Introduction

Rachna Sullivan is a shareholder in Fredrikson & Byron’s Business Litigation Group. Rachna represents both plaintiffs and defendants in business disputes with an emphasis on complex contract disputes, shareholder disputes, and fiduciary duty litigation. She has handled litigation in several states around the country. Her practice is in federal and state courts. Rachna also counsels businesses in litigation management/avoidance. 

Rachna has been selected by her peers as a “Super Lawyer” and a “Rising Star.” Rachna is the President-Elect of the Federal Bar Association.

Prior to joining Fredrikson & Byron, Rachna was a prosecutor in New York. Rachna clerked for the Honorable James M. Rosenbaum, former Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. Rachna was also a partner at the law firm of Rider Bennett in Minneapolis where she litigated insurance defense and business disputes.

As a native of India, Rachna is interested in the growing business opportunity in India, as well as business development in Indian-owned and minority-owned businesses in the United States. She has represented Indian-owned businesses with presence overseas and in the United States in a general counsel role.

Education

• University of Minnesota Law School, 1996, J.D. cum laude
• Pace University, New York City, B.B.A., 1989, cum laude

Bar Admissions

• Minnesota, 1997
• United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, 1999

Practice Areas

• Litigation
• Shareholder Disputes
• Commercial Law

Languages

• Hindi
• Punjabi

Representative Experience

Federal Cases

• Dae Won Food U.S.A., Inc. v. Spatz et al. (Contracts - Other Contract), D.Minn., October 9, 2009
• Kennedy et al. v. ITV Direct, Inc. et al. (Intellectual Property - Trademark/Trade Name), D.Minn., December 03, 2008
• Sonus-USA, Inc. v. Rose, et al. (Contracts - Other Contract), D.Cal., November 18, 2008
• Volvo Financial Services v. Grounded Air, Inc. et al. (Contracts - Other Contract), D.Minn., June 24, 2008
• New Technology Resources, Inc. v. Glacier Sales And Engineering, LLC et al. (Contracts - Other Contract), D.Minn., November 16, 2007
• Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. v. Shturman (Intellectual Property – Patent), D.Minn., August 20, 2007
• Metro Machine & Engineering Corp v. Smiths Medical ASD, Inc. (Contracts - Other Contract), D.Minn., July 10, 2007
• Smith v. American Investors Network et al. (Contracts - Other Contract), D.Minn., August 8, 2005
• Xcel Energy Inc. v. United States of America (Tax - Federal - IRS-Third Party/Taxes (US Plaintiff or Defendant)), D.Minn., April 1, 2004
• Arizant Inc. et al. v. Federal Insurance Company (Contracts – Insurance) March 31, 2004
• NEG Micon USA Inc. v. N Alternative Energy, et al. (Contracts - Other Contract), D.Ill., August 20, 2003
• Newcome, et al. v. Xcel Energy Inc., et al. (Labor & Employment – ERISA), D.Minn., March 19, 2003
• Crabtree v. BCBSM, Inc. (Labor & Employment – ERISA), D.Minn., February 11, 2003
• Smith, et al. v. Stonebridge Life Ins, et al. (Contracts – Insurance), D.Minn., February 3, 2003

State Cases

• Drew DeWitt vs. Jacob R Gibbs, Ross W Gibbs, The Estate of W Jacques Gibbs, Ohio National Financial Services Inc., Banner Life Insurance Company, 27-CV-09-21441 (Contract) August 2009
• Amy A Brochu vs. The Estate of William Jacques Gibbs, Jacob R Gibbs, Ross W Gibbs, Protective Life Insurance Company, 27-CV-09-21477 (Contract) August 2009
• M&T Bank vs. TCF National Bank, 27-CV-09-21364 (Civil Other/Misc.) August 2009
• RSM McGladrey Inc. vs. McGladrey & Pullen LLP, David Scudder, Jerry Bourassa, Tony Ceci, Frank Compiani et. al., 27-CV-09-19117 (Contract) July 2009
• Courtney Remes Riach vs. Synthetic Kit Inc., Maggie R Pearthree, Christopher T Mitchell, Splinter LLC, 27-CV-09-10025 (Shareholder Dispute) April 2009
• Michele Vierling vs. Team Utility Services Inc. d/b/a Team US Inc., Randal York, 27-CV-09-3365 (Shareholder Dispute) February 2009
• Cardiovascular Systems Inc. vs. Shturman Medical Systems Inc., 27-CV-08-13807 (Civil Other/Misc.) June 2008
• Blu Dot Design & Manufacturing Inc., a Minnesota corporation vs. NTM Inc., a Wisconsin corporation and Larry Ormson, an individual, 27-CV-07-16423 (Contract) August 2007
• Steven A. Wikstrom vs. Reell Precision Manufacturing Corp., et al. [Dorn], 62-C1-06-001929 (Employment) February 2006
• Bradley Stangeland vs. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, 59-C9-04-000388 (Contract) December 2004
• Elizabeth K. Rohde vs. BCBSM, Inc., DBA Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, et al., 62-C4-04-008546 (Contract) August 2004
• Allen Javinsky vs. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, 19-C6-04-014877 (Conciliation Appeal) August 2004
• Markman Capital Management Inc. vs. Novak, Leslie, H, 27-CV-04-011825 (Malpractice) August 2004
• Cynthia L. Pugh vs. Gilbert Westreich, M.D. et al., 19-C0-03-010250 (Contract) October 2003
• Eden Prairie School District S.E. - vs. Doe, John, 27-CV-03-016550 (Civil Other/Misc.) September 2003
• Lerfald, Jeff, vs. General Motors Corporation, 27-CV-03-003327 (Contract) March 2003
• Pacioli Companies Inc. vs. Weis Builders Inc., 27-CV-03-015230 (Contract) March 2003
• Givogre, Patricia, E. vs. Fischer, Mark, D et al., 27-CV-03-001278 (Civil Other/Misc.) January 2003

Professional Activities

• Member, Sikh Society of Minnesota
• Federal Bar Association, Minnesota Chapter, President-Elect
• University of Minnesota Law School Alumn, Board Member

Honors & Distinctions

• President-Elect, Federal Bar Association
• “Rising Star,” Minnesota Law & Politics magazine
• “Super Lawyer,” Minnesota Super Lawyers magazine and Minnesota Law & Politics magazine