Yankton County Lawyers

Charles Gullickson is a Financial Services lawyer at Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP in Sioux Falls, SD. Financial and insurance regulatory matters make up a substantial portion of Chuck’s practice. He devotes a significant amount of time to such banking law matters as lending transactions, loan documentation, bank acquisitions and branching, and Chuck advises banking clients regularly on regulatory matters and oversight of third party vendors and servicers, and credit card lending and securitizations. Chuck also handles various insurance regulatory matters and serves as Executive Director and General Counsel for the South Dakota Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association....

Kristi has been with Davenport Evans since 1995. Her practice is focused upon representing employers and insurers in all stages of workers’ compensation and employment matters. She regularly provides advice to clients on compensability issues and defenses involved with workers’ compensation claims before litigation is commenced, but also continues to assist them by defending litigated claims before the Department of Labor and on appeal. Employers also look to her for guidance and the aggressive defense of Title VII cases involving claims of harassment and discrimination, claims involving other laws that impact employers, such as the ADA and FMLA, as well...

Scott Abdallah is the managing partner of Johnson Janklow Abdallah, LLP. His practice is focused almost exclusively in the area of trial work and civil litigation, including business litigation, personal injury, wrongful death and products liability. Scott has been recognized extensively for his litigation skills. He is one of only five South Dakota attorneys who are members of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, which recognizes only the top 1% of practicing attorneys in the United States. He has been continuously selected for inclusion in the national publication, The Best Lawyers in America, and is one of only fifteen...

Mark J. Welter was born and raised in Yankton, South Dakota; and Mark has lived in South Dakota his whole life. Mark earned a business degree at the University of South Dakota, and his law degree at the University of South Dakota School of Law. Mark then worked two years as a law clerk for John B. Jones, U.S. District Judge, District South Dakota, Southern Division. Mark then worked for 15 years as an insurance defense personal injury trial lawyer and worker’s compensation lawyer for Woods, Fuller, Schultz & Smith P.C. in Sioux Falls, defending clients against...

South Dakota lawyer Brendan Reilly joined Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP in 1998. Brendan’s practice encompasses a wide area but he works most frequently in general corporate law, from the formation of new legal entities to the merger or purchase of existing companies. Brendan also focuses on a variety of real estate and land use matters, and assists clients with matters related to health care, intellectual property, and general contract preparation and negotiation.

Brendan enhanced his practice and gained invaluable business experience as COO and General Counsel for a large national executive search firm prior to rejoining Davenport Evans as...

Amanda Engel grew up in South Dakota and returned there after a brief excursion into North Dakota for a few years. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of North Dakota with a B.A. in political science and then University of North Dakota School of Law with cum laude honors. In 2012 she was admitted to practice law in South Dakota.

Doug Hajek is a business and financial institutions attorney at Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP in Sioux Falls, SD. A Tyndall, SD native, Doug didn’t enter the practice of law on the usual path. After graduating from college in 1972, Doug began a 10-year career in banking — first, as a commercial lender with US Bank in Rapid City, then in Minneapolis managing the company’s system-wide commercial loan participation pool, and finally, managing Western Bank’s mortgage banking operation in Sioux Falls. Doug entered law school in 1982 and graduated in 1985, with a practice in corporate law, public finance,...

Mark Ekse - Registered Patent Attorney and Member of the State Bar of South Dakota. Mark’s practice focus includes licensing, trademark and copyright law. He also represents clients involved in patent disputes, infringement cases and intellectual property cases. Mark represents clients needing legal guidance with registering and protecting software and computer technology, electronic commerce and digital enterprise, as well as trade secret protection and disputes. Mark is registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Mark currently serves as an adjunct professor of Patent Law and Intellectual Property at the University of South Dakota. He received his undergraduate...

South Dakota lawyer Mitch Peterson is a partner focused on commercial litigation. As such, he assists both large and small clients, as well as individuals, with claims arising out of commercial transactions. He also does a significant amount of general litigation work for both companies and individuals.

This work includes litigation, trials, arbitration, and appellate work in the following areas: conditional use permits and variances, confidential information, construction, contracts, copyright, corporate/ownership, estate/probate, land use, non-competition and non-solicitation, non-disclosure agreements, product liability, professional services/negligence (legal, architectural, engineering, accounting, software development, financial services), real estate, sales of businesses, sales of goods, technology/software,...

