Legal Services of North Dakota (LSND) is dedicated to providing free civil legal assistance to our state’s most vulnerable residents, including survivors of domestic violence, veterans, disaster survivors, and families at risk of homelessness. Your donation helps us deliver life-changing support—like securing protective orders, preventing evictions, and guiding individuals through complex legal systems. Together, we can ensure that every North Dakotan has access to justice, regardless of their ability to pay. Join us in making a difference by donating today. Your generosity creates hope, stability, and a stronger community for all.

12/11/2024 YLS Webinar Bench and Bar

Judge Weiler on the South-Central Judicial District Mental Health Court 

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and its Young Lawyers Section

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Judge Weiler will present on the creation of the first mental health court in North Dakota.  She will discuss the need for the mental health court, the goals of the mental health court, how someone will be accepted into the mental health court, the community needs, and what the program hopes to look like. 

Judge Weiler was licensed in 2010.  She was an attorney in private practice for ten years, primarily working in family law and criminal defense.   In practice, she had multiple clients who struggled with mental health issues and addiction issues.  Judge Weiler also came from a home with a father who struggled with both as a result of PTSD from serving in multiple wars.   As a Judge, she has seen multiple people who need access to mental health services who cannot find those services.  So, it has been her goal for years to start the mental health court.  

Elise Fischer (Moderator) grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she was actively involved in swimming and Girl Scouts.  She moved to North Dakota to attend the University of Mary, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2018.  Elise earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2021.  During her time in law school, she was a member of UND’s Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity national trial team and worked as a law clerk at Johnston Family Law in Grand Forks.  After graduation, Elise practiced family law in Bismarck and served as an assistant state’s attorney for Morton County.  Elise recently returned to private practice and partnered with Carey Goetz and Christina Sambor to form Sambor Goetz Fischer LLP.  Elise practices primarily family law, assisting families with divorce, custody, adoption, guardianships, and paternity actions.  Elise presently serves as President of the Young Lawyers Section of the State Bar Association.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

01/21/2006 SBAND Young Lawyer Ethics Webinar:

What’s New (and in the Brew) for the North Dakota Rules of Professional Conduct?

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and its Young Lawyers Section 

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 
12:05 – 1:05 PM
SELF STUDY: $25

What’s New (and in the Brew) for the North Dakota Rules of Professional Conduct?

In this ethics webinar, Professor McGinniss, who currently serves as the Chair of the North Dakota Joint Committee on Attorney Standards, will discuss amendments by the Supreme Court to the North Dakota Rules of Professional Conduct that became effective in 2025, including Rule 1.16 on declining or terminating representation, Rule 1.2 on scope of representation, and Rule 1.7 on conflicts of interest. He will also discuss additional rule amendments the Committee has been working on, including Rules 1.4 on communication, Rule 1.15 on professional liability insurance disclosure, and Rule 5.5 on multijurisdictional practice of law.

Michael S. McGinniss, Professor and J. Philip Johnson Faculty Fellow, UND School of Law

Michael S. McGinniss is Professor of Law and J. Philip Johnson Faculty Fellow at the University of North Dakota School of Law, where he joined the faculty in 2010 and served as the Dean from 2019 to 2022. This academic year, he is teaching courses on Professional Responsibility (fall and spring semesters), Civil Procedure, and Advanced Legal Ethics, and he has previously taught other courses, including Evidence, Conflict of Laws, Federal Courts, and Remedies. He serves as Faculty Advisor for the North Dakota Law Review and the UND Law Federalist Society student chapter, and received a 2023 UND Outstanding Advisor Award for his work with the Federalist Society. He received the School of Law’s 2024-2025 Randy H. Lee Faculty Service Award.

In 2022, at the conclusion of his deanship, Professor McGinniss received the State Bar Association of North Dakota’s Distinguished Service Award, the highest and most prestigious honor given by the Association. He currently serves as Chair of the North Dakota Joint Committee on Attorney Standards, where he previously served for nine years as a member and two as the Chair, and as the Chair of the Operations Committee for the North Dakota Lawyer Disciplinary Board. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the North Dakota Catholic Conference.

Professor McGinniss is a long-time active member of the national Federalist Society for Law & Public Policy Studies, and he now serves as Chair for the Executive Committee of its Professional Responsibility & Legal Education Practice Group. 
Professor McGinniss’ research and scholarship interests have focused primarily on questions concerning the professional, ethical, and moral responsibilities of lawyers and judges, as well as constitutional law, federal courts, and cultural changes and challenges in the legal profession and law schools. 

Brooke Benson (Moderator) is a Defense Attorney with the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in Bismarck, where in 2024 she was honored with the “In The Arena” Award from the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in recognition of her commitment to clients, law, and service. She previously served as Assistant Staff to the North Dakota House Majority Leader and has experience in private practice, in-house counsel roles, and judicial clerkships. Benson earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in Political Science, with a minor in Legal Studies, from Lamar University in Texas. Raised in Houston, she now resides in Bismarck with her husband, Calvin, and is active in the State Bar Association of North Dakota, serving as President of its Young Lawyers Section.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Ethics Credit (ND)
MN Credit will be applied for 

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and Legal Services of North Dakota 

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Document automation has been called the #1 technology lawyers need to implement to ensure they don’t get left behind. What does this mean for how you operate your practice and how can you incorporate it into your practice to ensure that your efficiency drives higher revenue for your firm? In this session, you will:

• See practical examples of how lawyers are using legal technology to cut down document drafting time by 90% or more;
• Learn how to automate your custom Word templates and PDF forms;
• Understand how generative AI and document automation are intertwined and what to look for when buying automation software; and
• Develop a plan for how to optimize your client intake processes and what billing structures have worked best for other attorneys in the competitive pricing environment we’re facing today.

Brittany Hernandez is a lawyer and the Head of Legal Innovation for Gavel. Gavel is the automation infrastructure for the modern, scalable law practice. After practicing Intellectual Property law and representing clients in the entertainment industry, she shifted her focus to how innovations in tech can be used to create solutions for both clients and lawyers. Today, she helps other solo and small law practices harness the power and potential of advancements in tech to automate, innovate, scale, and diversify their revenue streams in her role with Gavel. 

Jen Lee (Presenter & Moderator) is the Executive Director at Legal Services of North Dakota (LSND). Prior to joining LSND at the end of 2022, Jen was in private practice as a bankruptcy attorney, or as she likes to call it: a debt and credit strategy attorney. She is licensed in California and North Dakota. Law was a second career for Jen, after working for ten years in insurance and underwriting. She opened her own law firm straight out of law school and realized that her undergraduate degree in business and an MBA made a huge difference in running a law firm as a business. She often speaks at conferences, bar associations, professional groups, and other trade associations on substantive issues for bankruptcy and debt, as well as on law practice marketing, technology, and management. Jen enjoys doing things that others say can’t be done and coming up with innovative ways to move the practice of law forward.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

Self-Study Member Price - $25

Non-Member Price - $100 

01/28/2026 SBAND & LSND FREE Webinar:

Get Time Smart: Save 10 Hours A Week With Insanely Productive Meetings

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and Legal Services of North Dakota 

 Wednesday, January 28, 2026

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Self-Study: $25.00

Get Time Smart: Save 10 Hours A Week With Insanely Productive Meetings

It’s estimated that 34% of meetings end up as wasted time, and the average wasted cost per meeting is $150-$350 per hour. Meeting heavy cultures leaves little time to focus on completing work and building critical skills for teams and firms. In this session, attendees will discover:

• The secrets to dynamic meetings that spark engagement
• Powerful techniques to turn ordinary meetings into extraordinary outcomes
• Strategies to transform your meetings from time-wasters into productivity powerhouses

Ready to take control again? Mridu Parikh, The Stress Squasher, helps leaders and teams cut through distractions, set boundaries, and step into clarity fast. She teaches high achievers how to increase billable hours, protect their time, and hit meaningful goals with more consistency. Mridu is a productivity coach, the founder of Life Is Organized, the host of the Productivity On Purpose podcast, and the author of the best-selling book Accomplish It.

