Norton Rose Fulbright Lands 11-Lawyer Trial Team in Minneapolis

Norton Rose Fulbright is adding 11 lawyers, including four partners, to its Minneapolis office from a local boutique trial firm to bolster its litigation practice.

The four partners from Blackwell Burke include Jerry Alcazar, whose practice includes product liability and other litigation for major corporations, including the American Steamship Co. They also include S. Jamal Faleel, Benjamin W. Hulse and Mary S. Young.

The additions more than double the size of Norton Rose’s Minneapolis office, Jeff Cody, the firm’s U.S. managing partner, said in an interview. Product liability and commercial litigation “are primary areas for us” and “really drove the expansion” in Minneapolis.

Norton Rose Fulbright, organized as a Swiss verein, is the result of the 2013 merger of law firm Norton Rose with Houston-founded Fulbright & Jaworski. The firm had revenues of $2.1 billion last year, according to American Lawyer.

The firm has a number of clients in the energy, financial and healthcare industries. “Part of our strategic plan is to grow our litigation in the U.S., and have a strong litigation capacity in each of our offices,” Cody said.

Alcazar, who worked at Robins Kaplan law firm prior to joining Blackwell Burke, has represented product and food manufacturers, grocery retailers, transportation companies and homebuilders.

He said in an interview that Norton Rose’s “long history of exceptional trial work” lured the team to the firm. The firm also offers a platform for a range of services to clients, Alcazar said.

Two of his colleagues, Hulse and Young, served pro bono as members of the prosecution team that won the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.

Norton Rose, with more than 3,000 lawyers, said last month said it is “winding down” its operations in Russia, including a 50-person Moscow office, following pressure to close in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.