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Attorneys At Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben, our dedicated team of 17 attorneys prides themselves on personal service, professionalism and compassion for victims of personal injury. Since 1974, our clients have benefited from the combined knowledge and expertise of our lawyers who average 20 years of experience in personal injury law.
If you have a personal injury case, we assign a personal team to you. This includes an lawyer who specializes in your type of case, an investigator if necessary and dedicated support staff who will work diligently together on your behalf. You can rest easy knowing you will constantly be updated on the progress of your case. That means returning phone calls, explaining things in clear and simple terms, helping to solve your problems and paying close attention to you and the details of your case.
If you’re interested in learning more about our staff of lawyers, click on their names in the left side of the screen for complete attorney biographies. If you’re injured and have immediate concerns, call 612-377-7777 or 1-800-752-4265 (toll free) for a free consultation.
James S. Ballentine
DIRECT DIAL: 612-344-0424
E-MAIL: jmailto:sballentine@schwebel.com
Jim Ballentine spent 12 years in pastoral ministry before going to law school. During his years in ministry, he learned that lawyers were necessary players in solving people's problems, including those associated with personal injuries. Jim enrolled in William Mitchell College of Law, graduating in 1990. Jim enjoys the rewarding experience of representing injured individuals and families through motion and appellate work. Jim has been married to Marva since 1971 and they have three adult children.
AREAS OF PRACTICE:
Motion and Appellate Practice
BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS:
Minnesota State Bar, 1990
U.S. Federal District Court - District of Minnesota, 1990
EDUCATION:
William Mitchell College of Law, 1990
Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Plymouth, MN 1974
Pillsbury College, Owatonna, MN 1970
Tyler High School, Tyler, MN 1966
JOINED FIRM:
1990
PAST EMPLOYMENT:
Pastor, New Testament Baptist Church, West Yarmouth, Mass, 1978-86
Pastor, Farmington Avenue Baptist Church, West Hartford, CT 1974-78
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, Member
William Mitchell College of Law, Instructor
Minnesota State Bar Association, Member
Hennepin County Bar Association, Member
Ethics Committee Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member
Christian Legal Society, Member
American Arbitration Association, Panel of Arbitrators
HOMETOWN:
Tyler, Minnesota
INTERESTS:
Running, reading, traveling with spouse and children, involvement in church activities.
James R. Schwebel
DIRECT DIAL:
612-344-0306 
E-MAIL: jschwebel@schwebel.com
In 1974, Jim founded what is now Minnesota's largest law practice specializing in personal injury litigation. Today, he and his partners lead a team of 17 attorneys and over 85 employees who are committed to achieving fair and swift compensation for their clients.
Less than 1% of all attorneys in the United States are selected for inclusion in "The Best Lawyers in America", Woodward White, New York. Jim has enjoyed this unprecedented distinction since its inception in 1988. He is one of only three Minnesota lawyers who were inducted into the Founder's Society of the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association. In every year since its inception, he has been listed in "Leading Minnesota Attorneys" published by the American Research Corporation. "Minnesota Lawyer" called him one of "Minnesota's Top 25 Litigators." His achievements have been noted in Minnesota Law & Politics "Top 3 Personal Injury Awards.” "Top 10 Super Lawyers" and National Law Journal recently acknowledged him as one of "Minnesota's Top Ten Litigators."
Jim successfully represented victims of the MGM Hotel fire in Las Vegas and the Williams Pipeline explosion in Roseville. In addition, he was appointed by the Court as a member of the Plaintiff's liability Committee to handle claims for many Minnesotans who lost family members in the Galaxy Airlines crash in Reno, Nevada. In a 2002, jury trial he received the highest award ever handed down for the wrongful death of a young man. Jim received record post-trial settlements for victims of the Nicollett Mall Hollidazzle Crash.
Jim was one of the first attorneys in Minnesota to be certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He was also chosen for membership on the American Board of Trial Advocates. Jim was appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court to serve on the Board of Professional Responsibility and on the Board of Law Examiners.
AREAS OF PRACTICE:
Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Product Liability, Medical Malpractice
BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS:
Minnesota State Bar, 1968
U.S. District Court - District of Minnesota, 1970
U.S. Supreme Court of Minnesota, 1981
U.S. Supreme Court of the United States of American, 1971
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1981
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit, 1970
EDUCATION:
University of Minnesota School of Law, 1968
University of Minnesota, Mpls, MN, BA, Political Science, 1965
Cretin High School, St. Paul, MN, 1960
PAST EMPLOYMENT:
Schwebel, Goetz, & Sieben, P.A., 1981-present
James R. Schwebel & Associates, 1974-81
Deparcq, Anderson, Perk, Hunegs & Schwebel, 1972-74
Deparcq, Anderson, Perl, Hunegs, 1968-72
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
Fellow of the International Society of Barristers, 2006
Minnesota Trial Lawyers Assoc., Secretary 1980-82
American Bar Assoc., Insurance, Negligence & Compensation Law
Minnesota State Bar Assoc., Advisory Council: 1977-80
Minnesota State Bar Assoc., MV Committee: 1970-78
Hennepin County Bar Association, Member, Ethics Committee
Corporate Advisory Board of Mother's Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
Ramsey County, Minnesota State, Member Motor Vehicle Committee
American Arbitration Assoc., National Panel of Arbitrators,
American Arbitration Assoc., Twin Cites Advisory Council: 1987
American Board of Trial Advocates, Member
Million Dollar Advocate Forum, Member
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member
Supreme Court Advisory Committee, Member
Supreme Court of MN Lawyers, 1982-89
Minnesota State Board of Law Examiners, Member, 1973-1982
Standing Committee for No-Fault, 1975-1980
Underwriting Committee of MN, Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company
Blue Cross/Blue Shield Subscriber Litigation ”Committee of Plaintiff’s”
Hennepin County Legal Medical Committee, Secretary: 1972-1975
Central Minnesota Legal Services Board of Directors, Member
Lawyers Credit Union, Board of Directors: 1983
HOMETOWN:
St. Paul, Minnesota
INTERESTS:
Family, motorcycling, running, dogs and landscaping.
