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Jerome B. Abrams , Retired Judge, First Judicial District Court, Minnesota

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Judge Jerome B. Abrams, Retired Judge, First Judicial District Court, Minnesota, is a mediator and arbitrator with more than 40 years of experience handling complex disputes. A former Minnesota district court judge and nationally recognized trial lawyer, he brings a practical, balanced and results-oriented perspective to dispute resolution. Throughout his career, he has handled and presided over matters involving hundreds of millions of dollars claimed damages, including insurance coverage disputes, commercial litigation, construction, environmental claims, professional liability matters and multidistrict proceedings.

Before joining JAMS, Judge Abrams served for 14 years on the Minnesota district court bench, where he presided over a broad range of complex civil matters, including insurance coverage, construction defect litigation, business and commercial cases, professional liability claims and multidistrict proceedings involving numerous parties and substantial damages. His judicial experience provides him with unique insight into case valuation, litigation strategy and effective dispute resolution.

During his career in private practice, Judge Abrams maintained a national litigation practice for more than 27 years. Most of his career as a lawyer was trying and appealing numerous cases in State and Federal Courts, representing both plaintiffs and defendants. He served as national counsel for a property and casualty insurer and represented domestic and international insurers, including participants in the London insurance market, in complex multiyear and multilayer coverage disputes. He also represented policyholders in significant coverage litigation. As lead trial counsel as well as court appointed Liaison Counsel, he handled and tried some of the country's most substantial insurance coverage cases.

It is also notable that Judge Abrams participated in over 20 appellate cases involving insurance coverage and bad faith for both policyholders and insurers in State and Federal Courts. He had served as an Umpire in coverage cases as a lawyer and continues to do so as a Neutral with JAMS.

Judge Abrams brings a thoughtful, direct and highly prepared approach to dispute resolution. Drawing on more than four decades as a trial lawyer and judge, he takes the time to understand the legal, factual and business considerations driving each case and believes that if an issue is important to the parties or counsel, it is important to him. He listens carefully, encourages candid dialogue and works collaboratively with participants to develop practical, tailored solutions. As an arbitrator, he is valued for his skilled case management, command of complex records and commitment to fair, timely and well-reasoned decisions. His extensive experience handling complex, high stakes matters enables him to help parties realistically evaluate risk, identify common ground and achieve resolution.

A recognized leader in civil justice, complex litigation management, court technology and e-discovery, Judge Abrams has lectured extensively throughout the United States and internationally. He is the author of numerous publications on insurance coverage, business litigation and e-discovery, including a business courts bench book published by the American Bar Association. He is an Honorary Fellow of the American College of Coverage Counsel and serves on the National Board of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Representative Matters

Agribusiness & Food Law

Mediated agribusiness and food industry dispute involving supply agreements, commodity and feed ingredient contracts, pricing and volume commitments, supply chain disruptions, and related breach of contract claims

Appellate

Handled significant appellate matters arising from complex commercial, insurance, professional liability, and personal injury cases before state and federal appellate courts, including the Minnesota Court of Appeals, Minnesota Supreme Court, and Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals

