Ronald H. McLean

Ronald McLean has been a Trial Lawyer at Serkland Law Firm since he graduated from law school in 1975.

• Products Liability
• Personal Injury
• Oil and Gas
• Class Action
• Business Dispute Litigation
• Insurance Law
• Employment Law
• Professional Ethics Disputes
• Business Torts
• Intellectual Property

• 100% Litigation

• North Dakota, 1975
• Minnesota, 1979
• U.S. District Court – District of North Dakota
• U.S. District Court – District of Minnesota
• United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

• ACE Insurance
• Attorneys Liability Protection Society (ALPS)
• Bell Bank
• Center for Claims Resolution (Asbestos Producers)
• Chesapeake Energy Corp.
• CHG Healthcare
• City of Fargo
• Liberty Mutual Ins. Company
• Lloyds of London
• Minnesota Lawyers Mutual
• Pioneer Energy Services
• Sanford Health
• Travelers Insurance
• U.S. Bank
• Wausau Insurance Company
• Wood Group

• Hector v. City of Fargo, 2014 WL 1101491, 844 N.W.2d 542
• In re Disciplinary Action Against Corwin, 2014 WL 995830, 843 N.W.2d 830
• Danuser v. IDA Marketing Corp., 2013 WL 5819277, 838 N.W.2d 488
• In re Disciplinary Action against Lee, 2013 WL 4606263, 835 N.W.2d 836
• Schmitt v. MeritCare Health System, 2013 WL 3789514, 834 N.W.2d 627
• Knudson v. Kyllo, 2013 WL 3043195, 831 N.W.2d 763
• In re Matthew Larson Trust Agreement Dated May 1, 1996, 2013 WL 2302304, 831 N.W.2d 388
• City of Mandan v. Strata Corp., 2012 WL 3553481, 819 N.W.2d 557
• Knudson v. Kyllo, 2012 WL 3031350, 819 N.W.2d 511
• In re D & P Terminal, Inc., 2012 WL 2913709, 819 N.W.2d 491
• Hector v. City of Fargo,2012 WL 1172491, 815 N.W.2d 240
• M. v. Fargo Public School Dist. No. 1, 2012 WL 1205121, 815 N.W.2d 273
• Erickson v. Brown, 2012 WL 603647, 813 N.W.2d 531
• Agnes M. Gassmann Revocable Living Trust v. Reichert, 2011 WL 3668446, 802 N.W.2d 889
• Vicknair v. Phelps Dodge Industries, Inc., 2011 WL 564021, 794 N.W.2d 746
• Hector v. City of Fargo, 2010 WL 3397356, 788 N.W.2d 354
• M.M. v. Fargo Public School Dist. No. 1, 2010 WL 2307093, 783 N.W.2d 806
• Mertz v. 999 Quebec, Inc., 2010 WL 1052555, 780 N.W.2d 446
• Rakowski v. City of Fargo, 2010 WL 276051, 777 N.W.2d 880
• Lamb v. State Bd. of Law Examiners, 2010 WL 93270, 777 N.W.2d 343
• Bice v. Petro-Hunt, L.L.C., 2009 WL 1974745, 768 N.W.2d 496
• Vicknair v. Phelps Dodge Industries, Inc., 2009 WL 1845570, 767 N.W.2d 171
• In re Disciplinary Action Against Light, 2009 WL 1331336, 5 N.W.2d 536
• Red River Wings, Inc. v. Hoot, Inc., 2008 WL 2468879, 751 N.W.2d 206
• Alerus Financial, N.A. v. Western State Bank, 2008 WL 2278902, 750 N.W.2d 412
• Erickson v. Brown, 2008 WL 755304, 747 N.W.2d 34
• In re Disciplinary Action Against Johnson, 2007 WL 4413754, 743 N.W.2d 117
• Hendricks Property Management Corp. v. Birchwood Properties Ltd. Partnership, 2007 WL 4123360, 741 N.W.2d 461
• Ritter, Laber and Associates, Inc. v. Koch Oil, Inc., 2007 WL 2990920, 740 N.W.2d 67
• In re Disciplinary Action Against Bullis, 2006 WL 3258317, 723 N.W.2d 667
• CybrCollect, Inc. v. North Dakota Dept. of Financial Institutions, 2005 WL 1756673, 703 N.W.2d 285
• Smith Enterprises, Inc. v. In-Touch Phone Cards, Inc., 2004 WL 1925366, 685 N.W.2d 741
• Ficek v. Morken, 2004 WL 1738668, 685 N.W.2d 98
• Ritter, Laber and Associates, Inc. v. Koch Oil, Inc., 2004 WL 1210606, 680 N.W.2d 634
• Bice v. Petro-Hunt, L.L.C., 2004 WL 1219064, 681 N.W.2d 74
• In re Disciplinary Action Against Garaas, 2002 WL 31528411, 652 N.W.2d 918
• Western Nat. Mut. Ins. Co. v. University of North Dakota, 2002 WL 554730, 643 N.W.2d 4
• In re Disciplinary Action Against Boulger, 2001 WL 1662080, 637 N.W.2d 710
• Warner and Co. v. Solberg, 2001 WL 1007496, 634 N.W.2d 65
• Ritter, Laber and Associates, Inc. v. Koch Oil, Inc., a Div. of Koch Industries, Inc., 2001 WL 268271, 623 N.W.2d 424
• Lonesome Dove Petroleum, Inc. v. Nelson, 2000 WL 676043, 611 N.W.2d 154
• Ritter, Laber and Associates, Inc. v. Koch Oil, Inc., a Div. of Koch Industries, Inc., 2000 WL 130720, 605 N.W.2d 153

