Steve Sanford

– Associate (1974–1975)

– Partner (1975–2019)

– Senior Partner (2020-Present)

– Adjunct Professor of Law, University of South Dakota School of Law (1983, 1992)

– Section Chief (Civil Litigation), South Dakota Practice Course, University of South Dakota Law School (1997–2006)

– Chancellor, Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota (2002)

– "Recent Developments in Conservation Easements," American Agricultural Law Association Annual Meeting (October 2010)

– “Why Didn’t the Court Enforce Your Agreement? A Litigator’s Advice to Attorneys Drafting Transactional Documents,” ABA Annual Meeting (August 2001) (re-presented as an ABA Video/Teleconference, January 30, 2002) (presented as an ABA Teleconference/ Webcast January 31, 2008)

– “The Attorney-Client Privilege for Financial Institutions,” Presentation to Financial Institution Compliance Professionals Organization (January 11, 2006)

– “Recent Developments in Insurance Coverage for Farmers,” American Agricultural Law Association Annual Conference (October 2001)

– “South Dakota Legal Ethics (Conflicts of Interest and Dealings with Third Parties),” Lorman (September 2001)

– “The Uniform Commercial Code Survey” (Litigation) 56 Bus.Law 1859 (August 2001) (with Jeffrey Wong)

– “Alvine v. Mercedes-Benz North America: What Doctors Do When Their Mercedes Doesn’t Work,” South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association (April 2001)

– “Fraud and the Economic Loss Doctrine,” ABA Business Law Section Meeting (March 2001)

– “What You Need to Know About Noncompete Agreements,” South Dakota Legal Assistants Association Seminar (June 2000)

– “Comprehensive General Liability Insurance Coverage Issues in Business Tort Litigation,” State Bar of South Dakota (March 2000)

– “The Evolving Scope of Insurance Agency Liability to Insureds and Others,” Property and Casualty Claims Continuing Education Seminar (January 2000)

– “The Uniform Commercial Code Survey” (Litigation) 54 Bus.Law 1985 (August 1999) (with Jeffrey Wong)

– “The Federal Rules of Evidence in the Eighth Circuit,” State Bar of South Dakota (June 1997)

– “The Use of Rule 45 Subpoenas To Discover Information Concerning Experts or Underlying Expert Opinions,” South Dakota Defense Lawyers Association (December 1996)

– “Pre-Trial Disclosure and Rule 45 Subpoenas,” State Bar of South Dakota (June 1996)

– “Poisoning the Competitor’s Well--Business Interference Claims,” State Bar of South Dakota (March 1996)

– “The New (Maybe) UCC Article 9 Obligation of Good Faith,” Uniform Commercial Code Newsletter (October 1995)

– “The Sale of Farm Products & Compliance with the Federal Statute,” American Bankers Association,

– National Agricultural Banker’s Conference, Minneapolis, Minnesota (November 1992)

– “Suing and Defending Banks: Theories and Tactics for the 1990's (Comprehensive General Liability Insurance Coverage Issues in Lender Liability Litigation),” ABA Annual Meeting (August 1991) and represented as ABA Satellite Seminar (May 1992)

– “Cross-Examination of an Expert Witness,” South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association (November 1990)

– “The Reborn Farm Products Exception Under the Food Security Act of 1985,” 20 Uniform Commercial Code Law Journal 3 (Summer 1987)

– “Debtor's Rights in Collateral as a Requirement of Attachment of a Security Interest under the Uniform Commercial Code, ” South Dakota Law Review (Spring 1981), reprinted as Chapter 4B, Coogan, et al., Secured Transactions Under The Uniform Commercial Code (Matthew Bender, 1982)

– “Involuntary Civil Commitment in South Dakota: A Step Closer to Constitutional Legitimacy, ” South Dakota Law Review, (Spring 1974)

– “Constitutionality of the Tax Exempt Status of Municipal Bonds,” South Dakota Law Review (Winter 1973)

