(Main Office)

Since the firm's beginning in 1887, Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith P.C. has been a team of legal professionals committed to providing quality legal services. Our clients come from all over the country, but our roots are in South Dakota. Over the years, the law has become more complex, and we have responded to continuing changes by broadening our services and increasing our specialization. We have the talent to serve your short and long-term needs and offer a variety of services with a strong commitment to quality. Our firm is large enough to serve all your needs, but small enough to give you personalized attention.

The firm represents corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships and non-profit organizations in all aspects of business. We assist with mergers, acquisitions and shareholder relations. We help with regulatory matters and security transactions and can assist with virtually any legal issue involving employee relations. Our business lawyers also represent a variety of clients in contract development and negotiation. The commercial law attorneys work with lenders and borrowers in negotiating and litigating disputes in bankruptcy liquidation and reorganization, as well as foreclosures and other contract disputes. The tax and estate planning team offers a variety of asset management services, including advice and counsel in tax planning, tax appeals, gifts, estate tax, income tax and sales and use tax. Our estate planning lawyers have years of experience in preparing wills and living, charitable and insurance trusts.

The firm represents individuals, corporations and other entities in civil and criminal litigation at all judicial levels, and before local, state and federal administrative agencies. Our attorneys are engaged extensively in defending civil litigation involving civil rights, employment matters, personal injury, property damage and products liability claims, as well as business and commercial disputes. We represent employers in the complex area of worker's compensation law. We serve as lobbyists to represent the best interests of our clients in legislative matters. We have developed an extensive and highly reputable environmental practice, including the areas of land use, hazardous waste and regulatory compliance.

In addition to South Dakota, the firm has lawyers who are admitted to practice in Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa, as well as the various federal and tribal courts. Many of the firm's lawyers completed clerkships before joining the firm. The firm's lawyers maintain membership in recognized legal associations, including the American Bar Association, American Board of Trial Advocates, American College of Trial Lawyers, The Association of Trial Lawyers, Association of Insurance Attorneys, Defense Research Institute, State Bar of South Dakota and other state and legal associations.

For well over a century, we have continued to expand our services and respond to needs. As society and the law grow more complicated, we will continue to add new areas of practice. The learning continues and quality service remains our goal.

Statement of Practice

Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Appellate Practices, Aviation, Bankruptcy, Banks and Banking, Business Law, Civil Practice, Civil Rights, Collections, Commercial Real Estate, Commercial Law, Construction Law, Contracts, Corporate Law, Debtor and Creditor, Eminent Domain, Employee Benefits, Employment Law, Environmental, Family Law, Government, Health Care, Insurance, Insurance Defense, Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment, Leases and Leasing, Litigation, Medical Malpractice, Mortgages, Municipal Law, Negligence, Personal Injury, Premises Liability, Probate, Products Liability, Professional Liability, Real Estate, Securities, Sports Law, Taxation, Torts, Trusts and Estates, Wills, Workers Compensation, Zoning, Planning and Land Use.

Representative Clients:

Acuity Insurance
AIG
Associated Aviation
Bell, Inc.
Broin Companies
City of Sioux Falls
Coca Cola Bottling
County of Minnehaha
Dacotah Bank
Farmers Insurance
Fireman's Fund
Gallagher Bassett
Home Federal Bank
Hy-Vee
L.G. Everist
Medical X-Ray Center
Midland Insurance
North Central Heart
Northwest Airlines
Qwest
Rapid City Regional Hospital
Security State Bank
South Dakota Automobile Dealers
South Dakota Public Assurance Alliance
South Dakota Soybean Processors
State Farm Insurance
State of South Dakota
Tiger Corporation
Tyson, Inc.
U.S. Bank
United Airlines
University Physicians
Wal-Mart
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Westfield Companies
Williams Companies
Zurich American.

Address

300 South Phillips Avenue, Suite 300 P.O. Box 5027
Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5027, (Lincoln & Minnehaha Cos.)

Phone

Phone: 605-336-3890
Fax: 605-339-3357

Website

http://www.woodsfuller.com

Office Hours

Monday: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Tuesday: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Wednesday: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Thursday: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Friday: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

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Mary A. Akkerman (Associate) born Sioux Falls, South Dakota, August 11, 1970; admitted to bar, 2001, Minnesota; 2002, South Dakota, U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota; 2003, U.S. Tax Court and U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit; U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota. Education: South Dakota State University (B.A., 1994; M.A., 1998); University of South Dakota (J.D., with Sterling Honors, 2001). Member, Thomas Sterling Honor Society. Recipient, Everett Bogue Memorial Scholarship. Board of Editors, South Dakota Law Review, 2000-2001. Member: State Bar of South Dakota; Minnesota State Bar Association; American Bar Association; Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section and Section of Taxation. Practice Areas: Trusts and Estates; Contested Trusts and Estates; Guardianship and Conservatorship; Estate Planning; Probate Administration; Wills; Adoption Law; Premarital Agreements; Business Successions; Taxation; Trust Administration.Email: Mary A. Akkerman