John C. Goetz
DIRECT DIAL: 612-344-0316
EMAIL: jgoetz@schwebel.com
John Goetz is a native of Minnesota. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1976. There he received the Order of the Coif, and served as Note and Article Editor of the Law Review. In 1979, he attended the National Board of Trial Advocacy training program in Boulder, Colorado.
In that same year he joined Jim Schwebel, and since that time has devoted his practice entirely to personal injury and wrongful death litigation, successfully representing hundreds of clients in a wide variety of cases. In 1985, Mr. Goetz was one of the first lawyers in Minnesota to obtain certification as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He received the same designation from the Minnesota State Bar Association in 1988.
In 1994, Minnesota Law & Politics named Mr. Goetz one of the state's "Super Lawyers" in Personal Injury. In 1996, he was invited to join the prestigious national trial lawyers organization, the American Board of Trial Advocacy. He is listed in “The Best Lawyers in America” for his expertise in personal injury litigation.
AREAS OF PRACTICE:
Personal Injury; Wrongful Death; Products Liability; Medical Malpractice.
BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS:
Minnesota State Bar, 1976
U.S. District Court - Minnesota District, 1976
U.S. Supreme Court, 1976
EDUCATION:
University of Minnesota Law School, magna cum laude, 1976
Law Review 1975-1976
Order of the Coif. Note and Article Editor, 1976
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, B.A. summa cum laude, 1973
JOINED FIRM:
1979
PAST EMPLOYMENT:
Lindquist & Vennum, Minneapolis, MN 1976-1978
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
American Board of Trial Advocates, Member
Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, Member
American Trial Lawyers Association, Member
Minnesota State Bar Association, Member
Hennepin County Bar Association, Member
American Arbitration Association, Panel of Arbitrators
HOMETOWN:
Minneapolis, Minnesota
INTERESTS:
Land Construction; Environmental Protection
William R. Sieben
DIRECT DIAL: 612-344-0305
E-MAIL: bsieben@schwebel.com 
Bill Sieben was the top vote getter in the Minnesota Law and Politics "Super Lawyer" August 2000, Edition. Out of 22 thousand lawyers in Minnesota, Bill received more votes than any other lawyer and topped the survey. Bill has also been included in "Best Lawyers in America,” 2001-2005. Bill has also been named " Minnesota's Best Personal Injury Lawyer" in 2001,2002 and 2003.
Bill's recognition comes after 27 years of service to clients, judges, and lawyers. He has served as president of the Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association (1986-1987); president of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocacy (1999); and president of the Douglas Amdahl Inn of Court (1998-1999).
Bill's efforts on behalf of injured clients have resulted in numerous multi-million dollar awards and verdicts. Bill Sieben recently concluded a 5 million dollar settlement for a high school student injured in a theater accident, a 2.1 million dollar settlement for a 66 year old homemaker injured in a trip and fall accident at a shopping mall; and numerous other smaller jury verdicts.
In 1998 Bill settled a 4.5 million dollar product liability case against a road construction implement manufacturer and authored an article for a national legal journal on the case, an article that has lead to his representation of even more victims of road construction accidents.
Bill has authored two other publications, The Illustrated Guide to Soft Tissue Neck Injury (Burgess Publishing, 1983), and The Practitioner's Guide to Civil Trial Practice (1981). He has authored a number of book chapters for the Minnesota Bar Association and over 100 articles for seminars and legal periodicals.
Bill Sieben graduated from St. Cloud State University with magna cum laude and from William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1977. He is admitted to practice law in Minnesota and the District of Columbia. Bill is frequently asked to lecture on issues related to trial law. He has been a faculty member of the National College of Advocacy (NCA), the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA), and the Minnesota Judicial College. Bill Sieben has lectured at all three law schools in Minnesota, William Mitchell College of Law, Hamline University School of Law and the University of Minnesota Law School and he often lectures to bar association groups throughout the United States, most recently in Chicago, Illinois, Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Maui, Hawaii.
Bill was certified as a civil trial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in 1986 and recertified in 1991, 1996, and 2001.
In 2001, Bill was honored by St. Cloud State University with its "Distinguished Alumni" Award.
AREAS OF PRACTICE:
Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Product Liability, and Construction Site Litigation
BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS:
Minnesota State Bar, 1977
District of Columbia, Court of Appeals 1977
United States District Court, Minnesota, 1977
EDUCATION:
William Mitchell College of Law, 1977
St. Cloud State University (B.A. Political Science), magna cum laude, 1973
Hastings High School, Hastings, MN, 1970
JOINED FIRM:
1980
PAST EMPLOYMENT:
Assistant to Senator and Vice President Walter F. Mondale, 1975-78
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:
Minnesota State Bar Association, Member
Hennepin County Bar Association, Member
American Board of Trial Advocates - Minnesota Chapter President, 1999
Assoc. of Trial Lawyers of American, Minnesota's Governor 1990-95
Douglas Amdahl Inn of Court in Mpls, 1993-04 - Pres. 1998-99
American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
Minnesota Trial Lawyers Association, Member, President 1986-87
HOMETOWN:
Hastings, Minnesota
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