– American Bar Association

– Chair, UCC Litigation Subcommittee (1990–2000), ABA Litigation Section

– Vice Chair, UCC Litigation Subcommittee (1999–2002), Chair (2002–2004), ABA Business Law Section

– State Bar of South Dakota

– Trial Academy Committee (2006)

– Chair, Uniform Commercial Code Committee of The State Bar of South Dakota (1986–1990)

– Second Circuit Bar Association (President, 1988–1989)

– American Board of Trial Advocates (President, South Dakota Chapter 1998–1999)

– American Inns of Court (President, Roy F. Burns Inn 1996–97)

– American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow

– American Bar Foundation, Fellow

– Federal Practice Committee for District of South Dakota (retired 2021)

– ABA Litigation Section

– ABA Business Law Section

– ABA National Institute on Agricultural & Agri-Business Financing

– American Bankers Association

– American Agricultural Law Association

– State Bar of South Dakota

– South Dakota Trial Academy

– South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association

– South Dakota Legal Assistants Association

– Sioux Empire United Way

– South Dakota Children's Home Society

– Sioux Falls High School Foundation (President)

– South Dakota Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (Chair, Board of Trustees)

– Great Bear Management, Inc. (President, nonprofit operator of Great Bear Ski Valley)

– Northern Prairies Land Trust (Founding Director and President)

– Sioux Falls Community Playhouse

– Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota

– South Dakota Humanities Council

– Washington Pavillion Management, Inc.

– Sioux Falls Parks Foundation

– Deiter v. XL Specialty Ins. Co., 2021 WL 2201566 (D.S.D. 2021)

– Trimble v. Helwig, 2020 WL 2850047 (D.Neb. 2020)

– Cup O’ Dirt v. Badlands Airtime, LLC, 2021 WL 680173 (D.S.D. 2021)

– Prince Mfg. Corp. v. Westech Vac Systems, Ltd., 2019 WL 11073225 (D.S.D. 2019)

– In re Sorin 3T Heater-Cooler System Products Liability Litigation (No. II), 289 F. Supp.3d 1335 (MDL 2018)

– Eisenberg v. Sorin Group Deutschland GmbH, 2017 WL 3311217 (D.S.D. 2017)

– Busselman v. Egge, 864 N.W.2d 786 (S.D. 2015)

– Kustom Cycles, Inc. v. Bowyer, 857 N.W.2d 410 (S.D. 2014)

– Beef Products Inc. v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc., 949 F. Supp. 2d 936 (D.S.D. 2013)

– Dakota, Minnesota, & Eastern R.R. Corp. v. Schieffer, 711 F.3d 878 (8th Cir. 2013)

– Plambeck v. Kroger Co., 2013 Wl 943735 (D.S.D. March 11, 2013)

– LOL Finance Co. v. Paul Johnson & Sons Cattle Co., Inc., 2010 WL 5422621, D.Neb. (December 23, 2010)

– Scharnweber v. Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corp., 2010 WL 3730112, D.S.D. (September 20, 2010)

– Pinnacle Pizza Co., Inc. v. Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc., 395 F. Supp.2d 891 (D.S.D. 2005); 560 F.Supp.2d 786 (D.S.D. 2008); 598 F.3d 970, 2010 WL 1006437, C.A.8 (S.D.) (March 22, 2010)

– Nelson v. Promising Future, Inc., 759 N.W.2d 551, 2008 WL 5413755, 2008 SD 130, S.D. (December 30, 2008)

– McDowell v. Citicorp U.S.A., 734 N.W.2d 14 (2007), SD 53

– Kent v. United of Omaha Life Ins. Co., 484 F.3d 988, C.A.8 (S.D.) (2007)

– Broin and Associates, Inc. v. Genencor Intern., Inc., 232 F.R.D. 335, D.S.D. (July 26, 2005)

– Pinnacle Pizza Co., Inc. v. Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc., 395 F. Supp.2d 891, D.S.D. (July 19, 2005)

