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The Magazine of the School of Law of the University of South Dakota Winter 2013/14

A Life of PhilanthropyEstebo bestows $1 million to School of Law

‘Now is our Opportunity’ Law School seizes chance to evolve in a time of transformation

FROM THE DEAN

Now is Our Opportunity . . .

It is an honor to introduce this issue of the South Dakotan Lawyer. I invite you to learn how students, faculty, staff and alumni (Orrin Estebo, for example) are seizing current opportunities. Please also take special notice of our recent list of donors. We would ask that you join us in extending our sincere thanks to them for their contributions.

There is no question: Now is our opportunity. A bold assertion in a time when law school applications are down sharply (45 percent in the last three years nationally) and the legal practice has experienced a decade or more of financial challenges, hard decisions and dramatic adjustments. It is precisely at such times, however, that truly meaningful change can and should occur, not only at this institution but far beyond. Now is our opportunity for all of USD Law (faculty, staff, alumni and students) to seize a pivotal moment and lead, shape and propel legal education and practice into the 21st century.

Candidly, times have been tough. Other schools have lost a quarter or more of their students, scaled back programs and laid off professors, administrators and staff. Fortunately, South Dakotans, their civil servants and university employees, have held to our values of adhering to proven measured, sometimes austere, approaches in challenging times. With the help of our university, USD Law not only maintained our staff, but have been able to modestly expand our student service capacities through rigid preparation, strategic planning and transparent accountability. We are lean but strong, maintaining exceptionally high standards in legal education and possessing a drive, vision and determination for the future.

Now is our opportunity. After 20 years of teaching for USD Law, I am both enthusiastic and dedicated to working with all of you now as we seize the day. I consider it an honor, privilege and duty to stand beside our outstanding, nationally recognized and extremely productive faculty and you, our accomplished and dedicated alumni, as we venture forward into a new normal.

Now is my opportunity and assisting USD Law seize its opportunities is my duty. Please contact me so that we may continue this discussion individually by calling 605-677-5443 or email at [email protected]. I give my good faith promise to respond. We want your ideas, and legal education and practice need your sage advice. If you want to see some changes already being instituted that directly relate to the practicing bar, please visit our library website at www.usd.edu/law/lawlibrary.cfm.

I hope to see many of you in my travels in the coming year. I would welcome and encourage invitations to local bar associations, private firms, government programs, non-profit entities and civic group meetings. I am happy to prepare topics, participate in discussions, or, simply attend. I plan to see as many of you as I can in the months ahead.

Tom Geu Dean and Professor of LawAdjunct Graduate Professor, Beacom School of BusinessFaculty Affiliate, Department of Biology

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.usd.edu/law/lawlibrary.cfm

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South Dakotan Lawyer Vol. 20, No. 1, Winter 2013/14

ADMINISTRATIONThomas Earl GeuDean and ProfessorJohn Henry GloverInterim Associate DeanAngela R. EricsonAssistant Dean

EDITORIAL STAFFKim Lee Editor, Marketing Communications & University Relations

CONTRIBUTORSJohn Henry GloverNick KotzeaKim LeeTom Sorensen

GRAPHIC DESIGNTerry Dyvig

PHOTOGRAPHYMiller Photography

Aaron Packard

Copyright 2014

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

USD LAw ScHooL ADviSoRy coUNciL

OFFICERSPresident Roy A. WiseVice President Reed A. RasmussenSecretary Karen P. Hunt

CIRCUIT DIRECTORS1st Lisa Z. Rothschadl, Dennis L. Duncan2nd Mary A. Akkerman, William C. Garry 3rd Richard L. Ericsson, Chad C. Nelson 4th Karen Paige Hunt, Heather Lammers Bogard5th Roy A. Wise, Reed A. Rasmussen6th William M. Van Camp, Jr., Robert C. Riter, Jr. 7th Joseph Ashley Parr, Brian Hagg

MEMBERS AT LARGEKent R. CutlerMarilyn J. HagbergRobert E. Hayes

EX OFFICIOHon. David E. Gilbertson, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of

South Dakota

Terry L. Hofer, President

Thomas H. Frieberg, President-Elect

Thomas C. Barnett, Secretary-Treasurer and Executive Director, State Bar of South Dakota

Pamela R. Bollweg, Chair, SD Bar Law School Committee

Thomas E. Geu, Dean and Professor

FeaturesThe Magazine of the School of Law of the University of South Dakota

Winter 2013/14

Departments 2 Briefs

18 Our Newest Alumni

20 Faculty Notes

23 Class Notes

30 Honor Roll of Donors

10

35

A Life of PhilanthropyEstebo’s major gift benefits the School of Law

13 Years of Service Associate Dean Tom Sorensen Retires

‘Now is Our Opportunity’Law School seizes the chance to evolve

in a time of transformation

8

Printed on recycled paper.

Anderson Brothers/4.8M/$1.01pc

2 | SOUTH DAKOTAN LAWYER

BRIEFS

Madison Attorney Ericsson Receives McKusick Award

The Student Bar Association (SBA) at the University of South Dakota School of Law presented Madison attorney Richard (Dick) L. Ericsson the 2013 Marshall M. McKusick Award on June 21 during the annual meeting activities of the State Bar of South Dakota in Pierre.

“It is the Student Bar Association’s honor and privilege to present this year’s McKusick award to Mr. Ericsson,” Shekar Jayaraman, the newly-elected SBA president, said. Jayaraman, a third-year law student from Cincinnati, Ohio, presented the award in a room packed with members of the State Bar of South Dakota.

Ericsson is a native of Madison, where he practices law as a partner of Ericsson & Giles law firm and currently serves as a city commissioner. He is a past President of the State Bar of South Dakota and has served as a bar commissioner and as former president and chair of the Bar’s Disciplinary Board.

Comments among the nomination letters, according to Jayaraman, included: “As an attorney, Dick is one of the best. Dick is great at making clients feel comfortable and handles uneasy situations with so much compassion.”

Additional comments stated, “As a small town lawyer, he helps clients start and operate businesses, plan for their later years, buy and sell property, resolve disputes and deal with countless other matters,” and “as are most good small town lawyers, he also is called upon for leadership in various nonprofit community organizations.”

Ericsson is the past president of the former Law School Foundation and is a frequent guest speaker to law classes at USD, including those on legal profession, law practice management and South Dakota drafting and legal practice. “Dick Ericsson is a fine and worthy recipient,” Dean Tom Geu said on Ericsson receiving the award. “His service and other contributions to the law school are remarkable.”

Ericsson has participated in two terms on the Madison City Commission and as a member of Madison Rotary. His other board services include the Madison board of Education, the boards of Madison Community Hospital, the Community Center and as chair of the Lake and Miner County Boards of Mental Illness. Ericsson is a graduate of Madison High School and received both a bachelor’s degree and a juris doctor degree from USD.

The McKusick Award is presented annually to an outstanding member of the South Dakota Bar for contributions to the legal profession. The SBA selects the recipient from nominations by members of the South Dakota Bar. Marshall M. McKusick (1879-1950) was a professor at the USD School of Law beginning in 1902. He was named dean of the Law School in 1911, where he served for nearly five decades.

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1951 M.T. Woods 1952 Ambrose Beck 1953 Claude W. Schutter 1954 Joe R. Cash1955 Alan L. Austin 1956 A.K. Gardner 1957 Vernon A. Vrooman 1958 Dwight E. Campbell 1959 Robert C. Bakewell 1960 M.Q. Sharpe1961 George T. Mickelson1962 Charles S. Hanson1963 Karl Goldsmith1964 Blaine Simons1965 H.F. Fellows1966 Holton Davenport1967 James R. Bandy1968 Roy D. Burns1969 Alex Rentto1970 Walter H. Seacat1971 Wallace A. McCullen1972 Ellsworth E. Evans

1973 William R. McCann1974 Kelton Lynn and Ross Oviatt 1975 Samuel W. Masten1976 Horace Jackson 1977 Stanley Siegel1978 Fred J. Nichol1979 Francis G. Dunn 1980 Robert Driscoll, Jr. 1981 Robert Riter, Sr.1982 Gordon Gunderson 1983 Philo Hall 1984 Joseph H. Bottum1985 Joseph M. Butler and Joseph H. Barnett1986 William G. Porter 1987 William K. Sahr 1988 William F. Day, Jr.1989 Honorable James R. Adams1990 Honorable E.W. Hertz 1991 Deming Smith 1992 Donald R. Shultz1993 John W. Larson

1994 George S. Mickelson1995 Francis M. Smith 1996 Honorable John B. Jones1997 Honorable Robert C. Heege1998 Honorable Andrew W. Bogue1999 Carleton C. “Tex” Hoy2000 Honorable Roger L. Wollman 2001 Robert E. “Mike” Driscoll III2002 Marvin G. Amiotte2003 Mildred Ramynke2004 Gene Lebrun2005 David V. Vrooman 2006 Fredric Cozad2007 Robert Frieberg2008 Honorable Richard W. Sabers 2009 Richard O. Gregerson 2010 Honorable Lawrence L. Piersol2011 Honorable Judith Meierhenry and Honorable Mark Meierhenry2012 Honorable David Gienapp and Charles M. Thompson

Past Recipients of the McKusick Award

University of South Dakota Trial Teamthe next generation of trial attorneys


BRIEFS

Student Group Assists South Dakota’s VeteransThe Veterans Legal Education Group (VLEG) was

rejuvenated four years ago by two law students, Dusty Ginsbach and Bradley Richardson, who were looking to create a group that would educate law students about military law and veterans’ issues at the University of South Dakota School of Law and throughout the state.

Open to veterans and non-veterans alike, a tightly-knit cadre of caring and loyal members was created. VLEG leaders recognize balance must be maintained and the group strives to ensure its members are exposed to both the disciplined course work and in-class education of law school with necessary out-of-class experience and camaraderie. As a result, VLEG engages in an agenda in an effort to further these goals.

In the spring of 2013, VLEG, along with Veterans Affairs (VA) and 14 practicing attorneys, created the Veterans’ Legal Drop-in Service. This service has two main objectives. The primary goal is to provide much needed legal services to indigent veterans and their spouses through legal advice and counseling. The secondary objective is to pull the VLEG members out of the typical meeting and classroom experiences offered at law school, and allow them to partake in client assistance on a supervised basis.

The inaugural Veteran’s Legal Drop-in Service was held in Sioux Falls and was a resounding success. The Drop-in Service assisted more than 40 veterans with issues such as housing, benefits and medical assistance. Among the many highlights for the group in Sioux Falls last

spring was the opportunity to assist a double amputee in getting two traffic tickets, which were obtained prior to deployment, dismissed.

In conformity with the goal of balance, VLEG also participates in the annual Black Hills Veterans March. This marathon-length march is an annual event aimed at honoring our country’s veterans. The course takes place on the scenic Mickelson trail and culminates in the city of Deadwood, S.D. The march takes place every September and this year, VLEG will have sponsored 15 law students to take the challenge of honoring our veterans. The overreaching goal of VLEG is to make the trip out to the Black Hills both enjoyable and educational and in that VELG aspires to create a Veterans Legal Drop-in Service to be held the day prior to the Black Hills Veterans March in Rapid City. The inability to secure enough legal counsel committed to assisting veterans and their families along with logistical setbacks stifled the attempts this year, however, the group remains hopeful that it generate the service next year. While this is a time-consuming event, the payoff is worthwhile. Attorneys are exposed to clientele who may not have thought of retaining counsel, law students have the opportunity to perform client intake and partake in the legal advice from the licensed attorneys, VA staff gain exposure to the hidden populations of poverty-stricken veterans, and most importantly, real people with real problems walk away with some direction as to what their next steps should be.

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BRIEFS

VLEG’s central goal is educating law students about military law and veterans’ issues at the University of South Dakota School of Law and throughout the state of South Dakota. In line with this goal, VLEG attempts to bring insightful speakers to the law school and encourages and motivates all those interested in military law to enroll in the courses that address this subject matter. The speakers engage and instruct law students about the dynamics that exist between military and civilian law. With the time the speakers are given, they do an incredible job of educating law students. However, due to the complexities inherent in both spheres of law, the speakers cannot hope to impart a conclusive understanding of the differences between military and civilian.

In an effort to combat this problem, the University of South Dakota School of Law provides two separate courses, Military Law and National Security Law. The speakers and courses provide the valuable services of enlightening future and practicing attorneys to the challenges they will face when clients, who are also current or former members of the military, walk into their prospective law office. This is especially true of future South Dakota practitioners, as the state of South Dakota has a high population of current, active military, National Guardsmen/Reserve members and veterans.

NALSA Students Help Draft WillsDuring spring break, a dozen members of the Native

American Law Student Association (NALSA) traveled to three different reservations to help draft wills for tribal members with the help of Dakota Plains Legal Services (DPLS). The students traveled 1,000 miles in three days and opened 25 new cases for DPLS. Also, senior students Brad Richardson and A.J. Franken were interviewed for an hour on KLND radio, reaching into the Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Reservations.

