About Bruce Malkerson

Bruce D. Malkerson is a founding partner of Malkerson Gunn Martin LLP.

Since 1973, Bruce Malkerson has represented numerous developers in obtaining (and litigating) zoning and subdivision approvals, approvals for wetland and floodplain modifications, approvals of permits from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, completion of Environmental Assessment Worksheets and Environmental Impact Statements for residential, commercial and industrial projects, and arranging public and private financing for real estate developers.

Mr. Malkerson was the lead attorney for the Cities of Orono and Minnetrista from 1973 to 1984 and was involved in all aspects of municipal law and litigation. During that time period, he was an Assistant City Attorney handling land use and special assessment issues for the City of St. Louis Park. He had provided legal counsel on various issues from 1973 to 1996 to Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, Riley Purgatory Creek Watershed District and Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and to the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District until 2016. He won a leading case involving the regulatory authority of watershed districts at district court level and at the Minnesota Supreme Court. Krahl v. Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, 283 N.W. 2d 538 (Minn. 1979). He successfully has litigated other important public law cases on behalf of land owners and units of government at the district court and appellate court levels.

He has been special counsel to numerous townships, cities and counties throughout the state in land use law and litigation matters, including downzoning, inverse condemnation and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 claims for damages.

He left the private practice of law in 1984 to serve as Project Manager and General Counsel for Canterbury Downs. Concurrently, he was General Counsel to a major real estate developer in the Twin Cities and has overseen the legal issues, condemnation proceedings, planning, construction and financing of over $100 million in industrial, commercial, single family and multi-family development. He was president of and legal counsel to two real estate brokers that specialized in industrial, residential, and commercial properties in the City of Shakopee. Since returning to the private practice of law in 1987, he has acted as counsel to numerous developers and landowners in condemnation, real estate tax appeals and land use matters. He has been special counsel to numerous municipalities.

He has served as a mediator and arbitrator in resolving several governmental/land owner development and eminent domain disputes. Prior to forming Malkerson Gunn Martin LLP in 1996, Mr. Malkerson was a shareholder in the 200 plus attorney law firm of Popham, Haik, Schnobrich & Kaufman, Ltd. with offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Denver, Colorado, Washington D.C., and Miami, Florida.