Business Commercial

Mediated contract disputes arising from commercial lease agreements involving allegations of breach of contract, rent liability, wrongful or constructive eviction, lease modification, and related landlord-tenant claims
Mediated shareholder disputes involving ownership rights, corporate governance, fiduciary duties, valuation issues, shareholder oppression, buy-sell agreements, and related business and commercial claims
Mediated contract dispute arising from manufacturing and distribution agreement relating to medical device technology
Arbitrated dispute involving allegations of breach of contract, deceptive trade practices, and misrepresentation arising from the performance and durability of consumer products
Arbitrated numerous consumer finance disputes involving allegations that automobile title loan agreements violated state lending, usury, and consumer protection laws, including claims for statutory damages, unlawful lending practices, and deceptive trade practices
Mediated partnership dissolution dispute involving the implementation and enforcement of a prior judicial order addressing the winding up of a business relationship, allocation of assets and liabilities, and related ownership and valuation issues
Mediated trade secrets dispute involving a former executive and a digital marketing company
Mediated business dispute involving claims arising from the departure of financial services professionals to a competing enterprise, including allegations of breach of contract, solicitation of clients and employees, misuse of confidential information, defamation, and related business tort claims
Mediated dispute involving claims of breach of contract, fraud, unjust enrichment, and statutory violations of the Minnesota Unlawful Trade Practices Act and Consumer Fraud Act arising from the repossession and subsequent attempted sale of a vehicle, including allegations concerning title transfer, lien release, and ownership rights
Represented businesses, financial institutions, insurers, and individuals in complex commercial litigation involving contract disputes, business torts, fraud, fiduciary duty claims, shareholder and partnership disputes, and other high-stakes business matters

Class Action & Mass Tort

Presided over and resolved a statewide consolidated proceeding involving more than 4,000 criminal and implied consent cases arising from challenges to breath-testing technology and source code disclosure issues
Represented clients in mass tort litigation involving asbestos
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) represented a major pharmaceutical company producing a variation of the product at the center of a mass tort
World Trade Center-related claims including insurance coverage for property damage and over 1800 respiratory illness cases arising from the clean-up of the site
Represented parties in coordinated, multi-party insurance coverage litigation arising from nationwide breast implant claims. Also served as lead trial counsel in related 3-month jury trial. The case involved allocation, trigger, and coverage issues affecting numerous insurers and policyholders and resulted in a significant Minnesota Supreme Court decision
Presided over national labeling class action lawsuit concerning kosher designation for a popular and widely distributed meat product

Construction

Mediated dispute involving allegations of defective residential construction and breach of warranty, with defenses relating to timeliness, notice, and opportunity to repair
Mediated action related to excavation services on custom home building projects

Employment Law

Arbitrated employment discrimination disputes involving allegations of age-based workplace discrimination, wrongful employment practices, and related statutory employment claims
Mediated wrongful termination dispute involving employees of a religious organization and claims of gender discrimination and whistleblower retaliation
Mediated wage and hour dispute involving allegations that an employer’s timekeeping and rounding practices resulted in unpaid wages in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Minnesota Payment of Wages Act (MPWA)
Mediated wrongful termination matter involving claims of discrimination based on race and sex
Arbitrated wage and hour dispute concerning tip pooling among employees of a national restaurant chain
Represented the Plaintiff in litigation involving claims involving the loaned servant doctrine. The matter proceeded through federal district court and appeal to the Eighth Circuit

Environmental Law

Presided over a complex environmental dispute involving a public agency and multiple waste-hauling entities concerning statewide waste-processing and disposal regulations and enforcement actions. The matter involved significant regulatory, commercial, and public-policy issues affecting Minnesota's waste-management industry
Represented parties in complex environmental disputes involving federal and state environmental statutes, contamination claims, and cost-recovery actions

