the release language.
Can I be fired for taking FMLA or parental leave?
No. FMLA interference and retaliation are serious violations. Minnesota's Parental Leave Act adds protections for employees of smaller employers. If you were fired during or shortly after a protected leave, document the timeline and call a lawyer this week. Temporal proximity is powerful evidence.
What if I had a non-compete or NDA?
Minnesota courts enforce reasonable non-competes but scrutinize them carefully. Recent Minnesota law restricts non-competes for lower-wage workers. Severance negotiations often include cutting or narrowing restrictive covenants — that is sometimes worth more than the cash itself.
How do contingency fees work?
33 to 40 percent of recovery is typical for fully contingent cases, often stepped (lower if it settles pre-litigation, higher after a complaint is filed, highest after trial). On fee-shifting cases the firm may also recover its statutory fees from the employer. You sign an engagement letter that lays out the math before any work starts.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many wrongful termination matters like mine have you handled in the last three years, and how many went to trial? The answer tells you what kind of lawyer you are actually hiring. — The LawFirmSquare team