Richard W. Bale

Professional Profile
Rick is a partner with Larson • King who represents a broad spectrum of business clients. He concentrates his practice primarily in the areas of product liability, insurance, environmental and professional liability. Rick represents corporations of all sizes in litigation involving fire losses, contract disputes, trade secrets, intellectual property, and employment matters. In addition, he has experience in Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listing requirements and procedures.  Rick has tried to verdict coverage and subrogation recovery claims arising out of flood fire and other types of losses before juries and arbitration panels.

Law School
William Mitchell College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1990

College
University of Minnesota, B.A., 1986

Member
American Bar Association

  • Past Chair (2011-2012),Professionals’ Officers’ and Directors’ Liability Committee (PODL) in the Tort Trial Insurance Practice section

Defense Research Institute (DRI), Past Publications Vice Chair for For The Defense
Professional Liability Underwriters Society (PLUS)
USLAW Network
Minnesota State Bar Association
Hennepin County Bar Association

Admitted
Minnesota Supreme Court; U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota; U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois; U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit

Publications & Seminars
"Financial Fraud Litigation,” The Practical Litigator March 2011.

“Reassessing Insurance Coverage: The Legacy of Recent Financial Fraud Schemes?,” Tort Source Spring 2010.

 “Aiding and Abetting Liability in the Subprime Lending Litigation,” Professionals’ Officers’ and Directors’ Liability Committee Winter 2008 Newsletter.

“New Developments in Accountant Liability to Third Parties,” Professionals’ Officers’ and Directors’ Liability Committee Fall 2008 Newsletter.

“The Art of the Settlement,” National Business Institute (NBI), June 12, 2008.

“Insurance Law Update: Understanding Current Coverage Trends,” National Business Institute (NBI) June 21, 2007.

“Advertising Injury Coverage,” Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association Insurance Law Institute, January 25, 2007.

“Personal and Advertising Injury Liability: Coverage Issues,” National Business Institute (NBI) 2007.

“Appellate Trends in Construction Law,” USLAW Spring 2006 Client Conference.

"Expert Testimony In The Courtroom," 14th Annual Conference of the International Association of Arson Investigators, Minnesota Chapter, March 21, 2001.

“Resource Conservation and Recovery Act," Environmental Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements (3rd ed.) published by Government Institutes, December 1994.

"Lender Liability," "Environmental Contractors," and "Minnesota’s Petrofund Law," National Business Institute (NBI), September 1992.

"Avoiding Environmental Liability In Minnesota," National Business Institute (NBI), September 1992. 

Reported Decisions
Bell Lumber and Pole Co. v. U.S. Fire Ins. Co., 835 F. Supp. 315 (D. Minn. 1994), aff’d, 60 F.3d 437 (8th Cir. 1995).

United Technologies Automotive Systems, Inc. v. Affiliated FM Ins. Co., 725 N.E. 2d 871 (Ind. App. 2000), transfer denied.

Arrowhead Electric Cooperative, Inc. v. LTV Steel Mining Co., 568 N.W.2d 875 (Minn. App. 1997).

Keitzer v. Blake Builders, Inc., 2003 WL 1962446 (Minn. App. April 29, 2003).