Allen Saeks concentrates his practice in commercial and business litigation, including bankruptcy litigation, bank litigation, legal malpractice defense, trust and estate litigation, white collar crime, and professional disciplinary proceedings. His substantial experience in bankruptcy litigation arises out of his handling of various real estate developments and creditor claims arising from Ponzi schemes, including the defense of Ponzi scheme clawback claims. In addition, he has handled shareholder disputes in closely held corporations. Recently, he represented a prominent family in complex shareholder litigation in Minnesota federal court, and more recently obtained a judgment for more than $26 million against a Florida real estate developer in a federal court in Florida. Allen has also represented defendants in complex hostile takeover litigation and has successfully defended major financial institutions and their officers. Most recently, he has handled a large family trust litigation in Minnesota federal district court, and prevailed in a large, contentious fraud case in South Dakota. Allen is a Minnesota State Bar Association Certified Civil Trial Specialist and is a past chair of the firm’s Commercial Litigation practice group.

Allen has been recognized by a number of third-party and peer-group publications. He has been named among The Best Lawyers in America in commercial litigation, trusts and estates litigation, bankruptcy litigation and professional malpractice defense. He has also been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers® in business litigation.

Allen has been a frequent CLE lecturer on various litigation subjects, including law firm breakups, ADR and, more recently, ethics. He has also provided the ethics commentaries to the Civil Practice Deskbook published by Minnesota State Bar CLE. In 2009, he was appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court as chair of a committee to evaluate the disciplinary system in Minnesota.

In 1996, he received both the Law Day Testimonial Award for his pro bono contributions to legal aid and the City of Minneapolis Award for community service. In 2009 he received both the Minnesota Lawyer 2008 Attorney of the Year Award and the Professionalism Award from the Hennepin County Bar Association. He is listed in Who’s Who in American Law and Who’s Who in America.

In 2012, Allen received the Richard S. Arnold Award for distinguished service and lifetime achievement from the Eight Circuit Bar Association. He is the first recipient of the new award for the District of Minnesota and was singled out for working in the public interest for 50 years.

Click here to learn more about Allen's legendary career, including his commitment to community service as well as a few of his high-profile cases, in a profile published by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

Professional and Civic Activities

• American Bar Association (Litigation Section)
• Federal Bar Association
• Minnesota State Bar Association
• Hennepin County Bar Association (president 1983-1984)
• Co-founder, Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society

Allen was featured in “Courting Harry (and Warren, and the Andersons),” Minnesota Lawyer, March 25, 2013

Education

• J.D., University of Minnesota Law School, 1956
       Order of the Coif
• B.S., Law, University of Minnesota, 1954

Admissions

• Minnesota Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
• Seventh, Eighth, Eleventh and Federal Circuit Courts of Appeals
• U.S. Circuit of Appeals for the Armed Forces
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims
• U.S. Tax Court
• U.S. Supreme Court