Minnesota Personal Injury Lawyer | Michael S. Polk

Michael S. Polk visit superlawyers.com

Mike Polk is a trial lawyer specializing in the area of personal injury, product liability as well as wrongful death. He has been practicing with the law firm of Sieben Polk P.A. since 1979. Mike’s trial experience has resulted in great success for his clients.

Mr. Polk was certified as a Civil Trial Advocate in 1986 by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and was certified as a Civil Trial Specialist in Minnesota in 1989.  In his specialized trial practice, Mr. Polk has handled serious injury and death cases arising from automobile collisions, product defects, and exposure to toxic substances.  Mr. Polk has represented hundreds of victims in significantly complex cases resulting in substantial recoveries for his clients.  As a Trial Specialist, Mr. Polk has been active in the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, as well as the Minnesota Lawyers Association.  He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association and has been active on many of their committees.  Mr. Polk has been selected by his peers as a Super Lawyer since 2001 and a Leading Minnesota Attorney consecutively since 1994.  He is also recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America.  Minnesota Law & Politics recognized Mr. Polk as a “Top 40” plaintiff personal injury attorney in 2004-2008.

Mr. Polk is licensed to practice before the United States District Court for the Districts of Minnesota and Wisconsin and is a member of the State of Minnesota and the State of Wisconsin Bar Associations. 

 Areas of Practice

• Mesothelioma and All Asbestos-Related Illnesses
• Railroad / Train Litigation
• Products Liability
• Premises Liability
• Wrongful Death
• Car Accidents
• Work Place Injuries including Occupational Diseases

Education

• William Mitchell College of Law - J.D., 1979
• Drake University, B.S.B.A.., 1975
• Northfield Senior High School, 1971

Professional Association and Memberships

• Minnesota State Bar Association
• Wisconsin State Bar Association
• Dakota County Bar Association
• Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association
• The Association of Trial Lawyers of America
• Certification as a Civil Trial Advocate for the National Board of Trial Advocacy and Minnesota State Bar Association
• Million Dollar Advocates Forum
• Adjunct Professor of Law at William Mitchell College
• Pre-eminent legal rating (AV) by Martindale-Hubbell
• Best Lawyers in America

Publications and Teachings

• 2/80 - Lecturer, Damages (MTLA)
• 5/80 - Lecturer, No-Fault and Bad Faith (MTLA)
• 2/81 - Lecturer, Toxic Substances Litigation (MTLA)
• 10/83 - Lecturer, Converting Medicine's Tools into Tools of Courtroom Proof (Minn. CLE)
• 10/83 - Lecturer, Preparing a Medical Witness for Trial (Minn. CLE)
• 11/83 - Lecturer, Pierringer Releases (Minn. CLE)
• 8/84 - Lecturer, Handling the Dram Shop Case (MTLA)
• 9/85 - Lecturer, Automobile Liability - Bad Faith and Punitive Damages (MTLA)
• 10/85 - Lecturer, "Bad Faith" Insurance Litigation (ALI-ABA)
• 9/86 - Lecturer, Third Annual Insurance Law (MTLA) (Punitive Damages)
• 8/87 - Lecturer, Litigation of Complex Toxic Tort Cases (MTLA)
• 4/89 - Lecturer, The Anatomy of a Products Liability Trial (MDLA and MTLA)
• 5/89 - Lecturer, Handling the Automobile Insurance Case, Punitive damages in bad faith claims (MTLA)
• 2/90 - Lecturer, Comparative Fault in a Products Liability Case (MTLA)
• 2/90 - Lecturer, Punitive Damages and Bad Faith Claims (MTLA)
• 1985 - Author, Bad Faith and Punitive Damages (ALI-ABA)
• 1985 to present - Contributing Author, Minnesota Cause of Action Manual (MTLA publication)
• 10/19-20/93 - Instructor, Minnesota Advocacy Institute (served as an instructor in course entitled "Depositions" offered as part of the Minnesota Continuing Legal Education Skills Training)
• 11/9/93 - Lecturer, Trial of Complex Litigation Case (William Mitchell College of Law - Professor Thomas H. Carey's Class - Management of Complex Litigation)
• 1/96-5/97 – Adjunct Professor of Law – William Mitchell College of Law
• 8/12/2000 – Presentation, Respiratory Protective Devices and Pneumoconioses, Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association Annual Convention
• 9/18/2002 - Presentation, Handling A Silicosis And/Or Respiratory Protective Device Case, Mealey's Silica Litigation Conference, Westin Hotel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• 9/19-20/2002 - Presentation, Respiratory Protective Devices, Mealey's National Asbestos Litigation Conference, Westin Hotel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• 9/15-16/2005 – Presentation, National Silica Conference, HarrisMartin National Silica Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada
• 7/8/2009 - Presentation, Masters In Trial, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, Minneapolis, Minnesota