South Dakota Law Review Symposium on Rural Lawyers

 

Details for the 2024 South Dakota Law Review Symposium are forthcoming. The South Dakota Law Review Symposium on Rural Lawyers was held on Thursday, Sept. 21, and Friday, Sept. 22, at the Knudson School of Law. 

The symposium is approved for 9.5 hours of CLE credit in Nebraska, 9.5 hours of CLE credit in Iowa and 5.75 hours of CLE credit in Minnesota. Each state has also approved one hour of ethics CLE credit for our Rural Professional Responsibility Panel on Friday, Sept. 22, from 8:15-9:15 a.m.

Access the recording for Thursday's programming here.

Access the recording for Friday's programming here.


Schedule:

Thursday, Sept. 21:
  • 9-9:05 a.m.:  Welcome | Knudson School of Law Courtroom 
  • 9:05-10:15 a.m.:  Rural Indigent Criminal Defense Panel | Knudson School of Law Courtroom
    Panel discussion about the roles of rural defense attorneys and with the issues that face rural defendants.
    Moderator: Dean Neil Fulton - Knudson School of Law
    Panel: South Dakota Sixth Circuit Judge Bobbi Rank, Attorney Brent Matter, Attorney Justin Bell, and Attorney Tom Sannes
  • 10:30-11:45 a.m.:  Rural Prosecutor Panel | Knudson School of Law Courtroom
    Panel discussion about the roles of rural prosecutors and  the issues that face rural prosecutors.
    Moderator: Professor Maybell Romero - Tulane Law
    Panel: Professor Quinn Yeargain - Widener Law, Professor Margaret Raymond - University of Wisconsin Law, Flandreau Attorney General Seth Pearman, and Associate Director of Advancement Elaine Yellow Horse – Thunder Valley CDC
  • Noon-12:30 p.m.: Lunch and Unsettling Expectations and Expertise to Address Rural Attorney Shortages | Al Neuharth Media Center
    Dr. Michele Statz, from the University of Minnesota Medical School, will speak during the lunch hour about the rural lawyer shortage and address solutions including how to recruit, retain, and sustain rural legal professionals.
  • 1-2:15 p.m.:  How Other States and Industries Draw Talent to Rural Areas Panel | Al Neuharth Media Center
    Panel discussion with attorneys from different states about what other states have done in addressing the rural attorney shortage.
    Moderator: Dr. Michele Statz - University of Minnesota Medical School
    Panel: Professor Maybell Romero - Tulane Law, Professor Lisa Pruitt – UC Davis Law, and Professor Anthony Schutz – Nebraska College of Law, Alan Romero – Wyoming College of Law
  • 2:30-3:45 p.m.:  10 Year History of South Dakota Project Rural Practice Panel | Al Neuharth Media Center
    Members of the South Dakota bar will discuss the history of South Dakota’s Project Rural Practice and the ten years since its beginning.
    Moderator: Attorney Kelsea Kenzy Sutton
    Panel: Chief Justice David Gilbertson, Attorney Bob Morris, Attorney Pat Goetzinger, Attorney Rachelle Norberg, and Professor Ryan McKnight
  • 4 p.m.:  Keynote Address | Knudson School of Law Courtroom 
    The keynote address will be given by South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven Jensen
  • 5:30 p.m.:  Evening Dinner & Social | CeeCee's 605 Scratch Kitchen & Bar
     
Friday, Sept. 22:
  • 8:15-9:15 a.m.:  Professional Responsibility Issues Affecting Rural Lawyers | Knudson School of Law Courtroom
    Panel discussion about ethical issues facing rural attorneys.
    Moderator: Professor John Cook - William H. Bowen School of Law, 
    Panel: North Dakota Supreme Court Justice Daniel Crothers, Professor Rebecca Feldmann - William H. Bowen School of Law, Professor Tom Simmons – Knudson School of Law, and United States District Judge Daniel Traynor
  • 9:30-10:30 a.m.:  Rural Community and Attorney Data Panel | Knudson School of Law Courtroom
    Panel discussion about rural data including issues, tracking, and compilation.
    Moderator: Professor Lisa Pruitt – UC Davis Law
    Panel: Professor Aleks Schaefer - Oklahoma State University, Professor Andrew Van Leuven - Oklahoma State University, Professor Brian Farrell - University of Iowa College of Law, Professor Daria Fischer Page - University of Iowa College of Law, Third-Year Law Student Bryce Drapeaux – Knudson School of Law, and Professor Hannah Haksgaard - Knudson School of Law
  • 10:45-11:45 a.m.:  Teaching and Scholarship Panel | Knudson School of Law Courtroom
    Panel discussion with academics about what teaching methods and scholarship will benefit attorneys entering rural practice. 
    Moderator: Professor Hannah Haksgaard - Knudson School of Law
    Panel: Attorney Amanda Kool, Professor Lisa Pruitt - UC Davis Law, Professor Melissa L. Kidder - Claude W. Pettit College of Law, Professor Kelly Collinsworth - Southern Illinois University School of Law, and Professor Marilyn Trefz – Knudson School of Law
  • Noon–12:30 p.m.:  Experience from the Field – Rural Lawyers Panel and Lunch | Al Neuharth Media Center
    Panel discussion with rural South Dakota attorneys about their practice and experience as a rural attorney. 
    Moderator: Volume 69 Symposium Editor Trevor Case – Knudson School of Law
    Panel: Attorney Kelsea Kenzy Sutton, Attorney Willie Hustead, and Dakota Plains Legal Services Executive Director Thomas Mortland 
  • 1 p.m.:  Rural Career Fair | Knudson School of Law
    USD Knudson School of Law’s Career Services will be hosting a Rural Career Fair following the symposium. 

If you are a rural law firm in South Dakota and are interested in networking with students after the conclusion of the symposium on Friday, email Teramie Hill at Teramie.Hill@usd.edu or register here for the “Stay in South Dakota” career fair on Friday afternoon.

Thank you to our generous meal sponsors. We would especially like to thank the SD Bar Foundation for their sponsorship of the Thursday evening meal provided through the generosity of the Cozad Fund. The South Dakota Law would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our following lunch sponsors for their generous donations: Johnson, Pochop, & Bartling Law Office, LLP; Delaney, Nielsen, & Sannes PC; Whalen Law Office P.C.; May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP; Gunderson, Palmer, Nelson & Ashmore, LLP; and the Morris Law Firm Prof. LLC..

The south Dakota state bar logo.Text that says South Dakota Bar Foundation.Text that says Project Rural Practice.

Text that says G P N A, Gunderson, Palmer, Nelson and Ashmore L L P.Text that says Morris Law Firm.Text that says Y L S, State Bar of South Dakota Young Lawyers Section.

The Delaney Nielsen Sannes Logo in red.The logo of the Johnson Law Office with a scale in blue.Brown text that says May Adam since 1881.Black text that says Whalen Law Office PC.