South Dakota

Since 1878, when Boyce Greenfield Pashby & Welk first opened its doors in downtown Sioux Falls, the company has grown and matured along with the city, serving many of the area's largest and most successful businesses. Its current roster of professionals helps clients navigate various legal issues and complications. The firm's practice areas include administrative law, antitrust and trade, banking, business law, commercial litigation, construction and design, creditors' rights, employment, environmental law, family law, government, health care, medical malpractice, personal injury, product liability, professional liability, real estate, trust and estates, and workers' compensation.

Thomas Welk has approximately 40 years of trial and appellate experience in complex civil, criminal, and administrative law litigation. A former prosecutor of white-collar crime, he joined the firm in 1979 to expand his practice, which now includes administrative law, antitrust, banking, commercial litigation, employment law, family law, healthcare, insurance litigation, and professional liability. A peer says, "He is legendary in defense litigation."

Since 1889, Costello Porter Hill Heisterkamp Bushnell & Carpenter has represented a diverse roster of clients in South Dakota as well as Wyoming, including medical clinics and surgical centers; insurance and bonding companies; members of the banking and construction industry; professionals such as doctors, architects, and engineers; and Native American tribes. Fifteen lawyers practice in approximately 70 areas, including civil litigation, automotive liability, banking and finance, contract law, employment law, family trusts, fire loss, personal injury and wrongful death, product liability, tort and insurance litigation, healthcare law, and Native American law.

Edward Carpenter grew up in the southeastern region of the state. He joined the firm in 1974. He attends to commercial disputes and litigation, construction litigation and arbitration, architect and engineer contracts and litigation, construction contracts and liens, estate contracts, eminent domain, property development, fire loss, and personal injury and wrongful death. Donald Porter has spent 25 years at the firm. His practice has primarily centered on all kinds of personal injury claims, although he is also experienced in areas including insurance defense and e-commerce, internet, and technology laws.

At just shy of 35 attorneys, Davenport Evans Hurwitz & Smith is one of South Dakota's largest law firms. It is also one of the oldest, as the firm was born in 1939 when four local lawyers decided to open their own shop. Its 33 partners focus on an array of practice areas, including agricultural law, appellate, banking and financial services, e-commerce, environmental, health care, product liability, and real estate.

Broadly considered one of the preeminent lawyers in the state, Edwin Evans leads the litigation department. He is a specialist in insurance and professional liability; however, in his 30-plus years of experience as an attorney, he has come across litigation of all kinds, including catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, medical negligence, professional negligence, product liability, complex commercial litigation, aviation, and breach of contract cases. Evans recently took a case to jury trial on behalf of an Avera Heart Hospital employee who had been accused of assault and battery. In what is a definite victory for the defense, the plaintiff voluntarily dismissed her claims in early 2014 after only a day and a half of witness questioning. Given his overwhelming success rate particularly in the defense of high-net worth medical negligence cases, it is no surprise the attorney is so hotly sought after, and he has tried upwards of 150 jury trials to conclusion. Eric Schulte is an established product liability attorney who protects clients facing everything from auto accidents to workers compensation claims and criminal accusations to contract disputes. Recently, he defended Ramada Inn against claims alleging that the plaintiff had inhaled toxic fumes during her stay at the hotel's Aberdeen location. With a potential value exceeding $300,000, the case is considered unique due to the nature of the particular injury at hand. Proceedings ultimately resulted in a defense verdict, and the plaintiff did not seek to appeal. Both Evans and Schulte are known to take on clients on both sides of the aisle. Mark Haigh is highly regarded for his abilities with professional liability and medical malpractice defense; however, his board-reaching practice leaves him well equipped to handle a slew of affairs.

Gunderson Palmer Nelson & Ashmore has been providing South Dakota with legal services for more than 30 years. The nearly 20-attorney firm has experience in class actions, insurance defense, personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, and complex civil litigation cases. A peer says that the firm is "at the top in Rapid City." J. Crisman Palmer runs a practice that mostly addresses issues of insurance, product liability, commercial liability, and banks and banking. He is the former president of the State Bar of South Dakota and the South Dakota chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He presently serves on the national board of directors of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Lynn Jackson Shultz & Lebrun saw its start in 1946. Its 20-plus attorneys are split between Rapid City and Sioux Falls. They cover approximately 40 practice areas combined for a diverse mix of clients. Thomas Fritz focuses on civil litigation, negligence, personal injury, and product liability. Steve Oberg represents clients in personal injury, construction, public utilities, and transportation matters.