Ten NALSA members also traveled to the Yankton Sioux Tribe Reservation on Election Day to help with poll monitoring through the Native Vote Program to ensure that people on the Reservation received a fair opportunity to

vote. In November, NALSA hosted a toy drive for the Crow Creek Boys and Girls Club and the toys were handed out at Christmas. NALSA also hosted a clothing drive for children on the Rosebud Reservation and held a presentation for native undergraduates about applying to law school.

A USD Law NALSA team consisting of seniors Steven Iverson and Franken earned third place among the highest brief scores in February at Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Ore., in the National NALSA Moot Court Tournament. Another USD NALSA team of 3Ls Nathan Chicoine and Richardson also competed among more than 60 teams from across the nation. The tournament problem involved aboriginal title and criminal jurisdiction.


BRIEFS

The South Dakota Law Review Presents Rural Practice Symposium

The University of South Dakota School of Law will host a Rural Practice Symposium March 20-21. Students, practitioners, scholars and the public are invited to join the discussion about the rapidly declining number of attorneys in rural areas across the United States.

The event begins at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 20 with a keynote address by South Dakota Chief Justice David Gilbertson at the law school courtroom and features panel discussions and dialogue about the problems facing rural practitioners and legal consultants across the nation as they examine new solutions for revitalizing rural America. The South Dakota Law Review will address South Dakota’s innovative rural lawyer recruitment legislation as well as different programs being implemented in other states; and Linda A. Klein, past chair of the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates, will lead a panel discussion at the symposium.

Additional highlights of the symposium include a panel discussion at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 21 followed by Professor Lisa R. Pruitt of the University of California,

Davis, guest speaker at noon on Friday, March 21 at the Muenster University Center ballroom. Pruitt has published an impressive collection of peer-reviewed articles concerning rural legal issues and access to justice. She noted that South Dakota’s initiative is an excellent step in providing legal services to all rural Americans.

“Project Rural Practice is a strong step toward facilitating access to justice for South Dakota’s rural residents,” Pruitt added, “and it is a model for how other states might do the same for 51 million rural Americans.”

USD School of Law Dean Thomas Geu expressed his enthusiasm for the event, specifically on how Project Rural Practice showcases the interconnectedness of the entire legal community in South Dakota.

“The symposium is an example of the close working relationship between the law school, the legal profession, the judiciary and the citizens of South Dakota and the region,” Geu stated. “Needless to say, I am proud that at least 70 percent of South Dakota’s lawyers chose to get their law degree here.”

Pictured is the 2012 Law Review Symposium: Antitrust and Competition in America’s Heartland.

BRIEFS

The School of Law’s Sam Masten Moot Court Tournament took place in March 2013 with the final round on March 20 in the USD School of Law courtroom. Nick Moser of Yankton, S.D. became this year’s Sam Masten champion, defeating James Shanor, a native of Casper, Wyo., in the final round after the two argued their case before the South Dakota Supreme Court. The final round coincided with the annual March visit of the Supreme Court of South Dakota.

Moser and Shanor were among the first-year class members presenting oral arguments in a hypothetical case for which each student had researched and prepared an appellate brief. Each first-year student then presented their arguments before volunteer judges including the Moot Court Board, alumni of USD School of Law, attorneys, judges and faculty.

“The Sam Masten tournament allows the first-year students to take what they have learned in the Fundamental Legal Skills course and apply it in a real-world setting,” said Professor Barry Vickrey, faculty advisor of the Moot Court Board. “I doubt that there is any other law school in the nation in which first-year students get to do oral arguments before practicing lawyers and judges. I am confident that there is no other school in which two of them get to argue before the state’s supreme court, as do the Sam Masten tournament finalists.”

The Sioux Falls law firm of Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith hosted a reception, open to all students, faculty, staff and others who helped or participated, immediately following the final round at the Al Neuharth Media Center.

Moser Prevails in Sam Masten Moot Court Tournament

L–R: Patrick Weber ’13, policy analyst in Gov. Daugaard’s office, Justice Lori Wilbur, Masten winner Moser, Best Brief winner Liz Chrisp, Supreme Court Chief Justice David E. Gilbertson, Justices Steven Zinter,

Glen Severson and John Konenkamp and Masten runner-up Shanor.

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Orrin Estebo doesn’t recall from whom he borrowed his go-to expression, “Education opens doors.” It probably doesn’t matter; the axiom’s rightful owner would likely view Estebo’s custodianship with glowing approval. In June, the 1971 USD Law School graduate committed $1 million to support construction and renovation at the law school’s 32-year-old facility. The seven-figure gift marked the largest single contribution in Estebo’s growing portfolio of philanthropic undertakings. “The law school was good to me,” said Estebo, 72, who lives with his wife, Shirley, in Redwood Falls, Minn., about 200 miles from the USD campus. “Education opens doors. I don’t care what it is you’re pursuing,” he continued. “The more I learned, the more I was subjected to opportunities that worked out.” Estebo’s $1 million gift arrives as the law school eyes the future of legal education and the tools necessary to facilitate modern training and a heightened sense of community. “We’re so honored and excited that Orrin has offered his generosity and leadership,” said Tom Geu, dean of the USD Law School. “We’re a family of only about 3,000 living alumni. Orrin’s thoughtful reflection on his own journey—

and the vision to help sustain those opportunities–that is something I’m hopeful will inspire others to step up.” Estebo’s gift will help the law school secure additional common space for gatherings of current students, alumni and members of the public. “Orrin is one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met. He seems to perceive the importance of community at a basic and foundational level most of us are unable to appreciate,” Geu said. “It is appropriate that this gift will provide the physical space for dialogue to take place and the necessary human connections for community to emerge.” The caliber of Estebo’s law school gift is remarkable, but not surprising. The mostly retired lawyer and businessman has injected more than $1 million into the Redwood Falls public school system, and his charitable fingerprints may be found throughout the community of 5,200 residents. “Orrin bred a culture of giving,” said Redwood Area Schools Superintendent Rick Ellingworth. “We’re the envy of a lot of school districts.” The impact of Estebo’s support is apparent throughout the facilities Ellingworth oversees. Hundreds of area students have benefited from scholarships administered through the

Major Gift Benefits USD School of Law

by Nick Kotzea ’08, Director of Development, USD School of Law

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local “Dollars for Scholars” chapter, which bears Estebo’s name. Estebo is pictured in the school system’s hall of fame, along with his first wife and inspiration, Nancy. A longtime special education teacher, she died of cancer in 1995. His name appears prominently upon a donor wall, and the couple’s likenesses are bronzed with the phrase “Education opens doors” at the entrance of the Estebo Performing Arts Center, a 500-seat theater built and maintained largely through Estebo’s private gifts. In 2006, Estebo established the Orrin S. Estebo Foundation, whose mission is to support local education and economic development. He was instrumental in the expansion of a Redwood Falls public golf course and actively supports a long list of community events. This spring, for example, Estebo successfully lobbied a coaches’ caravan from the University of Minnesota to kick off its tour in Redwood Falls. Estebo, who completed his undergraduate studies at Minnesota, provided lunch to hundreds of attendees, and the event outdrew the caravan’s stops in much larger communities. Suffice it to say Estebo continues to build the reputation that earned him USD’s 2001 Alumni Achievement Award for “Outstanding Contribution to His Community.” “There are many people throughout this community who say, ‘What would Redwood Falls be like today without the support of Orrin Estebo?’” said Jim Tersteeg, a local grocer and longtime friend of Estebo. Not bad for a farm kid from Cannon Falls, Minn. “I’m not sure anyone expected much out of me,” joked Estebo of his Cannon Falls upbringing. Estebo’s path to success included a blend of hard work and calculated risk. He worked his way through the University of Minnesota, taking six years to earn a history degree. In 1965, fresh out of college, he borrowed money from Nancy, his girlfriend at the time, to purchase a piece of South Dakota farmland. The investment paid off, an early sign of the profit potential Estebo would realize through later land acquisitions. In 1968, with the support of his working wife, Estebo left his job in chemical sales and enrolled at the USD Law School. He went on to write for the South Dakota Law

Review, serve as Student Bar Association president and graduate with honors. “Orrin was always a very thoughtful person. He was always a kind of big-picture type of person. You knew that he was going to be very successful,” said Greg Eiesland, Estebo’s law school classmate and longtime friend. Eiesland, who practices law in Rapid City, S.D., said Estebo’s altruism was apparent even as a law student. “He was never self-centered,” he explained. “When he left law school, you could just tell wherever he went he would be a leader.” Estebo knew very little about Redwood Falls before accepting his first legal post there, teaming with an established attorney to create the firm of Farnberg & Estebo. Five years later, in 1976, Estebo joined the modern-day firm of Estebo, Frank, Gilk & Munshower. Almost 40 years later, in an “of counsel” role, Estebo occupies a law office filled with mementos from big-game hunts, fishing expeditions and business endeavors that are as much a part of his professional profile as the practice of law. In the early 1980s, Estebo invested heavily in Warrior Manufacturing Company, a struggling producer of “quick hitches” used in the agricultural industry. His investment helped save the local company, and he maintained an ownership interest for more than 20 years. As Estebo found stability, he also made lucrative investments in farmland, much of which remains occupied by loyal tenants. Estebo has faced his share of lows along the way, too, the most gut-wrenching being the 1995 passing of his wife and college sweetheart, Nancy. It would be six years before he remarried, tying the knot with his current wife, Shirley, a retired bank executive. The ups, downs, risks and rewards–the composite picture–is something Estebo regards with a distinct brand of pride. Not boastfully, but in that pleased sense one might expect of a craftsman or artist on the homestretch of a strong piece. Estebo’s desire to do good is far from depleted, even though his legacy seems all but certain. “When people say you’re making a lasting difference, and you can see it, that’s a good feeling. It’s a gift. I feel like I’m getting a gift.”

“When people say you’re making a lasting difference, and you can see it, that’s a good feeling. It’s a gift. I feel like I’m getting a gift.”

—Orrin Estebo


It’s not news to anyone in the legal profession that the legal climate experienced considerable change in recent years. What might be newsworthy may be the way the USD School of Law has chosen to embrace it. South Dakota’s only law school isn’t exempt from the national trends of decreasing enrollments. The American Bar Association reported in December 2013 that the number of first-year law students dropped 11 percent from fall 2012, the lowest it’s been since 1977--when the U.S. had fewer, and smaller, ABA-approved schools (americanbar.org). The Law School is determined to seize the opportunity to springboard itself into one of the nation’s premier law schools in the face of this adversity. Tom Geu, dean of the USD School of Law, sees this time as an opportunity rather than a threat. “Some great opportunities are created by challenges that face legal education and the practicing bar,” Geu said. “In that regard, we are all facing wonderful opportunities to improve legal education.”

A TEnAcIouS LEAdER Geu came to USD in 1989 as a visiting assistant professor of law and joined the faculty permanently the following year. As a professor, his teaching areas included organizational, transactional and capital formation courses. He is a two-time winner of the Law School’s John Wesley Jackson Award for teaching (in 1997 and 2010), and is an elected member of the American Law Institute. Geu has been active in the State Bar of South Dakota and has served as a national reporter (drafter) for the Uniform Laws Commission.

Geu stepped up to the position of dean of the School of Law on an interim basis in July 2011 after Barry Vickrey retired. The “Interim” moniker was dropped in May 2013 when Geu was named the School of Law’s dean. Although Geu, a self-described “hayseed” from western Nebraska, who laments not being able to wear jeans and cowboy boots to work any longer, relishes his new role. Since 2012, Geu has made tracks across much of the United States—from New York to many points in South Dakota—talking up the USD School of Law. His message, primarily, is this: the law climate is changing tremendously throughout the United States, but the USD School of Law is prepared to ride those waves of change. “Declining enrollment is one factor that has prompted the Law School to form a new and more robust administrative team to be competitive in the present environment,” Geu explained. In recent months, the law school administration has undergone some restructuring to make better use of its limited resources. For example, the Law School received a university investment to fund new positions, allowing it to form a new and robust team to be able to thrive in the new environment. In addition to new positions in career services manager and admissions and enrollment coordinator, the School of Law also recently hired a new registrar and interim associate dean due to retirements. John Glover, J.D., is the interim associate dean and has been involved in South Dakota public higher education since 1992.

