McPherson County Lawyers

I have been a family law attorney for over 40 years and after having also done family law mediation for several years, I am now doing only Family Law Mediation. I have taken the ABA Family Law Mediation training and attended the Harvard Negotiations Seminar.

I grew up in Isabel, South Dakota. My dad is truck driver; my mom is a school nurse. After completing law school, I completed a one-year clerkship with the Sixth Judicial Circuit of South Dakota in Pierre. Since then, I have engaged in private practice, focusing almost exclusively on civil litigation. I enjoy helping people that have been injured in car accidents or tractor-trailer accidents. Because my dad is a truck driver, and because I drove a truck while working my way through college, I believe that I have a unique insight into the operation...

Daniel Brendtro grew up in rural South Dakota on his family's farm that produced purebred hogs. During his law education Daniel received many honors and was at the top of his class. Since his education he has focused his legal career on commercial and general civil cases. Dan resides in Sioux Falls with his wife Jennifer, where they have three children and an assortment of animal life including the loving family dog. Dan is a committed fan to Hoyas Basketball and participates in many activities including carpentry, running, hiking, reading, managing his fantasy football team, coaching, and playing cards. Dan also...

Mark Krogstad is a Trusts and Estates attorney practicing in South Dakota and Minnesota with Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP in Sioux Falls, SD. A Willmar, Minnesota native and Augustana University graduate, Mark joined the firm after practicing in Minnesota and receiving his Master’s Degree in Taxation from the University of Florida. He practices in the areas of estate planning, business succession planning, tax planning, charitable gift planning, and estate and trust administration. As a part of his practice, Mark assists clients in: *Drafting wills, durable powers of attorneys, and trusts, such as revocable...

Mike Snyder is a litigation attorney at Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP in Sioux Falls, SD. Originally from Pierre, SD, Mike joined the firm in 2016 as a member of the firm’s litigation section. His practice focuses primarily on commercial and complex litigation and insurance litigation.

Mike interned with the firm in the summer of 2013 and is a 2014 graduate of the University of South Dakota School of Law, where he graduated first in his class and served as editor-in-chief of the South Dakota Law Review and as a research assistant to Professor Christine Hutton. Following graduation, Mike served...

Aggressive legal representation focusing in the practice of criminal law, family law, divorce, custody, DUI, business law, real estate law, probate and business formations. Also general litigation for a wide variety of disputes. As an experienced trial lawyer with over 20 years of legal practice I can bring the experience needed to help you in dealing with most legal matters.

Sioux Falls lawyer Elizabeth Hertz joined Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP in the litigation section in 2010, and became a partner in 2016. She received her B.A. from Macalester College in 2004 where she studied classical history and biology. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and clerked for the Honorable James B. Loken of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.

Elizabeth practices in the areas of commercial and complex litigation, family law, tribal law, professional liability defense, appellate law, plaintiff’s litigation, construction litigation, and intellectual property litigation. Elizabeth currently serves as president...

Justin Clarke is a litigation attorney at Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP in Sioux Falls, SD. An Estelline, SD native, Justin joined the firm in 2010 and is a partner in the firm’s litigation section. Justin’s practice focuses on insurance defense, commercial and complex litigation, and trust litigation. Justin graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law in 2010. While in law school, he served as a staff editor for the Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy and participated in KU Law’s Moot Court competition. When Justin isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his family and...

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,...

Reece Almond is a partner and litigation attorney at Davenport Evans with a practice consisting primarily of commercial and complex litigation, land-use litigation, and insurance-defense litigation. Originally from Huron, South Dakota, Reece joined the firm in 2014 having received his bachelor of science degree from the University of South Dakota in mathematics and political science. He is a graduate from the University of Minnesota Law School and clerked for the Honorable Karen E. Schreier of the U.S. District Court of South Dakota before joining Davenport Evans.

Reece was selected to the Great Plains Rising Stars 2019 in the area of Business...

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...

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...

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...

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....

Growing up on a farm Jeff Cole understood how hard it was to be a farmer so he decided he wanted to fight for farmers to get their fair share in our legal system and became a lawyer. Since he decided to become a lawyer he has a diverse career but now mainly focuses on trials and litigation. He has tried 7 cases to the South Dakota Supreme Court and one case to the US Court of Appeals. He has even won a US Supreme Court Case where he was trial counsel.

Aaron Pilcher focuses his practice on corporate law, estate planning and administration, and general litigation. Aaron appreciates the opportunity to work alongside his clients to protect their life's work, and plan for what lies ahead.

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...

David L. Ganje is a commercial law and commercial litigation attorney and also maintains a natural resources practice. He has grounded his legal experience as a practicing attorney, a former commodity arbitrator, a member of the board of directors of an S&L and an adjunct professor to hone his skills in these areas of practice. Born and raised in Aberdeen, South Dakota, David handles matters related to mineral law, oil and gas law, energy law and water law in his natural resources practice. The practice includes representation before local and federal regulatory bodies. In his commercial law and commercial litigation practice, David...

Ross grew up in Sioux Center, Iowa. He earned his undergraduate degree at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, graduating in 2003 with majors in psychology and government. As a law student at the University of South Dakota School of Law, Ross served as an editor for the Great Plains Natural Resources Journal. Ross graduated among the top 10 students in his law school class in May, 2006. Ross has a diverse and growing practice, including business and real estate transactions, business formations, estate planning, probate, general civil litigation, and municipal law. He is presently the City...

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...

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.

David R. Hansen grew up in a family of nine children. He grew up in the outdoors of New Mexico and Colorado. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Utah earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Physics. After working for a five years as a detention officer in Wyoming, he continued his formal education. He completed law school at the University of Wyoming College of Law. He focused his studies on estate planning, business transactions and intellectual property. At school David was the appointed student director of the Estate Planning Practicum; he was elected President of...

Scott Armstrong is an experienced trial attorney, who has been practicing law for nearly thirty years in multiple jurisdictions.

South Dakota lawyer David Rezac is a member of the Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith Transactions and General Business practice group, and his practice covers all aspects of business transactions, as well as federal and state trademark registrations. David advises clients in both large and small business transactions, and his expertise covers entity formation, leasing and financing arrangements, real estate sales, mergers, acquisitions, and general contract preparation and negotiation. David also has extensive experience in obtaining federal and state trademark registrations and can assist clients in determining the advantages of registration, as well as completing the registration process.

David joined...

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.

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,...

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...

Stephen Demik specializes in complex civil and criminal litigation, and trials of all types. He is an experienced trial attorney, practicing in state and federal courts for nearly 15 years. He speaks Spanish proficiently. A graduate of University of California, Hastings College of the Law and a faculty teacher at the Trial Lawyers College, Stephen Demik has a wide background in many areas– from civil plaintiffs work to criminal defense, from tribal court to immigration law, from juvenile court to Guantanamo Bay. For over 14 years, he has tried cases in both state and federal court, in both South Dakota and...

Beau joined the Den Herder Law Firm in 2019 with several years of experience practicing in a variety of civil litigation matters, real estate transactions, and debtor-creditor negotiations. Beau serves as the municipal attorney for the town of Mission Hill, South Dakota. Beau graduated from the University of South Dakota Law School in 2014. During law school Beau served as Lead Articles Editor for the South Dakota Law Review and was a member of the Trial Team.

Beau has been a member of the South Dakota Bar Association since 2014 and is also admitted to practice before the United States District...