– Richland State Bank v. Household Credit Services, Inc., 340 F.Supp.2d 1051, D.S.D. (September 30, 2004)

– In re Northwestern Corp. Securities Litigation, 329 F.Supp.2d 1105, 2204 WL 1772968, D.S.D. (April 7, 2004)

– Fritzmeier v. Krause Gentle Corp., 669 N.W.2d 699 (2003), SD 112

– FMB BankShares, Inc. v. Hajek, 668 N.W.2d 715 (2003), SD 103

– Western Wireless Corp. v. Department of Revenue, 665 N.W.2d 73 (2003), SD 68

– Alvine v. Mercedes-Benz of North America, 620 N.W.2d 608 (2001), SD 3

– Sawyer v. Farm Bureau Mut. Ins. Co., 619 N.W.2d 644 (2000), SD 144

– Setliff v. Akins, 616 N.W.2d 878 (2000), SD 124

– Brevet Intern., Inc. v. Great Plains Luggage Co., 604 N.W.2d 268 (2000), SD 5

– First Nat. Bank in Sioux Falls v. Drier, 574 N.W.2d 597 (1998), SD 1

– Elrod v. General Cas. Co. of Wisconsin, 566 N.W.2d 482 (1997), SD 90

– Read v. Medical X-Ray Center, P.C., 110 F.3d 543, C.A.8 (S.D.) (April 2, 1997)

– Chance Management, Inc. v. State of S.D., 97 F.3d 1107, C.A.8 (S.D.) (1996)

– Krueger v. Austad, 545 N.W.2d 205 (1996) SD 26

– Carlsen v. Thomas, 159 F.R.D. 661, E.D.Ky. (December 23, 1994)

– Mid-Western Elec., Inc. v. DeWild Grant Reckert & Associates Co., 500 N.W.2d 250, S.D. (1993)

– Gulch Gaming, Inc. v. State of S.D., 781 F. Supp. 621, D.S.D. (1991)

– Moldrem v. Stone Container Corp., 939 F.2d 664, C.A.8 (S.D.) (July 30, 1991)

– Time Out, Inc. v. Karras, 469 N.W.2d 380, S.D. (April 24, 1991)

– Application of Farmers State Bank of Viborg, 466 N.W.2d 158, S.D. (1991)

– Taggart v. Ford Motor Credit Co., 462 N.W.2d 493, S.D. (1990)

– Matter of Hadleigh D. Hyde Trust, 458 N.W.2d 802, S.D. (1990)

– Olson v. Tri-County State Bank, 456 N.W.2d 132, S.D. (May 9, 1990)

– In re Dakota Country Store Foods, Inc., 107 B.R. 977, Bkrtcy D.S.D. (1989)

– Schuler v. Meschke, 435 N.W.2d 156, Minn. App. (February 7, 1989)

– Gall v. South Branch Nat. Bank of South Dakota, 783 F.2d 125, C.A.8 (1986)

– Vreugdenhil v. Hoekstra, 773 F.2d 213, C.A.8 (1985)

– Bublitz v. State Bank of Alcester, 369 N.W.2d 137 (1985)

– Taylor Realty Co. v. Haberling, 365 N.W.2d 870, S.D. (1985)

– Henningson, Durham & Richardson, Inc. v. Swift Bros. Const. Co., 739 F.2d 1341, C.A.8 (1984)

– Crocker Nat. Bank, Credit Alliance Corp. v. Clark Equipment Credit Corp., 724 F.2d 696, C.A.8 (1984)

– Scherschligt v. Empire Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 662 F.2d 470, C.A.8 (S.D.) (1981)

– University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn., (B.A., English, 1970)

– University of South Dakota (J.D., 1974)

– South Dakota Bar and U.S. District Court, South Dakota (1974)

– U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit (1975)

– United States Supreme Court (1992)

– U.S. District Court, Nebraska (1995)