Jen Lee (Presenter & Moderator) is the Executive Director at Legal Services of North Dakota (LSND). Prior to joining LSND at the end of 2022, Jen was in private practice as a bankruptcy attorney, or as she likes to call it: a debt and credit strategy attorney. She is licensed in California and North Dakota. Law was a second career for Jen, after working for ten years in insurance and underwriting. She opened her own law firm straight out of law school and realized that her undergraduate degree in business and an MBA made a huge difference in running a law firm as a business. She often speaks at conferences, bar associations, professional groups, and other trade associations on substantive issues for bankruptcy and debt, as well as on law practice marketing, technology, and management. Jen enjoys doing things that others say can’t be done and coming up with innovative ways to move the practice of law forward.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

03/25/2026 SBAND & LSND FREE Webinar: Disaster Legal Issues and Resources for ND Attorneys

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and Legal Services of North Dakota 

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND & LSND FREE Webinar: Disaster Legal Issues and Resources for ND Attorneys

North Dakota set multiple extreme weather event records in 2025. Disaster survivors face a variety of legal issues including insurance disputes, landlord/tenant issues, and even estate and probate issues. As disasters become more frequent, North Dakota attorneys should be prepared to assist clients with legal issues stemming from disasters. This CLE will discuss what a disaster is, what disaster legal issues look like, what resources Legal Services of North Dakota has available to individual disaster survivors and attorneys working with disaster survivors, and how North Dakota attorneys can support LSND’s disaster legal services program. Come check out our new opportunities and resources created for attorneys and partner organizations.

Marisa Sauceda – Marisa is the Project Manager and Staff Attorney for Legal Services of North Dakota’s Disaster Legal Services Program. She also teaches media law and content creation at UND part time. Marisa graduated from UND School of Law in 2025 with a JD and MPA. She also holds an MA in Community Development from NDSU and a BA in communication from UND. Marisa was recently elected Chair of the North Dakota VOAD – Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster – with a goal of improving coordination and connection among disaster relief organizations. 

Shannon White – Shannon White is the Grant Manager for Legal Services of North Dakota, where she manages a disaster grant supporting the Disaster Legal Services Program. She holds an MBA in Public Administration from Adams State University of Colorado and earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2025. After completing a B.A. in History/Political Science and English at the University of Jamestown, Shannon obtained her paralegal certificate and spent more than a decade as a paralegal and foreclosure manager in Colorado and Nevada, supervising staff and handling complex creditor foreclosure matters, bankruptcy filings, eviction cases, and civil litigation. She is active in community leadership, including service on the Central Cass School Board, leadership roles within her church, and as Vice Chair of the North Dakota VOAD and is also a certified Civil Facilitative Mediator and a VITA-certified tax preparer. She is committed to strengthening access to legal services across North Dakota and expanding partnerships between legal services and disaster response agencies to better support residents impacted by disaster.

Jen Lee – Jen Lee (Presenter & Moderator) is the Executive Director at Legal Services of North Dakota (LSND). Prior to joining LSND at the end of 2022, Jen was in private practice as a bankruptcy attorney, or as she likes to call it: a debt and credit strategy attorney. She is licensed in California and North Dakota. Law was a second career for Jen, after working for ten years in insurance and underwriting. She opened her own law firm straight out of law school and realized that her undergraduate degree in business and an MBA made a huge difference in running a law firm as a business. She often speaks at conferences, bar associations, professional groups, and other trade associations on substantive issues for bankruptcy and debt, as well as on law practice marketing, technology, and management. Jen enjoys doing things that others say can’t be done and coming up with innovative ways to move the practice of law forward.

SELF STUDY

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

04/08/2026 The Updated Attorney General Contract Drafting Manual:

Best Practices and Key Changes with Laura Balliet

Wednesday, April 8 @ 12:00 – 1:00

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)
MN Credit will be applied for 

Assistant Attorney General Laura Balliet joined the ND Office of Attorney General’s General Counsel Division in September 2010. Laura graduated from UND Law School with distinction. She is licensed in Minnesota and North Dakota. Laura serves as counsel to the ND Office of Management and Budget, the ND Information Technology Division, Job Service North Dakota, the Office of the Adjutant General, the North Dakota Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents, and the ND Lottery. Prior to joining the Attorney General she litigated in private practice in Grand Forks, ND, East Grand Forks, MN, and was the City Attorney for Fertile, MN.

AAG Balliet has negotiated thousands of state contracts ranging from small dollar purchases to $300 million dollar construction projects. She has previously presented at the annual National Association of State Procurement Officials to procurement attorneys from all US states and territories. She is currently part of a national group of private and public attorneys working to revise the American Bar Association’s Model Procurement Code.

Additionally, AAG Balliet is a member of the ND Army National Guard where she holds the rank of First Sergeant. She has 30 years of military experience including an overseas deployment to Afghanistan and multiple overseas missions working to train the Ghanaian Armed Forces. She resides in Mandan, ND with her wife, Cathy, two dogs, Frankie Sinatra and Andy Dufresne, and two cats, Chuck and Larry.

Young Lawyer Moderator

Brooke Benson is a Defense Attorney with the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in Bismarck, where in 2024 she was honored with the “In The Arena” Award from the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in recognition of her commitment to clients, law, and service. She previously served as Assistant Staff to the North Dakota House Majority Leader and has experience in private practice, in-house counsel roles, and judicial clerkships. Benson earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in Political Science, with a minor in Legal Studies, from Lamar University in Texas. Raised in Houston, she now resides in Bismarck with her husband, Calvin, and is active in the State Bar Association of North Dakota, serving as President of its Young Lawyers Section.

SELF STUDY

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and its Young Lawyers Section

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

12:00 - 1:00 PM

Chief Judge Welte will give a brief update on the “State of the Judiciary in ND Federal Court” and will present 5 practice tips guaranteed to make you a better practitioner, based upon his observations over a 28 year legal career.  Whether you’re a trial attorney or you don’t ever want to appear in court, these practice tips will be helpful to you.

On August 6, 2019, Judge Peter D. Welte was sworn in as a District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota. Judge Welte began his career in private practice with Juntunen, Hager and Welte, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota.  He was appointed Steele County (ND) State’s Attorney in 1998 and was appointed as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Grand Forks County in 1999.  As an Assistant State’s Attorney, he was one of the first prosecutors in North Dakota to prosecute crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking under the Violence Against Women Act.  He was elected Grand Forks County State’s Attorney in 2002, serving as the elected State’s Attorney until 2015, when he left public practice to reenter private practice by establishing the Vogel Law Firm’s branch office in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Since November 2019, he has served as Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota.

Elise Fischer (Moderator) grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she was actively involved in swimming and Girl Scouts.  She moved to North Dakota to attend the University of Mary, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2018.  Elise earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2021.  During her time in law school, she was a member of UND’s Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity national trial team and worked as a law clerk at Johnston Family Law in Grand Forks.  After graduation, Elise practiced family law in Bismarck and served as an assistant state’s attorney for Morton County.  Elise recently returned to private practice and partnered with Carey Goetz and Christina Sambor to form Sambor Goetz Fischer LLP.  Elise practices primarily family law, assisting families with divorce, custody, adoption, guardianships, and paternity actions.  Elise presently serves as President of the Young Lawyers Section of the State Bar Association.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND Member: $25

Non- Member: $100

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

12:00 – 1:30 PM

Approved for 1.5 CLE Ethics Credit (ND)

1.5 CLE Ethics Credits will be applied for in MN

A Lawyer’s Guide to Managing Difficult Clients and Colleagues with Ease

Learn how to deal with tough clients and team issues easily. This session gives you straightforward tips to understand and manage expectations, talk better with people at work, and handle the usual stresses in law practice. If you're struggling with clients who expect too much or colleagues who don't get along, we've got practical solutions to help you work smoother and feel better about your day. Perfect for any attorney feeling the pressure and looking for a better way.

Doug Brown, JD is the Chief Learning Officer at Summit Success, LLC. As an executive coach, law practice consultant, and growth strategist he shares practical strategies to promote sustainable law firm growth and lawyer well-being.

An authority implementing positive change, his experience includes private and in-house legal practice and business marketing, sales, human resources, finance, and information technology. He also served as chief executive of the Connecticut Bar Association and chief operating officer for a chain of fine jewelry stores. As Program Chair and Professor in the MBA Program for The Malcolm Baldrige School of Business at Post University, he designed and delivered MBA programs in leadership, entrepreneurship, finance, and innovation specifically for experienced executives. 

Contact:  Doug Brown, JD | Summit Success International  doug@summit-success.com | 203.232.4841

SBAND member: $35

Non-Member: $110

Drafting Legally Compliant Joint Powers Agreements with Allyson Hicks

Wednesday, April 15

12:00 – 1:00

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)
MN Credit will be applied for 

An overview of the various laws authorizing joint exercise of governmental authority and the legal framework for the agreements authorizing the action which will focus on the content, review standards for Attorney General review, common pitfalls, and provide suggested language for specified clauses.

