Carl E. Christensen

Carl E. Christensen founded Christensen Law Office PLLC. Before that he clerked for the Honorable Kenneth Sandvik in the Sixth Judicial District, Lake and Cook Counties and had a short stint as a prosecutor in greater Minnesota.

Carl’s scholarship includes multiple presentations and publications on foreclosure, collection, and consumer law. As a student, Carl also contributed to various textbooks on intellectual property and domain name law.  He acquired his extensive knowledge of intellectual property and domain name law while a student law clerk at the National Arbitration Forum, a ICANN-designated domain name dispute resolution provider. While in law school, Carl’s trademark and property research enabled him to study land reform law in South Africa, a country he first visited under the auspices of the U.S. Peace Corps as a member of the first volunteers in post-apartheid South Africa.  Carl has worked as an adjunct professor of law at William Mitchell College of Law, his alma mater, teaching the Intellectual Property Foundations course.

Prior to law school, Carl worked for various non-profits, including Elliot Park Neighborhood, Inc., contributing to the renovation of Minneapolis’ historic Band Box restaurant, as well as the Minnesota State Horticultural Society.

Carl received his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law and his B.A. from Washington University.

When not in the office, Carl enjoys cross country skiing and spending time outdoors with his partner, Karin, their daughter, and their dog.

Admissions

  • State of Minnesota
  • State of New York
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 10th Circuit
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Practice Areas

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Membership & Affiliations

  • Federal Bar Association, Minnesota Chapter
  • National Association of Consumer Advocates
  • Minnesota State Bar Association
  • MSBA Consumer Litigation Section, Council Member
  • Hennepin County Bar Association

Awards & Recognition

Martindale-Hubbell AV-Preeminent Rated

2017 – 2021

Super Lawyers

2017 – 2022

Super Lawyers Rising Star

2014 – 2015

Cases and Orders

Howard v. Sun Trust Fin. LLC, Case No. A21-1634 (Minn. Ct. App. Oct. 10, 2022) affirming buyers’ claims against seller of real estate by affirming the district court on buyers’ quiet title claim, and reversing and remanding district court on slander of title claim, all relating to a telecommunication easement recorded after date of purchase agreement.   

Settled case against Wells Fargo for its failure to make property tax payments from escrow account for $125,000.00 and a letter of explanation stating that plaintiffs had timely made all of their mortgage payments.  2021.

Engstrom v. Whitebirch, Inc., Case No. A18-0366 (Minn. July 31, 2019) unanimously reversing the decision of the court of appeals affirming the judgment of the district court dismissing Plaintiff’s complaint alleging two counts under the Minnesota Consumer Fraud Act, Minn. Stat. § 325F.69, holding that a person who is targeted by a fraudulent demand and consequently pays an attorney to investigate his liability in response to that demand has been “injured” within the meaning of the private attorney general statute, Minn. Stat. § 8.31, subd. 3a.

Munster Real Estate, LLC v. Webb Bus. Promotions, Inc., Case No. 18-cv-2120-DWF-ECW (Minn. Dist. Ct. Oct. 26, 2018) granting preliminary injunction for trademark infringement.

Langer v. JP Morgan Chase, 27-CV-15-21901 (Minn. Dist. Ct. Oct. 3, 2017) denying Defendants’ motions for summary judgment, in part, and allowing Plaintiffs’ claims for declaratory judgment and quiet title to proceed to trial.

Nutraceutical Corp. v. Affordable Naturals, LLC., 2:14-cv-00907-JNP-PMW, 2017 WL 4564739 (D. Utah Sept. 9, 2017) granting summary judgment in favor of Defendant on Plaintiff’s claims for trademark infringement, false advertising, declaratory relief, and trademark cancellation.

JAGER OUTDOORS, Reg. No. 5,225,730 (June 20, 2017) successfully overcame Section 2(e) descriptiveness refusal and USPTO request to disclaim the word “JAGER.”

Bajwa v. Chateau Edina Condo. Ass’n, 27-CV-17-2573 (Minn. Dist. Ct. May 2, 2017) denying Defendant condominium association’s motion to dismiss claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, tortious interference with contract, and malicious prosecution all related to assessment of association fees; also granting Plaintiff’s motion to amend the pleadings to include claims under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act against association counsel. Further, granting temporary injunction enjoining association from conducting a foreclosure sale. (Minn. Dist. Ct. May 8, 2017).

TCI Business Capital, Inc., v. Five Star American Die Casting, LLC, 890 N.W.2d 423 (Minn. Ct. App. 2017) affirming district court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of Defendant related to Plaintiff’s claims of civil theft and conversion.

Foreman & Airhart, Ltd. v. Haenke, 27-CV-16-14183 (Minn. Dist. Ct. Dec. 19, 2016) obtaining dismissal of tortious interference and breach of fiduciary duty claims in the absence of independently tortious conduct and in the absence of a fiduciary duty. 

Bridgewater Bank v. Hessburg, 27-CV-11-6954 (Minn. Dist. Ct. Nov. 3, 2016), at a bench trial, finding that Defendant agreed to indemnify Co-Defendant against any loss incurred by Defendant’s failure to convey title in real property free and clear of all liens, mortgages, and other encumbrances, and granting $350,000 judgment plus attorney fees.

Stubby Strip, LLC v. Food Market Merchandising, Inc., 5:15-CV-1410-GLS-ATB (N.D.N.Y. Sept. 26, 2016) granting Defendant’s motion, dismissing all claims, including copyright infringement claims where Plaintiff merely held a non-exclusive copyright license and, therefore, lacked standing to assert a copyright infringement claim.

