Brenda M. Sauro
Top rated Construction Litigation attorney in Woodbury, Minnesota
Hellmuth & Johnson
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 - 2026 Call today:
612-504-5119
Hellmuth & Johnson
635 Bielenberg DriveSuite 200
Woodbury, MN 55125 Visit website
As a partner at Hellmuth & Johnson in Woodbury, Minnesota, Brenda M. Sauro provides strategic legal counsel to businesses, property owners and associations facing legal disputes. Her practice areas include high-stakes business and litigation matters, particularly in construction defects and warranty claims, homeowner association representation, insurance coverage disputes, and property and business insurance claims litigation.
Ms. Sauro is known for her analytical approach and steadfast support in technically challenging cases related to real estate, construction and insurance law. She represents clients in contested matters from early dispute resolution through arbitration and litigation, working to protect financial interests while handling regulatory and contractual complexities.
A distinguished professional, Ms. Sauro regularly handles insurance-related matters, including coverage disputes and claims for both commercial and residential properties. Her work in this field consists of representing policyholders in disputes with insurers and addressing issues from property damage, business interruption and construction-related losses.
Academically, Ms. Sauro graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Wyoming in 1988. Later, she went on to attend the Mitchell Hamline School of Law, where she bolstered her legal skills and earned her Juris Doctor, graduating cum laude in 1991.
Licensed to practice before the Minnesota and Wisconsin state courts, as well as the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota and the U.S. District Court for the District of Wisconsin. An active member of the legal community, Ms. Sauro holds memberships in the Minnesota State Bar Association and the American Bar Association. She also serves as an arbitrator for the National Center for Dispute Settlement in real estate fraud matters, further reflecting her commitment to fair and effective dispute resolution.
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: https://hjlawfirm.com/minneapolis-attorneys/brenda-m-sauro/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Solo/Small Firm Section council, 2025
- 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
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- $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. $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. 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
Representative Clients
- Homeowner associations, commercial property owners, single family owners.
Special Licenses / Certifications
- Completed qualified Arbitrator training through Minnesota State Bar Association.
- Completed 30 hour qualified civil mediator training.
Pro bono / Community Service
- Children's Law Center volunteer attorney
- Feed My Starving Children volunteer
Educational Background
- University of Wyoming, B.A., Honors: University Honors, 1988
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- 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
- Collapse Coverage Litigation , Speaker, NAPIA, 2017
Industry Groups
- Minnesota State Bar Association Construction Law Section Member; Member Women In Construction
Office location for Brenda M. Sauro
635 Bielenberg Drive
Suite 200
Woodbury, MN 55125
Phone: 612-504-5119
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2009 - 2010, 2014 - 2026