Allyson Hicks is an assistant attorney general with the General Counsel Division of the North Dakota Office of the Attorney General- a position she has held for 8 years. Her responsibilities include serving as the general counsel to the Public Health Division of the ND Department of Health and Human Services (formerly the ND Department of Health), the ND Department of Labor and Human Rights, the state Human Resource Management System; and the governing board of the ND State Hospital; serving as the political subdivisions attorney, providing counsel to city, county, township and other political subdivision attorneys and officials; and serving as the joint powers agreement attorney, reviewing and advising the Attorney General on the legal sufficiency of joint powers agreements. She is currently a member of the Attorney General Alliance Cannabis Advisory Council, related to state regulation of recreational and medical marijuana and intoxicating hemp products, and the SBAND Advisory Council to the Office of Administrative Hearings.

Prior to her appointment as an assistant attorney general, Allyson was a litigator in private practice in Beulah and an assistant city attorney to four cities in central North Dakota.  Allyson received her Juris Doctor, with distinction, from the University of Minnesota Law School in 2013, and a B.S. in chemistry from the University of North Dakota in 2009.

Young Lawyer Moderator 

Brooke Benson is a Defense Attorney with the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in Bismarck, where in 2024 she was honored with the “In The Arena” Award from the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in recognition of her commitment to clients, law, and service. She previously served as Assistant Staff to the North Dakota House Majority Leader and has experience in private practice, in-house counsel roles, and judicial clerkships. Benson earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in Political Science, with a minor in Legal Studies, from Lamar University in Texas. Raised in Houston, she now resides in Bismarck with her husband, Calvin, and is active in the State Bar Association of North Dakota, serving as President of its Young Lawyers Section.

Attorney General’s Office Presents:

What you need to know when your client is the government

Whether you’re a new or experienced attorney, this webinar series offers valuable insights for those working with the state, counties, cities, or other political subdivisions.

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and its Young Lawyers Section

VIEW BROCHURE - PLEASE REGISTER FOR EACH WEBINAR SEPARATELY

Membership in the Young Lawyers Section is limited to attorneys who are 35 years of age or younger, or who have practiced for 5 years or less, whichever occurs last. For more information, contact younglawyersnd@gmail.com.

SELF STUDY

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

Thursday, April 24, 2025

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota

Approved for 6.00 CLE Credits (ND) 

Including 1.0 Ethics Credit

VIEW BROCHURE

SBAND Member– $125.00

Non-Member $225.00

05/06/2026 Essentials for Representing Regulatory Boards in ND with Mark Openshaw

Wednesday, May 6

12:00 – 1:00

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)
MN Credit will be applied for 

Mark Openshaw graduated from the North Dakota School of Law in May of 2024. He has been an Assistant Attorney General since September of 2024. He currently represents the Education Standards and Practices Board, the State Board of Public-School Education, Career and Technical Education, the State Historical Society, the North Dakota Veteran’s Administration, The North Dakota Veteran’s Home, and the Children’s Cabinet. Mark is originally from Parker, AZ. Prior to coming to UND for law school, Mark was a high school history, government, and economics teacher as well as a high school head football coach.

 The presentation will cover the process for appointments to become special assistant attorneys general, their role and scope of representation, and the policies concerning conflicts, appointments, and revocation. The presentation will discuss the foundations of administrative law, administrative actions and enforcement, administrative hearings, and judicial review of administrative actions. Lastly, the presentation will offer best practices and tips for regulatory board representation, a brief guide to open records and open meetings compliance, resources for attorneys representing regulatory boards, and practical scenarios that one can expect to encounter when representing regulatory boards.

Young Lawyer Moderator

Brooke Benson is a Defense Attorney with the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in Bismarck, where in 2024 she was honored with the “In The Arena” Award from the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in recognition of her commitment to clients, law, and service. She previously served as Assistant Staff to the North Dakota House Majority Leader and has experience in private practice, in-house counsel roles, and judicial clerkships. Benson earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in Political Science, with a minor in Legal Studies, from Lamar University in Texas. Raised in Houston, she now resides in Bismarck with her husband, Calvin, and is active in the State Bar Association of North Dakota, serving as President of its Young Lawyers Section.
Attorney General’s Office Presents:

What you need to know when your client is the government

Whether you’re a new or experienced attorney, this webinar series offers valuable insights for those working with the state, counties, cities, or other political subdivisions.

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and its Young Lawyers Section

VIEW BROCHURE - PLEASE REGISTER FOR EACH WEBINAR SEPARATELY

SELF STUDY

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and its Young Lawyers Section

May 15, 2024

12:00 – 1:00 PM

The ABA Disaster Legal Services program is a national partnership between the ABA Young Lawyers Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide free legal services to victims of major disasters. This presentation covers the fundamental concept of disaster legal services, and outlines the current North Dakota disaster legal services program.

Matthew Dearth, ABA Representative for SBAND Young Lawyer Section

Matt Dearth is the Managing Attorney for the Thief River Falls office of the Minnesota State Board of Public Defense. He currently serves as the District Representative for the Dakotas (District 21) in the ABA Young Lawyer Division.

Katie Carpenter (Moderator) is the Deputy Solicitor General in the Office of the North Dakota Attorney General and serves as President of the Young Lawyers Section. She is also a member of the Big Muddy Bar Association and Bruce Van Sickle Inns of Court. Katie graduated magna cum laude from the University of Jamestown in 2015, where she received her Bachelor of Arts, majoring in history, political science, and Spanish. Following her undergraduate studies, she had a brief career as a 911 operator in Stutsman County before deciding to attend law school. She graduated cum laude from the University of North Dakota School of law in 2019, where she was honored as a member of Order of the Coif and Order of Barristers. Throughout law school, she was actively involved in moot court, trial team, the International Legal Honor Society of Phi Delta Phi, and the North Dakota Law Review. Following graduation from law school, Katie served as a judicial law clerk to Justice Lisa Fair McEvers of the North Dakota Supreme Court. She thereafter served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Daniel Traynor, U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota. Prior to joining the Office of the Attorney General, Katie practiced general civil litigation, employment law, and served as a municipal prosecutor.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

05/20/2025 Legislative Webinar Series – Part 1

TUESDAY, May 20, 2025 @ 12:00 – 1:30

Approved for 1.5 CLE Credits (ND)

12:00 - 12:10      Welcome and Attorney Issues, Tony Weiler

Tony Weiler (Moderator) was hired as the Executive Director of the State Bar Association of North Dakota in June 2013.  Before coming to SBAND, Weiler was North Dakota’s Labor Commissioner, having been appointed by Governor John Hoeven in September 2010.  He continued in that role under Governor Jack Dalrymple until his selection as Executive Director.  Weiler was a litigator with the Maring Williams Law Office from 2002 to 2010, concentrating in plaintiff’s personal injury, and business and corporate law.  Prior to that he was a general practitioner with the Wheeler Wolf Law Firm.  Weiler clerked for the Honorable Dale V. Sandstrom of the North Dakota Supreme Court from 1998 until 1999.  Weiler is a 1998 graduate of the University of North Dakota School of Law.

12:10 - 12:30      The Judicial System, Sara Behrens

Sara Behrens is a staff attorney in the North Dakota Supreme Court’s Office of State Court Administrator. She grew up in Minot, North Dakota but attended school at Des Lacs-Burlington. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Dakota. She graduated from the University of North Dakota School of Law with Honors in 2006. After law school, she spent a year as the judicial law clerk for the South-Central Judicial District. She then went into private practice in Grand Forks, North Dakota with Zimney Foster, P.C. until 2014 when she took a position with the North Dakota Insurance Department and moved closer to home and family. Sara worked at the North Dakota Insurance Department until she began employment with the Court in August of 2018. In her current position as staff attorney, she serves as staff on several judicial committees tasked with reviewing court rules, orders, and programs, proposing amendments or repeal of existing rules and programs and proposing new rules and programs for consideration by the Supreme Court. In her spare time, Sara runs a cat rescue called Purrfect Pound Pals.

12:30 - 1:00        Government and Administrative Law Issues, Mary Kae Kelsch

Mary Kae Kelsch is the Director of the General Counsel Division of the Attorney General’s office. She has been with the Attorney General’s office for 23 years. Originally from Dickinson, she attended UND for both undergraduate and law school, receiving her JD in 1996.

1:00 - 1:30           Criminal Law Issues, Aaron Birst

Aaron Birst graduated with distinction in 2001 from the UND School of Law.  Currently he is legal counsel for the North Dakota Association of Counties, where he provides legislative services and support. Additionally, Birst contracts with the Department of Transportation to provide support to law enforcement and prosecutors in the area of traffic safety. Previously he was a criminal prosecutor in both Cass and Stutsman counties.

