USD Knudson School of Law Alumni Honored for Their Legacy
Among those carrying on that legacy are the Riter family and Doyle Estes, who represented the law school with distinction as they were honored at the USD Foundation & Alumni Association’s 2025 Unleash Your Legacy Alumni Achievement Awards.
A Profound Legacy: The Commitment and Impact of Doyle Estes
Estes graduated from USD’s law school in 1975 and began his career as an assistant attorney general to South Dakota Attorney General William Janklow. After achieving a specialization degree in tax law from New York University, Estes moved to Rapid City.
His experience in higher education has taken him across the country and put him in rooms he never imagined having the opportunity to see. But for Estes, South Dakota has always been home.
“My family has been out here since the 1880s. They homesteaded out in the Black Hills, so my heart is in South Dakota, and having gone to USD I knew people throughout the state,” said Estes. “I really didn’t care to practice anywhere else but South Dakota.”
Today Estes and his wife of 35 years give back by supporting access to education for everyone. They have gifted land for Black Hills State University as well as two K-12 schools and two parks in the Rapid City area.
Estes has donated his time to many organizations, including the Pennington County Bar Association, the West River Estate Planning Council, The Dahl Foundation, The South Dakota Banking Commission, Regional Health Network, Children’s Home Society Network, South Dakota Friends of Public Broadcasting and Rapid City Regional Hospital Foundation. He currently serves on the South Dakota Directors of Educational Telecommunications Board.
His advice to those just starting their legal careers: “Get involved as much as you can, work hard and have guts.”
The Legacy Family of the Year: 90 Years of the Riters
Robert Riter Sr. earned a Juris Doctorate from the USD Knudson School of Law in 1935. His sons, Charles and Robert Jr., graduated from USD’s law school in 1966 and 1973, respectively. The third generation of Riters to matriculate at the Knudson School of Law included Lindsay Riter-Rapp, J.D. ’02 and Matthew Riter, J.D. ’05.
Together they have over 180 years of experience as practicing legal professionals in South Dakota.
Robert Sr. and Robert Jr. both served as president of the South Dakota State Bar. Robert Jr. felt inspired to form connections between the bar and USD’s law school because he witnessed his father’s efforts to found the State Bar USD Law School Committee.
“One of the things my father worked so hard at in his capacity as bar president was to establish a law school committee of the bar,” said Robert Jr. “I watched that, and when I was able to serve on committees, that was the first one I wanted to be on.”
Members of the Riter family have used their legal education to help them fulfill a myriad of roles. They have lobbied in the state government, worked with the Internal Revenue Service, served as assistant attorney general, been president of the State Bar Association and ran successful private practice firms.
Robert Sr. opened Riter Rogers LLP, in Pierre, South Dakota, shortly after moving to the state capital in 1939. Forty-four years later, the firm remains the family business.
“I had the opportunity to practice law with my dad for twenty years, and Lindsey has been with us for 19 years,” said Robert Jr. “Being able to work with my father intensified my devotion to the law practice and helped me ensure that I practice in an honorable manner that he would be proud of.”
Riter-Rapp remembers visiting the office with her dad as a young girl. Witnessing what her father, grandfather and their associates did as lawyers motivated her to follow in their footsteps.
“Seeing my father not only practice law but lobbying at the capitol, seeing how you can use your law degree in different ways, intrigued me,” said Riter-Rapp. “That and the love I have for writing are the reasons I followed both my grandfather and father on this path.”
Being honored with the Legacy Family of Year Award affirmed a belief for Robert Jr.
“It confirms to us that our relationship with the law school and the whole university is important,” said Robert Jr.
The next generation of Riters are still in high school, but Riter-Rapp thinks her son, George, may continue the legacy.
“Recently he [George] has expressed an interest in business, and that is my dad’s background,” said Riter-Rapp. “You never know what career path your children might take, but I would certainly be pleased if he decided to take this path.”
You May Also Like
Excellence in Teaching: Faculty Impact
At the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law, exceptional teaching isn’t simply a tradition—it’s a core value.
Excellence at Work: Celebrating the Class of 2025
Recent graduates of the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law have stepped into the legal profession with confidence. They left the halls of USD’s law school equipped with the knowledge to pursue their dream careers.
Capitol Hill Excellence
With their J.D. in hand, several University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law alumni have pursued careers in the nation’s most powerful legal hallways. Their journeys illustrate how a law school in the Midwest can be the launching point for successful careers on Capitol Hill.
