M. Gregory Simpson
Partner33 S. Sixth Street
Suite 4300
Minneapolis, MN 55402
1900 Burnt Boat Drive
Suite 101
Bismarck, ND 58503
Greg is primarily a litigator who defends lawyers, accountants, insurance agents and other professionals against claims of malpractice and breach of fiduciary duties; represents companies in the construction and energy production industries in commercial litigation of all types; represents insurance companies in coverage disputes and affirmative anti-fraud litigation; defends their policyholders against liability claims and suits; defends employers against claims by employees; and a wide variety of additional kinds of cases.
Greg’s practice and legal skill set developed and expanded with the needs of his clients—businesses of all sizes, from sole proprietorships to large insurance companies. Clients often want a single lawyer on “speed dial” to troubleshoot their legal questions—on whatever topic—as they arise. They want their lawyer to answer the phone and respond to emails promptly. Greg does answer his own phone—sometimes on the first ring—and he prides himself on being responsive. Clients know their lawyers have other demands on their time, but they should never feel that the other clients are in the way.
Though he began his career as a large case litigator and continues to enjoy the intensity of courtroom work, early on Greg found it equally rewarding to advise businesses about how to stay out of court. Greg has served as outside General Counsel for many companies, advising them on everything from their initial business formation and startup issues to their ultimate sale, dissolution or merger—“sunrise to sunset.” Along the way, he handles their legal issues of almost every kind, including in the areas of employment (drafting and enforcement of employment contracts and non-competes, employment law compliance audits, discrimination charges), customer and vendor contracts and disputes, insurance coverage advice, regulatory matters, account collection and litigation of all sorts. Greg’s practice illustrates the old saying that “The law is a seamless web.” Commercial contract review and drafting are regular services that Greg provides for his for business clients. Additionally, Greg is a Qualified Neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice.
Greg is one of the firm’s leaders and serves on its Management Committee. He is active in the legal community, serving and frequently contributing to, the Hennepin County Bar Association’s flagship magazine, Hennepin Lawyer. He is also active in his community, chairing and serving as officer of various local boards. In his free time, he enjoys fly fishing with his wife, photography and walking his dog along the Mississippi River.
- University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1989
- Reed College, B.A., 1984
- Honorable Marianne D. Short, Minnesota Court of Appeals, 1989-1990
- Minnesota State Bar Association
- Labor & Employment Section
- Hennepin County Bar Association
- Co-chair, Insurance and Tort Law Section, July 2013-2016
- Chair, The Hennepin Lawyer Editorial Committee, July 2013-2015 (member of the Committee since 2011)
- Member, Hennepin County Bar Association Sections on Labor and Employment Law, Civil Litigation Section and Professionalism
- Issue Editor, November 2013 issue of The Hennepin Lawyer, focusing on Insurance Law
- Issue Editor, May 2012 issue of The Hennepin Lawyer, focusing on Immigration Law
- Member, Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers
- Officer, Prospect Park Co-Op Legacy Fund, 1996-present (501c3 non-profit grant-giving organization)
- Hennepin County Bar Association Ethics Committee, 1997-2010
- Qualified neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers of America® in the areas of insurance Law and Litigation-Labor and Employment, 2020-2025
- Selected for inclusion in the Minnesota Super Lawyers® list in the area of Professional Liability: Defense, Thomson Reuters, (only five percent of lawyers in the state were selected), 2013-2024
- Selected for inclusion in "Minnesota's Top Lawyers" list in the areas of Insurance Law and Labor and Employment Law, Minnesota Monthly, 2023
- Recognized in the list of Top 100 Super Lawyers, 2015-2017
- Awarded the highest possible Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating, AV® Preeminent ™ (AV is a registered certification mark of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies)
- Minnesota Law Review Staff, 1988-1989
- Media Interview, What employers can and can't legally require when it comes to vaccinations, KMSP Fox 9 News (July 2021)
- Author, Be Nimble and Diversify Your Skillset, The Hennepin Lawyer (January/February 2018)
- Co-presenter, Real Property: The Minnesota Standard Fire Insurance Policy: Key Provisions Every Real Property Lawyer Should Know, Hennepin County Bar Association Real Property Section Continuing Legal Education (February 2016)
- Presenter, Business Law Series: Corporations and LLCs Deskbook – Limited Liability, Piercing the Corporate Veil, Reverse Piercing, Entity by Estoppel, and Successor Liability, Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (February 2015)
- Author, "Inside Insurance"The Hennepin Lawyer (November 2013)
- Author, "An Unwelcome Intruder: Cancer in the Workplace" The Verdict, Vol. 2013, No.6 (June/July 2013)(reprinted from The Hennepin Lawyer, March 2013)
- Author, "The Biking Bar: Lawyers Jump on the Bike-Commuting Trend" The Hennepin Lawyer (June 2013)
- Author, "An Unwelcome Intruder: Cancer in the Workplace" The Hennepin Lawyer (March 2013)
- Author, "The Role of Bar Associations in Advocating for Public Policy Change" The Hennepin Lawyer (September 2012)
- Author, "Immigration Law in the Cross Hairs...As Usual" The Hennepin Lawyer (May 2012)
- Presenter, Insurance Law 2011, National Business Institute CLE (September 2011)
- Presenter, Interpreting the Insurance Contract, National Business Institute CLE (February 2010)
- Faculty member, Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, Employment Practices Liability Insurance, Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education (May 2009)
- Presenter, Top 10 Issues in Insurance Coverage in Minnesota, Lorman Education Services (June 2008)
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Aug
15,
2024
Meagher + Geer congratulates its 25 attorneys recognized by Best Lawyers®More...
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Jul
15,
2024
Meagher + Geer congratulates its 19 attorneys named to the 2024 Minnesota Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars listMore...
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Aug
17,
2023
Meagher + Geer congratulates its 26 attorneys recognized by Best Lawyers® More...