Steve Gaskins is one of the finest unknown lawyers in Minnesota. But then he’s not from around here. He was born and reared in Texas. After graduating from law school at the University of Texas, he worked in New York City for 9 years, 5 for a big New York firm and 4 in the New York County District Attorney’s office. At the D.A.’s office, he tried all manner of cases from criminal contempt of the grand jury to murder. It was there, he says, he learned how to try a lawsuit.

During his years in New York, Steve made 5 summer vacation trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. On his last trip, Faegre & Benson offered him a job. In November 1982, he left New York and moved to Minnesota. It was snowing lightly when he arrived.

Once in Minnesota, he bought a car, took on a mortgage, got married, and had two kids. His home became Minnesota, though he still sounds like he’s from Texas.

Steve practiced at Faegre & Benson for 7 years, becoming partner in 1984. In 1989, with George Flynn, he founded the firm that was to be Flynn, Gaskins & Bennett, L.L.P. The lion’s share of Steve’s practice has been high exposure product liability defense. However, Steve’s practice exemplifies the idea that the specialty of a trial lawyer is trials, not a specific area of the law. In addition to products cases, Steve has tried malpractice, contract, construction, securities, landlord/tenant, natural gas take-or-pay, and Article 4 cases. His practice has taken him into state and federal courts all over the country. He tried cases to verdict in Texas, Michigan, Montana, West Virginia, New Hampshire, New York, Kansas, Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Carolina, and even Minnesota. Though he lives in Minneapolis, he has tried more cases in Texas than he has in his hometown. He is among the best of Minnesota’s lawyers, but he just won’t stay home.

Municipal Mortgage & Equity, LLC v. Southfork Apts., Ltd. Pshp., 93 F.Supp.2d 622 (D.Md. 2000)

Becherer v. Merrill Lynch, et. al., 43 F.2d 1054 (6th Cir. 1995)

Stinson v. Clark Equipment Co., et al., 473 N.W.2d 333 (MN Ct.App. 1991)

Johnson v. Kromhout, 444 N.W.2d 569 (Henn.Co.Dist.Ct. 1988)

Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers

Texas, 1973
Minnesota, 1983
New York, 1974
U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 1975
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, 1986
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 1974
U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, 1984
U.S. Supreme Court, 1987