Keith J. Kerfeld
- (612) 334-3399
- kkerfeld@tkz.com
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
Keith J. Kerfeld was raised in Glenwood, Minnesota, located in the western part of the State, and attended St. John’s University where he graduated in 1978. He then attended law school at William Mitchell College of Law, graduating with honors in 1982.
Upon graduation from law school, Keith joined the litigation department at Rider, Bennett, Egan & Arundel. Within several years of starting practice, Keith was made a partner, serving on the firm’s Management Committee, practicing insurance defense, construction litigation and plaintiff product liability.
Unique to Keith’s practice is the influence of his past work experience both before and after law school. Throughout college and during his first year in law school, Keith worked for a variety of construction companies in the areas of framing and masonry construction. This hard physical labor gave him an appreciation for the impact that physical injuries have on one’s ability to work. Moreover, while at Rider, Bennett, Keith worked for many of the major insurance companies. During those years, he learned what facts caused insurers to evaluate claims for their highest value. Both of these experiences give him a unique position from which to represent the interests of the injured clients against opposing insurance companies.
In 1994, Keith joined his friend, Mike Tewksbury, in forming Tewksbury & Kerfeld. Since the inception of the firm, Keith has been the firm’s Managing Shareholder and has focused his plaintiff practice on personal injury and wrongful death claims arising from automobile accidents, defective products, construction site accidents, and mold and moisture intrusion claims. Additionally, Keith is viewed as one of the top mediators in the State and is routinely requested to serve as an arbitrator or mediator by other attorneys and insurers.
Unlike many attorneys, Keith’s practice involves representing both plaintiffs and defendants. Because of his insurance defense background, Keith continues to represent clients through appointment by various insurance companies. Additionally, through his years of work with various construction related companies, Keith continues to represent many different clients in this field. Some of his clients include Pella Corporation, Pella Northland, Bonnell, API, Metropolitan Mechanical Contractors, Viking Sprinkler and Twin City Garage Door Company. The continuing representation of both sides of the litigation fence gives Keith a unique insight as to trial strategy and avenues for resolution of claims.
Keith has been elected to a select group of attorneys who have been recognized by their peers for their legal skill and expertise and professional reputation by receiving an AV rating, the highest available, by a national legal evaluator, Martindale-Hubbell. Likewise, Keith has been a perennial Super Lawyer selection as one of the top 5% in the State of Minnesota by a peer review conducted by Law & Politics and Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine.
Areas of Practice:
- Personal Injury
- Product Liability
- Construction Defects and Accidents
Litigation Percentage:
- 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions:
- Minnesota, 1982
- Wisconsin, 2007
Education:
- William Mitchell College of Law, St Paul, Minnesota, 1982
J.D. - Honors: Cum Laude
- St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1978
B.S.
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- American Bar Association
Member
- Minnesota State Bar Association
Member
- Hennepin County Bar Association
Member
- Defense Research Institute
- Minnesota Defense Lawyer Association
Honors and Awards:
- AV Rated Martindale Hubbell (top rating)
- Super Lawyer, Law & Politics, Minnesota Business Monthly, Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine, 1998-Present
Past Employment Positions:
- Rider Bennett, Egan & Arundel, practicing in the areas of insurance defense, product liability and plaintiff’s personal injury litigation, 1982-1994.
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