Our Team

Clayton D. Halunen

612-605-4098 (Toll-Free) 866-523-8533 612-605-4099

Clayton-04-web Halunen Law’s founder is a fearless defender of employee rights with a remarkable legacy of proven results.

An experienced trial lawyer and founder of Halunen Law, Clayton Halunen has represented employees from the front lines to leadership — delivery drivers to CEOs. He has a proven record of success in individual, class action, and whistleblower litigation. Clayton’s steadfast commitment to fighting for the underdog has led to life-changing results for Halunen Law’s clients. Since its founding in 1998, Halunen Law has achieved a national reputation as a fearless, tenacious, and successful plaintiffs’ law firm, with a laser focus on delivering results for its clients and creating meaningful social change.

Clayton’s passion for this work took root early. Growing up in northern Minnesota, both of his parents experienced the repercussions of workplace discrimination. These experiences fueled his passion to ensure that all people are treated with decency and respect for their human rights and drove his determination to hold businesses accountable for illegal conduct.
During his more than 25 years of practice, Clayton has tried many notable cases to verdict. He has taken on some of the largest corporations in the United States, including Wells Fargo, Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, Roche Pharmaceuticals, BASF, Burlington Northern Railroad, Target Corp., Walmart, Amazon, Apple and UnitedHealth.

Clayton attributes this success to his passion to be a vigorous fighter for his clients. According to Clayton, “I think my success comes from my belief that I have to work harder and be more prepared than my opponent. Case development and execution need to be thorough and precise. No stone can be left unturned. I am proud that Halunen Law’s entire team of lawyers and staff share this passion and dedication. Our work achieves remarkable results for our clients. Our success rate in obtaining recoveries for our clients through trial or settlement is about 95%, and many of those recoveries yielded six- and seven-figure results. These accomplishments have helped hold large and small corporations and their leaders accountable for engaging in dishonesty, discrimination, wage theft, fraud, abuse, and retaliation. I have done this work for years, and I continue to be outraged by companies’ illegal conduct—righting these wrongs gets me up every day, ready to fight for justice for our clients.”

Areas of Practice

Employment Litigation – Employee
Employment Retaliation
Whistleblower Retaliation
Sexual Harassment & Assault
Worker Misclassification
Employment Discrimination
Wrongful Termination
Executive Severance
Class Actions
False Claims Act (Qui Tam) Whistleblower Representation

Bar Admissions

State Court of Minnesota

Education

Mitchell Hamline School of Law, St. Paul, Minnesota
- Juris Doctor — 1991
North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota
- B.S. 1985
- Major: Psychology

Representative Cases

Clayton served as co-lead counsel in a class action challenging organic shingles manufactured by CertainTeed Corporation that prematurely failed. The settlement, valued in excess of $600 million, provided Class members with cash compensation and replacement options. In the course of the lawsuit, Certainteed stopped manufacturing the challenged shingles.
Clayton represented a whistleblower in a case against the for-profit Minnesota School of Business/Globe University. After a jury found that the school retaliated against his whistleblower client for exposing fraudulent programming practices, the Minnesota Attorney General pursued actions that resulted in the school’s closure. Clayton was featured in the CBS television series “Whistleblower” for this landmark representation of whistleblower Heidi Weber in the case against Globe University.
Clayton represented former Minnesota Vikings player Chris Kluwe in a retaliation lawsuit when Kluwe’s contract was not renewed after he publicly protested a bill that would deny marriage rights to members of the LGBT community.
Halunen Law represented a plaintiff in a class action against Walgreens that was settled for $100 million and recently approved by the federal court in the Northern District of Illinois. The lawsuit alleged that Walgreens fraudulently overcharged certain insured customers for generic drugs while offering discounts to members of its Prescription Savings Club, in violation of its obligation to charge the insured customers its usual and customary price for the drugs. Besides paying $100,000 million in alleged damages, Walgreens has discontinued the savings club.
Halunen Law has achieved seven-figure awards for several employees who experienced workplace sexual harassment.
Halunen Law joined with a group of firms that challenged FedEx for misclassifying drivers as independent contractors, resulting in a $460 million recovery for the class.
Halunen Law represented a relator in a False Claims Act case against Roche Pharmaceuticals for claims of off-label marketing, resulting in a $1.5 billion settlement for the United States.

Honors and Awards

Received Business of Pride Award from Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, 2018
Selected by the Minnesota Lawyer’s Attorneys of the Year for his work on a significant whistleblower case heard by the Minnesota Supreme Court, which ultimately changed Minnesota legislative policy, 2017
Recognized as “Lead Counsel Rated” by the Lead Counsel Review Board, 2013-2015
Named a Minnesota Lawyers’ “Attorneys of the Year” for his advocacy of LGBT rights in the NFL, 2014
Named in “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” by The National Trial Lawyers, 2014

Classes and Seminars

Frequent speaker at the annual Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute including several addressing “What’s the Case Worth?” and most recently, “Winning the Whistleblower Case,” Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 2022

Clayton’s cases have been highlighted by an array of media sources such as the New York Times, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, and CBS affiliates, local, and national radio talk shows, and numerous legal periodicals. One of his cases was the basis of an episode of CBS’s “Whistleblower” series. Clayton has been featured in publications including Attorney at Law and “A Whistleblower’s Best Friend” in Super Lawyers Magazine. He is Lead Counsel-rated and was inducted into the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Clayton is a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences across the country, sharing insights on his specialized practice, strategies, and success.

“I am so fortunate to do this work every day with courageous clients and a team of the most capable and dedicated motivated attorneys and staff. Our client’s courage coupled with our attorneys’ expertise, has resulted in exceptional outcomes.”

Clayton D. Halunen

Contact Us For Help

Our firm's Minnesota employee rights lawyers are available to advise you about your legal rights and your options for moving forward. Call us today at 612-605-4098 or fill out the Case Review form using the link below.