Mark R. Azman

Mark R. Azman

Partner

In litigation and transactional matters, Mark Azman represents and advises school districts and public entities, focusing his practice in the areas of public sector matters, construction law and insurance coverage. Mark has handled the day-to-day litigation management of numerous large-scale Minnesota and Wisconsin public school district matters involving school safety, tort liability, employment law, and construction matters. Mark also negotiates and drafts contracts and other agreements on behalf of school districts in the fields of construction, joint enterprise, insurance, employment, and real estate. He also has defended counties, cities and townships in suits involving issues including election disputes, dram shop, employment disputes, feedlots, roads, water law, and zoning. Mark has defended insurers in complex coverage disputes involving a wide range of underlying litigation including unfair business practices, products and CERCLA liability matters. He has also represented a variety of clients in a diverse range of commercial litigation cases involving the mortgage industry, real estate speculation and development, food industry, animal feed businesses, home health care, insurance brokerages and advertising and communications. Mark has spoken at numerous seminars on many topics including governmental liability, school law, joint powers, and indoor air quality.

Prior to joining the Firm, he practiced in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and also clerked for the Honorable Sharon L. Hall of the Tenth Judicial District.He is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, the Eighth Circuit Bar Association, and Council of School Attorneys. Mark is admitted to practice in all state courts in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota, Minnesota Federal Court, North Dakota Federal Court, the East and Western Federal Districts of Wisconsin, and the Seventh, Eighth and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeal. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Council of School Attorneys, and on the board of a nonprofit, including as President.

 
 
  • The College of the Holy Cross, B.A. (Economics) (1989)
  • William Mitchell College of Law, Cum Laude, 1993, Associate Editor Law Review, Co-Editor in Chief of School Newspaper
 
  • Minnesota State Court
  • Wisconsin State Court
  • North Dakota State Court
  • Federal District Court, District of Minnesota
  • Federal District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • Federal District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
  • Federal District Court, District of North Dakota
  • Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
 
 
  • Minnesota School Boards Association
  • National School Boards Association
  • National Council of School Attorneys
  • Minnesota Council of School Attorneys
  • Former Member of the Board of Directors
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Federal Bar Association
  • Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association
  • Governmental Liability Section
  • Construction Law Section
  • Insurance Law Section
  • Minnesota State Bar Association
  • Commercial Litigation and Governmental Liability Sections
  • Eighth Circuit Bar Association
  • Hennepin County Bar Association
  • Warren E. Burger American Inn of Court (Alumnus)
  • John E. Simonett American Inn of Court (Alumnus)
  • Holy Cross Club of Minnesota / Holy Cross Lawyers Club
 
 
Member, Board of Directors, Minnesota Council of School Attorneys (2020 - 2023)
Chair, City of North Oaks Planning Commission (2019-2022)
 