‘Now is Our Opportunity’LAw SchooL SEIzES ThE chAncE To EvoLvE In A TImE oF TRAnSFoRmATIon

by Kim Lee

Tom Geudean and Professor of Law

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A nEw PERSPEcTIvE

Glover has somewhat of an outsider’s perspective on Geu’s leadership. “Grabbing hold of opportunities to shine brings a smile to Dean Geu’s face. It’s in his wheelhouse,” Glover explained. “[Geu] has an understanding of our program and of business operations you don’t necessarily see in upper level higher education management. He’s here to take the USD School of Law to the next level.” Along with changes in the legal climate, law schools need to be more flexible and offer more experiential learning, a perspective that is increasingly in demand as fewer students choose the traditional practice of law. Geu pointed to a national survey, administered two years ago, that indicated a full 50 percent of first-year students didn’t intend to practice law. “We are exceedingly aware of the expanded use of a J.D. and how instrumental it is in our society to have those well-

trained professionals in critical roles in and outside of the practice of law,” Geu said. “But this Law School has always been closely tethered to the practice and applied doctrine by the nature of our involvement with the state bar and the judiciary and because of involvement of faculty members with those groups. It’s because of that that we are in a much better position than many other schools others to embark upon more experiential learning.” The emergence of the law school’s joint degrees, offered in collaboration with USD’s Beacom School of Business, School of Education and College of Arts & Sciences, also contribute to the school’s ability to meet that increasing demand for J.D.-trained professionals. Moreover, the Law School is looking to extend its pro bono services, student internships and externships and to

explore the possibilities of a virtual legal clinic. “We value practice experience,” Geu said. “We embrace the opportunity to be an active and vital component of the community.” Some of these initiatives should come naturally, given the unique nature of South Dakota’s law community. “There is a symmetry here you can’t find anywhere else,” Glover explained. “Supreme Court judges practice alongside each other and have gone to school together, have mentors and go on to become mentors to others.”

InFLuEncInG FoR chAnGE

Geu is optimistic that the USD School of Law’s influence won’t stop at the borders of South Dakota; it aims to improve legal education at the instructional level and also to influence it upon the national level. Geu intends to collaborate with law school deans nationally to share ideas in taking advantage of new flexibility in accreditation standards in order to improve legal education in the U.S. “This is a rare time when we have the opportunity to fully leverage all our resources,” Geu said. “We can’t lose track of the reason why a J.D. is valued for jobs other than being a lawyer—that’s the transferable skillset that learning how to practice law provides,” Geu explained. “Lawyers as problem solvers have never been more important; whether they are lawyers or serving in some other capacity.” An example of how some indigenous South Dakota programs go national is the South Dakota State Bar’s Project Rural Practice (PRP). PRP provides structured guidance and financing for young lawyers to break into rural practice, with the goal of helping ameliorate a shortage of lawyers in many South Dakota rural counties. PRP has even won an ABA award and was picked up by the New York Times. “In this competitive market, if someone comes up with a program that works, it gets copied—immediately,” Geu explained.

John Henry GloverInterim Associate Dean

Nicholas McInerenyAdmissions and

Enrollment Coordinator

Glover, on leave from Black Hills State University where he is a professor, received his bachelor’s degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. and graduated from Willamette University School of Law in Salem, Ore. He has been a part of South Dakota public higher education since 1992.

McInerney completed his B.S. in business administration at National American University and received his M.A. in political science and J.D. from the School of Law. McInerney has a background in management and training work for Midcontinent Communications.


mAKInG mcKuSIcK ShInE

The McKusick Law Library is a space where tangible change is visible at a glance. The facility was in dire need of some upgrades, both in physical space and in technology. It needed to streamline its resources and clean out dated materials. As it turned out, it was an ideal situation for Darla Jackson, J.D. to lead the charge. Jackson said she was excited to join the USD School of Law as director of the Law Library partially because of the opportunity to work with Dean Geu. “He understands the importance of the Law Library and has a willingness to devote resources to making changes happen,” Jackson explained. She also loves a challenge. Before beginning her career in legal education, she served as a judge advocate in the United States Air Force. She also taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy Department of Law and was most recently associate director of the Oklahoma City University Law Library. Like many university entities, the Law Library experienced some setbacks from state cutbacks in 2010. When Jackson came on board in July 2012, one of the first things she did was implement a survey, a self-study of sorts, for students, faculty and staff of the law school to find out what the wants and needs of those groups were. From there, the McKusick staff developed a strategic plan. “It’s really important that we have a Law Library strategic plan that focuses on improving the services we offer,” she stated. In just 18 months, Jackson has spearheaded several additions to the library’s range of services. As more resources become available electronically we also want our patrons to

be able to access the resources remotely. One of the most significant things, she said, is the addition of a proxy server so students could access databases when off-campus. The staff also created numerous LibGuides, which serve as bibliographic tools to help students find not only print resources, but also electronic materials. Electronic files, images and multimedia tools make the LibGuides more engaging for users. The Law Library is also trying to reach out using social media tools such as a blog and is considering the possibility of using tools such as Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest to reach the student. Jackson also oversaw the creation of more physical spaces for students to study, relax and socialize within McKusick and reconfigured study spaces to be more conducive to studying socially. ”This is a new generation of students who are digital natives,” Jackson explained. “They’ve grown up using electronic resources.” Jackson is also making headway with teaching classes in legal research, strengthening relationships across campus, becoming more involved with law school faculty and restructuring the staff positions to facilitate the offering of new and improved quality services. Further digitization of South Dakota legal resources is also on the docket. “We want people to know that our library is available to anyone to use,” Jackson pointed out. “We aim to serve our students, yes, but we also want to South Dakota legal community and alumni to know that they can access many of our resources and that while we cannot conduct research for them, we can provide other types of assistance.”

STILL TRAnSFoRmInG STudEnTS

Geu hastens to point out that although much is changing in the law school, much remains the same. “Almost half of our faculty has been here 20 years or more,” Geu said. “We have a tremendous group of experienced faculty, mixed with new faculty who bring new expertise to the table.

Darla JacksonMcKusick Law Library

Director

Jackson earned her J.D. and Master of Library and Information Studies from the University of Oklahoma and her LL.M. in international law from the University of Georgia. Before beginning her career in legal education, she served as a judge advocate in the United States Air Force. She also taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy Department of Law and was most recently associate director of the Oklahoma City University Law Library.

Lee BentonRegistrar

Benton received a B.B.A. in economics and her M.B.A. from USD. She has had a variety of management experiences, including traveling throughout the U.S. and abroad, particularly Japan.

“If someone who hasn’t been to the Law School in 20 years walked through our doors today, they’d see a lot has changed; but more that hasn’t,” he continued. “In many ways, we’re still the Law School our alumni remember.”

The USD School of Law still transforms the best students into complete attorneys with strong skillsets. “We provide a higher quality product than many in the region that cost at least twice as much, even though we still have the smallest non-faculty infrastructure of almost all law schools in the nation,” explained Geu. “We’ll continue to emphasize what we believe are important aspects of legal education even though they may not be recognized. We are not driven by rankings; we are driven by best practices and demand.” “All of the opportunities we’re faced with have the cumulative effect to tell our story,” Glover continued. “The reason we have not been regarded as prominently as easily recognized national law school names is not because of our quality, it’s because we have failed to tell our story and that is going to come to an end. We are not going to keep ourselves a secret anymore.”

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Leah PiersolCareer Services

Manager

Piersol, both an attorney and a counselor, graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School and has a master’s degree in counseling from SDSU. Piersol has practiced criminal defense as well as private practice in family law, counseling, mediation and consulting.

Leroy “J.R.” LaPlanteSouth Dakota Secretary for

Tribal Relations

“The University of South Dakota School of Law provided me with a strong legal education and prepared me to serve as our State’s first Cabinet Secretary of Tribal Relations. Like all USD Law alums, I proudly keep an eye on its graduates because I know that they are being well equipped for success.”

LaPlante is an enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and serves as the chief judge and court administrator for the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe in Ft. Thompson. In both his law practice and his work, LaPlante has focused on serving the Native American community. He was the former administrative officer for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and has an extensive background working for Native American human service organizations.

The mission of the University of South Dakota School of Law is to prepare lawyers and judges for the federal, state, and American Indian justice systems in South Dakota and to provide South Dakota residents and other students an affordable legal education imparting the knowledge, skills, and values

necessary for the practice of law or other careers in a culturally diverse and global environment.


School of Law Takes Opportunities to Preserve Legal History

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Why did you choose the USD School of Law?

“I chose the University of South Dakota School of Law because the combination of a convenient central location, reasonable tuition rates, and low faculty to student ratio fulfilled my educational and personal interests.”

—melissa Tidwell, Class of 2014

“As a non-traditional student I chose USD Law because of the small class sizes, responses from professors prior to making my decision, and the community of Vermillion suited the needs of me and my small family.”

—cory cottam, Class of 2014

“I came to the USD Law School even though it is far from home… because it was a mix of the best value, it is a state name, great student teacher ratio, low attrition rate, and high bar passage rate.”

—Luke Lockett, Class of 2014

“Economically, USD Law just makes more sense; you get more for your money.”

—dean Fankhauser, Class of 2014

“I was really impressed with my undergraduate education from USD and knew the Law School would be no different. I appreciate the access, attention, and lack of pretension a school like this offers.”

—mandy hagseth, Class of 2014

“I chose USD because it offers a small town atmosphere without sacrificing quality. USD is home to many distinguished and renowned professors who have an intense passion for teaching and the law. This passion is evident throughout the law school; whether it be during lecture, in discussions with students outside of class, or in the professor’s personal works.”

—Brianna Feerer-huss, Class of 2014


The 81st Annual Meeting of the State Bar of South Dakota was held June 19 –21, 2013 in Pierre, which was attended by about 900 lawyers, judges, law students, paralegals, court reporters and others.

1. From left to right: Terry Hofer ’82, Barry Vickrey, Stephanie Judson, Dean Tom Geu and Nick Kotzea ’98.

2: Justice John Konenkamp ’74 (left) with Chief Justice David Gilbertson ’75, recipient of the SDTLA Award.

3: South Dakota Bar Past President Tom Nicholson (left), with current President Terry Hofer ’78.

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4. Cheryl Hanna and J.R. LaPlante ‘09.

5. Stephanie Pochop ’91 (left) with Francy Foral.

6. Luella and Fred Cozad, ’49.

7. Cheryl Hanna, A2J director (left) presents the William Day, Jr. Award to Tamara P. Nash.

8. Charlie Thompson ’69 was honored with the SDTLA Trial Lawyer of the Year Award.

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The Class of 2013


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The 2013 Hooding Ceremony was held Friday, May 3 in Slagle Hall’s Aalfs Auditorium.

Find the Senior Spotlight at

www.usd.edu/law

Clay Anderson

Joseph Balkenbush

Kelsey Bauerly

Vailferree Brechtel

Amanda Breemes

Joshua Brown

Missy Bunger

Matthew Campbell

Catherine Chicoine

Nathan Chicoine

Caleb Christopherson

Eric Cleveringa

Abbigail Clindaniel

Tyler Custis

Eric Davis

Kimberly de Hueck

Ryan Dougherty

Kate Dykstra

Lacy End-Of-Horn

Eric Erickson

Carmen Evenson

Joshua Finer

Melinda Folkens

Anthony Franken

Kara Frankman

Dusty Ginsbach

Aaron Gunderson

Roxanne Hammond

Samantha Hargrave

Brittany Hatting

Chris Healy

Alyssa Herbold

Arthur Hoksbergen

Sara Hughes

Steven Iverson

Kristi Jones

Casey Jorgensen

Dillon Karras

Cherry Kolb

Brianne Kreber

Anthony Lamb

Nicholas McInerney

Patrick McKay

Erin Melling

Tamara Nash

Daniel Nelson

Nathaniel Nelson

Elvis Ngonga

PJ Painter

Kimberly Paz

Aaron Pilcher

Timothy Platt

Andrew Polzin

Sarah Popp

Theresa Rachel

Melody Reimer

Thomas Reynolds

Bradley Richardson

Jeffrey Schaefer

Brady Schlechter

Caroline Srstka

Staci Stupka

Robert Tripp

Benjamin Tronnes

Andrew Twinamatsiko

Paul Van Olson

Caleb Veldhouse

Patrick Weber

Andrew Wilka

Joshua Wurgler

Our Newest Alumni

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The Class of 2013

1. Now -retired Associate Dean Tom Sorenson

2. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley delivered the address

3. USD President and School of Law alumnus James W. Abbott

The Class of 2013

http://www.usd.edu/law

Patrick GarryProfessor“It was my great privilege to have outstanding students in my classes last year,” Garry stated. “These students exhibited not only an eager curiosity and keen legal analysis in the classroom, but also demonstrated an energetic and creative embrace

of the wide array of opportunities arising out of the law school environment.” Garry’s teaching and research interests include First Amendment, Media Law, Administrative Law, Advanced Torts and Employment Law.