SBAND Member: $35

Non-Member:$110

05/29/2025 Legislative Webinar Series – Part 2

THURSDAY, May 29, 2025 @ 12:00 – 1:00

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

12:00 – 12:20     Real Property, Probate & Trust Issues, Blaine Johnson 

Blaine T. Johnson is a partner with the law firm of Crowley Fleck PLLP in Bismarck, North Dakota.  He represents a broad spectrum of clients in the areas of banking and commercial finance, real estate, oil and gas, probate, and trust administration.  He received his B.M.Ed. from the University of North Dakota summa cum laude and his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School.  He is a member of the Mineral Title Standards Committee and frequently presents on North Dakota real property issues.

12:20 – 12:40     Tort Issues, Dennis Pathroff

Dennis pathroff helps clients navigate the interplay of law, public policy, and business to achieve clients’ objectives.  Having been a company landman for a large oil company and later a partner with the Zuger, Kirmis & Smith law firm, practicing extensively in lobbying, estate planning & probate, and general civil litigation, Dennis possesses a broad advocacy and government affairs skill set. Dennis graduated from Southern Methodist University, cum laude, with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of North Dakota.  During law school, Dennis externed with the North Dakota Legislative Council and with the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota. Dennis is active in the North Dakota legal community, currently serving on the State Bar Association’s Legislative Committee.  He is also a Past President of the Big Muddy Bar Association. Dennis resides south of Bismarck with his wife Jess, an elementary school principal, and their two young children.  In their free time, the Pathroffs enjoy riding horses and playing golf.

12:40 - 1:00        Family Law Issues, Betsy A. Elsberry

Betsy Elsberry is a partner with Elsberry & Shively, P.C. She practices in the areas of both family law and oil and gas. She is a graduate from the UND School of Law, and she was on the Board of Editors for the North Dakota Law Review. Following law school, Betsy served as a law clerk to Justice Carol Ronning Kapsner of the North Dakota Supreme Court. Betsy and her husband, Joe, have two boys, Jack and Luke.

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

07/15/2026 Demystifying Open Records and Open Meetings with Stephen Hanson

Wednesday, July 15 
12:00 – 1:00 
Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)
MN Credit will be applied for 

The presentation will identify key definitions applicable to North Dakota’s open record and open meeting laws; explain the proper protocol for responding to open record requests; describe the law on how to properly post notice of regular and special meetings; provide legislative updates to North Dakota’s open records and open meetings laws; explain the reasons for, and how to properly enter, an executive session under North Dakota law; and review the North Dakota Attorney General’s opinion process and potential penalties for open record and open meeting violations.

Stephen Hanson is an Assistant Attorney General in Bismarck. He has been with the North Dakota Office of Attorney General since 2024. Hanson manages the office’s Open Records and Open Meetings Portfolio, which includes educating the public on open records and open meetings law and drafting Attorney General opinions on alleged violations of the law. He previously served as general counsel for various state agencies and occupational licensing boards.

Hanson was born in Fargo and raised just across the river in Moorhead, Minnesota.  He obtained his undergraduate degree from Concordia College in Moorhead and his law degree from William Mitchell College of Law (now known as Mitchell Hamline School of Law) in St. Paul, Minnesota. Hanson began his legal career as a judicial law clerk for the Minnesota Court of Appeals. Prior to his appointment as an Assistant Attorney General, he was a litigator at a law firm in West Fargo where he practiced both civil and criminal law. Hanson also previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he practiced civil litigation on behalf of the federal government. 

Young Lawyer Moderator
Brooke Benson is a Defense Attorney with the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in Bismarck, where in 2024 she was honored with the “In The Arena” Award from the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in recognition of her commitment to clients, law, and service. She previously served as Assistant Staff to the North Dakota House Majority Leader and has experience in private practice, in-house counsel roles, and judicial clerkships. Benson earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in Political Science, with a minor in Legal Studies, from Lamar University in Texas. Raised in Houston, she now resides in Bismarck with her husband, Calvin, and is active in the State Bar Association of North Dakota, serving as President of its Young Lawyers Section.

Attorney General’s Office Presents:

What you need to know when your client is the government

Whether you’re a new or experienced attorney, this webinar series offers valuable insights for those working with the state, counties, cities, or other political subdivisions.

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and its Young Lawyers Section

VIEW BROCHURE - PLEASE REGISTER FOR EACH WEBINAR SEPARATELY

SELF STUDY

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

07/22/2026 SBAND & LSND FREE Webinar: What in the World is the Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship??

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and Legal Services of North Dakota 

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND & LSND FREE Webinar:

What in the World is the Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship??

Join representatives from the North Dakota Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship for an overview of the state’s newest agency focused on guardianship and conservatorship services. This CLE will cover the agency’s role, available programs and resources, guardianship establishment funding, training requirements, and how the office interacts with courts, attorneys, families, and community providers. Attendees will gain a practical understanding of guardianship and conservatorship processes in North Dakota, current developments, and where attorneys may encounter or assist with these matters in practice.

Rachel Sinness is the Executive Director of the Office of Guardianship and Conservatorship (OGC). Rachel is originally from North Dakota, where she resides with her wife, two kids, six dogs, one cat, and three horses. When she is not working at the OGC, Rachel plays violin with the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra and teaches piano and violin lessons out of her home. Her devotion to family, animals, music, and career is rivaled only by her fondness for gardening and all things Golden Girls.

Jen Lee (Moderator) is the Executive Director at Legal Services of North Dakota (LSND). Prior to joining LSND at the end of 2022, Jen was in private practice as a bankruptcy attorney, or as she likes to call it: a debt and credit strategy attorney. She is licensed in California and North Dakota. Law was a second career for Jen, after working for ten years in insurance and underwriting. She opened her own law firm straight out of law school and realized that her undergraduate degree in business and an MBA made a huge difference in running a law firm as a business. She often speaks at conferences, bar associations, professional groups, and other trade associations on substantive issues for bankruptcy and debt, as well as on law practice marketing, technology, and management. Jen enjoys doing things that others say can’t be done and coming up with innovative ways to move the practice of law forward.

SELF STUDY

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

07/23/ 2025 FREE Webinar: What Lawyers Should Know About Planned Giving

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and Legal Services of North Dakota

Wednesday, July, 23, 2025 @ 12:00 – 1:00 PM

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

What Lawyers Should Know About Planned Giving

Planned giving is a powerful tool for clients—and for the lawyers who advise them. This session will provide an overview of how planned giving works, including charitable bequests, beneficiary designations, and other legacy-focused strategies that align with clients’ values and financial goals. We’ll explore the lawyer’s role in advising clients on these options and raise important considerations for attorneys as they think about their own long-term planning and professional legacy. Whether you’re guiding clients through estate planning or considering your own impact beyond practice, this session will offer practical insights and meaningful takeaways.

Katie Perleberg, Shareholder at Fredrikson & Byron P.A.

Katie's practice focuses on estate planning, income and transfer tax minimization, and the preparation of wills, trusts (both revocable and irrevocable), powers of attorney and health care directives. Her practice also includes real estate work and business entity formation/restructuring as they relate to estate planning. In addition, Katie guides families, trustees and personal representatives through post-death probate and trust administration. Licensed in Florida as well as North Dakota and Minnesota, she is uniquely suited to handle her clients' multi-state needs.

Jen Lee (Presenter & Moderator) is the Executive Director at Legal Services of North Dakota (LSND). Prior to joining LSND at the end of 2022, Jen was in private practice as a bankruptcy attorney, or as she likes to call it: a debt and credit strategy attorney. She is licensed in California and North Dakota. Law was a second career for Jen, after working for ten years in insurance and underwriting. She opened her own law firm straight out of law school and realized that her undergraduate degree in business and an MBA made a huge difference in running a law firm as a business. She often speaks at conferences, bar associations, professional groups, and other trade associations on substantive issues for bankruptcy and debt, as well as on law practice marketing, technology, and management. Jen enjoys doing things that others say can’t be done and coming up with innovative ways to move the practice of law forward.

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

Navigating Home and Community-Based Services: Essential Education for Lawyers

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and Legal Services of North Dakota

Wednesday, July 31, 2024

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Navigating Home and Community-Based Services: Essential Education for Lawyers

Join LSND and ND Adult & Aging Services in a co-sponsored program designed to equip lawyers in North Dakota with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively navigate the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) programs. Gain a comprehensive understanding of what the HCBS programs entail, the demographics and needs of the individuals it serves, and the wide array of services it offers, including personal care, respite care, and home modifications. The program emphasizes the critical role of the Aging and Disability Resource Link (ADRL) in providing assistance and guidance, including when and how to refer clients to this invaluable resource. We will also highlight the importance of proactive advanced planning to avoid the complexities and delays that can arise when seeking assistance without prior preparation. Help support your clients in accessing essential services and making informed decisions about their long-term care needs.

