Telecommunications and general construction law

General business litigation

Arbitration and mediation

Property and casualty law

Surety law and insurance law

J.D., magna cum laude, William Mitchell College of Law, 1981

B.A., University of Minnesota, 1975

Negotiated over $1 billion in telecommunications contracts

Recovered $25 million for a surety in a dispute over proceeds of government contracting claim

Many multi-million dollar awards and settlements on behalf of construction contractors

Complete defense of $92 million claim against a surety

Litigated, arbitrated, and mediated claims in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, Illinois, Washington, New Mexico, Michigan, Georgia, Virginia, Florida, California, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma, North Dakota and Iowa

Co-Author/Lecturer, The Care, Custody or Control Exclusion and Related Exclusions, presented for Minnesota Institute of Legal Education (1993)

Co-Author/Lecturer, Pricing Construction Claims, presented for Minnesota Institute of Legal Education (1993)

Author/Lecturer, Mechanic's Lien Law in Minnesota, presented for Minnesota Continuing Legal Education (1992, 1994, 1996, 1998)

Author/Lecturer, Judicial Review of Arbitration Awards: Confirming, Clarifying and Vacating Arbitration Awards, presented for Minnesota Institute of Legal Education (1990)

Frequent speaker at the meetings of construction industry groups such as the Power and Communications Contractors' Association, Underground Construction Technology Conference, Damage Prevention Conference and Underground Solutions Expo

Member, Minnesota and Hennepin County Bar Associations

Construction Law Section (past member of governing council)

Member, American Bar Association; Forum on the Construction Industry and Tort and Insurance Practice Section

Member, Hennepin County Lawyers Ethics Committee (1983-1987)

Adjunct Professor, Hamline University School of Law (1988)

AV (highest) rated ranking by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory

Named as one of Minnesota's Super Lawyers by Minnesota Journal of Law and Politics

Law Clerk, Chief Judge Miles W. Lord, U.S. District Court, Minnesota (1981-1982)

In addition to a substantial business litigation practice in Minnesota, Mr. Spalj has a national practice in the area of telecommunications and cable law. He is frequently called on to speak to industry groups on the subjects of construction damages, contract negotiations, construction disasters and safety issues. He has represented contractors and subcontractors in construction disputes and contract negotiations with many national and international businesses such as Bechtel Telecommunications Services, Columbia Transmission Communications, Fluor -Daniel, Level 3 Communications,Touch America, Enron Broadband Services, Qwest Communications, Puget Sound Electric, Everest Communications, Broadwing/IXC, 360 Networks, MCI, WorldCom and Williams Communications.

United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit

United States Court of Federal Claims

United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit

United States District Court, Minnesota