Biography: William R. Sieben

Bill Sieben comes from a family steeped in Minnesota law and politics for generations. Bill is a native of Hastings, Minnesota. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from St. Cloud State University in 1973 and William Mitchell College of Law in1977.

Bill began his legal career on the White House staff of then Vice-President Walter Mondale. Since then, Bill has received record setting verdicts in Minnesota and has handled over 50 multi-million-dollar cases arising from car accidents, plane crashes, semi-trailer collisions, defective products, wrongful death, and class and mass actions.

Honored by his peers, Bill has been inducted into the most exclusive, invitation only, trial lawyer organizations in the United States. Bill has been inducted into the International Society of Barristers which has only 700 members worldwide. He is a Fellow of The American College of Trial Lawyers which limits its membership to the top 1% of attorneys in America, and he is a Fellow of the American Board of Trial Advocates, a select group of plaintiff and defense lawyers and judges. Bill is also a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, which limits itself to the top 500 trial lawyers in America.

Bill has been named to the “Minnesota Lawyers Hall of Fame” which lists the 100 most influential lawyers in Minnesota history (Minnesota Law & Politics – 2007). He has been named a “Super Lawyer” by Minnesota Law & Politics since the award began and was the top vote getter in 2000 out of 22,000 lawyers in Minnesota. He has been named the top personal injury lawyer in Minnesota on three separate occasions. Bill has been included in Best Lawyers in America since 2001 and has been selected by LawDragon, Inc. as one of the top 500 lawyers in America. He is a board-certified Civil Trial Specialist, certified by the Minnesota State Bar Association.

Bill Sieben has been appointed by courts to lead some of the most complex litigation in the state. In 2008, Bill was honored by Minnesota Lawyer as one of its “Attorneys of the Year” for his role as court appointed co-lead counsel in the record setting class action lawsuit Braun v. Walmart. He represented the class of 56,000 Walmart employees who did not receive rest breaks and meal breaks that they were entitled to which resulted in a $54,000,000 settlement for his clients. In 2018, Bill was honored again by Minnesota Lawyer as one of its “Attorneys of the Year” for his role as court appointed co-lead counsel in the case of In Re: Syngenta which resulted in a recovery of $360,000,000 for Minnesota corn farmers. Bill currently serves as co-lead counsel, appointed by the court, in the 3M Combat Arms ear protection cases.

Outside of his law career, Bill and his wife Joyce are very active in the community. He served on the Regina Hospital Foundation for nine years. Bill and his wife also endowed the Kim Middendorf Courage Scholarship at William Mitchell College of Law – a scholarship for law students with disabilities. Kim was a client of Bill’s who was critically injured in a construction accident. Despite her severe injuries, Kim went on to graduate at the top of her class and is now a judge.

Bill has served the Minnesota Association of Justice (MAJ) for over 30 years as a past President and Treasurer of its political action committee. He has also served as the President of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates and as a National Board Representative since 2001. Bill Sieben served as President of the Douglas K. Amdahl Inn of Court, 1998-1999, and served as National President of the ABOTA Foundation (2013). In 2009, Bill was appointed by Governor Dayton to serve on his Judicial Selection Commission. Bill participated in the appointments of 182 District Court, Court of Appeals and Supreme Court judges.

Bill and Joyce Sieben have three children; Kevin who is a criminal lawyer, Ali who practices at Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben, and Patrick, a Las Vegas based Emmy winning musician who performs regularly on the Vegas strip and around the world for corporate and community events.