J.P. Gatto is a trial lawyer whose practice draws on experience from both sides of the litigation aisle. He began his career at a major St. Paul firm, where for nearly 15 years he represented businesses and insurers in personal injury and commercial loss matters across industries including construction, aviation, and insurance, handling every phase of litigation from intake and investigation through depositions, trial, and appeal. He later joined Swor & Gatto to focus exclusively on representing injured plaintiffs.
This dual perspective, combined with a substantial trial record, distinguishes his practice. J.P. is a veteran of numerous jury trials involving catastrophic and life-changing injuries in courts across the country. He has examined and cross-examined expert witnesses in mechanical engineering, metallurgy, aviation science, engine mechanics, psychology, life care planning, vocational rehabilitation, neurology, physical rehabilitation, burn propagation, and other specialties.
His representative experience includes individuals seriously injured by defective snowmobiles, medical devices, and escalators, as well as significant motor vehicle accidents. Earlier in his career he represented aviation manufacturers, agricultural machinery manufacturers, and consumer product manufacturers in product liability actions, and he remains active in the construction field, handling commercial and insurance coverage disputes. He is also experienced in bad faith insurance litigation and has presented on the subject at numerous conferences and seminars.
J.P. has been named a Super Lawyer every year since 2014. He graduated with honors from both St. Olaf College and Hamline University School of Law, where his studies took him to Ecuador, Greece, Italy, Scotland, and across Northern Europe and Scandinavia.
Bar Admissions: Minnesota Supreme Court; Wisconsin Supreme Court; U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