Thomas HortonAssociate ProfessorA highlight of Horton’s 2012-13 academic year was working with 31 third-year students in the class of 2013 (44.3 percent of the class) who competed on at least one of the Law School’s 11 national trial competition tournament teams. He

was also pleased to serve as an instructor at the South Dakota Trial Lawyers’ week long Trial Academy in July, and to publish four journal articles and three book chapters in 2013. “I was thrilled and honored to chair the Law Review’s March 15, 2013 symposium on Antitrust & Competition in America’s Heartland.” Horton’s teaching interests include Antitrust & Consumer Protection, Trial Advocacy and Techniques, and History and Law. His research interests focus on evolutionary biology models applied to structural and behavioral antitrust analyses; ethics and antitrust enforcement; Clayton Act merger regulation standards and enforcement/international merger review standards; agricultural antitrust issues; and comparative antitrust/competition law standards and enforcement.

christine HuttonProfessorHutton’s publications include commentary on the death penalty, evidence issues in criminal trials, retroactivity, and standards of review. She provides annual training for the state judges of the Unified Judicial System, has testified before

the South Dakota Criminal Code Revision Commission, and has also spoken about search and seizure and federal sentencing. She serves s faculty advisor to USD Law’s Women in Law.

Faculty NotesFaculty were asked to provide notes on their scholarship, service, honors and accomplishments, in and outside the classroom. These are some examples.

Roger BaronProfessorProfessor Baron published the 4th Cumulative Supplement to his Family Law Book in August 2013, and he co-authored an Amicus Brief filed in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of United Policyholders and Seven Trial Lawyer Organizations

in US Airways v. McCutchen, No. 11-1285, an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) case. He also authored (with Tony Lamb) the article Defeating an ERISA Lien with the Statute of Limitations (2012) which has been published in trial lawyer journals in South Dakota, Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, Vermont and the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association. He has also created a number of music videos (available on YouTube) featuring USD Law School students and faculty. Professor Baron’s teaching interests include civil procedure, insurance and family law. His research interests include ERISA reimbursement litigation issues involving subrogation on personal injury claims; family law and civil procedure.

David S. DayProfessorProfessor Day’s teaching interests cover both public and private law, with specific interests in constitutional law, employment discrimination and civil procedure areas. His research interests include constitutional law, plenary powers

doctrine, equal protection doctrine, dormant Commerce Clause doctrine, First Amendment law, civil procedure and employment discrimination law. Day is also a co-author of “Cases and Materials on Constitutional Law,” which is in its 5th edition (Lexis/Nexis, 2010).

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he represented large manufacturing clients for the tax group of Fenwick & West and later served in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel National Office. He also worked in-house at Dow Chemical as an attorney on tax matters.

Jo PasqualucciProfessorPasqualucci received her Doctor of Juridical Science from George Washington Law School and her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin. She has been clerk of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, author of “The Practice and Procedure of

the Inter-American Court of Human Rights” (Cambridge, 2013), and received a Fulbright to Costa Rica. Pasqualucci’s teaching interests are in Public International Law, International Human Rights Law, International Business Transactions, U.S. Commercial Law (Sales and Negotiable Instruments) and U.S. Secured Transactions. Her research interests are primarily in the area of international human rights law with a specialization in the inter-American human rights system.

30 years at USD Law

Frank PommersheimProfessorPrior to joining the faculty in 1984, Pommersheim lived and worked on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation for 10

years. He currently serves on a number of tribal appellate courts throughout Indian country including Chief Justice for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Court of Appeals and the Rosebud Sioux Supreme Court. Pommersheim writes extensively in the field of Indian law. He is the author of “Braid of Feathers” (American Indian Law and Contemporary Tribal Life) and numerous scholarly activities. Pommersheim is a contributor to the 2005 edition of Felix Cohen’s “Handbook of Federal Indian Law” and his newest book, Broken Landscape: Indians, Indian Tribes, and the Constitution, was published in 2009 by Oxford University Press and has recently been released in paperback. Pommersheim has also received the USD Belbas-Larson Award for Excellence in Teaching, the South Dakota Peace and Justice Center Reconciliation Award and the John Wesley Jackson Award as the Outstanding Professor of Law.

Darla JacksonLibrary DirectorDarla Jackson is the director of the University of South Dakota McKusick Law Library. Prior to joining USD, she served as the associate director of the Oklahoma City University Law Library and director, Certificate

in American Law Program. Before beginning her career in legal education, she served as a judge advocate in the United States Air Force. During her service in the Air Force, she was stationed at numerous bases and performed a variety of military justice, international operations and civil law (government procurement) functions. Additionally, she taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy Department of Law. Jackson’s research interests are U.S. military justice, empirical legal research, legal research instruction—U.S. and foreign comparative and international law, international commercial arbitration, and international human rights, indigenous peoples and Native American law. She has published on these topics in a variety of journals and publications.

Sean KammerAssistant ProfessorKammer is a recent addition to USD Law. A Duke University Law graduate, Kammer’s areas of expertise include Natural Resource, Environmental, Mineral and Energy Law. His article titled “Coming to Terms with Wilderness: The

Wilderness Act and the Problem of Wildlife Restoration” (2013) was recently published in Environmental Law.

Allen MadisonAssistant ProfessorProfessor Madison’s teaching interests include Federal Taxation and Business Law, with research interest in taxation, statutory interpretation, logic and the intersection of all three. He joined the University of South Dakota

law faculty in 2012. Prior to joining USD, Professor Madison held teaching positions at Georgetown University, University of Wyoming, University of Idaho and in the Anglo-American Law Program at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. Before academia, Professor Madison practiced law with a focus on taxation for 10 years. After clerking at the U.S. Tax Court,

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New Facultywendy HessAssistant ProfessorA year ago, Hess was a visiting professor and is now on the faculty as an assistant professor and director of the Fundamental Legal Skills and Legal Writing Program. Her teaching interests include Legal Skills, Interviewing & Counseling,

Legal Writing and Juvenile Justice. Hess’s research interests include law teaching methods and practices, legal education reform, law student and lawyer wellness, and juvenile transfer.

Thomas SimmonsAssistant Professor“I am enjoying my first semester (fall 2013) teaching at the law school more than I can even put into words,” Simmons said. “Working directly with students and wrestling with difficult legal concepts is a thrill. Our students are focused,

inquisitive, curious and just plain exceptional.” Simmons’s teaching interests include Estate & Trust Administration, Business Organizations, Trusts & Wills, Elder Law and Estate Planning.

charles M. ThatcherProfessorThatcher was most recently published in the South Dakota Law Review in 2012 with an article entitled “Specific Performance as a Seller Remedy for Buyer’s Breach of Sales Contract—The Availability of Judicial Purchase Orders.”

Jon van PattenProfessorVan Patten has recently published several articles regarding persuasion and storytelling in the South Dakota Law Review, including “Metaphors and Persuasion” (2013), “Storytelling for Lawyers” (2012) and “Themes and Persuasion” (2011).

Barry vickreyProfessorVickrey served as dean of the Law School from 1993 to 2011. At USD, he teaches the required first-year course on property law and the required upper-level course on the legal profession, as well as upper-level elective courses on mediation and

legislation. He is also in charge of the South Dakota Drafting & Legal Practice course, which he helped create while dean. He has held numerous positions in state and national professional associations, including membership on the ABA Standing Committee on Lawyer Competence for nine years. He is active in the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, for which he regularly chairs accreditation inspections at other law schools. Professor Vickrey is a board member of the Consensus Council, Inc., Bismarck, N.D., the Vermillion United Way and the Vermillion Center for Children and Families. Vickrey’s teaching interests include the required course on the legal profession and legal ethics, legislation and legislative drafting, mediation and property law. His research interests follow the ethics and history of the legal profession, specifically including the South Dakota Rules of Professional Conduct, the area of legal education and Abraham Lincoln’s legal career.

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1960sLewayne M. Erickson, ’60, Brookings, was among those honored June 21 during the 2013 Annual Meeting of the State Bar of South Dakota for reaching the 50-year milestone since admission to practice law in South Dakota.

Richard o. Gregerson, ’62, Sioux Falls, was among those honored June 21 during the 2013 Annual Meeting of the State Bar of South Dakota for reaching the 50-year milestone since admission to practice law in South Dakota.

Eugene E. Dobberpuhl, ’63, Aberdeen, was among those honored June 21 during the 2013 Annual Meeting of the State Bar of South Dakota for reaching the 50-year milestone since admission to practice law in South Dakota.

Ralph c. Hoggatt, ’63, Deadwood, was among those honored June 21 during the 2013 Annual Meeting of the State Bar of South Dakota for reaching the 50-year milestone since admission to practice law in South Dakota.

Boyd L. McMurchie, ’63, Sioux Falls, was among those honored June 21 during the 2013 Annual Meeting of the State Bar of South Dakota for reaching the 50-year milestone since admission to practice law in South Dakota.

Robert A. Miller, ’63, Pierre, was among those honored June 21 during the 2013 Annual Meeting of the State Bar of South Dakota for reaching the 50-year milestone since admission to practice law in South Dakota.

Jack von wald, ’67, Aberdeen, retired Jan. 8 after serving as presiding judge in the 5th circuit for 10 years.

charles Thompson, ’69, L.L.D. ’95, was honored as Trial Lawyer of the Year in June by the South Dakota Trial Lawyers’ Association.

1970sRichard (Dick) L. Ericsson, ’74, of Madison, was presented the Student Bar Association’s 2013 Marshall M. McKusick Award. The award was presented June 21 during the Annual Meeting activities of the State Bar of South Dakota by the Shekar Jayaraman, the new SBA president.

The Supreme Court of South Dakota in June unanimously selected the Hon. David Gilbertson, ’75, to a fourth term as chief justice, making him the first

chief justice selected to four terms in South Dakota history, according to the Unified Judicial System announcement.

Chief Justice Gilbertson was selected to his first four-year term in September 2001, and has served three consecutive terms. At a press conference announcing the selection, Gilbertson thanked the members of the Supreme Court for their continued confidence in his leadership and the Unified Judicial System employees for their dedicated service and hard work. Chief Justice Gilbertson also received the Fred J. Nichol (’36) Award as Outstanding Jurist in June from the South Dakota Trial Lawyers’ Association.

Richard (Dick) A. Bursell, ‘77, recently concluded a two-year appointment by the Colorado Springs City Council to the Colorado Springs Liquor and Beer Licensing Board (a quasi-judicial administrative tribunal). Bursell (retired, U.S. Army JAG Corps, Lieutenant Colonel) and his wife Patricia (Manion) Bursell, ‘75 B.F.A., have resided in Colorado Springs since 1998.

Jeff Larson, ’78, Sioux Falls, was named Defense Attorney of the Year for 2013 by the South Dakota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

1980sHon. Kathleen caldwell, ’80, announced that she will be retiring from the Second Judicial Circuit bench effective Jan. 8, 2013. Judge Caldwell has served as a circuit court judge since 1993 and has been the Presiding Judge of the Second Judicial Circuit since 2009.

Mike Day, ’83, of Belle Fourche, was selected for appointment as a circuit judge in South Dakota’s Fourth Judicial Circuit. He has been a partner in the Day Morris Law Firm of Belle Fourche, and has practiced law in Belle Fourche since his 1983 graduation from the University of South Dakota School of Law. Day’s service includes vice chair of the Belle Fourche School Board and a member of the state Board of Minerals

class Notes

Retires After Quarter century

After teaching for 26 years at USD School of Law, including courses on health care law and elder law, Michael J. Myers ’67, has retired from the classroom and announced his candidacy for South Dakota governor on the independent ticket. His running mate is Caitlin Collier, a graduate of the law school. Prior to coming to USD, Myers was a CEO for Mayo-St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Minn., and is an emeritus trustee of the Mayo Foundation.


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and Environment. He is a past president of the State Bar of South Dakota and has served on the Judicial Qualifications Commission, the State Bar Disciplinary Board and as president of the South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association.

courtney clayborne, ’89, Rapid City, a track star for Stevens High School and USD, was inducted into the Rapid City Sports Hall of Fame.

1990sHon. Mark Salter, ’93, of Sioux Falls, was appointed as a circuit judge in South Dakota’s Second Judicial Circuit, which includes Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties. He takes the place of the Hon. william J. Srstka, ’68, who retired at the end of 2012.

Joni clark cutler, ‘95, of Sioux Falls, was appointed as magistrate judge for the Second Judicial Circuit. Early on, she worked in the Minnehaha County State’s Attorney’s office and later served 10 years in the South Dakota Legislature, including as chair of the House Judiciary Committee and as vice-chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. More recently, she worked with the South Dakota Network Against Family Violence & Sexual Assault and as a partner in the Beck & Cutler, LLP, law firm.

Susan Sabers, ’95, was appointed by Gov. Dennis Daugaard as a circuit judge in South Dakota’s Second Judicial Circuit. She fills the vacancy left by Judge Kathleen Caldwell’s retirement at the end of 2012.

Jason campbell, ’96, Lead, was selected as staff judge advocate of the South Dakota National Guard.

Robert Gusinsky, ‘96, of Rapid City, was selected for appointment as a circuit judge in South Dakota’s Seventh Judicial Circuit. He has served as assistant United States attorney, and earlier had been in the private practice of law in Rapid City. Gusinsky was born in Latvia, which at the time was a part of the Soviet Union.