  • COVID-19 Toolkit for Minnesota Schools (2020)
  • Bid Law and Best Value, Update in the Law and What You Need to Know, Region V 29th Annual Spring Conference (2019)
  • Bid Law and Best Value, Update in the Law and What You Need to Know, Minnesota School Boards Association Annual Leadership Conference (2019)
  • Transportation of Students - What You Need To Know, Minnesota School Boards Association Annual Leadership Conference (2018)
  • Social Media Challenges and Policy-Guided Responses, Minnesota School Boards Association Annual Leadership Conference (2017)
  • A Survey of the Law of Dram Shop and Alcohol Liability (Primerus) Wisconsin (2017)
  • Brick By Brick: Your Construction Contract and Builders Risk Insurance Basics, Minnesota School Boards Association Annual Leadership Conference (2017)
  • Finding Quick Answers to Common Contracting and Purchasing Issues, Minnesota School Boards Association Annual Leadership Conference (2017)
  • Special Education Law, updated  2016
  • Helping to Improve Your Construction Practices (2016)
  • Avoiding and Winning Bid Challenges, Minnesota School Boards Association Leadership Conference (2016)
  • Liability in Minnesota, a Primer on General Liability and Education Law Concepts (2016)
  • Civil and Human Rights for School Districts, Minnesota School Board Association Leadership Conference (2015)
  • Cyber Liability and Identity Theft, The Challenge Facing Your District, Minnesota Association of School Business Officials (2015)
  • School Construction, a Refresher, Minnesota Association of School Business Officials (2015)
  • Where Are We Going To Fight? Jurisdiction and Venue, Primerus (Webinar) (2014)
  • Investigation of Claims of School Employee to Student Sexual Misconduct, Minnesota School Boards Association Annual Leadership Conference (2014)
  • Legal Issues Involving the Possession of Telematics Data (2014)                              
  • Campaign Finance Reporting Laws and School Districts, What You Need to Know, Minnesota School Boards Association Leadership Conference (2013)
  • Intellectual Property Rights of Public Schools, Minnesota School Boards Association Annual Leadership Conference (2009)
  • School Construction and the New “Best Value” Contracting Law, Minnesota Educational Facility Management Professionals (MASMS) (2008)
  • School Construction and the New “Best Value” Contracting Law, Minnesota School Boards Association Annual Leadership Conference (2008) 
  • Public Construction and the New “Best Value” Contracting Law, National Contract Management Association – Twin Cities Chapter (2008)
  • School Construction and The New “Best Value” Contracting Law, Little Ten Schools, New Ulm, MN (2008)
  • Controlling Construction Costs, National Business Institute (2008)
  • Project Delays, Disruptions and Changes, National Business Institute (2008)
  • Recent Age Discrimination Litigation, The Kentucky Retirement System/The Medical Bridge, Minnesota Council of School Attorneys (2008)
  • New Rule 68 Offer:  Can a Plaintiff Really Double Down?, The 2008 Johnson & Condon Litigation Roundtable (2008)
  • Investigating The Difficult Issues (Employment Law), Minnesota School Boards Association Annual Leadership Conference (2007)
  • Legal Legislative Update (Mold and Indoor Air Quality), Minnesota Indoor Air Association (2007) 
  • Construction Defect Claims in Minnesota, Lorman Education Services (2006) 
  • How’s Your Mechanical Project?, Minnesota Association of School BusinessOfficials (2006)
  • Liability Considerations for Joint Activities, Urban Town Short Course, Minnesota Association of Townships (2006)
  • Defense Perspectives on Education Law, Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association Mid-Winter Conference (2006) 
  • Legal and Legislative Update, Indoor Air Quality and Mold, Minnesota Indoor Air Association Annual Conference (2006) 
  • The Betterment or Added Benefit Defense, ABA The Construction Lawyer (Spring 2006) (co-author) 
  • Joint Powers and Partnership Arrangements for School Districts, Minnesota School Boards Association Leadership Conference (2005) 
  • Legal and Coverage Issues for Joint Powers Entities, Minnesota Association of Townships Insurance Trust Attorney Seminar (2004) 
  • Winning Strategies for Litigating a Toxic Mold Case: A Multi-Perspective Roundtable (For the Defense), ACI Conference, San Diego, CA (2001) 
  • Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Litigation Update, Minnesota School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys Annual Meeting (2001) 
  • Subordinate Service Districts, Gravel Pits, Bidding Procedures, Road Vacation & Reversion, and Challenging Ordinances, Northland Insurance Township Seminar (2000) 
  • Conflicts Between Township and County Ordinances, Northland Insurance/Minnesota Association of Townships Seminar (1998) 
  • UIM/UM Update, State Farm Insurance Companies Legal Seminar, UIM/UM (1998) 
  • Roads and Cartways, Minnesota Association of Townships Legal Seminar (1998) 
  • Adult Uses, Northland Insurance/Minnesota Association of Townships Seminar (1997) 
  • Guardianship/Conservatorship Law and Practice Seminar, MSBA Continuing Legal Education Presentation (1995) 
  • The Development of Title VII Protection for American Citizens Employed Abroad by American Employers: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow , 18 Wm. Mitchell L. Rev. 531 (1992)
 
 
State
  • Home Ins. Co. v. National Union Fire Ins. of Pittsburgh, 658 N.W.2d 522 (Minn. 2003).
  • Home Ins. Co. v. National Union Fire Ins. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 643 N.W.2d 307 (Minn. Ct. App. 2002)
  • BECA of Alexandria, L.L.P. v. County of Douglas ex rel. Bd. of Com'rs, 607 N.W.2d 459 (Minn. Ct. App. 2000)
  • Pelican Group of Lakes Imp. Dist. v. Minn. Dept. of Natural Resources, 589 N.W.2d 517 (Minn. Ct. App. 1999)
  • Reinsurance Ass'n of Minnesota v. Hanks, 539 N.W.2d 793 (Minn. 1995)

Federal
  • Manion v. Nagin, 392 F.3d 294 (8th Cir. 2004)
  • Minnesota School Boards Ass'n Ins. Trust v. Employers Ins. of Wausau, 331 F.3d 579, 177 Ed. Law Rep. 136 (8th Cir. 2003)
  • Minnesota School Bd. Ass'n Ins. Trust v. U.S. E.E.O.C., 184 F.Supp.2d 899, 162 Ed. Law Rep. 208 (D.Minn. 2001)
 
 
  • Handelman-Seigel v. Edina School District (ISD 273), 2019 WL 2167784 (Minn.App., May 20, 2019)
  • Mill v. Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co., 2005 WL 3527257 (Minn.App., Dec 27, 2005)
  • Berscheit v. Town of Grey Eagle, Mn., 1999 WL 486914 (Minn.App., Jul 13, 1999)
  • Terpstra v. Peterson, 1999 WL 289283 (Minn.App., May 11, 1999)
  • Tolzman v. Town of Wyoming, 1999 WL 109604 (Minn.App., Mar 02, 1999)
  • Soltis v. Hovey, 1998 WL 727759 (Minn.App., Oct 20, 1998)
  • Ammann v. Hansen, 1997 WL 207570 (Minn.App., Apr 29, 1997)
  • Frisch v. Bassett, 1996 WL 104770 (Minn.App., Mar 12, 1996)
  • Conservatorship of Johnson, 1995 WL 321365 (Minn.App., May 30, 1995)