Jeffrey M. Markowitz
  • Jeffrey M. Markowitz
  • Associate
  • Co-Chair - Appellate Litigation
  • Arthur Chapman Kettering Smetak & Pikala, P.A.
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • 612-375-5917  direct dial
  • 612-339-7655  fax

  • jmmarkowitz@arthurchapman.com
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Biography

Clients appreciate the creativity, skill, and good humor that Jeff Markowitz brings to every aspect of his litigation practice. 

Jeff’s first love (in litigation, that is) is appellate work. He co-chairs his firm’s appellate practice group, and feels right at home arguing to appellate courts. He spent more than two years clerking for an appellate judge, and has since repeatedly appeared (and won) on appeal. Appellate work takes a unique blend of skills, which Jeff has gladly and diligently cultivated throughout his legal career. And clients see firsthand how he leverages that skill and experience—along with his relentless creativity—to make things (or keep things) right on appeal.

When not on appeal, Jeff passionately fights for his clients in district/trial court to make sure right decisions are reached in the first place. In addition to appeals, his practice includes business disputes, class-action defense, employment litigation, and products liability.

Two core motivators drive Jeff’s pursuit of excellent results for his clients. The first is his longstanding desire to see justice prevail, no matter the odds. That led him to India at the beginning of his legal career to prosecute human-trafficking and sex crimes. And it leads him today to do his utmost to ensure that his clients (generally defense clients) find justice here at home in federal and state courts. His other core motivator is the old legal maxim, “Justice delayed is justice denied.” This drives him to fight hard for his clients, not only for justice, but for justice without delay.

Outside of the office, Jeff is an avid strategy-game player. He plays with his wife as often as possible, after their three-year-old son falls asleep.

Presentations

  • “Demystifying The Class Action: A Primer For Beginners,” Minnesota Construction Law Seminar, Arthur, Chapman, Kettering, Smetak & Pikala, P.A., January 2019
  • “Forget Plausibility – Three Tools to Help Your Motion To Dismiss Sing In Minnesota State Court, Even After Walsh,” Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association, January 2019 Mid-Winter Conference
  • “Heroes or Hustlers of the ADA? The Rise and Reality of Private Enforcement of Title III,” Minnesota Construction Law Seminar, Arthur, Chapman, Kettering, Smetak & Pikala, P.A., October 2017
  • "Surprised by Employment - Misclassification Issues in Minnesota’s Construction Industry," Minnesota Construction Law Seminar, Arthur, Chapman, Kettering, Smetak & Pikala, P.A., October 2016

Publications

Honors

  • Rising Star®, Minnesota Law & Politics, 2018

Education

University of Minnesota Law School, J.D.
Pennsylvania State University, B.S.

Clerkship

Clerked for the Honorable Heidi S. Schellhas of the Minnesota Court of Appeals, 2012-14

Bar Admissions

Minnesota
U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
U.S. District Court, District of North Dakota
U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin

Professional Associations and Memberships

Federal Bar Association
Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association
Minnesota State Bar Association

License

Minnesota

Experience

Representative Cases

Dickhausen et al. v. St. Paul Public Schools, ISD No. 625 et al., No. 62-CV-4712 (Minn. Dist. Ct. Jan. 10, 2019) Obtained summary judgment for school district in employment-retaliation case.

Bonadies v. Windsor Windows, No. NNH CV-16-6063343S (Conn. Sup. Ct. June 29, 2018) Obtained summary judgment for window manufacturer in construction-defect case.

Wilson v. Northland College, No. 3:17-cv-0037-slc, 2018 WL 341749 (W.D. Wis. Jan. 9, 2018) Secured early dismissal of employment- and privacy-related claims against private college.

Wilmes v. Owatonna Hospitality, LLC, No. A16-1920, 2017 WL 3379076 (Minn. Ct. App. Aug. 7, 2017) On appeal, successfully defended summary judgment in personal-injury case for hotel when plaintiff speculated that the hotel pool, despite chlorination, caused a bacterial infection.

Doe v. Empire Entm’t, LLC, No. A16-1283, 2017 WL 1832414 (Minn. Ct. App. May 8, 2017) On appeal, successfully defended denial of plaintiff’s motion to proceed under pseudonym, an issue of first impression for Minnesota’s appellate courts.

Aragono, et al. v. Ku, et al., No. 16-cv-3907 (WMW/KMM) (D.Minn. March 21, 2017) Secured early dismissal of employment-related claims brought by 12 plaintiffs against client. Moved to dismiss all claims against client. See ECF Docs. 45, 47. Less than one month later, plaintiffs stipulated to voluntarily dismiss the claims. See ECF Doc. 59, 62.

Posey v. Securitas Sec. Servs. USA, Inc., 879 N.W.2d 662 (Minn. App. 2016) On appeal, obtained reversal of denial of unemployment benefits, resulting in a published opinion.

Buffa v. Windsor, No. 14 CVS 134 (N.C. Trial Ct. Oct. 1, 2015); Buffa v. Cygnature Constr. & Dev., Inc., 796 S.E.2d 64 (N.C. Ct. App. 2016) Obtained summary judgment for window manufacturer in construction-defect case and, on appeal, successfully defended summary judgment.

Practice Areas

Legal Team