In 1978, at the age of 13, he came to the United States with his family, and he became a U.S. citizen in 1986. He is a 1990 graduate of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, where he earned his degree in aeronautical engineering, and worked as a commercial airline pilot and flight instructor.

christopher Synsvoll, ’96, of Sioux Falls, in December 2012 received the Assistant (U.S.) Attorney General’s (Criminal Division) Award for Exceptional Service. Christopher was a member of a team whose extraordinary dedication and perseverance resulted in the extradition of five terrorists from the United Kingdom. The team’s tenacity, persistence and diplomacy were instrumental in presenting the United States’ position before the European Court of Human Rights, where the defendants had challenged their extradition. The protracted litigation began in 2007 and concluded successfully in April 2012, after three days of argument in the United Kingdom High Court. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the team, the defendants now face charges in the United States in connection with, among other things, the 1998 East African Embassy bombings and the taking of 16 hostages in Yemen in 1998.

Ronald Parsons, ’97, is compiling a collection of short stories (fiction) entitled “The Sense of Touch,” due out by spring 2014. The publisher is Aqueous Books, an independent company based in New Orleans.

Thomas E. Simmons,’98, joined the faculty of USD School of Law in fall 2013. His fall law courses include Business Organizations I, Trusts and Wills, and Estate and Trust Administration. Prior to coming to the Law School, he was a partner with the Rapid City Law firm of Gunderson, Palmer, Nelson & Ashmore, LLP, where he worked as a trusts and estates lawyer becoming a partner in 2006. Book reviews by Simmons were featured in the

Jan./Feb. 2013 edition of The Nebraska Lawyer magazine winter reading section (pp. 13–16). Having clerked for the late Andrew W. Bogue, senior U.S. District judge, Simmons’ article is entitled “Judicial Memoirs,” his review of the book Called to Justice: The Life of a Federal Trial Judge, by Hon. Warren K. Urbom.

Matthew Rusch, ’99, Omaha, Neb., was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. He is a partner with the law firm Erickson & Sederstrom, P.C., in Omaha and practices primarily in the areas of civil litigation and real estate.

Thomas L. Sorensen, ’99, retired in December 2013 as associate dean after 13 years at the USD School of Law. Tom was hired in fall 2000 and served as assistant dean for two years. He had practiced law as an associate at Bogue, Weeks & Collier law firm in Vermillion and served as deputy city attorney. His career prior to the legal profession spanned more than two decades as a broadcast journalist for KSOO radio in Sioux Falls, WDAY radio in Fargo, N.D., South Dakota Public Broadcasting radio (KUSD radio) in Vermillion, and as a news writer for the Associated Press. Sorensen and his wife, Mary, have three grown daughters and three grandchildren, who will be occupying much of their time in the days and years ahead.

2000sEric R. Kerkvliet, ’06, was named a shareholder in the Sioux Falls offices of the Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun law firm.

Katy Ritter, ’06, of Eagle, Idaho became the assistant director of university and industry ventures at Boise State University.

Bryan Denham, ’07, Bismark, N.D., joined Larson Latham Huettl LLP as an associate attorney, practicing primarily in criminal defense and family law.

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Hon. Mildred Ramynke, ’39, of Peever, died on Sept. 7, 2013 at the age of 96. Ramynke became the first female county judge in South Dakota when she took the bench in Roberts County in 1958. She later served as county judge for Day, Grant and Marshall Counties. After the creation of the Unified Judicial System, Ramynke successfully ran for circuit judge in the Fifth Judicial Circuit, becoming the state’s first female circuit judge. During the two years Ramynke was the presiding judge of the circuit, she filled in on several Supreme Court cases, becoming

the first woman to serve on the state’s highest court. She retired in 1986. Ramynke was a “consummate professional” who blazed trails for women in the law, said Hon. David Gilbertson, chief justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court and Ramynke’s close friend.

April (Norton) Hamilton, ’08, formerly of Miller, S.D., in November 2012 joined the Phoenix law firm of Ridenour, Hienton & Lewis, PLLC, as an associate.

Jolene Nasser,’09, Sioux Falls, has joined Nasser Law Offices as an associate attorney.

Philip Terwilliger,’09, Vermillion, was named deputy state’s attorney for Clay County.

2010sMelissa Fiksdal, ’10, Crooks, has joined Jeff Larson Law in Sioux Falls.

courtney (Stottler) Holthus, ’10, of Meridian, Idaho, joined DisAbility Rights Idaho as a staff attorney in the Boise office.

corey Bruning,’12, Sioux Falls, has announced the opening of Bruning & Lewis Law Firm.

Jason Krause, ’12, Hartford, has joined the Dorothy Law Firm as an associate.

Tamara Nash, ’13, received the William F. Day, Jr. Law Student Pro Bono Award in June from Access To Justice, State Bar of South Dakota, for her outstanding pro bono services while

a student at USD Law during (and more) the 2012–2013 academic year.

P.J. Painter, ’13, was selected as master scholar on the 2013-2015 Supreme Senate at the 2013 summer convention of Delta Theta Phi held in August in Bloomington, Minn. The fraternity is celebrating the 100-year anniversary of its creation.

In Memoriam

1940sJohn H. Zimmer, ’48, of Parker, died on Sept. 15, 2012 at the Tieszen Memorial Home in Marion. Zimmer was born on Dec. 30, 1922 in Sioux Falls, where he grew up and graduated from Cathedral High School. He attended Augustana College before serving in the U.S. Army during WWII. After his discharge from the service he attended the University of South Dakota where he received his law degree in 1948. On Dec. 26, 1946 he married Phyllis Graber. In 1948 he started his law practice in Turner County. He practiced law with Zimmer, Duncan, and Cole at Parker. He had served as a state’s attorney of Turner County, as an assistant professor of medical jurisprudence at the USD School of Medicine, as minority counsel to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on Critical and Strategic

Materials, president of South Dakota Junior Bar Association, president of South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association and was listed in Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. He also served as general counsel for South Dakota State Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners, South Dakota Medical Services (Blue Shield), South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care, South Dakota Basic Science Board and the South Dakota Veterinary Medical Association. His professional associations included chair of Southeastern Council of Governments (SECOG), member of USD Law School Advisory Council, chair of the Turner County Republicans, member of South Dakota State Republican Advisory Commission, assistant doorman 1960 National Republican Convention, alternate delegate to 1968 National Republican Convention, president of South Dakota Easter Seal Society, South Dakota Association for the Deaf and South Dakota Easter Seal Board of Directors. Zimmer was a member of the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW), American Legion, Parker Masonic Lodge and El Riad Shrine, including Legion of Honor Shrine. He was also an avid sportsman and enjoyed spending time outdoors. On July 31, 1976 he was united in marriage to Deanna Waddle at Tyler, Minn. They enjoyed spending winters in Arizona.

1950s

Frank E. “Rudy” Henderson, ’51, died on Dec. 28, 2012. A passionate and larger-than-life figure, he influenced his family, the military, the law

and the State of South Dakota for more than eight decades. Justice Henderson was born April 7, 1928, in Miller and grew to be a three-sport letterman for the Miller Rustlers and All-State athlete in basketball, football and track. He attended the University of South Dakota on a basketball scholarship where he

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also competed in track and field and football. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He completed law school at USD in 1951 and immediately left to serve in the United States Army. The Korean Conflict was to have a profound impact on Justice Henderson. He served as an officer and remained a

strong patriot, with ties to the American Legion, the Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Upon his return from Korea, Henderson began law practice in Rapid City as a trial attorney, and later moved his office to Hill City. He twice served as a state senator for Pennington County

and served as a U.S. commissioner. In the 1970s, Henderson became a circuit court judge and sat on the benches of Pennington, Custer and Fall River Counties. In 1979, Judge Henderson became a justice on the Supreme Court of South Dakota. Justice Henderson experienced many professional and personal associations with Native peoples of South Dakota. Henderson appreciated his kind and capable wife, Norma Jean Henderson, with whom he was married for 56 years, and the family they raised. Justice Henderson lived to the age of 84.

Robert Stark, ’51, Denver, Colo., died on May 3, 2013. A Vermillion native, Stark served in the United States Army before returning to South Dakota to receive his bachelor’s degree in history in 1950 and his law degree in 1951.

Alan R. Purintun, ’52, died on Jan. 23, 2013. He practiced law in association with Harry Eggen and E.F. Wilkinson in De Smet and was appointed Kingsbury County judge in 1955. Alan was recognized as a 50-year member of the State Bar of South Dakota in 2002.

George R. Horner, ’56, of Vermillion, died on April 4, 2013. He was born in Sioux City, Iowa, and grew up in Vermillion. George was admitted to law practice in South Dakota and Nebraska and was recognized by both states for his legal services of more than 50 years. George worked in Omaha at USF&G Insurance Co. for 10 years, moving next to the Grand Island office. He became city attorney. In 1969, he joined the faculty at USD School of Business, retiring in 1996. His U.S. Navy service included as enlisted and as a commissioned officer in Naval Intelligence.

Floyd E. Meidinger, ’59, of Aberdeen, died on Nov. 13, 2013. He was born Nov. 1, 1929, near Eureka, and received a bachelor’s degree in 1951 at the University of South Dakota. He served in the U.S. Air Force as an interpreter (German and Russian) in both Libya and Germany, receiving his Honorable

col. George E. “Bud” Day (Ret.), ’49, of Shalimar, Fla., died on July 27, 2013 at age 88. George Day was born on Feb. 24, 1925, in Sioux City, Iowa and married his hometown sweetheart, Doris Sorensen, the “love of his life” for 64 years. The Sioux City airport was named for Day and displays a statue of him just outside the main entrance. Col. Day enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1942 and served in the South Pacific. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve in 1946–1949 and graduated from the University of South Dakota School of Law in 1949. He was appointed second lieutenant in 1950 and called to active duty in the U.S. Air Force, where he entered jet pilot training. He served two tours in Japan and Korea and later fought and flew in Vietnam. Col. Day’s plane was shot down on Aug. 26, 1967, when he was forced to eject over North Vietnam. He survived as a POW for five and a half years, part of which was in the “Hanoi Hilton.” A cellmate for a time was future Arizona U.S. Senator John McCain. Day was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1967 and also received South Vietnam’s highest military honor. In his 34-year military service, he earned 70 medals and honors. He was admitted to the South Dakota Bar in 1949 and to the Florida Bar in 1977. He was instrumental in helping win a major victory for World War II and Korean War retirees from a U.S. Court of Appeals, which acknowledged that the government had breached its contract to provide retirees and their spouses free, lifetime medical care. In 2004, Col. Day was the speaker featured at the Law School’s hooding ceremony.

Barry Vickery, Bud Day, USD President James W. Abbott, Don Dahlin

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Discharge in 1955. Floyd entered the USD School of Law, graduating in 1959. He practiced with the Ivan Borman Law Firm in Mobridge, served as McPherson County State’s Attorney, purchased the Francis Holman Law Practice in Leola and served as Leola city attorney. Floyd also served as Leola’s mayor and chair of the McPherson County Republican Party.

1960sDennis Raymond Padrnos, ’60, died on Nov. 20, 2012. He was born Sept. 9, 1936 to Judge George Padrnos and Lillian (Honner) Padrnos in Lake Andes, the youngest of six children. He went to USD on a basketball scholarship, taught business law in the School of Business and graduated with a business and law degree in 1960. He served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps from 1960-1963 and received the Army Commendation Medal. While stationed in Germany, he served as chief defense counsel for the 24th Infantry Division and prosecutor for the JAG Corps. Achieving the rank of captain, he was honorably discharged and returned to Mitchell where he joined the law practice with local attorney Fred Tinan. Padrnos married Diane Nelson in 1967. He was appointed to the position of Davison County States Attorney, was successful in his re-election bids and served the county for 13 years.

Robert Stewart, ’60, of Aberdeen, age 81, died on May 7, 2013. He was born on Feb. 12, 1932 to Roy and Thelma Stewart. Steward received his undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado, where he met his wife, Jackie Holder. He went on to receive his LL.B. in 1960 from the University of South Dakota. Stewart and his wife Jackie raised five children.

Anthony “Tony” Buckmeier, ’61, of Mobridge, age 77, died on March 28, 2013, in Sioux Falls after a long illness. After college he moved to Mobridge to practice law with Ivan Bormann and continued to practice law for more than 50 years. His clients were always his number one concern and family was his greatest joy.

Alan Fay Glover,’64, of Brookings, died on June 21, 2013, unexpectedly at the age of 72 at his home. He was born June 24, 1940 in Aberdeen and raised in Frederick. He served as a captain in the JAG Branch, U.S. Army, having enlisted in 1963 and serving during the Vietnam War. In 1998, he joined the law practice of Glover, Helsper and Rasmussen PC in Brookings.

Gary Johansen, ’66, of Sioux City, Iowa, age 75, died on April 17, 2013 at a Sioux City hospital. He was born on Aug. 30, 1937 to Arthur and Pearl Johansen in South Sioux City. He was in the U.S. Navy and served on the USS Midway aircraft carrier before marrying Joan Rymill on Jan. 5, 1965. Johansen graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1966 and went on to be a partner at Johansen & Johansen with his brother, Raymond, for 33 years. He retired in 1999.

