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December 5, 2023
Nelson Mullins partner Bernie F. Hawkins Jr. is apart of the planning committee for the event, which will be hosted partially at Nelson Mullins' offices in Atlanta and Columbia — as well as locations in Washington, D.C.; Austin, Texas; Chicago; Denver, Colorado; Houston, Texas; and Kansas City, Missouri.
2023 Clean Air Act Conference
Idea Exchange
Alana K. Bassin
Partner
Suite 600
Minneapolis, MN 55416
Alana is the managing partner of the firm's Minneapolis office and leads the Minneapolis Litigation Team. She has represented Fortune 500 companies in products liability, commercial litigation, and general liability defense. She has defended individual and mass-tort actions across the country involving high-exposure catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases.
Alana has served as national counsel for global...
Alana is the managing partner of the firm's Minneapolis office and leads the Minneapolis Litigation Team. She has represented Fortune 500 companies in products liability, commercial litigation, and general liability defense. She has defended individual and mass-tort actions across the country involving high-exposure catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases.
Alana has served as national counsel for global medical device manufacturers, a child product manufacturer, as well as a global energy powerhouse for whom she has first-chaired several catastrophic injury trials. She has served as lead counsel in consolidated actions, including successfully moving to exclude plaintiffs’ lead expert in the first bellwether case. She also served as lead counsel in a mass tort involving an alleged contaminated product, representing the company amidst a recall, FDA raid, and unprecedented media campaign.
She has tried numerous cases before juries and arbitrators around the country, including wrongful death cases, and several commercial matters and medical negligence cases.
Alana frequently speaks on the professional development of women in the legal community.
medical device manufacturers, a child product manufacturer, as well as a global energy powerhouse for whom she has first-chaired several catastrophic injury trials. She has served as lead counsel in consolidated actions, including successfully moving to exclude plaintiffs’ lead expert in the first bellwether case. She also served as lead counsel in a mass tort involving an alleged contaminated product, representing the company amidst a recall, FDA raid, and unprecedented media campaign.
She has tried numerous cases before juries and arbitrators around the country, including wrongful death cases, and several commercial matters and medical negligence cases.
Alana frequently speaks on the professional development of women in the legal community.
Experience
Representative Matters
Trial and Arbitrations
- Four-week catastrophic injury trial with five plaintiffs involving electric shock and burn injuries to minor children, along with an alleged neurological disorder (2022)
- Complex, multimillion-dollar commercial arbitration involving alleged underpaid commissions related to foreign power-generation facilities (January 2019)
- Wrongful death trial related to a field technician’s accident (May 2018)
- Product defect and breach of warranty arbitration related to the failure of gas turbine at a power plant (June 2017)
- Catastrophic injury trial involving a 2011 plant explosion (November 2014)
- Wrongful death arbitration related to a long-term care facility (August 2013)
- Wrongful death arbitration related to a long-term care facility (October 2010)
- Wrongful death trial related to pest control service (March 2004)
- Non-binding summary jury trial related to allegations of product defect of a siding manufacturer held by a real judge in front of a real jury (March 2002)
- First-chaired commercial trial (December 2000)
- First-chaired bench trial (as plaintiff counsel) in commercial matter (March 2000)
- Second-chaired commercial matter at trial, settled before verdict (July 1998)
Other
- Served as lead counsel in medical device and pharmaceutical cases, including mass torts, related to IVC filters, spinal fusion products, spinal cord stimulators, ambulation devices, defibrillators, heart pumps, dialysis cases, hearing aids, skin and hair products, implantable catheters, and men's health implants
- Served as national product liability counsel for a global energy powerhouse
-
Served as national product liability counsel for a child product manufacturer
- Served as national counsel for a child sleeping product under CPSC recall and congressional investigation
- Nationally represented a Fortune 100 company for building products, climate control solutions, HVAC, and security systems
- Represented clients in numerous commercial and contract disputes
- Served as defense counsel for a large chemical, cleaner, and pesticide company on the national level
- Served as lead counsel for major long-term care providers and other medical care companies
- First-chair role in a multi-day mock trial included opening statement and multiple witnesses (including experts and plaintiff) in cigarette/smoking personal-injury claim (November 2019).
- First-chair role in a multi-day mock trial benzene/toxic tort claim, including opening statements, multiple witnesses (including experts and company witnesses), and closing arguments (March 2014).