PRESENTER

Sandi Erber brings over 20 years of experience as a Licensed Social Worker, specializing in Aging and Home and Community Based Services. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from Minot State University and a Master of Social Work Degree from Florida State University. Throughout her career, Sandi has dedicated 16 years to enhancing the quality of life for seniors and individuals with disabilities through roles in Older American Act Services, Home and Community Based Services for the Elderly and Disabled, and Children and Family Services. Her expertise also spans Mental and Behavioral Health and Children’s Special Health Services.

Currently, Sandi serves as a Program Administrator for Home and Community-Based Services within the Aging Services Division. Her leadership and commitment to advocating for vulnerable populations have made her a respected voice in the field, driving positive change and promoting inclusive, community-based care solutions.

Jen Lee (Presenter & Moderator) is the Executive Director at Legal Services of North Dakota (LSND). Prior to joining LSND at the end of 2022, Jen was in private practice as a bankruptcy attorney, or as she likes to call it: a debt and credit strategy attorney. She is licensed in California and North Dakota. Law was a second career for Jen, after working for ten years in insurance and underwriting. She opened her own law firm straight out of law school and realized that her undergraduate degree in business and an MBA made a huge difference in running a law firm as a business. She often speaks at conferences, bar associations, professional groups, and other trade associations on substantive issues for bankruptcy and debt, as well as on law practice marketing, technology, and management. Jen enjoys doing things that others say can’t be done and coming up with innovative ways to move the practice of law forward.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

12:00 – 1:30 PM

This 90-minute presentation will explore legal and ethical issues that arise for attorneys responding to cybersecurity incidents, both as outside counsel and in-house. We will begin with an overview of the current regulatory landscape in cybersecurity, and talk about some key threat trends. We'll then use some recent newsworthy matters, like the prosecution of Joe Sullivan and the SEC enforcement action against Solar Winds, to illustrate how these matters can become complex from a legal and ethical point of view, including concerns related to privilege, confidentiality, and compliance with government investigations.

PRESENTERS

Elizabeth (Liz) Roper is a partner in Baker McKenzie's North America Litigation and Global Dispute Resolution Practice, specializing in investigations, data security, and white collar defense. Liz advises clients on cybersecurity compliance, incident response, government investigations, internal investigations, and criminal defense matters. With over 15 years of experience in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, including over four years as Bureau Chief of the Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau (CITB), Liz pairs deep investigative experience with expertise in new technologies and electronic evidence, including digital forensics, mobile device data, network forensics, and blockchain analysis.

Liz has obtained the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) certification.

Mariana Oliver is an associate in Baker McKenzie’s Chicago office and a member of the IP Tech practice group, with a focus on data privacy and security. Mariana is an alum of Northwestern University’s JD-PhD program, receiving her JD from Northwestern School of Law and her PhD in Sociology from Northwestern Graduate School.

Mariana’s articles have been published in the Arizona State Law Journal and the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology.

         Approved for 1.5 CLE Ethics Credit (ND)

SBAND member: $35

Non-Member: $110

08/20/2025 SBAND FREE Ethics Webinar: Help for Colleagues in Crisis

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota

 Wednesday, August 20, 2025

12:00 – 1:30 PM

Help for Colleagues in Crisis (August 20, 12-1:30 p.m. by zoom)

Mental health and addiction issues are a serious problem in the legal profession.  Stigma about these conditions stands in the way of asking for or offering help.  This program is designed for colleagues and managers who may observe changes in behavior that give rise to concerns. It discusses how to recognize and obtain help when you, a work colleague, or another professional colleague may have a substance use, mental health, or other issue that affects behavior, conduct, and performance. Topics include understanding the issues, special considerations for remote work, approaching the lawyer (including interventions), arranging assistance such as treatment, and practice management issues during and following a reduced work schedule or leave of absence. Many of these issues either arose or have been exacerbated within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Colleagues can save careers, families, and lives by taking action. 

This course is designed to educate attorneys to identify colleagues who may be suffering from chemical health or mental health related impairment. By educating attorneys about the misconceptions surrounding chemical health and mental health issues, they will be better positioned to eliminate barriers to hiring, retention, professional development, and full participation of attorneys disabled by chemical or mental health issues.

Chase Andersen, Esq., has always been committed, both personally and professionally, to assisting others.  Chase received his B. S. in Criminal Justice from the University of South Dakota, located in Vermillion, South Dakota.  Following undergraduate school, Chase worked several years in the social services arena as a residential counselor and then as a child-protective social worker.  In 2006, Chase earned his J. D. from Drake University Law School in Des Moines, Iowa.  Chase then practiced family law for several years and understands the pressures facing today’s legal professionals. 

Since joining LCL in 2015, Chase has worked daily with attorneys, law students and judges on issues related to well-being, mental health, substance use and addiction, ethics, and everyday practice stressors.  He regularly presents at Minnesota’s three law schools as well as CLE programing focusing on ethics, client impairments, and the intersection of technology and practice.  Chase facilitates LCL’s Discipline and Practice (DAP) Group, a free and confidential group that supports those dealing with professional conduct or character and fitness issues.  He is an active member of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Lawyer Assistance Program’s Law School Assistance Committee, the Board of Law Examiners Bar Exam and Competency Working Group and has co-chaired the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Well-Being Committee.  

Chase’s article “Therapy: Being a Zealous Advocate for Yourself” was featured in the September/October 2021 volume of the Hennepin Lawyer magazine.  In 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018, Chase was honored as a “Rising Star” attorney by Super Lawyers Magazine.  Chase enjoys traveling, spending time with his family and friends and cheering on his step-daughter at the hockey rink.

Tony Weiler (Moderator) was hired as the Executive Director of the State Bar Association of North Dakota in June 2013.  Before coming to SBAND, Weiler was North Dakota’s Labor Commissioner having been appointed by Governor John Hoeven in September 2010.  He continued in that role under Governor Jack Dalrymple until his selection as Executive Director. 

Weiler was a litigator with the Maring Williams Law Office from 2002 to 2010, concentrating in plaintiff’s personal injury, and business and corporate law.  Prior to that he was a general practitioner with the Wheeler Wolf Law Firm.  Weiler clerked for the Honorable Dale V. Sandstrom of the North Dakota Supreme Court from 1998 until 1999.  Weiler is a 1998 graduate of the University of North Dakota School of Law. Weiler is a Ft. Yates, ND native who now resides in Bismarck with his four children.

Approved for 1.5 CLE Ethics Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

MN applied for credit for these two webinars

Help for Colleagues in Crisis: Recognizing and Responding to Impairment and other Challenges in the Legal Profession has been submitted for 1.5 hours of EOB credit. It is CLE # 533564.

Boundaries and Balance: Avoiding Lawyer Burnout has been submitted for 1.5 hours of ethics credit. It is CLE # 533565.

08/27/2025 SBAND FREE Ethics Webinar: Boundaries and Balance, Avoiding Lawyer Burnout (August 27, 12-1:30 p.m., by zoom) 

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota

 Wednesday, August 27, 2025

12:00 – 1:30 PM

Boundaries and Balance, Avoiding Lawyer Burnout (August 27, 12-1:30 p.m., by zoom) 

The legal profession is known for its stress-inducing environment: demanding hours, high caseloads, tight deadlines and its adversarial nature. Add in client expectations, the culture of overwork and the personality of most lawyers, and exhaustion and burnout can result. Where does this leave us in our ethical duties to our clients when exhaustion is part of our everyday? How do we prevent it from setting in at the first instance?

This seminar will explore key factors contributing to stress, anxiety, and burnout, focusing on the many ways in which weak boundaries and poor communication are key contributors. We will answer such questions as what is burnout, how do weak boundaries contribute to burnout, and what are our ethical obligations to our clients most often compromised on the way to burnout. Additionally, lawyers will learn the importance of boundary setting in client relationships, relationships with colleagues and co-counsel, and in the sometimes stress-inducing relationship with opposing counsel. We will also discuss how to work with the court to set boundaries that will preserve our mental health, without prejudicing our client’s position. The applicable ethical rules will be discussed and applied.

Finally, the presentation will provide strategies and guidance for attorneys and firms/offices to better equip themselves to handle professional and personal stressors and will provide information about pertinent resources, including Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers , EAPs and other supports available to assist attorneys and their staff with these complicated issues.

Sarah MacGillis joined LCL as Outreach Director after a 27-year career in litigation. With a deep-seated compassion and genuine interest in people, Sarah is dedicated to ensuring attorneys receive robust targeted support, providing them with swift and easy access to essential tools when they are needed.

Sarah is enthusiastic about spearheading new initiatives at LCL, particularly in the realms of well-being, stress management, resilience and in all other areas where LCL supports legal professionals and their families.