Thomas Muilenburg, ’66, of Sioux Falls, age 72, died on Feb. 14, 2013 at his residence due to diabetic complications. He was born June 12, 1940 in Sioux Falls, and in 1958 graduated from Washington High School. Following high school, he attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion where he excelled in debate with his debate partner, Robert Legvold. In 1962, Muilenburg moved to Washington, D.C. where he worked in the office of Sen. Karl Mundt. Upon returning to South Dakota, Muilenburg enrolled at the University of South Dakota Law School and earned his law degree in 1966. That same year, on Aug. 6, Tom was united in marriage to Elizabeth Bainbridge in Paullina, Iowa. Following several years of residence in Brandon, the couple moved to Sioux Falls in 1974 where Muilenburg practiced law.

Gary Lamont Richter, ’69, of Brandon, died at the age of 72 on June 17, 2013. He was born on Nov. 1, 1941 in Sioux Falls. He practiced law in Parker until 1988 when he became an assistant attorney general for the

Department of Game, Fish and Parks. He had retired in 2006.

1970sLarry Gullickson, ’76, of Sioux Falls, age 67, died on May 12, 2013 at his residence from cancer. He was born on May 16, 1945 to Leo and Edla Gullickson in Volga, S.D. He attended the University of South Dakota where he received his B.S. in accounting before serving as an officer for the United States Army during the Vietnam War. Gullickson married Lynn Gascoigne in 1973 and had two daughters before returning to USD to earn his J.D. degree from the School of Law in 1976.

Stanley Everett whiting, ‘74 of Winner, died on Jan. 30, 2013. He received a B.S.B.A. in accounting at USD in 1966 and a J.D. degree from the School of Law in 1974. After college he joined the Marine Corps and achieved the rank of captain. As an F-4 Phantom fighter pilot, he accumulated 407 combat missions in Vietnam. He was once shot down, parachuted into a tree and was subsequently recovered—only to resume his role as a Marine Corps aviator and continue flying. He received more than 20 awards and medals. After his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps in 1971, he returned to South Dakota where he met the love of his life, Alyson Kocer. They were married in 1974 and enjoyed nearly 39 years together. Whiting initially practiced law with the firm Day, Grossenburg and Whiting for several years before venturing out on his own. In the summer of 2012 at the annual meeting, Whiting received the Trial Lawyer of the Year Award from the South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association.

Brian Stuart, ’78, of Sioux Falls, died on May 29, 2013, in Bucyrus, N.D. Brian received a B.A. degree from the University of South Dakota in 1967, became a C.P.A. in 1970, earned an M.B.A. in 1977, and completed his J.D. degree in 1978. He was born Sept. 22, 1943, in Adams County, N.D., and later moved to Plankinton, S.D. He practiced law in Sioux Falls at Stuart

& Gerry Attorneys at Law in a 25-year partnership. Stuart had retired in 2003 due to medical reasons.

1990sJeff Giebink, ’91, of Sioux Falls, passed away suddenly at age 56 of natural causes on Jan. 25, 2013. He was born Nov. 22, 1956 in Sioux Falls. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Maura, four sons, Travis, Nic, Chase and Sam, all of Sioux Falls; his siblings, Jan Giebink and Joan (Dr. Bob Meyer) Giebink, both of Sioux Falls; Dr. Jim (Roxanne) Giebink, Merritt Island, Fla., Dr. Patti Giebink, Chamberlain, Dr. Robert Giebink, Watertown and Brad (Mary Ann) Giebink, Sioux Falls; his three canine companions, Frankie, Daisy and Chunky Monkey, Boo Boo the cat, and Rudy the African Gray Parrot.

2000sDavid Bruce “Dave” curington, ’05, died at age 40 from brain cancer on Dec. 26, 2012, in Rapid City. Curington was born Oct. 23, 1972, at Ellsworth AFB, to

Bruce and Rachel Curington. Despite living in other states while a young boy, after coming back to Rapid City while in junior high, Curington always thought of the Black Hills and South Dakota as home. As an assistant public defender for Pennington County, Curington was a committed advocate for his

clients and believed in the importance of his role in the legal process. He was especially proud of his work with the JDIA in South Dakota, which created a process to find alternatives to juvenile detention. In 2012 he was recognized for his dedication to improving the lives of children by the Western South Dakota Child Protection Council. Curington was a musician for most of his life as a bass player and most recently had been a member of the Jolly Llamas.

Faculty and FriendsRichard L. Barnes, age 58, distinguished lecturer and professor of law at the University of Mississippi, died Jan. 22, 2013 in a car accident in Conway County, Ark., as

he was driving home to Oxford, Miss. Before joining the UM law faculty in August 1989, Barnes practiced law in Tucson, Ariz. He served on the faculty at the University of South Dakota School of Law from 1983-87, was a visiting associate professor in 1985-86 at Brigham Young University and returned to Vermillion in 1987-89 to teach as an associate professor at USD Law School. His specialties included contracts, secured transactions, commercial law and federal Indian law. His interests in agriculture and Indian law stemmed from his Cherokee grandparents and his childhood on an Arizona farm.

Marriages

2000sBlair (Lawhon) McGowan, ’07, and David McGowan were married April 13, 2013. The couple resides in Decatur, Ga.

2010sTyler custis,’13, and Megan Kahler Custis were married Sept. 15, 2012. The couple resides in Elk Point, S.D.

courtney Stottler, ’10 and Justin Holthus, ’10, were married on June 16, 2012 in Hermiston, Ore.

Births

2000sTo Lindsay (Efting) Hovden, ’05, and Christopher Hovden, Yankton, a son, Myles William, born Nov. 27, 2012. He joins brother Maddox (4).

To Philip Terwilliger, ’09 and Lisa Terwilliger, Vermillion, a son, Frederick Lawrence, born March 4, 2013. Frederick joins big sister Maggie (4).

2010sTo Krista (voyles) Benson,’10, and Adam Benson, Boone, Iowa, a son, Finley George, born Dec. 4, 2012. He joins a sister, Lila.

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Moen Honored with Alumni Achievement AwardA USD School of Law graduate was among

three distinguished University of South Dakota alumni honored with Alumni Achievement Awards during the alumni dinner held during Dakota Days in October 2013.

Daniel Moen, ’78, of Pickerel Lake, S.D., was honored for Service to the University. Moen, an Irene, S.D. native, began his career as a private practice attorney in Aberdeen, S.D. before becoming associate general counsel for Super 8 Motels, Inc. He was then president of ACS, Inc., a subsidiary of Wells Fargo Financial Bank from 1994-2003 and then continued his career in business development. Following his retirement from ACS, Inc. in

2003, Moen became involved in several business endeavors as an independent investor.

In 2007, he was named chairman of the board of the USD Foundation. He resigned that position in 2009 to become a major gifts officer for the USD School of Law and Beacom School of Business. Moen served in that capacity, obtaining many substantial gifts for the university, until 2011 when he served as interim president and CEO of the USD Foundation–a position he held until January 2012 when Steve Brown assumed the position.

Other USD alumni honored with Alumni Achievement Awards were Joel Portice ’87 and David Landry ’73.

The 48th justice in the history of the South Dakota Supreme Court and the second female justice, Wilbur was appointed to the state’s highest court in 2011 by Gov. Dennis Daugaard. She graduated from USD with a bachelor’s degree in 1974 and earned her law degree from the USD School of Law in 1977.

Wilbur represents the Fourth Supreme Court District, which is comprised of Union, Clay, Yankton, Hutchinson, Hanson, Davison, Bon Homme, Douglas, Aurora, Brule, Charles Mix, Gregory, Tripp, Lyman, McCook, Turner counties and a portion of Lincoln County. She has held every judicial

position in the South Dakota court system. She served first as a part-time, and then a full-time magistrate judge from 1992 to 1999. She took the bench as a circuit judge in 1999 after being elected in 1998, and was re-elected in 2006. Wilbur led the Sixth Circuit as presiding judge since 2007, and she served as a replacement justice on about 20 state Supreme Court cases. As a circuit judge, Wilbur led the Sixth Circuit’s DUI Court program, which is an alternative sentencing program that seeks to address defendants’ underlying addictions. A Madison, S.D. native, she and her late husband, Brent, have two grown daughters.

Wilbur Presides over Dakota Days ParadeSouth Dakota Supreme Court Justice Lori Wilbur ’77, served as Parade Marshal for the 99th Dakota Days Parade, which was held on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013.

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Dean’s circleSenior Partner ($5,000 and above)Partner ($1,000 to $4,999)

AdvocatesGolden Advocate ($500 to $999)Century Advocate ($100 to $499)

Supporters & Friends ($1 to $99)

The law school is grateful to all Partners In Excellence and encourages a “rise to the top” and special recognition as a member of the Dean’s Circle. These gifts were received July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013.

1949Fredric R. Cozad, Century Advocate

1950Dale E. Bradshaw, Century AdvocateJames E. Moore, Century Advocate Harry Pflaumer, Supporters & Friends

1951Acie W. Matthews, Supporters & Friends

1952 Joseph S. Lesser, Senior Partner Charles S. Milliken, Supporters & Friends

1953 Erwin L. Wiest, Century Advocate

1955 Roger S. Bottum, Supporters & Friends

1956 James L. Weaver, PartnerCarleton R. Hoy, Century Advocate

1958Travis H. Lewin, Golden AdvocateAndrew Aberle, Supporters & Friends Roger A. Peterson, Supporters & Friends

1959

Carlyle E. Richards and Rev. Sheila Richards, Senior Partner$100,000 gift to be used at the dean’s discretion, made in honor of Dean Simpson, Clark Gunderson, Ed Hadd, Chapin Clark and others who positively influenced Richards’ law school experience and career trajectory.

George Applegate, PartnerJ. D. Austin, Century Advocate

1960 Russell R. Greenfield, Century AdvocateChet Groseclose, Century AdvocateGolby C. Uhlir, Century AdvocateBurke M. Critchfield, Supporters & Friends

1961 Hermon B. Walker, Century Advocate

1962Roger L. Wollman, Century Advocate

1963 Robert A. Miller, Century AdvocateNicholas V. O’Hara, Century Advocate

1964 Frank G. Stickney, Supporters & Friends

1965 James R. Haar, Golden AdvocateLawrence L. Piersol, Golden AdvocateDavid L. Blair, Century AdvocateFrank D. Brost, Century AdvocateScott C. Moses, Century AdvocateRonald E. Clabaugh, Supporters & FriendsThomas F. Martin, Supporters & Friends

1966 Robert A. Warder, PartnerCharles L. Riter, Century AdvocateRichard W. Sabers, Century AdvocateJohn D. Gubbrud, Supporters & FriendsThomas R. Pardy, Supporters & Friends

1967 Virgil K. Johnson, PartnerCharles V. Sederstrom, PartnerJack R. Von Wald, Century Advocate

1968 John P. Blackburn, PartnerJohn E. Simko, Century AdvocateWilliam J. Srstka, Supporters & Friends

1969 Larry C. Johnson, Century Advocate Gary Richter, Century Advocate Charles M. Thompson, Century Advocate

1970 Richard A. Bauerly, Golden AdvocatePeter J. Horner, Century AdvocateAllen K. Nepper, Century AdvocateThomas P. Tonner, Century AdvocateGeorge P. Williams, Century AdvocatePaul F. Angel, Supporters & Friends

Honor Roll of DonorsPartners in Excellence

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1971

Orrin S. Estebo, Senior Partner$1 million gift for purposes of future construction and renovation efforts at the School of Law, namely, the addition of common space that may be suitable to serve as a primary lobby, entrance or reception area.