Education
-
University of North Dakota School of Law,
JD,
with distinction
(1996)
- Regional Moot Court Competition
- Board of Editors, North Dakota Law Review
- Queen's University, BCom, with honors (1993)
- Queen's University, BA, Political Science (1993)
Admissions
- Minnesota
- North Dakota
- Montana
- U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota
Clerkships
- Law Clerk, the Honorable William Neumann, Supreme Court of North Dakota
Practice Areas
Representative Matters
Trial and Arbitrations
- Four-week catastrophic injury trial with five plaintiffs involving electric shock and burn injuries to minor children, along with an alleged neurological disorder (2022)
- Complex, multimillion-dollar commercial arbitration involving alleged underpaid commissions related to foreign power-generation facilities (January 2019)
- Wrongful death trial related to a field technician’s accident (May 2018)
- Product defect and breach of warranty arbitration related to the failure of gas turbine at a power plant (June 2017)
- Catastrophic injury trial involving a 2011 plant explosion (November 2014)
- Wrongful death arbitration related to a long-term care facility (August 2013)
- Wrongful death arbitration related to a long-term care facility (October 2010)
- Wrongful death trial related to pest control service (March 2004)
- Non-binding summary jury trial related to allegations of product defect of a siding manufacturer held by a real judge in front of a real jury (March 2002)
- First-chaired commercial trial (December 2000)
- First-chaired bench trial (as plaintiff counsel) in commercial matter (March 2000)
- Second-chaired commercial matter at trial, settled before verdict (July 1998)
Other
- Served as lead counsel in medical device and pharmaceutical cases, including mass torts, related to IVC filters, spinal fusion products, spinal cord stimulators, ambulation devices, defibrillators, heart pumps, dialysis cases, hearing aids, skin and hair products, implantable catheters, and men's health implants
- Served as national product liability counsel for a global energy powerhouse
-
Served as national product liability counsel for a child product manufacturer
- Served as national counsel for a child sleeping product under CPSC recall and congressional investigation
- Nationally represented a Fortune 100 company for building products, climate control solutions, HVAC, and security systems
- Represented clients in numerous commercial and contract disputes
- Served as defense counsel for a large chemical, cleaner, and pesticide company on the national level
- Served as lead counsel for major long-term care providers and other medical care companies
- First-chair role in a multi-day mock trial included opening statement and multiple witnesses (including experts and plaintiff) in cigarette/smoking personal-injury claim (November 2019).
- First-chair role in a multi-day mock trial benzene/toxic tort claim, including opening statements, multiple witnesses (including experts and company witnesses), and closing arguments (March 2014).
Media
Recognitions
- Women in Business Law Awards, Product Liability Lawyer of the Year (2023)
- Minnesota Lawyer, Attorney of the Year (2015, 2022)
- Benchmark Litigation
- Local Litigation Star, General Commercial, Product Liability (2016, 2020–2024)
- Future Star (2014–2015, 2019, 2024)
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation – Labor and Employment (2023–2024), Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defense (2023–2024), Product Liability Litigation – Defense (2023--2024)
- Legal 500 United States, Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action -- defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (2014–2015, 2020–2023)
- Minnesota Monthly, Top Lawyers in Minnesota (2022, 2023)
- Twin Cities Business, Notable Women in Law (2020)
- Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, 40 Under 40 (2010)
- Super Lawyers Magazine, Top Woman Attorney in Minnesota (2017)
- Minnesota Super Lawyers (2014–2021)
- Minnesota Super Lawyers Rising Star (2004–2010)
Professional Activities
- Leadership Counsel on Legal Diversity, Fellow (2011)
- Defense Research Institute
- ABA Litigation Section
- Trial Practice Subcommittee (2008–2011)
- Trial Practice Subcommittee Vice Chair (2011)
- Co-Chair of Program Development
- Women Advocate Subcommittee (2007–2008)
Community
- Women Winning, Board of Directors (2013–2018)
Alana is the managing partner of the firm's Minneapolis office and leads the Minneapolis Litigation Team. She has represented Fortune 500 companies in products liability, commercial litigation, and general liability defense. She has defended individual and mass-tort actions across the country involving high-exposure catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases.
Alana has served as national counsel for global... medical device manufacturers, a child product manufacturer, as well as a global energy powerhouse for whom she has first-chaired several catastrophic injury trials. She has served as lead counsel in consolidated actions, including successfully moving to exclude plaintiffs’ lead expert in the first bellwether case. She also served as lead counsel in a mass tort involving an alleged contaminated product, representing the company amidst a recall, FDA raid, and unprecedented media campaign.