Insurance

Mediated dispute involving the interpretation of umbrella liability policies and whether underlying insurance and retained limits were exhausted, triggering coverage obligations for claims arising from alleged personal injuries associated with exposure to disinfectant products
Arbitrated coverage dispute involving claims under a trade credit and export risks policy, arising from alleged buyer payment defaults on commodity transactions and the insurer’s denial of coverage for multiple claims seeking recovery of substantial unpaid receivables
Arbitrated subrogation dispute involving claims for property damage allegedly caused by a defective and improperly installed smart home thermostat, with the insurer seeking recovery of amounts paid for the resulting loss
Represented a party in a significant insurance coverage dispute involving the interpretation of professional liability insurance policies and coverage obligations arising from underlying claims
Mediated dispute involving competing claims between successive commercial property insurers regarding responsibility for coverage and payment of the resulting loss
Mediated coverage dispute involving obligations arising from a settlement agreement related to alleged property damage to railcars caused by a manufacturer’s use of protective coating products supplied by the insured
Mediated coverage dispute arising from underlying property damage claims related to allegedly contaminated construction materials, involving questions regarding an insurer’s duty to defend and indemnify, as well as counterclaims for breach of contract and bad faith
Represented a party in a complex insurance coverage dispute involving a large ethanol production facility and claims for property damage and business interruption arising from equipment failures and operational losses. The matter involved substantial commercial losses, multiple insurance coverage issues, and federal appellate proceedings.
Represented a party in a high-value insurance coverage dispute involving one of the nation's largest healthcare companies and claims under commercial insurance policies arising from underlying litigation and corporate liabilities
Represented a party in a complex commercial insurance and reinsurance dispute involving claims arising from environmental liabilities and allocation of coverage among insurers
Represented a party in a pharmaceutical-industry insurance coverage dispute involving claims under commercial liability policies and the scope of insurer obligations arising from underlying business litigation
Represented the Policyholders in a series of significant Minnesota appellate decisions addressing insurance coverage obligations and policy interpretation issues
Represented a party in a landmark environmental insurance coverage case involving allocation of long-tail environmental liabilities among multiple insurers and policy periods. The decision is widely cited in environmental coverage jurisprudence.
Represented a party in a substantial insurance coverage dispute involving claims arising from alleged environmental contamination and remediation obligations

Personal Injury

Mediated case involving a governmental entity and consolidated claims of 6 killed and 4 injured in a fire
Mediated dispute involving sexual abuse allegations concerning a substance abuse counselor who engaged in a sexual relationship with a patient during inpatient and outpatient treatment
Mediated bodily injury premises liability claim resulting from a trip and fall at the entrance of a retail store
Mediated wrongful death claim involving a minor and struck by a boat propeller during water tubing activities while attending summer camp
Mediated sexual abuse matter concerning a Catholic school
Mediated bodily injury premises liability claims involving minor children at a childcare center
Mediated matter involving catastrophic bodily injuries sustained after being struck and falling down a flight of stairs
Mediated auto wrongful death matter involving individual who was hit and killed by a delivery van driver
Mediated wrongful death matter arising from a propane explosion
Mediated auto bodily injury matter involving a drunk driver
Mediated matter concerning chemical burns sustained after hair product application
Mediated bodily injury claim involving school district and a minor child who sustained injuries during Physical Education class
Mediated matter involving claims of assault by a security employee for an adult entertainment club
Represented parties in workplace injury and negligence actions, including federal statutory claims under Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) and Jones Act

Product Liability

Mediated product liability cases involving toxic inhalant in multiple states
Mediated wrongful death products liability matter
Represented clients in products liability matters involving consumer products, industrial equipment, medical devices, and commercial products
Mediated wrongful death of a child summer camper from boat propeller injuries

Professional Liability

Represented parties in complex professional liability matters including medical, legal and accounting malpractice claims
Mediated medical malpractice dispute arising from a uterine ablation procedure that allegedly resulted in bowel and uterine perforations, sepsis, and related injuries
Mediated dispute involving legal malpractice and fiduciary duty claims arising from the conduct of a court-appointed receiver and its legal counsel in connection with a receivership proceeding
Mediated a medical malpractice case arising from procedure placing an IUD in pregnant patient and subsequent removal of the IUD, allegedly resulting in a premature birth and wrongful death of surviving child at age five