J. Vincent Jones (Associate) born Sioux Falls, South Dakota, April 19, 1979; admitted to bar, 2004, South Dakota; 2005, Minnesota. Education: St. John's University (B.A., 2001); University of South Dakota (J.D., 2004). Member: State Bar of South Dakota; Minnesota State Bar Association; Second Circuit Bar Association; American Bar Association. Practice Areas: Business Law(40%); Civil Litigation(40%); Environmental Law(20%).Email: J. Vincent Jones

Cheri S. Raymond (Associate) born Pierre, South Dakota, April 19, 1978; admitted to bar, 2004, South Dakota. Education: University of Nebraska at Lincoln (B.A., high distinction, 2000; J.D., with distinction, 2003). Moot Court Board. Law Clerk for the Second Judicial Circuit, South Dakota, 2003-2004. Member: South Dakota Defense Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute. Practice Areas: Insurance Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Employment Law.Email: Cheri S. Raymond

Sander J. Morehead (Associate) born Sioux City, Iowa, January 26, 1973; admitted to bar, 2005, South Dakota and South Dakota Federal Courts. Education: University of South Dakota (B.S., 2002; J.D., Sterling Honors, 2005). Member: State Bar of South Dakota; American Bar Association. Practice Areas: General Litigation; Intellectual Property Litigation; Business Litigation; Family Law.Email: Sander J. Morehead

Matthew P. Bock (Associate) born Sioux Falls, South Dakota, May 5, 1980; admitted to bar, 2005, South Dakota. Education: California Lutheran University (B.S., cum laude, 2002); Willamette University (J.D., cum laude, 2005). Member: Bar Association of the Second Circuit; State Bar of South Dakota; American Bar Association. Practice Areas: Business Organizations; Commercial Litigation.Email: Matthew P. Bock

Ryan W. Snell (Associate) born Hastings, Nebraska, October 11, 1968; admitted to bar, 2003, Iowa; 2004, South Dakota. Education: Iowa State University (B.A., 1991); University of South Dakota (J.D., Sterling Honors, 2003). Member: Bar Association of the Second Circuit; State Bar of South Dakota; Iowa State and American Bar Associations. Practice Areas: Business Law; Corporate Law; Contract Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures; Real Estate; Franchise Law; Intellectual Property.Email: Ryan W. Snell

James A. Power (Associate) born Huntsville, Alabama, February 25, 1967; admitted to bar, 1993, Georgia; 2006, South Dakota; U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota; 2007, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit. Education: University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business (B.S., with honors, 1989); George Washington University National Law Center (J.D., with high honors, 1992) Order of the Coif; Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., with honors, 2001). Member: State Bar of South Dakota; State Bar of Georgia; American Bar Association. Practice Areas: Appellate Practice(10%); Commercial Law(60%); Insurance(15%); Products Liability(15%).Email: James A. Power

Justin G. Smith (Associate) born Columbus, Georgia, September 12, 1980; admitted to bar, 2006, South Dakota and U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota. Education: Christendom College (B.A., magna cum laude, 2003); Oklahoma City University School of Law (J.D., summa cum laude, Salutatorian, 2006). Member: State Bar of South Dakota; American Bar Association. Practice Areas: Workers Compensation; Workers Compensation Subrogation; Insurance Defense; Litigation.Email: Justin G. Smith

Michele A. Munson (Associate) born Sioux Falls, South Dakota; admitted to bar, 2007, South Dakota; U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota. Education: Augustana College (B.A., magna cum laude, 2003); University of South Dakota (J.D., 2006). Law Clerk for the South Dakota Supreme Court, Pierre, South Dakota, 2006-2007. Member: State Bar of South Dakota; American Bar Association; 2nd Circuit Bar Association. Practice Areas: Government; Insurance; Litigation; Personal Injury.Email: Michele A. Munson

Kathryn A. Ritter (Associate) born Seattle, Washington, July 28, 1979; admitted to bar, 2007, South Dakota. Education: Wofford College (B.S., 2001); Washington State University (M.S. 2003); University of South Dakota (J.D., 2006). Law Clerk for the South Dakota Judicial Circuit Court, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 2006-2007. Member: State Bar of South Dakota; American Bar Association; Second Circuit Bar Association. Practice Areas: Business Law; Commercial Law; Mergers and Acquisitions.Email: Kathryn A. Ritter

OF COUNSEL

F. Joseph Du Bray (Of Counsel) born Crownpoint, New Mexico; admitted to bar, 1973, Florida; 1977, U.S. Supreme Court; 1979, South Dakota; 1982, Iowa. Education: Carleton College (B.A., 1966); University of Florida (J.D., 1973). Associate Professor, University of South Dakota School of Law, 1979-1982. Assistant States Attorney, Fourth Judicial Circuit of Florida, 1974-1977. Member: Iowa State and American Bar Associations; The State Bar of South Dakota; The Florida Bar; American Health Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute; National Association of Corporate Directors.Email: F. Joseph Du Bray