• University of North Dakota School of Law, JD, 1975
• University of Wisconsin, B.A., 1972, with Honors

• Selected as a Great Plains Super Lawyer each year since 2007, a “Top 25 Great Plains” (2007, 2009) Super Lawyer, and a “Top 5 Attorneys in North Dakota” (2012, 2014) Super Lawyer. He has been listed in Best Lawyers in America since 2006, and received recognition as Best Lawyers, “2012 Lawyer of the Year – Commercial Litigation Fargo”, “2013 Lawyer of the Year – Litigation – Labor & Employment Fargo”, and “2017 Lawyer of the Year – Litigation – Labor & Employment Fargo.”  Benchmark Litigation has recognized him as a “Litigation Star” in North Dakota.
• Rated as a “Star Individual” General Commercial litigator in the State of North Dakota by Chambers USA. Chambers has additionally determined Mr. McLean to be one of the top 200 commercial litigators in the United States.
• Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, which is a group whose membership is determined solely by invitation and is limited to one percent of the practicing lawyers in any state. He has previously served as State Chair of the College; was appointed as Vice Chair of the American College of Trial Lawyers’ Heritage Committee for 2014–2015; and appointed as Vice Chair of the American College of Trial Lawyers’ North Dakota State Committee for 2014–2015.
• Received the Distinguished Service Award by the State Bar Association of North Dakota in 2014, an honor the association occasionally awards for recognition of lifetime service.
• Fellow of the International Society of Barristers, which is an organization of trial lawyers limited by invitation to approximately 800 lawyers in the United States.
• Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America, an organization of trial lawyers whose membership is determined by invitation.

• Frequent speaker on trial practice, evidence, and professional responsibility. He has been a speaker at the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals Annual Conference on Appellate Advocacy. He assists with University of North Dakota Trial Advocacy Teams. Additionally, at the law school he has been a speaker for incoming first year law students on the importance of civility and professionalism.
• Member, Trial Law Institute
• Member, Diversity Law Institute
• Advocate, Order of Justitia
• Member of the North Dakota Supreme Court joint Procedures Commission (appointed by the North Dakota Supreme Court to draft procedural rules),  1985-2005.
• Chair of the Board of Trustees, Dakota Conference of the United Methodist Church (1997-Present)
• State Chair of the United States Supreme Court Historical Society
• Honorary Consul for Norway for the State of North Dakota since 1997. Appointed Officer of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (2016).
• Board of Directors for Attorneys Liability Protection Society, a bar related malpractice insurance company for lawyers doing business in approximately 25 states (1997–2014; Chair 1998–2006).
• North Dakota Supreme Court Pattern Jury Instruction Commission (1985–1996, Chair 1991–1994; appointed by the North Dakota Supreme Court)

• Admissibility of Polygraph Evidence 51, North Dakota Law Review, 679, 1975

• Involved in the defense of clients in mass tort claims. In recent years, he has regularly represented the oil and gas industry involving catastrophic injuries claims. He has been able to successfully resolve the matters pretrial and at trial. He has secured awards in excess of $1 Million for plaintiffs in commercial litigation.
• Devotes a substantial portion of his practice to defend lawyers and law firms in professional malpractice claims and professional responsibility claims.
• Participated in over 50 jury trials to conclusion and has tried over 100 court trials.
• Represents the City of Fargo in its litigation. He is a Special Assistant Attorney General representing the State of North Dakota on occasional litigation matters. He has represented the North Dakota Board of Law Examiners.