Practice Areas: Personal Injury, Products Liability, Professional Liability; view more
Licensed in Minnesota since: 1977
Education: Hamline University School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 1994, 1996 - 2025 Call today:
651-738-8539
Harper & Peterson, PLLC
3040 Woodbury DriveWoodbury, MN 55129-9617 Visit website
Details
Attorney William D. Harper stands as a distinguished legal professional and a founding partner at Harper & Peterson, a reputable law firm based in Woodbury, Minnesota. With a dedicated focus on civil litigation, he has established himself as a seasoned advocate, providing legal representation to clients not only within the state of Minnesota but also nationwide.
In his extensive legal career, Mr. Harper has honed his skills in various facets of civil litigation, showcasing a particular emphasis on personal injury, products liability, wrongful death and professional malpractice. His commitment to these areas of law has earned him a stellar reputation as a go-to attorney for individuals seeking justice and compensation in the face of adversity.
One of the hallmarks of Mr. Harper’s career is his impressive track record in the courtroom. Having litigated more than 150 jury trials to conclusion, he brings a wealth of experience and a formidable presence to the legal arena. He has been involved in eight cases that resulted in verdicts or settlements surpassing the $1 million mark, earning membership in the prestigious Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Mr. Harper holds a dual board certification in civil trial advocacy from the Minnesota State Bar Association and the National Board of Trial Advocacy. His adept courtroom skills have not only garnered respect from his peers but have also earned him the trust and gratitude of numerous clients.
Beyond his courtroom achievements, Mr. Harper is known for his service to the legal community and ethical legal practice. He is a sustaining member of the American Association for Justice, the American Arbitration Association and The Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota. Moreover, he has held several leadership positions in the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association such as its president, secretary, treasurer, chairperson and so on. He is also offered invitation to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and The International Society of Barristers.
Practice areas
Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff, Professional Liability: PlaintiffFocus areas
Brain Injury, Construction Accident, Ethics & Professional Responsibility, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Motor Vehicle Defects, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Professional Malpractice - Other, Slip and Fall, Trucking Accidents, Wrongful Death
- 80% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
- 10% Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff
- 10% Professional Liability: Plaintiff
First Admitted: 1977, Minnesota
Professional Webpage: https://harperandpeterson.com/william-d-harper/
- Washington County Bar Association, Member of the Executive Committee, 1989 - 1993
- Organizer and Master – Justice Amdahl Inn of Court, 1992
- Minnesota Consumer Alliance – Board of Directors – 1997-1998
- Charter member – American Creativity Association
- Invited Member of the International Society of Barristers
- Invited Member of the American Board of Trial Lawyers
- Invited Member of The National Trial Lawyers Association
- Elected to the American Board of Trial Advocacy – 1999
- The Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Sustaining Member – Board of Governors, 2007-2010
- Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, Member Board of Governors, August 1986 – present
- Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, Chairperson, Finance Committee, 1990
- Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, Vice President, 1996 - 1997
- American Association for Justice, Sustaining Member
- Douglas Amdahl Inns of Court, from its inception to present, Barrister
- Minnesota Bar Association, Member, 1977 - Present
- Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, Chairperson, Litigation Support Committee, 1988
- Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, Secretary, 1995 - 1996
- Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, President, 1998 - 1999
- American Arbitration Association, Member
- Minnesota, 1977
- Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, Member, Board of Governors, 1986 - Present
- Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, Treasurer, 1994 - 1995
- Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, President-Elect, 1997 - 1998
- Academy of Certified Trial Lawyers of Minnesota, Member
- ADT Security and the Murder of Teri Lee - The Consequences of Faulty Security Systems
- 35W Bridge Collapse
- Smith v. Spitzenberger, Minn. App., 363 N.W.2d 470, 1985
- Honebrink v. Hutton and Rowe, Minn. App., 351 N.W.2d 405, 1984
- Gawel v. Two Plus Two, Inc., Minn., 309 N.W.2d 746, 1981
- The Injured
- Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1986
- Civil Trial Specialist, Minnesota State Bar Association, recertified to present
- Civil Trial Specialist, Minnesota State Bar Association, (First year of its certification program), 1988
- Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocacy, recertified to present
- Member - Minnesota Million Dollar Roundtable
- Received Super Lawyers designation for 1994, 1996 – 2023
- Committee member of the Supreme Court Committee on the Rules of Civil Procedure 2016
- Invited member of the International Society of Barristers
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Minnesota Association for Justice 2013
- Appointed to the Governing Committee of the Minnesota Automobile, Insurance Plan – 2013
- 32° Mason – Past Master Newport Lodge #118
- Past American Association for Justice Board of Governor from Minnesota
- Advisory Editorial Board for the Minnesota Lawyer legal newspaper, 1998 to present
- Minnesota’s top 100 Super Lawyers – from inception to present by Minnesota Law and Politics
- Minnesota’s top 40 Super Lawyers – by Minnesota Law and Politics
- "Law and Leading Attorneys", American Research Corporation, (featured in their book)
- Fellow - American Board of Trial Advocates
- From Minnesota Lawyer Publication: ATTORNEYS OF THE YEAR, Bill Harper: Ex-prizefighter Battles for Plaintiffs
- Member - Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- Advisory Board Member - The Minnesota Lawyer Newspaper, 2000 to Present
- Minnesota Law & Politics Magazine, Special Focus: Personal Injury The Prizefighter
- University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, B.A., Bachelor of Arts, 1972
- Handling the Automobile Injury Case, MTLA, May 4, 1989
- Traumatic Brain Injury Cases: Neurosurgeon and Attorney Perspectives – NBI, 6/28/2017
- Maximizing Damages while Minimizing Costs – MnAJ, 2/9/2017
- Understanding and Eliminating Gender and Racial Bias in Jury Trial – MnAJ, 6/23/2015
- Use of Experts from a Plaintiff’s Perspective – MDLA Mid-Winter Conference, 2/1/2014
- Voir Dire – Amdahl Inn of Court, 1/16/2014
- Swenson V. ADT presentation – Washington County Law Clerks CLE, 10/3/2013
- Cross Examining Adverse Drs. – ABOTA, 7/11/2012
- Traumatic Brain Injury – The Evolution of Proof – MnAJ, 1/12/2012
- Litigating with the Legends – Breathing life into Complex Liability Cases – MnAJ, 12/9/2011
- Brain Injuries – North Dakota Association for Justice Annual Convention, 5/5/2011
- Wrongful Death – MnAJ, 1/27/2011
- Trying the Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Case – North American Brain Injury Society, 10/7/2010
- Using New Age Video to Prove Your Case – MnAJ, 8/14/2010
- Gathering and Using Evidence – MSBA CLE, 7/14/2010
- Wrongful Death – MnAJ, 1/29/2010
- New Twists & Turns in Wrongful Death Cases – MnAJ, 3/31/2009
- Handling the Car Crash – tips and strategies for arguing pain damages – MnAJ, 2/25/2009
- Power Deposition Practice – the difficult deponent – MSBA CLE, 1/5/2009
- View From the Bench and Jury Box–an actual $425,000 soft tissue trial -MnAJ, 11/12/2008
- New Issues in Wrongful Death – MnAJ, 3/12/2008
- Wrestling with Change – MnAJ, 8/10/2007
- The Constitution and Closing Arguments – North Dakota Trial Lawyers, 5/11/2007
- New Issues in Wrongful Death Cases – MTLA, 2/9/2007
