Matthew J. Schaap

Matthew Schaap is a shareholder with the firm. He regularly assists clients with a variety of personal and business litigation matters. Matthew began his legal career as a Judicial Law Clerk to Elizabeth Hayden, a Minnesota District Court Judge. As a Law Clerk, he played an active supporting role in the process of judicial decision-making. He provided judges with the legal research, writing and analysis that they used to decide the legal questions and issues before them. As a Law Clerk, Matthew also assisted in numerous jury trials in both the criminal and civil context. This practical experience gave him first-hand exposure to winning trial techniques as he observed highly-effective trial lawyers both in the courtroom and also in chambers. Matthew joined Dougherty Molenda in 2004 after completing his judicial clerkship. At Dougherty Molenda, Matthew focuses on litigation and trial practice. Matthew's primary goal in any litigation is to serve as a zealous advocate for his clients by thoroughly researching all issues (both legal and technical) that are important to presenting the case in court. However, Matthew also focuses on helping clients to understand the legal process so that they can actively participate in the case and make informed decisions about its resolution. To accomplish this goal, Matthew has developed a variety of practical guides to assist clients in understanding critical aspects of the legal process, such as discovery. Like all litigation attorneys at Dougherty Molenda, Matthew provides his clients with early case analysis designed to 1) evaluate the risks of litigation and 2) develop successful trial strategies that maximize the likelihood of favorable trial or settlement outcomes. At times, litigation involves an appeal to a higher court. During law school, Matthew's appellate brief was selected by the Legal Writing Department faculty as the "Best Appellate Brief in the First Year Law School Class." As an attorney, Matthew has continued his commitment to excellence in legal writing: He has authored or co-written numerous appellate briefs that led to affirmance of favorable outcomes for clients. Matthew has also presented oral arguments in appeals before the Minnesota Court of Appeals and the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals (Washington, D.C.), receiving favorable decisions of affirmance from both courts. In addition to his civil jury trial and appellate experience, Matthew has successfully represented the firm's clients at numerous mediations, arbitrations, court trials and motion hearings. He has been recognized in Minnesota Law and Politics as a top young attorney and was named to the Minnesota Rising Stars® List from 2007 to 2016. Awards and Honors Super Lawyers® Selectees Matthew J. Schaap included in a Super Lawyers® list Honors Minnesota Rising Stars List, 2007 - 2016 Top 40 Under 40, 2013 Lead Counsel Rated in Civil Litigation Minnesota Super Lawyers List, 2024 Other Sources of Feedback About Matthew J. Schaap Included on the 2026Minnesota Super Lawyers list Past Lists 2025 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2024 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2016 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2015 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2014 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2013 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2012 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2011 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2010 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2009 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2008 Minnesota Super Lawyers list 2007 Minnesota Super Lawyers list

• Shareholder | Secretary

• Hon. Elizabeth A. Hayden, Minnesota's Seventh Judicial District, Judicial Law Clerk

• How to Get Your Social Media, Email and Text Evidence Admitted (and Keep Theirs Out), NBI (2018).
• Business Contract Disputes: Start to Finish, NBI National Webinar (2015)
• Fundamentals of Landlord Tenant Law: Sterling Educational Services (2015)
• Tablet Computing and Your Practice, Richard T. Oakes American Inn of Court