Sarah’s extensive background encompasses both civil and criminal defense litigation. Through these experiences, she navigated the pressures of extensive discovery processes, tight deadlines, trial and motion work, occasionally challenging relationships with opposing counsel, and clients deeply involved in their defense. She empathizes with the demanding nature of legal practice, where attorneys are often called upon to dedicate long hours in furtherance of their clients’ interests. Furthermore, Sarah has advocated for numerous licensed professionals grappling with challenges that impacted their own overall well-being and their professional practice. This advocacy laid the foundation for her current role.

Sarah was recognized as a Super Lawyer every year from 2011-2024. Prior to that, she was recognized by the same publication as a Rising Star from 2000-2008. In addition, she previously acted as a Federal Defender Mentor for the District of Minnesota, and as an Adjunct Professor at both Mitchell Hamline and the University of Minnesota Law Schools. She has sat on multiple professional boards including the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Innocence Project and the Minnesota Board of Criminal Defense.

Beyond her professional commitments, Sarah is an avid runner who finds peace on Minnesota’s trails throughout the year. She has coached numerous women in their running and fitness pursuits over 20+ years of running.

Above all things, her greatest love is her family. She counts the times spent among them as her most cherished whenever and wherever they gather.

Tony Weiler (Moderator) was hired as the Executive Director of the State Bar Association of North Dakota in June 2013.  Before coming to SBAND, Weiler was North Dakota’s Labor Commissioner having been appointed by Governor John Hoeven in September 2010.  He continued in that role under Governor Jack Dalrymple until his selection as Executive Director. 

Weiler was a litigator with the Maring Williams Law Office from 2002 to 2010, concentrating in plaintiff’s personal injury, and business and corporate law.  Prior to that he was a general practitioner with the Wheeler Wolf Law Firm.  Weiler clerked for the Honorable Dale V. Sandstrom of the North Dakota Supreme Court from 1998 until 1999.  Weiler is a 1998 graduate of the University of North Dakota School of Law. Weiler is a Ft. Yates, ND native who now resides in Bismarck with his four children.

Approved for 1.5 CLE Ethics Credit (ND)

MN Credit 1.5 CLE Ethics Credit (MN) has been applied for #533565

SBAND member: $35

Non-Member: $110

Mental Health and Substance Use in the Legal Profession and in the Practice of Law

Wednesday, August 28, 2024

12:00 – 2:00

Approved for 2.00 CLE Ethics Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for: 1.0 EOB Credit and 1.0 Mental Health Credit

UNDERSTANDING CHRONIC STRESS, TRAUMA, AND MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION

Legal professionals are exposed to experiences that can lead to higher stress and greater consequences than those in many other careers. There is a clearly recognized continuum where unresolved chronic stress becomes a predictor for substance use problems and mental illness, particularly depression and anxiety. By understanding this continuum and the facts about addiction and mental illness, lawyers can reduce their risk and, hopefully, get help earlier when there is a mental health, substance use, or related problem. By knowing these risks, we can also support each other. This program will present signs, symptoms, risk factors, and recovery regarding these challenges, as well as well-being tools. The presenter will also provide information on Minnesota and North Dakota lawyer assistance program and other resources.

Implicit Bias in the Legal Profession: Mental Health and Double Stigma

Implicit bias discussions in the legal profession must include mental health (including substance use) and stress issues. This program will begin with a general understanding of the concept of implicit bias and discuss how implicit bias stands in the way of lawyers seeking the help they need for mental health, stress, and well-being. While it’s hard for anyone to ask for help, there is a double stigma for those already in underrepresented groups. This program will address the challenges faced by lawyers, judges, and law students when asking for help for mental health issues. It will also address the relationship between mental health issues and diversity and inclusion. The program includes a discussion of strategies to overcome these issues.

Presenter

Joan Bibelhausenhas served as Executive Director of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers since 2005.She is an attorney and received her JD from the University of Minnesota Law School. Joan is nationally recognized for her work in the lawyer assistance and diversity and inclusion realms and has significant additional training in counseling, mental health and addiction, diversity, employment issues, and management.

Tony Weiler (Moderator) was hired as the Executive Director of the State Bar Association of North Dakota in June 2013. Before coming to SBAND, Weiler was North Dakota’s Labor Commissioner having been appointed by Governor John Hoeven in September 2010. He continued in that role under Governor Jack Dalrymple until his selection as Executive Director.

Weiler was a litigator with the Maring Williams Law Office from 2002 to 2010, concentrating in plaintiff’s personal injury, and business and corporate law. Prior to that he was a general practitioner with the Wheeler Wolf Law Firm. Weiler clerked for the Honorable Dale V. Sandstrom of the North Dakota Supreme Court from 1998 until 1999. Weiler is a 1998 graduate of the University of North Dakota School of Law. Weiler is a Ft. Yates, ND native who now resides in Bismarck with his four children.

SBAND member: $50

Non-Member: $125

09/03/2025 Young Lawyer Webinar:

The Jury told me so: COMMENTS from federal jurors in recent federal cases

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and its Young Lawyers Section

WEDNESDAY, september 3, 2025

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

The Jury told me so: COMMENTS from federal jurors in recent federal cases

Judge Welte reviews comments and questions from jurors in certain federal trials over the past few years.  The comments and questions are informative, entertaining, and will make you a better practitioner.

Chief Judge Welte will give a brief update on the “State of the Judiciary in ND Federal Court” and will present 5 practice tips guaranteed to make you a better practitioner, based upon his observations over a 28 year legal career.  Whether you’re a trial attorney or you don’t ever want to appear in court, these practice tips will be helpful to you.

On August 6, 2019, Judge Peter D. Welte was sworn in as a District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota. Judge Welte began his career in private practice with Juntunen, Hager and Welte, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota.  He was appointed Steele County (ND) State’s Attorney in 1998 and was appointed as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Grand Forks County in 1999.  As an Assistant State’s Attorney, he was one of the first prosecutors in North Dakota to prosecute crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking under the Violence Against Women Act.  He was elected Grand Forks County State’s Attorney in 2002, serving as the elected State’s Attorney until 2015, when he left public practice to reenter private practice by establishing the Vogel Law Firm’s branch office in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Since November 2019, he has served as Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota.

Brooke Benson (Moderator) is a Defense Attorney with the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in Bismarck, where in 2024 she was honored with the “In The Arena” Award from the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in recognition of her commitment to clients, law, and service. She previously served as Assistant Staff to the North Dakota House Majority Leader and has experience in private practice, in-house counsel roles, and judicial clerkships. Benson earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in Political Science, with a minor in Legal Studies, from Lamar University in Texas. Raised in Houston, she now resides in Bismarck with her husband, Calvin, and is active in the State Bar Association of North Dakota, serving as President of its Young Lawyers Section

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

September 7 & 8, 2023

delta hotel, Fargo, ND

Approved for 13.25 CLE Credits

VIEW BROCHURE

SBAND Member: $325

Non-Member: $425

09/24/2025 SBAND Webinar: Redefining Neurodiversity in the Legal Industry

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and Legal Services of North Dakota 

 Wednesday, September 24, 2025

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Redefining Neurodiversity in the Legal Industry

No two brains are the same, and that's a good thing! An estimated 1 in 7 people are neurodivergent, including those with autism, ADHD, mental health disabilities, learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities or acquired brain differences. Given this prevalence, why are conversations around neurodiversity nonetheless so difficult, especially in the context of broader discussions about disabilities? How is it complicated further in the legal profession where neurodivergent lawyers and staff are less likely to share or face additional barriers at work? And yet, neurodiversity benefits us professionally among ourselves and our clients. In this session, Haley will unpack the nuances of navigating disclosure, advocating for ourselves and others, and building accessibility into our understanding of inclusion. Come prepared for lightbulb moments, and leave feeling more empowered to tackle stigma. 

Haley Moss is a neurodiversity expert, lawyer, and the author of five books that guide neurodivergent individuals through professional and personal challenges. She is currently a speaker, consultant, and neurodiversity advocate for organizations and corporations that seek her guidance in creating an inclusive workplace and a sought-after commentator on disability rights issues. She has won multiple awards, from Forbes 30 Under 30 to ABA Making a Difference and much more. The first openly autistic lawyer in Florida, Haley’s books include Great Minds Think Differently: Neurodiversity for Lawyers and Other Professionals, The Young Autistic Adult’s Independence Handbook, and Talking The Talk About Autism: How To Share And Tell Your Story. Her articles have appeared in outlets including the Washington Post, Teen Vogue, and Fast Company. Haley’s life experiences, advocacy, and dedication guide her to leave the state of inclusion better than she found it.

