Lesterville Lawyers

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.

Anthony Hohn is a litigation attorney at Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP in Sioux Falls, SD. A Sioux Falls native, Anthony joined the firm in 2008 as a member of the firm’s litigation section and became a partner in 2014. His practice includes of a wide variety of litigation, including commercial litigation, creditors’ rights, employment litigation, and condemnation litigation. Anthony interned with the firm in the summer of 2006 and is a 2007 graduate of the University of South Dakota School of Law, where he served as lead articles editor for the South Dakota Law Review. Following graduation, Anthony...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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.