John Harper III

John Harper III is an attorney at the law firm Messerli | Kramer, serving areas surrounding the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. His legal practice focuses on matters related to business litigation, commercial disputes, employment law, fiduciary duty and shareholder claims.

Practicing law since 1977, Mr. Harper has experience litigating a variety of matters ranging from financial services to management liabilities. He imparts his knowledgeable advice to people in business and management, regarding risk assessment, business and employment planning, and other fields of his experience.

The sense of assessing a legal situation with accuracy is a skill that Mr. Harper has sharpened over his years of practice. It helps him strategize his plans according to the situation and analyze the objectives and resources of his clients. He strives to maintain an active connection with his clients and be a source of support through the courses of action. 

Mr. Harper has obtained multimillion-dollar settlements for some of his clients and has defended others in courts across the country. He was named on the list of Minnesota Lawyer’s Attorneys of the Year in 2011. He is rated “Good” on Avvo and AV Preeminent* through Martindale-Hubbell.

After graduating with his bachelor’s degree from the University of St. Thomas, Mr. Harper completed his doctorate in jurisprudence from the William Mitchell College of Law in 1977. He has memberships in the Minnesota State Bar Association, the Hennepin County Bar Association, the American Arbitration Association and the Defense Research Institute.

Mr. Harper is admitted to practice in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and appears before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska, the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota, the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, and the U.S Court of Appeals for the 7th and 8th Circuits.

*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.