Jen Lee (Presenter & Moderator) is the Executive Director at Legal Services of North Dakota (LSND). Prior to joining LSND at the end of 2022, Jen was in private practice as a bankruptcy attorney, or as she likes to call it: a debt and credit strategy attorney. She is licensed in California and North Dakota. Law was a second career for Jen, after working for ten years in insurance and underwriting. She opened her own law firm straight out of law school and realized that her undergraduate degree in business and an MBA made a huge difference in running a law firm as a business. She often speaks at conferences, bar associations, professional groups, and other trade associations on substantive issues for bankruptcy and debt, as well as on law practice marketing, technology, and management. Jen enjoys doing things that others say can’t be done and coming up with innovative ways to move the practice of law forward.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

09/25-26/2025 Family Law Seminar

September 25 & 26, 2025

 Jasper Hotel

215 Broadway North

Fargo, ND 58102

VIEW BROCHURE (Subject to Change)

PRESENTATION SUMMARIES 

Approved for 13.00 CLE Credits (ND)

Including 1.00 Ethics Credit (ND)

SBAND MEMBER- $200.00

Non-Member- $400.00

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and its Young Lawyers Section

Wednesday, October 2, 2024 (RESCHEDULED FROM SEPTEMBER 4)

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Trial attorneys generally learn trial law from three sources:  law school, trial practice, and the school of hard-knocks.  In this CLE, Judge Welte will share his knowledge, observations and perspectives based upon his career as a prosecutor, criminal defense attorney, civil litigator and, finally, an Article III Federal District Judge.  Judge Welte promises that the hour of CLE will be both useful and entertaining.  Join us if you’re able to!”

PRESENTER

On August 6, 2019, Judge Peter D. Welte was sworn in as a District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota.

Judge Welte began his career in private practice with Juntunen, Hager and Welte, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota.  He was appointed Steele County (ND) State’s Attorney in 1998 and was appointed as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Grand Forks County in 1999.  As an Assistant State’s Attorney, he was one of the first prosecutors in North Dakota to prosecute crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking under the Violence Against Women Act.  He was elected Grand Forks County State’s Attorney in 2002, serving as the elected State’s Attorney until 2015, when he left public practice to reenter private practice by establishing the Vogel Law Firm’s branch office in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Since November 2019, he has served as Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

SBAND member: $25

Non-Member: $100

10/08/2025 FREE SBAND Webinar: 2025 SBAND Membership Benefits

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

12:00 - 1:30 PM

Join Tony Weiler, Executive Director of the State Bar Association of North Dakota (SBAND), for an insightful webinar exploring the diverse benefits and programs available to SBAND members. In this session, Tony will walk through the numerous resources designed to enhance your legal career, including:

• Annual Meeting & Networking Opportunities
• Continuing Legal Education (CLE) to stay current in the legal field
• Access to the Ethics Committee and professional guidance
• Tools like the Gavel and Pattern Jury Instructions
• Local Bar Associations and opportunities to get involved in regional legal communities
• The Lawyer Assistance Program and Member Assistance Program for personal and professional support
• Mentorship and Pro Bono Programs to foster community engagement and professional growth
• Wex Fastcase for comprehensive legal research
• Career resources such as job listings and specialized sections to develop expertise in areas of law.
• Website Navigating and Report of Compliance

This webinar will also highlight ways to get more involved with SBAND and leverage its staff, website, and programs to advance your practice. Whether you're looking to expand your network, gain specialized knowledge, or access career support, this session will provide valuable insights into making the most of your SBAND membership. Don't miss out on the opportunity to learn how SBAND can support your career and well-being.

Tony Weiler (Moderator) was hired as the Executive Director of the State Bar Association of North Dakota in June 2013.  Before coming to SBAND, Weiler was North Dakota’s Labor Commissioner having been appointed by Governor John Hoeven in September 2010.  He continued in that role under Governor Jack Dalrymple until his selection as Executive Director.  Weiler was a litigator with the Maring Williams Law Office from 2002 to 2010, concentrating in plaintiff’s personal injury, and business and corporate law.  Prior to that he was a general practitioner with the Wheeler Wolf Law Firm.  Weiler clerked for the Honorable Dale V. Sandstrom of the North Dakota Supreme Court from 1998 until 1999.  Weiler is a 1998 graduate of the University of North Dakota School of Law. Weiler is a Ft. Yates, ND native who now resides in Bismarck with his four children.

Approved for 1.5 CLE Credits (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND Member: FREE

Non- Member: $100

10/22/2025 FREE Ethics Webinar: Disciplinary Counsel’s Tips for Discipline-Free Practice

(How to Stay Off Our Speed Dial)

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

12:00 - 1:00 PM

While you learned about the Rules of Professional Conduct in law school and passed the MPRE, you do not always learn about how the disciplinary system works in your state.  Disciplinary Counsel will provide an overview of the North Dakota disciplinary system from start to finish, including resources on how complaints are filed and where to find applicable resources.  Counsel will also provide some suggestions regarding how to avoid complaints as you get your practices started.

Kara J. Erickson serves as Disciplinary Counsel for the Disciplinary Board of the North Dakota Supreme Court and the North Dakota Judicial Conduct Commission.  In her capacity as Disciplinary Counsel, Kara investigates and prosecutes allegations of ethical misconduct for both attorneys and judges. 

Kara joined the Office of Disciplinary Counsel in November 2013.  Prior to that time, Kara practiced as a civil litigator whose focus was in the areas of insurance defense and legal malpractice defense.

Kara received her Juris Doctor, with distinction, from the University of North Dakota School of Law.  Kara is also a member of the State Bar Association of North Dakota, the Big Muddy Bar Association, the National Organization of Bar Counsel, the American Bar Association Center for Professional Responsibility, and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

Tony Weiler (Moderator) was hired as the Executive Director of the State Bar Association of North Dakota in June 2013.  Before coming to SBAND, Weiler was North Dakota’s Labor Commissioner having been appointed by Governor John Hoeven in September 2010.  He continued in that role under Governor Jack Dalrymple until his selection as Executive Director. 

Weiler was a litigator with the Maring Williams Law Office from 2002 to 2010, concentrating in plaintiff’s personal injury, and business and corporate law.  Prior to that he was a general practitioner with the Wheeler Wolf Law Firm.  Weiler clerked for the Honorable Dale V. Sandstrom of the North Dakota Supreme Court from 1998 until 1999.  Weiler is a 1998 graduate of the University of North Dakota School of Law. Weiler is a Ft. Yates, ND native who now resides in Bismarck with his four children.

Approved for 1.0 Ethics CLE Credit (ND)

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

Webinar: Fair Housing Essentials

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and Legal Services of North Dakota 

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Fair Housing Essentials

Join High Plains Fair Housing and Legal Services of North Dakota in a comprehensive overview of critical housing issues, emphasizing the Fair Housing Act and North Dakota's landlord-tenant laws. Designed for attorneys across North Dakota, regardless of their prior experience with housing law, this session will cover essential legal principles, recent developments, and practical applications.

Participants will gain insights into the Fair Housing Act's protections, learn about common landlord-tenant disputes, and explore effective strategies for resolving housing-related legal issues. The session will also highlight the important work of Legal Services of North Dakota and High Plains Fair Housing, offering valuable resources and support for attorneys advocating for housing justice.

Presenters:

Michelle Rydz

Executive Director

Michelle is the founder and Executive Director of the High Plains Fair Housing Center, the only Fair Housing Initiative Program (FHIP) in North Dakota. She oversees all advocacy for victims of housing discrimination and supervises all enforcement and education activities. She has over 25 years of prior experience in grassroots community organizing and advocacy on issues that include neighborhood safety, housing, and transportation. Her work as a transportation advocate required her to engage with local officials in multiple states. Michelle began her career as a community organizer in Chicago and later worked with the National Democratic Institute on developing advocacy projects in Romania after the fall of communism.

Jen Lee

Executive Director

Jen Lee is the Executive Director at Legal Services of North Dakota (LSND). Prior to joining LSND at the end of 2022, Jen was in private practice as a bankruptcy attorney, or as she likes to call it: a debt and credit strategy attorney. She is licensed in California and North Dakota. Law was a second career for Jen, after working for ten years in insurance and underwriting. She opened her own law firm straight out of law school and realized that her undergraduate degree in business and an MBA made a huge difference in running a law firm as a business. She often speaks at conferences, bar associations, professional groups, and other trade associations on substantive issues for bankruptcy and debt, as well as on law practice marketing, technology, and management. Jen enjoys doing things that others say can’t be done and coming up with innovative ways to move the practice of law forward.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

11/19/2025 SBAND & LSND FREE Webinar: What Lawyers Should Know About Inpatient Care

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and Legal Services of North Dakota 

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

12:00 – 1:00 PM

What Lawyers Should Know About Inpatient Care

Clients experiencing severe depression, psychosis, or anxiety may find themselves in inpatient behavioral health care at some point during a legal matter. This CLE provides an inside look at inpatient treatment from both a clinical and legal perspective. Melissa Lennon, representing Altru Inpatient Behavioral Health, joins Jen Lee of Legal Services of North Dakota for a conversational session covering what happens inside a behavioral health unit, what lawyers should know about treatment timelines and discharge planning, and how to navigate confidentiality and communication barriers. Attendees will gain practical insight into how to approach these sensitive situations with empathy, professionalism, and effectiveness.