Real Estate & Real Property

Mediated real estate dispute involving allegations of failure to disclose material information concerning stormwater management requirements and associated development costs in connection with the sale of a residential lot
Mediated a disputed agricultural input lien between the Receiver, Secured Creditor and Lien Holder
Mediated residential real estate contract dispute involving a contract for deed, claims for specific performance, and counterclaims alleging failure to disclose property defects, defamation, and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing
Mediated multiple disputes arising from the sale and leasing of a commercial medical office building, including commercial landlord-tenant claims, lease disputes, and allegations of fraud in connection with the property's sale
Mediated residential property dispute involving government entity concerning tree removal
Presided over a large-scale condemnation proceeding involving hundreds of properties and significant eminent-domain issues arising from a major municipal redevelopment project
Presided over coordinated mechanic’s lien foreclosure litigation involving hundreds of competing mechanic’s-lien, lender and title interests arising from a large development project

Jerome B. Abrams

Jerome B. Abrams | JAMS Mediator & Arbitrator

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

Memberships and Affiliations

Current

Civility, Professionalism and Excellence Award, Minnesota Chapter, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
Member, National Board of Directors, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
Member and Judicial Advisor, Working Group 1, The Sedona Conference
Honorary Fellow, American College of Coverage Counsel
Member, American Bar Association (ABA)

Past

Trial Judge of the Year, Minnesota Chapter, ABOTA, 2019
Member, Board of Directors, National Center for State Courts, 2015–2021
Judicial Member, Minnesota Court Technology Advisory Team, 2020–2022
Judicial Manager, Expedited Litigation Track Pilot Project, Dakota County, 2014–2022
Member, Executive Management Committee, First Judicial District, 2008–2022
Sub-Committee Chair for Rules and Litigation, Conference of Chief Justices, Civil Justice Initiative, National Center for State Courts, 2014–2018
Member, Board of Directors, Minnesota District Judges Association, 2009–2015
Member, Minnesota Civil Rules Advisory Committee, 2013–2019
Judicial Representative, Business Law Section, ABA, 2014–2016

Bar Admissions

Minnesota, 1981
Wisconsin, 1985 (inactive)
Previous admissions to multiple federal courts, both trial and appellate
Qualified ADR neutral, Minnesota Supreme Court

Speaker on a variety of ADR topics before professional organizations, including:

"Civil Discovery in the World of Devices, Apps, Cloud and Linked Content", (Minnesota Judicial Branch: 2025 Annual Conference of Judges), December 2025
“Preventative Justice", (RIYADH: International Conference on Justice 2nd Edition), November 2025
“Future of ADR “, (New York Law School), Nov 2025
“Tailoring the dispute resolution mechanism to the dispute", (American College of Coverage Counsel), May 2023
“Do You Really Know What Hat You’re Wearing? Identifying & Protecting Against Ethics Faux Pas and (Gasp!) The Loss of Privilege Disputes (2.0)", (American College of Coverage Counsel), May 2022
“A Guide to E-Discovery in Artificial Intelligence,” Law and Forensics (webinar), November 2021
“Caseflow Management, Civil Cases for Judges in Japan,” National Center for State Courts (online exchange), August 2021
“The Courts as a Service—Not a Building: How Technology Must Be at the Forefront of Court Modernization,” National Association of Court Managers Annual Meeting, San Diego, July 2021
“Caseflow Management: The Next Generation,” National Center for State Courts (webinar moderator), July 2021
“Utilizing ADR, ODR and Court Litigation to Resolve Disputes in the Era of COVID-19,” ABA Business Law Section (webinar), September 2020
“Access to Justice in Light of COVID-19,” ABA Business Law Section Showcase Program (webinar), September 2020
“Business Litigation Grab Bag,” National Center for State Courts (webinar), September 2020
“Labor and Employment Liability,” National Center for State Courts (webinar moderator), August 2020
“Jury Trials in the Age of a Pandemic,” American Board of Trial Advocates (webinar), July 2020
Korean Court Scholar Observation Program, May 2020 and February 2022
“Online Dispute Resolution and You,” ABA Business Law Section (webinar), April 2020
“Civil Legal System Modernization: Is Online Dispute Resolution Making a Difference in Access to Justice?”; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; Judicial Integrity Initiative; Doha, Qatar; February 2020