She has tried numerous cases before juries and arbitrators around the country, including wrongful death cases, and several commercial matters and medical negligence cases.
Alana frequently speaks on the professional development of women in the legal community.
Experience
Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.Representative Matters
Trial and Arbitrations
- Four-week catastrophic injury trial with five plaintiffs involving electric shock and burn injuries to minor children, along with an alleged neurological disorder (2022)
- Complex, multimillion-dollar commercial arbitration involving alleged underpaid commissions related to foreign power-generation facilities (January 2019)
- Wrongful death trial related to a field technician’s accident (May 2018)
- Product defect and breach of warranty arbitration related to the failure of gas turbine at a power plant (June 2017)
- Catastrophic injury trial involving a 2011 plant explosion (November 2014)
- Wrongful death arbitration related to a long-term care facility (August 2013)
- Wrongful death arbitration related to a long-term care facility (October 2010)
- Wrongful death trial related to pest control service (March 2004)
- Non-binding summary jury trial related to allegations of product defect of a siding manufacturer held by a real judge in front of a real jury (March 2002)
- First-chaired commercial trial (December 2000)
- First-chaired bench trial (as plaintiff counsel) in commercial matter (March 2000)
- Second-chaired commercial matter at trial, settled before verdict (July 1998)
Other
- Served as lead counsel in medical device and pharmaceutical cases, including mass torts, related to IVC filters, spinal fusion products, spinal cord stimulators, ambulation devices, defibrillators, heart pumps, dialysis cases, hearing aids, skin and hair products, implantable catheters, and men's health implants
- Served as national product liability counsel for a global energy powerhouse
-
Served as national product liability counsel for a child product manufacturer
- Served as national counsel for a child sleeping product under CPSC recall and congressional investigation
- Nationally represented a Fortune 100 company for building products, climate control solutions, HVAC, and security systems
- Represented clients in numerous commercial and contract disputes
- Served as defense counsel for a large chemical, cleaner, and pesticide company on the national level
- Served as lead counsel for major long-term care providers and other medical care companies
- First-chair role in a multi-day mock trial included opening statement and multiple witnesses (including experts and plaintiff) in cigarette/smoking personal-injury claim (November 2019).
- First-chair role in a multi-day mock trial benzene/toxic tort claim, including opening statements, multiple witnesses (including experts and company witnesses), and closing arguments (March 2014).
Education
-
University of North Dakota School of Law,
JD,
with distinction
(1996)
- Regional Moot Court Competition
- Board of Editors, North Dakota Law Review
- Queen's University, BCom, with honors (1993)
- Queen's University, BA, Political Science (1993)
Admissions
- Minnesota
- North Dakota
- Montana
- U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota
Clerkships
- Law Clerk, The Honorable William Neumann, Supreme Court of North Dakota
Practice Areas
- Commercial Litigation & Business Torts
- Litigation
- Products Liability - Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices
Industries
- Women in Business Law Awards, Product Liability Lawyer of the Year (2023)
- Minnesota Lawyer, Attorney of the Year (2015, 2022)
- Benchmark Litigation
- Local Litigation Star, General Commercial, Product Liability (2016, 2020–2024)
- Future Star (2014–2015, 2019, 2024)
- The Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation – Labor and Employment (2023–2024), Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defense (2023–2024), Product Liability Litigation – Defense (2023--2024)
- Legal 500 United States, Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action -- defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (2014–2015, 2020–2023)
- Minnesota Monthly, Top Lawyers in Minnesota (2022, 2023)
- Twin Cities Business, Notable Women in Law (2020)
- Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, 40 Under 40 (2010)
- Super Lawyers Magazine, Top Woman Attorney in Minnesota (2017)
- Minnesota Super Lawyers (2014–2021)
- Minnesota Super Lawyers Rising Star (2004–2010)
- Leadership Counsel on Legal Diversity, Fellow (2011)
- Defense Research Institute
- ABA Litigation Section
- Trial Practice Subcommittee (2008–2011)
- Trial Practice Subcommittee Vice Chair (2011)
- Co-Chair of Program Development
- Women Advocate Subcommittee (2007–2008)
- Women Winning, Board of Directors (2013–2018)
Highlights from the Firm’s Idea Exchange