Arthur L. Rusch, PartnerJan S. Amundson, Golden AdvocateJohn S. Theeler, Golden AdvocateMichael R. Austin, Century AdvocateThomas V. Conway, Century AdvocateDennis W. Finch, Century Advocate

1972 George L. Hirschbach, PartnerThomas J. Whorley, Golden AdvocateAndrew S. Bogue, Century AdvocateFrancis P. Cappello, Century AdvocateAllen G. Nelson, Century AdvocatePerry S. Patterson, Century AdvocateD. D. Titus, Century Advocate

1973 Harvey C. Jewett, Senior PartnerJames P. Hoy, Century AdvocateRobert C. Riter, Century AdvocateLyle W. Petersen, Supporters & Friends

1974 James W. Abbott, PartnerRichard L. Ericsson, PartnerWarren R. Neufeld, PartnerRoy A. Wise, PartnerRandal E. Connelly, Century AdvocateJohn K. Konenkamp, Century AdvocateStanley E. Whiting (Dec), Century AdvocateTimothy R. Johns, Supporters & Friends

1975 Mary Sue Donohue, Golden AdvocateEdwin E. Evans, Golden AdvocateThomas J. Welk, Golden AdvocateBruce W. Cutler, Century AdvocateVance R. Goldammer, Century AdvocateRodney C. Lefholz, Century AdvocateCarolyn F. Rusch, Century AdvocateHaven L. Stuck, Century AdvocateTimothy C. Sweeney, Century AdvocateSteven L. Zinter, Century AdvocateDennis D. Evenson, Supporters & FriendsDavid Gilbertson, Supporters & Friends

1976 Arthur T. Carter, PartnerRobert E. Hayes, PartnerMichael M. Hickey, PartnerMary Jane Cleary, Century AdvocateWilliam D. Froke, Century AdvocateRichard A. Johnson, Century AdvocateCraig A. Kennedy, Century AdvocateC. J. Neiles, Century AdvocateBarry R. Buehler, Supporters & Friends

1977 Richard D. Casey, Golden Advocate Howard W. Paulson, Century Advocate

1978 Jeffrey T. Sveen, Senior Partner Aloysius J. Arendt, Century AdvocateCraig M. Eichstadt, Century AdvocateGary D. Jensen, Century AdvocateTerry N. Prendergast, Century AdvocateBrian J. Stuart (Dec), Century Advocate

1979Robert A. Martin, PartnerJoseph D. Nadenicek, Century AdvocateReed A. Rasmussen, Century Advocate

1980 Mark J. Gherty, Golden AdvocateGlen W. Eng, Century AdvocateMichael J. McGill, Century AdvocateRichard L. Travis, Century AdvocateJames M. Wiederrich, Century AdvocateKenneth W. Cotton, Supporters & FriendsJames D. Wilkerson, Supporters & Friends

1981 Patricia Riepel, Golden AdvocateJon S. Flemmer, Century AdvocateJeffrey R. Mohrhauser, Century AdvocateDean E. Brekke, Supporters & Friends

1982 Kimberley K. Mortenson, Partner

1983 Roger W. Damgaard, Century Advocate

1984 Brian J. Bauer, Supporters & Friends

1985 Kay Cee Hodson, Golden AdvocateSteven L. Aberle, Century AdvocateBlake W. Duerre, Century AdvocateJohn H. Raforth, Century AdvocateJerry L. Wattier, Supporters & Friends

1986 Lee “Kit” C. McCahren, Century AdvocateGlenn A. Metcalf, Century AdvocateRobert A. Peterson, Century AdvocateM. B. Mayer, Supporters & Friends

1987 Karen R. Twitchell, Century Advocate

1988 Darrell A. Jesse, PartnerJudith C. Arnold, Century AdvocateFrank T. Lautenschlager, Century AdvocateMartin P. Oyos, Century AdvocateKim M. Riley, Century AdvocateJudith F. Rost, Century AdvocateSusan N. Steele, Century AdvocateGregory G. Giles, Supporters & Friends

1990 Joy Nesmith, Century AdvocateRodney W. Schlauger, Supporters & Friends

1992 Sandra K. Hanson, PartnerJames S. Schultz, Golden AdvocateVaughn P. Beck, Century AdvocateJeanne M. Combs, Century AdvocatePatricia K. Economos, Century AdvocateJohn A. Gors, Century AdvocateLucy Lewno, Century Advocate

1993 Brian J. Donahoe, Century AdvocateJoseph E. Martell, Century Advocate

1994 Todd C. Lockwood, PartnerPamela R. Bollweg, Century Advocate

1995 William M. Van Camp, Golden AdvocateJohn A. Caucutt, Century AdvocateJayna M. Voss, Century Advocate

1996 Heather M. Bogard, Century AdvocateDonald M. McCarty, Century Advocate

1997 Barbara A. Braley, Century AdvocateDavid E. Lust, Century AdvocateMatthew J. Vance, Century AdvocateGregory J. Erlandson, Supporters & FriendsMichael S. Martin, Supporters & FriendsJill S. Schaffer, Supporters & Friends

1998 Marilyn J. Hagberg, Century AdvocateBradley J. Lindeman, Century AdvocateClint L. Sargent, Century AdvocateRobert C. Scremin, Supporters & Friends

1999 Thomas L. Sorensen, Century AdvocateMelissa B. Nicholson, Century AdvocateMatthew V. Rusch, Century AdvocateDale M. Kadlec, Supporters & Friends

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2000 Stephanie R. Amiotte, PartnerJerad G. Seurer, Golden AdvocateJamie C. Thompson, Century AdvocateJulia M. Dvorak, Supporters & Friends

2001 Mary A. Akkerman, PartnerJohn A. Becker, Century Advocate

2002 Belinda N. Lamptey, Supporters & FriendsLindsey L. Riter-Rapp, Supporters & Friends

2003 Joanne M. Haase, Century AdvocateRyan W. Snell, Century AdvocateDe Anna C. Le Beau, Supporters & FriendsBrad J. Lee, Supporters & Friends

2004 Michele L. Crissman, Supporters & Friends

2005 James C. Cerney, Century AdvocateAndrew R. Damgaard, Century AdvocateJeffrey J. Fransen, Century AdvocateRyan J. Kolbeck, Century AdvocateSander J. Morehead, Century AdvocateJennifer M. Williams, Century Advocate

2006 Alecia E. Fuller, Century AdvocateJeffrey J. Roby, Century AdvocateJessica R. Noll-Oetken, Supporters & Friends

2007 Marcus A. Behm, Century AdvocateCarla R. Cushman, Century AdvocateDenise J. Kracl, Century Advocate

2008 Justin R. Johns, Century AdvocateNick A. Kotzea, Century AdvocateTonnis H. Venhuizen, Century Advocate

2012 Elizabeth S. Tomlin, Supporters & Friends

Friends ALPS, Senior Partner Augustana College, Senior Partner Claude W. Schutter (Dec), Senior Partner

Johnson, Heidepriem & Abdallah, LLP, Senior Partner $125,000 gift to provide a salary supplement to an outstanding Law School faculty member who specializes in the teaching of trial advocacy.

SD Continuing Legal Education, Inc., Senior Partner Lindquist & Vennum PLLP, Senior Partner

SD Continuing Legal Education, Inc., Senior Partner

Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith P.C., Senior Partner

ALPS/Law School Foundation Golf Tournament, Partner Alyssa Taber, Partner

Barbara Butler (Dec), PartnerCadwell, Sanford, Deibert & Garry, LLP, Partner Crazy Horse Memorial Foundation, Partner DSEA Wong Foundation, Partner Elizabeth A. Rosenbaum, P.C., Partner Frances Biegelmeier Lowenstein, PartnerKatharine W. Richards, PartnerKPMG Foundation, Partner Lorys H. Eiesland, PartnerState Bar of South Dakota, PartnerThomas E. Geu, PartnerBank of America Charitable Foundation,

Golden Advocate ConAgra Foods Inc., Golden Advocate

Covidien, Golden Advocate Delta Theta Phi Foundation, Inc., Golden

Advocate Green, Roby, Oviatt, Cummings & Linngren LLP, Golden Advocate Karla D. McCallister, Golden AdvocateKolker Law Office, Golden Advocate Lynne D. Day, Golden AdvocateMurphy Law Office, P.C., Golden AdvocateNasser Law Offices, Golden AdvocateNelson Law Office, P.C., Golden AdvocateAmerican Bar Endowment, Century Advocate Beardsley, Jensen & Von Wald, Prof. L.L.C., Century Advocate Carol M. Zielike, Century Advocate Colleen K. Tucker, Century Advocate Elizabeth A. Vonalt, Century Advocate Emma Laird, Century Advocate Frohling Law Office, Century AdvocateGail H. Young, Century Advocate Hollmann Law Office, Century Advocate Janklow Law Firm Prof, LLC, Century Advocate Julie L. Brink, Century Advocate Julie M. Bernard, Century Advocate Keith A. Goehring, Century Advocate Kenneth L. MacRitchie, Century Advocate Kinney Law PC, Century Advocate Lucy S. Elliott, Century Advocate Mumford & Protsch Law Office,

Century Advocate Nathan L. Buller, Century Advocate Peter Quist, Century Advocate Roger M. Baron, Century AdvocateSally J. Cummins, Century AdvocateSandra J. Zinter, Century AdvocateSarah E. Houy, Century AdvocateSioux Falls Area Community Foundation,

Century AdvocateSrstka & Srstka, Century AdvocateSteele Law & Mediation, Century Advocate

Thomson Reuters LLC, Century AdvocateU.S. Bancorp Foundation, Century Advocate Von Wald Law Offices, Century Advocate Whiting, Haag & Haag, Century Advocate Wilde & Hunt Prof. LLC, Century Advocate William K. Sauck, Century AdvocateWipf & Cotton, Century AdvocateWorden-Wachsmuth Law Ofc.,Century AdvocateZieser & Rothschadl Law Office,

Century AdvocateAnonymous, Supporters & Friends Casey Deibert, Supporters & Friends Catherine Hall, Supporters & Friends Charles W. Buttz, Supporters & Friends Charlie Gross, Supporters & Friends Cynthia Painter, Supporters & Friends David R. Gienapp, Supporters & Friends Denise M. Teesdale, Supporters & Friends Evelyn Charlson, Supporters & Friends Fassnight Meadows Association, Inc.,

Supporters & Friends Frederick B. Gullett, Supporters & Friends

H. Scott Aalsberg, Esq., P.C., Supporters & Friends

Helen E. Olsen, Supporters & Friends Jean C. Dahlinger, Supporters & Friends John C. Gross, Supporters & Friends Joyce De Maro, Supporters & Friends Karras Family Foundation, Supporters & Friends Keva Aberle, Supporters & FriendsKristin N. Wheeler, Supporters & Friends Legacy Financial Group, Inc., Supporters

& Friends Mary Habeck, Supporters & Friends Mary Q. Fry, Supporters & Friends Meierhenry Sargent LLP, Supporters & Friends Microsoft Corporation, Supporters & Friends Peter G. Guthrie, Supporters & Friends Reefa Y. Hanenberger, Supporters & Friends Ron Ollis, Supporters & Friends Sheela L. Stuart, Supporters & Friends Steve Adams, Supporters & FriendsSteven J. Oberg, Supporters & FriendsTheodore R. Muenster, Supporters & FriendsWebster Arms A Partnership, Supporters

& Friends

Senior PartnersALPSAugustana CollegeClaude W. Schutter (Dec)Johnson, Heidepriem & Abdallah, LLP Lindquist & Vennum, PLLPSD Continuing Legal Education Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith P.C.

PartnersALPS/Law School Foundation Golf Tournament Alyssa TaberBarbara Butler (Dec)Cadwell, Sanford, Deibert & Garry, LLP

Crazy Horse Memorial FoundationDSEA Wong Foundation Elizabeth A. Rosenbaum, P.C.Frances Biegelmeier LowensteinKatharine W. RichardsKPMG FoundationLorys H. EieslandState Bar of South DakotaThomas E. Geu

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Participating Alumni/Friends 2012–2013The School of Law each year attempts to collect the names of all the lawyers and judges who contributed, in some respect, to the success of our academic program. In addition to those listed in the Honor Roll of Donors for their financial support, we offer sincere thanks to those listed below who gave their time and expertise. Without all of you, we would not be the great school we are. We apologize to anyone we may have inadvertently omitted from the list.