Selected Publications

“ABOTA Continues longstanding efforts to preserve, protect Judicial independence from internal and external threats” (PR Newswire), June 2023
“Managing Electronic Discovery in Small Cases” (The Sedona Conference Primer), May 2023
"E-Discovery Desk Book" (chapter author), Minnesota CLE, 2023
“Business Disputes: Claims and Remedies” (chapter author), Minnesota CLE, 2023
“Courts Online: The Future Is Now?” (The Court Administrator), 2022
“Guidance for Conducting Civil Jury Trials During the COVID-19 Pandemic” (white paper), ABOTA, June 2020
“The Business Courts Bench book: Procedures and Best Practices in Business and Commercial Cases,” (contributing author), ABA, 2019
“Global Judicial Integrity Network: Applying the Bangalore Principles to Court Administration” (podcast), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2018
“An Electronic Discovery Primer,” 40 Wm. Mitchell L. Rev. 427, 2014 (contributing
author)
“Failure to Allocate? Nobody Pays: Using Miller-Shugart Settlements In Cases of Questionable Insurance Coverage,” 4 Wm. Mitchell J. L. & Practice 2, 2010

Background and Education

Judge, Minnesota District Court, 2008–2022
Mentor (part-time), University of St. Thomas, 2010–present
Adjunct Associate Professor of Law, William Mitchell College of Law (Advocacy), 2014
Adjunct Associate Professor of Law, University of Minnesota (Complex Litigation), 2008–2014
Abrams & Smith, P.A., 1997–2008
Austin & Abrams, P.A., 1988–1996
Austin & Roth & Associates, 1982–1987
J.D., William Mitchell College of Law, 1981
B.A., Beloit College, 1977

Virtual & In-Person Locations

Home Office

Minneapolis, MN

Available to Travel To

Chicago, IL
Las Vegas, NV
London
Los Angeles, CA
New York, NY

Virtual hearings available nationwide

“Judge Abrams will be an excellent addition to JAMS’ alternative dispute resolution roster. Having practiced in front of him many times, I know that he knows the ins and outs of complex civil litigation and how to get cases resolved. He will be a valuable asset in affording parties a knowledgeable and trusted neutral.”

“I had cases against Jerry Abrams for 20 years before he went on the bench. Without a doubt, he was the smartest and hardest-working adversary that I had. At the same time, he was friendly, cordial and accommodating in all respects—quite a combination. He is a wonderful man, and I am confident he will be able to resolve even the most difficult disputes.”

“Judge Abrams is a highly respected jurist who is experienced in a wide variety of civil matters both as a practicing lawyer and in his years as a highly regarded member of the Minnesota district court bench. He has the knowledge, expertise and patience to assist parties in resolving even the most complex disputes. He is a fine addition to the JAMS panel of neutrals.”

“Judge Abrams brings a unique perspective and a diverse set of tools to the resolution table—a stellar career as a litigator handling some of the most complex cases of the day, followed by an equally distinguished career on the bench. This, together with an approachable demeanor and affable personality, makes him exceptionally suited to his new role as an eminent neutral. His services will rightfully be in high demand. “
“I chuckled when I learned of Jerry’s position with JAMS because I knew when he left the bench and began a mediation practice that there would be no work for other mediators! Jerry is a great guy, is smart and knows civil litigation, and he will serve all parties to disputes exceedingly well.”
“Judge Abrams’ intellectual rigor and patience, along with his practical approach to resolving complex civil cases, make him an ideal addition to JAMS. As a former civil trial lawyer, Judge Abrams has a keen sense of what it takes to successfully try cases, which is, in part, what makes him such an effective mediator.”
“Judge Abrams got involved shortly before trial to discuss each party’s settlement position. He was able to tactfully and with empathy close the settlement gap between the parties. He was willing to put in a little extra time to speak with the parties to ensure their concerns were heard, while also balancing the weaknesses in the case."