Food Market Merchandising, Inc. v. Stubby Strip, LLC, 27-CV-15-11442 (Minn. Dist. Ct. Sept. 7, 2016) granting partial summary judgment and dismissing all ten of Defendant’s counterclaims, including breach of contract, common law unfair competition, federal trademark infringement (15 U.S.C. § 1114), federal unfair competition (15 U.S.C. § 1125(a)), dilution (NY Gen. Bus. Law § 360), deceptive trade practices (NY Gen. Bus. Law § 360), deceptive trade practices (Minn. Stat. § 325D.44), statutory consumer fraud (Minn. Stat. § 325F.69), conversion, and veil piercing.

TCI Business Capital, Inc. v. Five Star American Die Casting, LLC,19HA-CV-14-2708 (Minn. Dist. Ct. Aug. 19, 2015) granting sua sponte summary judgment, holding that Plaintiff’s claims of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, civil theft, and conversion all failed.

Affordable Naturals, LLC v. Hidden Valley Group, Inc., d/b/a Designing Ducks, LLC, 0:14-CV-04527-RHK-BRT (D. Minn. June 4, 2015) denying Defendant’s Motion to Stay Proceeding pending the outcome of an unrelated trademark action in the District of Utah where Defendant sought a stay of indeterminate length and failed to make an adequate showing of hardship or inequity.

MILK MAGIC, Reg. No. 4,676,582 (Jan. 20, 2015) successfully overcame refusal under Trademark Act section 2(d) on the grounds that there was no likelihood of confusion between client’s mark and prior-registered mark.

Glassick v. Wells Federal Bank, case no. 27-CV-12-2308 (Sept. 20, 2013) granting summary judgment and holding that plaintiff’s loss of her property, due to the foreclosure of a mortgage that preceded her purchase of the property, was the result of defendant title insurer’s negligent failure to issue title insurance policy.

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. v. Nelson, Case No. 48-CV-10-1496 (Jan. 8, 2013) granting defendants’ motion for summary judgment and dismissing Wells Fargo’s claims to reform a mortgage to encompass an adjacent lot not described in the mortgage document.

Cole v. Primary Mortgage, Case No. 27-CV-09-16146 (July 1, 2010) holding that the lender’s mortgage loan of 13.49% was in violation of Minnesota’s usury laws and ordering that the note and mortgage be voided, the sheriff’s sale by Primary Mortgage be rescinded, and title in fee restored to plaintiffs.

Peterson-Price v. U.S. Bank Nat. Ass’n, 2010 WL 1782188, Case No. 09-495 (May 4, 2010) holding that receiving a blank notice of right to rescind and contradictory Truth-in-Lending disclosures at closing create an issue of fact whether the lender made clear and conspicuous disclosures to the borrower pursuant to the Truth-in-Lending Act and whether the borrower can rescind the transaction.

Presentations

  • "The Complete Lawyer: Consumer Law," (Minn. CLE June 7, 2022).
  • "Mortgage Foreclosures A to Z: Defenses to Foreclosure," (Minn. CLE Feb. 3, 2021).
  • "Real Estate Issues Facing the Elderly: From Nest Egg to Nefarious Interloper," 2019 Elder Law Institute (Minn. CLE Oct. 11, 2019).
  • "Strategies for Dealing with Foreclosures in Probate," Probate & Trust Law Conference 2019 (Minn. CLE June 10, 2019).
  • "Attorney Liens in Minnesota: The Newly Inferior Interest," (Henn. Co. Bar. Assoc. Real Property Jan. 24, 2019).
  • "Trends in Mortgage Foreclosure Law," (Henn. Co. Bar. Assoc. Creditor/Debtor Dec. 21, 2016).
  • "Obtaining Discovery from Large Institutional Parties," Winning Discovery (Minn. CLE Jan. 28, 2013).
  • "Distressed Real Estate: Legal Defenses and Workouts," (Henn. Co. Bar. Assoc. Creditor/Debtor Jan. 16, 2013).
  • "Representing Consumer Debtors/Substantive Defenses and Firewall Strategies," What Lawyers Handling Debt Collection Matters Need to Know (Minn. CLE Apr. 25, 2012).
  • "Helping Distressed Homeowners Rise from the Ashes of Foreclosure" (Henn. Co. Bar Assoc. Real Prop. Mar. 8, 2012).
  • "THE ANSWER," That Old Judgment or Claim May Have Value: Tips to Collect (Henn. Co. Bar. Assoc. Dec. 1, 2011).
  • "Top Ten Defenses to Foreclosure Actions," 2011 Real Estate Institute (Minn. CLE Nov. 4, 2011).
  • "Foreclosure Defense Litigation," Debtor and Creditor Conference 2011, (Minn. CLE Oct. 10, 2011).
  • "New Cases in Foreclosure Defense" (Henn. Co. Bar. Assoc. Creditor/Debtor Sept. 21, 2011).
  • "Foreclosure Defense Litigation," Foreclosure Law & Practice -- Hot Issues in 2011 (Minn. CLE Mar. 22, 2011).
  • "Consumer Scams: Collection and Foreclosure" (Henn. Co. Bar. Assoc. Creditor/Debtor Mar. 16, 2011).
  • Carl E. Christensen and Todd Murray, "Consumer Law Basics," Minnesota Continuing Legal Education New Lawyer Experience (Minn. CLE July 29, 2010).
  • "Foreclosure Defense Litigation" (Ramsey Co. Bar Assoc. Real Estate Sect. Feb. 16, 2010).
  • "Foreclosure Defense Litigation" (Henn. Co. Bar. Assoc. Jan. 20, 2010).

Articles & Publications

Carl E. Christensen, “The Complete Lawyer: Consumer Law” (Minn. CLE 2022).

Carl E. Christensen, “Legal QuickSheets on Defenses to Foreclosure Actions” (Minn. CLE 2012).

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