612.217.6447 | jthompson@obermanthompson.com
John D. Thompson has concentrated his practice in the areas of employment law and commercial litigation for the past 32 years. After graduating from Georgetown University Law Center in 1986, John practiced law at several large law firms and as an in-house employment lawyer for five years at 3M Company before joining Oberman Thompson in 2006.
John represents executives and managers in a wide variety of personal employment matters, often at critical transition stages of their career. John helps executives and managers evaluate new employment opportunities, employment offers, compensation packages and contracts, as well as provides advice on how best to depart from their current employer and comply with non-compete and other obligations. John also regularly helps clients in danger of losing their job or after termination by developing an exit strategy, evaluating any legal claims they may have, negotiating favorable severance packages and advising on legal obligations they have to their employer, including non-compete, confidentiality and loyalty obligations. In addition to providing employment law and general business advice to businesses of all sizes, John also conducts preventive counseling and training on behalf of employers.
John’s commercial litigation practice has covered a wide range of cases, including but not limited to non-competition, trade secret and other intellectual property disputes, securities and other types of fraud, dealer termination, breach of warranty and contract and legal malpractice. When necessary, John brings and defends lawsuits vigorously. He regularly tries lawsuits in front of juries, judges and arbitrators alike. He has tried numerous employment cases to a verdict – involving claims related to non-competition agreements; age, disability, race, and sex discrimination; sexual harassment; breach of contract; compensation and pay matters; and negligent retention (involving workplace homicide).
John is a prolific author and speaker. He has authored nine editions of “Minnesota Employment-at-Will Law,” an extremely valuable guide for employment lawyers, and has taught employment law at Hamline University School of Law on several occasions. The Best Lawyers in America™ and Minnesota Super Lawyers™ consistently recognize John for his work.
Beginning at 3M in the late 1980s, John developed a nationally recognized expertise in workplace violence and related security consulting. He was General Counsel for Business Security Advisory Group, a group of former Fortune 500 Chief Security Officers providing security consulting services. He now serves as a Subject Matter Expert Faculty for the Security Executive Council, a Washington D.C.-based security organization.
John has lived in the Twin Cities all his life except while attending school. He graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University in 1981 with majors in Theology and Philosophy. After a year of graduate studies at the University of Chicago Divinity School, he went to Georgetown University Law Center, where he obtained his J.D. magna cum laude and Order of the Coif in 1986. John loves running, music and boating.