Don McCarty is a native of Wakonda, SD and received his juris doctor from the University of South Dakota (USD) in 1996. He joined the firm shortly after graduation and became a partner in 2001. Don’s general practice includes criminal law, family law and divorce, personal injury, worker’s compensation, business law and Social Security Disability. Don serves as a member of the South Dakota Army National Guard. He and his wife, Ann, have a daughter and son.

My commitment to each client is to achieve results that exceed expectations by providing high quality, personalized legal services. My commitment to each small business client is to provide high quality, creative, and results-oriented legal services and to serve as a primary resource in all aspects of the client's growth and development througout the formation, operations, and termination stages of the business life cycle.

Keith Gauer is a Financial Services lawyer at Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP in Sioux Falls, SD. His practice is focused on the representation of banks and companies involved in the development, marketing, and distribution of financial services. He regularly counsels banks with respect to the negotiation and drafting of agreements related to national financial products, including contracts relating to credit card products, prepaid cards, student loans, and other national products. While representing payment card issuers, Keith also regularly works on agreements to document the transfer of card portfolios between institutions. In connection with payment card programs, Keith has...

Rebecca Wilson founded Wilson Legal Planning after practicing in the field of estate planning and elder law for 18 years. Rebecca’s practice throughout her career has been focused on estate planning, elder law, probate and trust administration. She enjoys working with her clients to help them understand their options and choose the best fit for their family. Rebecca received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Yale University with distinction. She graduated cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School. Rebecca is a member of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys, the Sioux...

South Dakota lawyer Matt Van Heuvelen is a partner in the business law section at Davenport Evans. Matt, who is licensed to practice in South Dakota and Iowa, focuses his practice on dynasty trusts and trust administration, business transactions, estate planning, probate, tax planning and fiduciary litigation. Clients he represents include individuals, families, trustees, bank trust departments, trust companies, financial advisors, businesses and charitable organizations. Matt is a member of American Bar Association, the State Bar of South Dakota, the Iowa State Bar Association and the Sioux Falls Estate Planning Council. While in law school at the University of Iowa,...

Robert E. Hayes is a Financial Services lawyer at Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP in Sioux Falls, SD. Bob has long been recognized for his expertise in the field of creditors rights law, a fact reflected not only by his having served for years on the State Bar’s Debtor Creditor Committee but accumulating nearly a decade as chair of that committee. Bob has received an AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®, for the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards. He was also selected by Best Lawyers® in the areas of...

Russ Janklow specializes in personal injury and civil litigation, wherein he has tried over 100 jury trials in South Dakota, including several appearances before the South Dakota Supreme Court. Russ has been distinguished as one of the top personal injury trial attorneys in South Dakota and has repeatedly been acknowledged by his peers for his personal approach, diverse skills and his outstanding accomplishments. A tenacious litigator, Russ is recognized annually by Best Lawyers in America, a recognition he’s received since 2010. He was also awarded the “2014 Lawyer of the Year” in Sioux Falls for plaintiffs’ personal injury litigation, an...

Steve Johnson is a native of South Dakota, and was born in Sioux Falls. He attended Augustana College where he graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1973. He then graduated from the University of South Dakota School Of Law in 1976 as a member of the Thomas Sterling Honor Society and the South Dakota Law Review. Steve continues to be a frequent lecturer at the South Dakota School of Law. His many professional affiliations and distinctions include membership in the American College of Trial Lawyers, International Trial Lawyers Association, American Board of Trial Advocates and the Association of Trial Lawyers...

Eric Schlimgen, a Black Hills native has been practicing since 2016 with measurable success. He prides himself on a deep tradition of excellence, ensuring only the highest quality service. Eric understands the challenges and pressure that comes with every case and is here for you, every step of the way.

Dependable, calm, and well spoken, Eric approaches each new case with the attention it needs. Get in touch with him today.

During law school Eric was active on the Moot Court and Trial Team competing in several nation-wide tournaments. While at the University of South Dakota he also obtained a Masters of...