Melissa Lennon, PT, DPT is the Director of Business Development for Altru's Inpatient Behavioral Health Center in Grand Forks, ND. She graduated with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2015 and was a Home Health Physical Therapist/Lead Physical Therapist for 8.5 years prior to being promoted to Clinical Educator. In January 2025, she transitioned to a new role as Director of Business Development for Altru's Inpatient Behavioral Health Center. In this role, she oversees the provision of marketing and customer service activities and is responsible for achieving the desired utilization of the organization's continuum of care. She is also actively involved in strategic planning, marketing management, identification of potential growth opportunities, and future projects.

Jen Lee (Presenter & Moderator) is the Executive Director at Legal Services of North Dakota (LSND). Prior to joining LSND at the end of 2022, Jen was in private practice as a bankruptcy attorney, or as she likes to call it: a debt and credit strategy attorney. She is licensed in California and North Dakota. Law was a second career for Jen, after working for ten years in insurance and underwriting. She opened her own law firm straight out of law school and realized that her undergraduate degree in business and an MBA made a huge difference in running a law firm as a business. She often speaks at conferences, bar associations, professional groups, and other trade associations on substantive issues for bankruptcy and debt, as well as on law practice marketing, technology, and management. Jen enjoys doing things that others say can’t be done and coming up with innovative ways to move the practice of law forward.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

11/30/2023 Business & Corporations Section Seminar

Thursday, November 30, 2023 (Prior to RPPT Seminar)

Proudly sponsored by SBAND & its Business & Corporations Section 

Radisson Hotel Bismarck

602 East Broadway Avenue

Bismarck, ND 28201

VIEW BROCHURE (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Approved for 3.0 CLE Credits

Including 1.5 Ethics Credits

SBAND Member: $100

Non-Member: $200

 Thursday & Friday, November 30 & December 1, 2023

 Proudly Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota

& Its Real Property, Probate & Trust Section

BROCHURE - AGENDA SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Self-Study Approved for 8.75 CLE Credits including 1.0 Ethics Credit

SBAND Member: $265

Non-Member: $365

Delta by Marriot, Symphony Hall, Fargo, ND
Self-Study Approved for 6.5 CLE Credit

SBAND Member: $165.00

Non-Member: $300

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and its Young Lawyers Section

Wednesday, December 10, 2025
12:00 – 1:00 PM

Culture in the workplace for lawyers and judges.
Based upon his personal experience as a member of the North Dakota Bar over parts of four decades, Judge Welte will present a meaningful review of the evolution of culture in the workplace, including an emphasis on its importance to younger attorneys, and how older attorneys can accept and adapt to its role in the workplace today. This promises to be a useful and fun webinar for attorneys of any “vintage”, young and not-so-young alike.

PRESENTER
On August 6, 2019, Judge Peter D. Welte was sworn in as a District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota. Judge Welte began his career in private practice with Juntunen, Hager and Welte, based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. He was appointed Steele County (ND) State’s Attorney in 1998 and was appointed as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Grand Forks County in 1999. As an Assistant State’s Attorney, he was one of the first prosecutors in North Dakota to prosecute crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking under the Violence Against Women Act. He was elected Grand Forks County State’s Attorney in 2002, serving as the elected State’s Attorney until 2015, when he left public practice to reenter private practice by establishing the Vogel Law Firm’s branch office in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Since November 2019, he has served as Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of North Dakota.

Brooke Benson (Moderator) is a Defense Attorney with the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in Bismarck, where in 2024 she was honored with the “In The Arena” Award from the North Dakota Legal Counsel for Indigents in recognition of her commitment to clients, law, and service. She previously served as Assistant Staff to the North Dakota House Majority Leader and has experience in private practice, in-house counsel roles, and judicial clerkships. Benson earned her Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in Political Science, with a minor in Legal Studies, from Lamar University in Texas. Raised in Houston, she now resides in Bismarck with her husband, Calvin, and is active in the State Bar Association of North Dakota, serving as President of its Young Lawyers Section.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)
MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

Membership in the Young Lawyers Section is limited to attorneys who are 35 years of age or younger, or who have practiced for 5 years or less, whichever occurs last. For more information, contact younglawyersnd@gmail.com.

12/11/2024 YLS Webinar Bench and Bar

Judge Weiler on the South-Central Judicial District Mental Health Court 

Sponsored by the State Bar Association of North Dakota and its Young Lawyers Section

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Judge Weiler will present on the creation of the first mental health court in North Dakota.  She will discuss the need for the mental health court, the goals of the mental health court, how someone will be accepted into the mental health court, the community needs, and what the program hopes to look like. 

Judge Weiler was licensed in 2010.  She was an attorney in private practice for ten years, primarily working in family law and criminal defense.   In practice, she had multiple clients who struggled with mental health issues and addiction issues.  Judge Weiler also came from a home with a father who struggled with both as a result of PTSD from serving in multiple wars.   As a Judge, she has seen multiple people who need access to mental health services who cannot find those services.  So, it has been her goal for years to start the mental health court.  

Elise Fischer (Moderator) grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she was actively involved in swimming and Girl Scouts.  She moved to North Dakota to attend the University of Mary, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2018.  Elise earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2021.  During her time in law school, she was a member of UND’s Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity national trial team and worked as a law clerk at Johnston Family Law in Grand Forks.  After graduation, Elise practiced family law in Bismarck and served as an assistant state’s attorney for Morton County.  Elise recently returned to private practice and partnered with Carey Goetz and Christina Sambor to form Sambor Goetz Fischer LLP.  Elise practices primarily family law, assisting families with divorce, custody, adoption, guardianships, and paternity actions.  Elise presently serves as President of the Young Lawyers Section of the State Bar Association.

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

MN Credit will be applied for

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100

Thursday, December 5, 2024 (Prior to RPPT Seminar)

Proudly sponsored by SBAND & its Business & Corporations Section

Approved for 3.0 CLE Credits

CLE credit will be applied for in MN

VIEW BROCHURE

SBAND Member: $100

Non-Member: $200

12/4/2025 Real Property, Probate & Trust Law and Business & Corporations Sections Seminar

(seminars are combined this year)

VIEW BROCHURE

Approved for 11.5 CLE Credits, Including 1.0 CLE Ethics Credit

MN Credit will be applied for

Thursday & Friday, December 4 & 5, 2025

SBAND Member: $225

Non-Member: $425 

Wednesday, September 13th at 12 pm Central

Approved for 1.0 CLE Credit (ND)

Do your juries reflect a fair cross-section of your community? In most jurisdictions the answer is no, and fair cross-section claims are one tool for securing a representative jury. This session will cover the basic framework for raising a fair cross-section challenge as well as strategies for tackling common obstacles to successful claims.

Nina Chernoff is a Professor at the CUNY School of Law. Professor Chernoff’s research focuses on the right to a jury selected from a fair cross-section of the community. Her scholarship includes  Wrong About the Right: How Courts Undermine the Fair Cross-Section Guarantee by Confusing it With Equal Protection (2012);  Black to the Future: The State Action Doctrine & The White Jury (2019) ; and Preempting Jury Challenges: Strategies for Courts and Jury System Administrators , with Dr. Joseph B. Kadane (2012). Her article,  No Records, No Right: Discovery and the Fair Cross-Section Guarantee , was cited by the Iowa Supreme Court’s decision in State v. Plain  in support of a Constitutional right to discovery of jury selection records, and was also featured on  Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ; Professor Chernoff also works with courts committed to assembling diverse jury pools. For example, she gave the  keynote presentation  at the Washington State Supreme Court’s symposium on Jury Diversity in Washington: A Hollow Promise or Hopeful Future?, and is was a consultant to the  New Jersey Judiciary and was a panelist at the 2021 New Jersey Judicial Conference on Jury Selection. Professor Chernoff also works with attorneys and communities seeking to diversify their  jury pools through advocacy or litigation. For example, she helped write  a letter recommending improvements to the jury plan of the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. 

Prior to entering academia, Nina was a staff attorney in the Special Litigation Division of the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS). 

SBAND Member: $25

Non-Member: $100