2023 Highlights from the Knudson School of Law
From participating in legal clinics to winning prestigious awards, the USD Knudson School of Law community upheld the principles of excellence, service and leadership in 2023.
Read more about some of the major accomplishments and highlights from the law school over the last year.
- On March 9, then first-year law student Jessa Howes was announced as the winner of the 2023 Sam Masten Moot Court Competition, a competition that provides law students with the opportunity to gain experience in appellate oral arguments and further develop their advocacy skills.
- In March, seven law students consulted with clients and assisted with estate planning on the Rosebud Reservation as part of the pro bono Tribal Wills Clinic. Not only did students gain meaningful hands-on experience, but clients also received legal assistance specifically for their needs at no cost.
- Also in March, six law students, led by Joy Moore, visiting instructor of legal writing, hosted an Immigration Clinic in Sioux City, Iowa, to help applicants overcome obstacles to U.S. citizenship.
- In April, the law school hosted the 2023 Gunderson Lecture, which featured Mary Smith, J.D., president-elect of the American Bar Association and the first Native American woman to serve in the role. Smith spoke about legal issues and opportunities surrounding Indian country, and collaboration among law schools and legal professionals.
- During the spring semester, Professor Hannah Haksgaard, J.D., was announced as a recipient of the USD Belbas-Larson Award for Excellence in Teaching. Haksgaard, who was honored in the tenured category, teaches Family Law, Property, Modern Real Estate Transactions, and Reproduction & the Law.
- In May, the Knudson School of Law celebrated 59 class of 2023 graduates.
- In September, the Veterans Legal Education Group hosted its annual Fall Legal Clinic in Rapid City, South Dakota, providing legal assistance to more than 40 veterans.
- On September 21-22, the South Dakota Law Review hosted its annual Symposium on Rural Lawyers, which included a diverse lineup of speakers from a multitude of backgrounds and a keynote address by South Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Steven R. Jensen.
- In October, the USD Knudson School of Law hosted a dedication ceremony for the nine newly installed flags representing the Native American tribes of South Dakota. Several prominent figures spoke at the event, including USD President Sheila K. Gestring; Knudson School of Law Dean Neil Fulton, J.D.; Maranda Herman ’23, J.D.; Seth Pearman ’12, J.D.; USD Native American Law Student Association President Marilyn Allen; and Judge Andrew Robertson ’12, J.D.
- Throughout the fall 2023 semester, students in the Harlan-McKusick Senate gave back to the Heartland Humane Society in Yankton, South Dakota, in several capacities, including a donation of $700 and volunteering their time at the shelter.
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