Minnesota Opioid Litigation Backstop Fund

Pursuant to the Minnesota Opioids State-Subdivision Memorandum Of Agreement (“MOA”) Jack Van de North, a retired Minnesota District Court Judge, has been appointed as the Special Master (“Special Master”) to oversee the amount and timing of any payments for attorney fees under the MOA’s Backstop Fund. Learn more about the Special Master here.

The Backstop Fund was established to partially compensate private attorneys (“Counsel”) who represented Local Governments that filed opioid class action lawsuit(s) on or before Dec. 3, 2021 (“Litigating Local Governments”). Counsel may only receive payment for work performed on behalf of Litigating Local Governments in connection with the cases contemplated by the MOA.

All submissions to the Special Master will be publicly available, on this platform, as required by the MOA. All decisions by the Special Master will likewise be publicly available through this platform. Counsel are instructed to communicate directly with the Special Master regarding any questions on the Application process.

The Special Master will administer the Backstop Fund for (a) the length of the National Litigation Settlement payments; or (b) until all Counsel for Litigating Local Governments have either (i) received payments equal to the Backstop Fund Payment Cap above or (ii) received the full amount determined by the Special Master; whichever occurs first.

In order to seek payment from the Backstop Fund, Counsel must apply for payment through the Special Master by completing the Application and providing additional information as specified here.

Submissions

Briol & Benson and Motley Rice (Rec'd 3-13-2024)

Crueger Dickinson (Rec'd 3-13-2024)

Keller Postman (Rec'd 2-29-2024)

Lockridge Grindal Naeun, PLLP and Gustafson Gluek, PLLC (Rec'd 3-13-2024)

Napoli Shkolnik, PLLC (Rec'd 3-13-2024)

Backstop Fund Order

Interim MOA Backstop Fund Order

Special Master Retired Judge Van de North is awarding legal fees to counsel who have properly applied for them from the Backstop Fund created under the MOA and pursuant to guidance relating to the Fee Applications timely submitted and available above.

Comments on Interim Order

Final MOA Backstop Fund Findings and Order