- Issues in Wrongful Death Cases – MTLA, 1/27/2006
- Masters in Trial – ABOTA Foundation/MSBA CLE, 10/5/2005
- Wrongful Death – MTLA, 11/4/2004
- Overcoming Juror Bias – MTLA, 3/5/2004
- Damages Workshop – Opening Statements, MTLA, 3/14/2003
- Issues in Wrongful Death Cases, MTLA, 2/14/2003
- Winning Opening Statements, MTLA, 9/6/2002
- Opening Statements, MTLA, 4/12/2001
- How to Ask for Money, MTLA, 4/6/2001
- Direct Examination of the Physical Therapist, MTLA, 3/2/2001
- Wrongful Death : Start to Finish, MTLA, 1/5/2001
- Final Arguments in UM and UIM Cases, MTLA, 12/1/2000
- Cross Examining the Adverse Expert, MTLA, 11/29/2000
- How to Practice Civil Law Without Starving, MSBA CLE, 6/13/2000
- Communicating With the Jury of Today About Insurance, MTLA, 10/22/1999
- Evaluation of a Personal Injury Case, Mn. Law and Politics, 6/24/1999
- Closing Arguments in a Wrongful Death Trial, MTLA, 6/9/1999
- Anatomy of a Multimillion Dollar Products Liability Verdict, MTLA, 9/25/1998
- Opening Statement in a Soft Tissue Case, MTLA, 3/20/1998
- What I didn’t Learn in Law School about being a Trial Lawyer, Hamline University School of Law, 3/6/1998
- Final Arguments in UM and UIM Trials, MTLA, 2/21/1997
- Handling the Auto Accident Case – The Adverse Medical Exam, MTLA, 12/13/1996
- How to Conduct an Effective Deposition, MSBA, 4/29/1996
- The Six Figure Soft Tissue Injury, MTLA, 4/12/1996
- Obstructive Defense Counsel, MTLA, 3/6/1996
- Handling the Auto Accident Case – The Adverse Medical Exam, MTLA, 12/8/1995
- Voir Dire, PERC, 6/27/1995
- Demonstrative Evidence, MTLA, 3/10/1995
- Closing Arguments, 2/10/1995
- How to Get Your Own Automobile Insurance Carrier to Buy You a House, DTLA, 5/24/1994
- Civility, Saint Martin, ACTLM/MTLA, 3/17/1994
- Medical Subrogation: Dealing with the Uninvited Guest, MTLA, 3/10/1994
- How to Handle the Difficult Lawyer or Judge, ACTLM/MTLA, 1/13/1994
- Adversely Examining Adverse Examiners, MTLA, 11/16/1993
- Handling the Automobile Accident Case -Wrongful Death, MTLA, 10/29/1993
- Opening Statements, MTLA, 10/27/1993
- Personal Injury Concepts, Certification Review Course, ACTLM, 7/23/1993
- Communication and Persuasion, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, ACTLM and MTLA, 3/22/1993
- Maximizing Damages in Personal Injury Cases -Head Injuries, MSBA, 1/27/1993
- Handling the Automobile Accident Case -Wrongful Death, MTLA, 10/30/1992
- Current Attitudes and Philosophies of Communication and Persuasion, MTLA, 4/17/1992
- Wrongful Death, MILE, 12/13/1991
- Personal Injury Damages, MTLA, 11/8/1991
- Voir Dire, Opening Statements, and Closing Arguments, MTLA, 9/27/1991
- Cross-examining Adverse Examiners, MTLA, 7/12/1991
- How to Unpick a Jury, MTLA, 3/10/1989
- Measuring Damages in Wrongful Death Cases, MTLA, June 23, 1989
- Independent Medical Examiners, MTLA, November 17, 1989; January 30, 1990; October 31, 1990
- Drama in the Courtroom, MTLA, January 12, 1990
- Trial by Jury, Mock Trial Presentation, State Bar, August 1990; August 1991
- Cross-examining Expert Witnesses, MTLA, October 31, 1990
- Hard Issues in Soft Tissues, MTLA, January 31, 1991
- Maintaining Integrity and Control in the Courtroom, MTLA, February 8, 1991
- Handling the Automobile Injury Case - Wrongful Death, MTLA, February 22, 1991
- "Proving an Insurers Course of Conduct", Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association
- "Litigating Spinal Cord Injuries" - The Use of Nonexpert Damages Witnesses, Wiley Law Publications, Chapter 16, 1995
- AAJ
- ABOTA
- ACTLM
- MNAJ
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 1994, 1996 - 2025
Top Lists
Top 100: Minnesota Super Lawyers: 2003 - 2010- Top 100: 2010 Minnesota Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2009 Minnesota Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2008 Minnesota Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2007 Minnesota Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2006 Minnesota Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2005 Minnesota Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2004 Minnesota Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2003 Minnesota Super Lawyers
Certificates and credentials
Civil Trial