• Sharp v. Hayloft Prop. Mgmt. Co.
• Citation: 2012 Minn. App. Unpub. LEXIS 13
• Court: Minn. App.
• Year: 2012
• Old Reliable Wholesale, Inc. v. Cornell Corp.
• Citation: 2011 U.S. App. LEXIS 5139
• Court: Fed. Cir.
• Year: 2011
• Estate of Anthony Fox v. Fox Compactors, Inc. and Dennis W. Buhl
• Citation: (Arbitration)
• Court: Arbitration
• Year: 2010
• Michael L. O'Brien v. Friends of St. Croix Preparatory Academy
• Court: Washington County, Minnesota
• Serial Number: 82-CV-08-7482
• George O. Ensminger et al. v. Timberland Mortgage Services, Inc. et al.
• Citation: 2010 Minn. App. Unpub. LEXIS 341
• Serial Number: A09-1213
• Citation: 2009 U.S. App. LEXIS 26985
• Year: 2009
• Instant Testing Company, et. al. v. Community Security Bank, et. al.
• Citation: 715 N.W.2d 124 (Minn. App. 2006)
• Year: 2006
• Icenhower v. Total Auto., Inc., 845 N.W.2d 849, 850 (Minn. Ct. App. 2014) (clarifying subpoena power in unemployment benefits cases).
• Ride Auto Co. v. Ibanez, 2015 WL 4507991 (Minn. Ct. App. July 27, 2015) (default judgment).
• Johnson v. Anderson, A16-0298, 2016 WL 4421536, at *1 (Minn. Ct. App. Aug. 22, 2016).
• Souter v. Fastenal Co., Inc., A17-0103, 2017 WL 5243526, at *1 (Minn. Ct. App. Nov. 13, 2017)(unemployment benefits).
• In re Conservatorship of Johnson, A15-1546, 2016 WL 3129404, at *1 (Minn. Ct. App. June 6, 2016) (conservatorship fee award).
• Rask v. Rask, A15-1640, 2016 WL 3043100, at *1 (Minn. Ct. App. May 31, 2016) (property rights).
• Sames v. Scott County, A18-0753, 2019 WL 1510948 (Minn. Ct. App. Apr. 8, 2019) (defamation per se claims).
• Cambria Co. LLC v. M&M Creative Laminants Inc., A18-1978, 2019 WL 3543602 (Minn. Ct. App. Aug. 5, 2019) (certified questions on application of Minnesota Franchise Act).
• St. Paul Park Ref. Co. LLC v. Domeier, 950 N.W.2d 547 (Minn. 2020) (clarifying tax payment requirement in Minnesota adverse possession law).
• Vincent Holdings, LLC v. Kastl, A20-1539, 2021 WL 4059318, at *1 (Minn. Ct. App. Sept. 7, 2021) (motion to dismiss).
• In the Matter of Surveillance & Integrity Review (SIRS) Appeals by Trinity Home Health Care Services and Etyane Ayana, 996 N.W.2d 178 (Minn. 2023) (reversing court of appeals and reinstating $0 award of ALJ in favor of client after MN Department of Human Services reinstated $1.2M award against client).
• St. Paul Park Refining Co., LLC v. Domeier, No. A23-0022, 2024 WL 73105 (Minn. App. Jan. 8, 2024) (Minnesota adverse possession law).

• Board Secretary, Lakeville Chamber of Commerce
• Board Secretary, Community Dental Care
• Rotary Club of Rosemount, Minnesota (Past President)
• Rotary International (Past Assistant District Governor)
• Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce (Past Chair)
• Community Dental Care is a Minnesota non-profit consisting of 26 dentists who serve patients from clinics in St. Paul and Maplewood, Minnesota.
• Community Dental Care is a recipient of the Charities Review Council “Meets Standards” seal based on satisfaction of 27 standards of accountability.
• Representative Clients
• St. Paul Park Ref. Co. LLC v. Domeier, 950 N.W.2d 547 (Minn. 2020) (clarifying tax payment requirement in Minnesota adverse possession law).
• Cambria Co. LLC v. M&M Creative Laminants Inc., A18-1978, 2019 WL 3543602 (Minn. Ct. App. Aug. 5, 2019) (certified questions on application of Minnesota Franchise Act).
• Sames v. Scott County, A18-0753, 2019 WL 1510948 (Minn. Ct. App. Apr. 8, 2019) (defamation per se claims).
• Ride Auto Co. v. Ibanez, 2015 WL 4507991 (Minn. Ct. App. July 27, 2015) (default judgment).
• Sharp v. Hayloft Prop. Mgmt. Co., 2012 Minn. App. Unpub. LEXIS 13 (Minn. App. 2012) (unemployment benefits).
• Old Reliable Wholesale, Inc. v. Cornell Corp., 2011 U.S. App. LEXIS 5139 (Fed. Cir. 2011) (patent litigation attorneys’ fees).
• Estate of Anthony Fox v. Fox Compactors, Inc. and Dennis W. Buhl, (Arbitration) (Arbitration 2010) (intellectual property breach of contract).
• Michael L. O'Brien v. Friends of St. Croix Preparatory Academy (Washington County, Minnesota 2010) (summary judgment and attorneys’ fees).
• George O. Ensminger et al. v. Timberland Mortgage Services, Inc. et al., 2010 Minn. App. Unpub. LEXIS 341 (Minn. App. 2010) (summary judgment in class action mortgage origination litigation).
• Old Reliable Wholesale, Inc. v. Cornell Corp., 2009 U.S. App. LEXIS 26985 (Fed. Cir. 2009) (summary judgment in patent litigation).
• Instant Testing Company, et. al. v. Community Security Bank, et. al., 715 N.W.2d 124 (Minn. App. 2006) (Minn. App. 2006).

• Minnesota
• Wisconsin
• U.S. District Court District of Minnesota
• U.S. District Court Western District of Wisconsin
• U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims

• Minnesota State Bar Association (Member)
• Dakota County Bar Association (Member)
• Member of Governing Council, Civil Litigation Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association