Brenda M. Sauro
Top rated Construction Litigation attorney in Oakdale, Minnesota
Sauro & Bergstrom, PLLC
Practice Areas: Construction Litigation, Insurance Coverage, Alternative Dispute Resolution; view more
Licensed in Minnesota since: 2003
Education: William Mitchell College of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2009 - 2010, 2014 - 2023 Details
A knowledgeable advocate with over 30 years of experience, Brenda M. Sauro is founding partner at Sauro & Bergstrom, PLLC. She represents those in Minnesota and Wisconsin in legal cases related to construction law, first party property insurance claim disputes, real estate fraud and non disclosure,  mediation, litigation, arbitrations, appraisals and appeals. A talented advocate for the  rights of single family owners, commercial property owners and homeowners associations, she has successfully litigated over 1000 claims involving defective construction with financial recoveries for the firm's clients in excess of $28,000,000.  Ms. Sauro also serves as an arbitrator.
Ms. Sauro graduated cum laude with a Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law in 1991 after earning a Bachelor of Arts and graduating with honors from the University of Wyoming in 1988. Currently, she is an active member of the Minnesota State Bar Association including the organization’s Construction Law Section, Alternative Dispute Section and the the Solo/Small Firm Section where she serves on the council. .
Originally admitted to practice in Colorado and before the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, Ms. Sauro is now admitted to practice in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arizona (inactive) and before the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. She regularly writes and lectures for organizations such as the American Bar Association, the Minnesota Bar Association, the Ramsey County Bar Association, and the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters.
Notable cases include an injured consumer who was compensated for over $3.3 million with Ms. Sauro’s help and a resort which was awarded in excess of $600,000 by a jury on a wind loss claim its insurance company denied occurred. In arbitration, Ms. Sauro has obtained six figure and recission awards for her clients. Whether in arbitration or trial, she is prepared to take a case to trial when necessary to fairly compensate or defend her clients.
Practice areas
Construction Litigation: Consumer, Insurance Coverage, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Civil Litigation: PlaintiffFocus areas
Arbitration, Bad Faith Insurance, Construction Defects, Insurance, Mediation
- 50% Construction Litigation: Consumer
- 30% Insurance Coverage
- 10% Alternative Dispute Resolution
- 10% Civil Litigation: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 2003, Minnesota
Professional Webpage: http://www.saurolaw.com/brenda-m-sauro/
- Homeowner associations, commercial property owners, single family owners.
- Completed qualified Arbitrator training through Minnesota State Bar Association.
- Completed 30 hour qualified civil mediator training.
- Children's Law Center volunteer attorney
- Feed My Starving Children volunteer
- University of Wyoming, B.A., Honors: University Honors, 1988
- Minnesota, 2003
- Wisconsin, 2014
- Minnesota State Bar Association, NAPIA
- Colorado, 1991
- U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 2003
- Arizona, 2014
- Minnesota State Bar Association Construction Law Section, Member, Women In Construction
- U.S. District Court District of Colorado, 1991
- Minnesota State Bar Association, Construction Law Section council member
- $1.9 million settlement for association in construction defect dispute., 2013
- $488,000 settlement for association in construction defect dispute., 2014
- $300,000 construction defect settlement for association., 2016
- $2.3Million settlement for association in defect matter., 2014
- Jury verdict $640,000 in Hennepin County for resort damaged by wind. Â $721,000 paid with interest., 2013
- Arbitration award of $264,573 including damages, legal fees and interest where contractor promised that his insurance company would pay the claim once repairs were finalized, claims adjuster instructed owners to repair and submit bills but then denied the submission as untimely. Â Arbitrator ruled that estoppel applied and that contractor was responsible for all damages and fees incurred., 2019
- Arbitration award  $168,000 in favor of purchasers defrauded by the listing agent who changed the seller's disclosure statement and hid it from the buyers for years., 2020
- Preparing your client for an examination under oath. , Author, EUOs:What You Need to Know, The Brief: Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section Vol. 47. No 1, Legal, Insurance, 2017
- Article discussing the ramifications of untimely insurance payments. , Author, Timely/Untimely Insurance Payments, The Brief: Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, Legal, Insurance, 2018
- The Common Defense or Pooled Information Privilege, The Colorado Lawyer, February, Author, The Common Defense or Pooled Information Privilege, The Colorado Lawyer, 1991
- Defending an arson charge. , Speaker, Arson, National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters First Party Claims Conference, 2018
- Dramatic Change in the Use of Peremptory Challenges, The Colorado Lawyer, April, 1992
- Joint Defense on Pooled Information Privilege, Colorado Lawyer, February, 1991
- Edmonson: Dramatic Change in the Use of Peremptory Challenges (Co-Author), Colorado Lawyer, April, 1992
- Speaker, New Homeowner Warranty Law, Ramsey County Bar Association, 2011
- Course focusing on examinations under oath., Speaker, Acing the Examination Under Oath, NAPIA, 2014
- Speaker at annual American Bar Association TIPS conference in San Antonio Texas concerning EUO examinations., Speaker/Instructor, ABA TIPS Section, 2015
- Speaker at First Party Claims Conference, Providence, Rhode Island on Cedar Bluffs decision and match issues in first party claims., Match Issues: Cedar Bluffs is No Bluff, NAPIA, 2015
- Instructor for continuing education for lawyers on the appraisal process in insurance disputes., Instructor, Appraisals, MSBA ADR Section, 2015
- Jury trials and strategy. NAPIA mid-year meeting, Texas., Speaker, NAPIA, 2013
- Member of 3 panel continuing education seminar for attorneys on selecting a jury in a construction defect lawsuit., Speaker, Picking a Jury in Construction Defect Cases, State Bar Association Construction Law CLE, 2106
- Collapse Coverage Litigation , Speaker, NAPIA, 2017
- Minnesota State Bar Association Construction Law Section Member; Member Women In Construction
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2009 - 2010, 2014 - 2023