Aaron McGowanAaron SalbergAdam HoierAlan PetersonAlecia FullerAlex Hagen Anthony HohnHon. Arthur RuschAshley Parr Beth RoeslerBlayne Hagen Bob WichserHon. Bradley Zell Brendan Johnson Brian Bauer Hon. Brian Gosch Catherine PiersolCatherine SchlimgenChad Jungman Chad Nelson Hon. Charles Kornmann Cheryl Three Stars ValandraHon. Cheryle GeringClint SargentCurt Mortenson Dana FrohlingHon. David Gienapp Hon. David GilbertsonDavid WhitesockHon. Dennis Daugaard Derek NelsonDoug BarnettDoug Cummings Duane AndersonEd Evans Elizabeth RosenbaumEllen Kappmeyer Ellie Bailey Eric PreheimEric SchulteGeorge Hirschbach George Johnson Hon. Glen Eng Hon. Glen Severson Henry EvansHilary WilliamsonGreg Huckabee Gregg PetermanHeather Bogard

Hon. J.R. LaPlantePres. James AbbottHon. Janine Kern Jason KrauseJay DenneHon. Jeff Davis Jeff LarsonHon. Jeff VikenJennifer WilliamsJeremy RoemenJerry MillerJesse Perkins Jim PowerJim Seward Hon. John KonenkampHon. John Schlimgen Hon. John Simko Hon. Joni Cutler Joe DyllaJoseph HaasHon. Joseph Neiles Hon. Judith Meierhenry Judith RobertsJustin Goetz Karen Hunt Hon. Karen SchreierKari MouwHon. Kathleen Caldwell Hon. Kathleen TrandahlKenny JacobsKevin Loftus Kim AllisonKrista TschetterHon. Larry Long Hon. Lawrence Piersol Leo Disburg Linda Kogel Lisa Maguire Lisa RothschadlHon. Lori Wilbur Hon. Marc Feinstein Marilyn Hagberg Mark EkseMark HaighMark Meierhenry Hon. Mark Salter Mark WelterMarshall LovrienHon. Marty Jackley

Mary AkkermanHon. Mary Thorstenson Matt Bock Matthew DorothyHon. Matt Michels Meghan DilgesMeghann JoyceMelissa HintonMichael Roche Michael LuceMitch Martin Mitch Morrison Mitch PetersonMorgan BrekkePamela BollwegHon. Patricia RiepelPatrick Burns Patrick GoetzingerHon. Patrick Kiner Pete GregoryHon. Peter Lieberman PJ JenningsRichard Casey Richard CutlerHon. Richard Engels Richard EricssonHon. Richard Sabers Robert FriebergRobert Hayes Hon. Robert MillerRobert RiterHon. Robert Ulrich Hon. Roger WollmanRoy Wise Ryan KolbeckRyan SnellSabrina LaFleur-SaylerSamuel Goodhope Sandy McKeownScott Abdallah Scott McGregorHon. Scott MyrenScott Swier Hon. Sean O’Brien Shelly Munson Sheridan AndersonSidney Strange Stacy Hegge Stephanie Chase

Stephanie Pochop Steve SiegelHon. Steven Jensen Hon. Steven Zinter Hon. Susan Sabers Hon. Tami Bern Teddi GertsmaHon. Terry Huitink Hon. Thomas Deadrick Hon. Tim Tucker Hon. Timothy Bjorkman Timothy LangleyTom BarnettTom DaviesTom Frieberg Tom Welk Traci Smith Hon. Veronica DuffyVictoria RekerHon. Wally Eklund William Garry Hon. William Gerdes William Kunstle William Larson William Van Camp


donoRS

George L. Hirschbach Law Library/John F. Hagemann Book Fred J. Homeyer ScholarshipPreben C. & Christine Hvistendahl Horace R. & Dorothy L. Jackson Award John Wesley Jackson Outstanding Faculty Award E.O. Jones, B.C. Matthews & E.G. Jones Memorial Library John W. Larson/Delta Theta Phi Mary J. Leamy H. Lauren Lewis Law School Enrichment H. Lauren Lewis Faculty Development Robert B. & Kevin E. Looby Scholarship Kelton S. Lynn ScholarshipSam Masten Award William R. McCann Memorial Scholarship McKusick Law LibraryJudith & Mark Meierhenry Family Lyman & Lucille Melby Brian B. Meyer Scholarship George S. Mickelson Law School Scholarship George T. Mickelson Law School Scholarship Ruth M. West & Lloyd R. Moses McKusick Law Library Ruth M. West & Lloyd R. Moses Scholarship Theodore R. Muenster, Jr. Judge Fred Nichol Memorial Scholarship Michael F. Pieplow Scholarship Thomas E. Poe, Jr. Law Library Research Assistant Donald I. Porter Memorial Scholarship Kurt Preszler Memorial Gene E. Pruitt Scholarship Susie Radigan Memorial Roy K. Rietz Scholarship Riter Family Memorial Scholarship Max Royhl Memorial William K. Sahr Law School Foundation Scholarship M.Q. & Emily Sharpe and Lorena Sharpe Leedy Scholarship Donald R. Shultz Stanley E. Siegel Memorial Scholarship Harry & Marie Siver Scholarship Deming Smith Memorial Marion R. Smyser Jurist-In-Residence Program Cindy Spears Memorial Georgiabelle & Erwin Stainbrook State Bar RPPT Law AwardW. Richard Stengel Research Scholarship Gayla Gull Worthington Memorial Native American Law Students Association Leslie C. & Gertrude L. Winters Scholarship Jerry Norgren Environmental Law Scholarship Harvey J. & Alwayne B. Gunderson Law Teaching

Myrtle M. Smith ScholarshipFrank & Louise Fischer (Sahr Award)Flynn Family Scholarship Kenneth E. Raschke Memorial Scholarship Winkler/Lovre Family Law P. Daniel & Laura Donohue Scholarship Law School General Alan Cross Tax Scholarship Law School Honors Scholarship Everett A. Bogue Memorial Law Scholarship Roy E. Willy-Law George Applegate Scholarship J.Timon Burke Memorial Scholarship The Honorable Peder K. Ecker Memorial Scholarship FundM. Plin Beebe Memorial Scholarship Alan Bogue Memorial Law Awards & Scholarship George Jonathan Danforth Memorial Law ScholarshipFrancis J. Dillon Law School FundLevi B., W.W. & Louis B. French Memorial Scholarship Edward Hope Marshall, Alice & Francis McKusick Thomas SterlingEleanor Keuter Law ScholarshipMary W. Hanson-Law SchoolProfessor Frank J. and Ruth Ann Slagle ScholarshipIrlbeck/Housker Law School Faculty Business Law & Tax USD Law School State BarHannah Anderson UCC PrizeAlan L. AustinBangs, McCullen, Butler, Foye & Simmons Joseph H. Barnett Memorial Justice Frank Biegelmeier Andrew & Elizabeth Bogue Law Student Scholarship William F. Brady Memorial Scholarship Joseph M. Butler Scholarship Dwight Campbell Memorial Gary G. Colbath, Sr. Costello, Porter, Hill, Nelson Heisterkamp & Bushnell Fred & Luella Cozad Scholarship George J. Danforth, Jr. Memorial Law Scholarship James E. Doyle Scholarship Justice James M. Doyle Scholarship Elinor M. & Robert E. Driscoll, Jr. Mary L. Drury Ellsworth E. Evans Memorial Hubbard Freemont Fellows Scholarship Clark. Y. Gunderson Memorial Edwin J. Hadd Law School Scholarship Roland W. Hagemann Prize in Water Law Philo I. Hall Herbert A. Heidepriem Memorial Scholarship

Endowed FundsPartners in Excellence


WINTER 2013/14 | 35

Associate Dean Tom Sorensen retired in December 2013 after more than 13 years at the USD School of Law and 20 years with the State of South Dakota. Among the areas of service and contribution to USD and the School of Law were Sorensen’s oversight of academic affairs, policy and support; media, public and alumni relations; student recruitment; and as director of the summer externship law course. “You could say I have enjoyed the aspects and duties of being ‘number one’ to two ‘captains,’ Barry Vickrey and Tom Geu, in our service to students and the profession here,” said Sorensen. “I have also been fortunate to work closely with Assistant Dean Angela Ericson, the excellent faculty, and a very special group of staff members. “A couple of my closest friends still tease me sometimes and ask ‘you’re associate dean of what?’ and it reminds me how lucky I have been to work with all of these interesting, talented and intelligent people,” he said. “Add that I had opportunities to rub shoulders with and serve justices, judges, great guest speakers, members of the bars, and alums and I’m really humbled. I am absolutely honored to have been included in this professional and friendly community.” Prior to his service in the legal profession, Sorensen’s work spanned two decades in various positions in the region as a radio news director and journalist, often moderating political debates and other public panel discussions. Sorensen briefly practiced law with Bogue, Weeks & Collier on Main Street Vermillion, including serving as deputy city attorney.

Before law school, he had served two terms as an alderman on the Vermillion City Council and spent more than two decades in broadcast journalism. Sorensen had served as news and public affairs director for KSOO radio in Sioux Falls, WDAY radio in Fargo, N.D. and South Dakota Public Broadcasting radio (KUSD radio) in Vermillion. He also worked as a news writer for the Associated Press in Bismarck, N.D. before returning to Vermillion. During those years he was elected

four times as president of the South Dakota Associated Press Broadcasters and served one term as president of the Sioux Falls Area Press Association. “Dean Sorensen is a very loyal USD alumnus and a tireless advocate for the School of Law and for its students,” Dean Tom Geu said. “I have always valued his talents as an effective communicator and important and knowledgeable representative of the Law School.” Sorensen is a native of Vermillion and received his B.L.S. with a minor emphasis in Native American studies, including Lakota language, and J.D. degrees at USD. Upon returning to Vermillion in the mid-1980s, Sorensen rejoined the fire department as an active member and certified instructor. He had served as a medic in the 730th Medical Company Clearing (field hospital), South Dakota National Guard, honorably discharged in 1978. Sorensen and his wife, Mary, have three grown daughters and three grandchildren.

Associate Dean Sorensen Retires


Gratitude and the Sounds of Silence A university capital campaign is an interesting animal. Its components emerge from a laborious assessment of needs and feasibility. Once the most critical and achievable objectives are identified, the campaign rolls into an oddly labeled “silent phase.” That’s when people like me talk openly about leadership opportunities and momentum in the build up to the “public phase.” The transition to the public phase of a capital campaign is special because it’s the point at which campaign leaders stand celebrated and united, poised to influence others to demonstrate their own commitment and leadership. A large campaign lasts several years, mostly in some form of a public phase. The beauty of such an ambitious undertaking is that lives and institutions are changed forever. I hope it’s an open secret at this point that the USD School of Law is in the silent phase of Onward: The Campaign for South Dakota, the first major campaign in the law school’s 112-year history. Law school needs total roughly $19 million, and private investment will enhance these areas:

1. Scholarships ($5 million) — Even with comparatively low tuition and fee costs, 90 percent of USD law students must borrow money. In 2012, the median debt of graduating students was roughly $54,000.

2. Program Enrichment ($500,000) — Co-curricular activities provide students important opportunities to customize their education and find their passion. The law school seeks support to better fund, sustain and expand these programs.

3. Endowed Chairs & Professorships ($1.5 million) — Students realize their potential when inspired by highly qualified professors. With a wave of faculty retirements on the horizon, funding is needed now to help attract and retain quality teachers.

4. Construction/Renovation ($12 million) — Construction and renovation at the 32-year-old law

school building will create the attractive, high-tech and functional learning environment beneficial to both students and the public they will serve. Naming rights are available for the school of law, school of law building, law library, courtroom, offices and classrooms.

As we move toward a projected public phase launch of October 2014, I invite you to join the ranks of leaders like Orrin Estebo ‘71, whose $1 million gift will add common space to our law school; Carlyle Richards ’60 and his wife, Sheila, whose $100,000 gift will address general law school needs; the law firm of Johnson, Heidepriem & Abdallah, whose $125,000 pledge created a trial advocacy fellowship; and the law firm of Cutler & Donahoe, whose $125,000 endowed gift established a teaching award that will annually reward deserving law faculty. The Onward South Dakota campaign presents real challenges and real opportunities. It belongs to all alumni and friends of the USD School of Law, providing an unprecedented opportunity to leave a lasting legacy and, most importantly, open doors for very talented and deserving students. Demonstrate your leadership. Whether it’s through a multi-year cash pledge, revocable estate pledge or a more sophisticated planned giving vehicle, the USD Foundation is prepared to bring your philanthropic vision to fruition. Please contact me at [email protected] or 605-670-4256 with any questions, concerns or ideas. Thank you so much for your ongoing support! Will you be at our side when October 2014 arrives?

Nick A. Kotzea, ‘04 B.S., ‘08 J.D. Director of Development USD School of Law

Current-fund annual gifts are crucial to the everyday operations of our law school. They are the primary funding source for student programming. These gifts are initiated by donors and solicited by the USD Foundation’s Annual Giving staff.

FY2010: 219 unique donors $73,516.10 FY2012: 210 unique donors $65,431.65FY2011: 217 unique donors $82,431.28 FY2013: 227 unique donors $74,719.28

mailto:[email protected]

Law School Advisory Council

William M. Van Camp, Jr.6th Circuit

Mary A. Akkerman2nd Circuit

Thomas C. Barnett, Jr.Ex-Officio

(State Bar Exec. Sec.)

Heather Lammers Bogard

4th Circuit

Pamela R. BollwegEx-Officio

(LS Committee Chair)

Kent CutlerAt-Large

Thomas H. FriebergEx-Officio

(Bar Pres.–Elect)

Dennis L. Duncan1st Circuit

Richard L. Ericsson3rd Circuit

William C. Garry2nd Circuit

Thomas E. GeuEx-Officio(LS Dean)

Hon. David GilbertsonEx-Officio

(SCSD Chief)

Marilyn J. HagbergAt-Large

Brian Hagg7th Circuit

Robert E. HayesAt-Large

Terry L. HoferEx-Officio(Bar Pres.)

Chad C. Nelson3rd Circuit

Nick A. KotzeaEx-Officio (non-voting,

USD Foundation)

Not pictured: Joseph Ashley Parr

7th Circuit

Karen Paige Hunt Secretary4th Circuit

Reed A. Rasmussen VP5th Circuit

Robert C. Ritter, Jr.6th Circuit

Lisa Z. Rothschadl1st Circuit

Roy A. Wise, President5th Circuit

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDABPCSCHOOL OF LAW

414 East Clark Street • Vermillion, SD 57069-2390

a life of philanthropy - usdapps.usd.edu/administrative/flip/law-school-2013... · a life of...

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