Updates from the University of North Dakota School of Law.
Governor Kelly Armstrong appoints Judicial Referee Scott Diamond of Fargo to East Central Judicial District Judgeship Thursday, January 15, 2026 – 12:50pm BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Kelly Armstrong today appointed former prosecutor and current Judicial Referee Scott Diamond of Fargo to an open judgeship in the East Central Judicial District, effective Feb. 1. Diamond served […]
New biography chronicles Gerald W. VandeWalle’s extraordinary 65-year career, from dairy farm roots to the state’s longest-serving Chief Justice. What makes an exemplary public servant? A new biography of alumnus Gerald W. VandeWalle—North Dakota’s longest-serving Supreme Court Chief Justice—offers powerful insights into character, humility and public service. Call Me Jerry, commissioned by the Trustees of […]
Chief Justice Jon J. Jensen formally transfers the gavel to Chief Justice-elect Lisa K. Fair McEvers The North Dakota Supreme Court held a formal Passing of the Gavel ceremony on Tuesday, January 6, in the state supreme court chambers, marking the transition from Chief Justice Jon J. Jensen to Chief Justice-elect Lisa K. Fair McEvers, […]
Cranfill Sumner LLP Partner Recognized for Excellence in Elder Law and Estate Planning Kara Gansmann ’07 has been recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as part of its 2026 Legal Elite program, an honor awarded to North Carolina’s top attorneys as voted on by their peers. A Partner at Cranfill Sumner LLP in the firm’s […]
Sixteen Law Graduates Earn Juris Doctor Degrees at December Ceremony The University of North Dakota proudly celebrated its winter commencement ceremony for professional and graduate degrees on Friday, December 19, 2025, at the Chester Fritz Performing Arts Center on the UND campus. The ceremony marked a significant milestone for students, families, faculty and staff as […]
Categories: Faculty
An evening of connection, conversation, and community led by UCW+ faculty and campus leaders As Faculty Co-lead for UCW+, Professor Kimberly Dasse led the fall mentoring program focused on networking and relationship-building in today’s professional landscape. The event, Networking in the Age of Social Media: An Examination of New and Old Techniques, took place last […]
Categories: Faculty
Closing out the Foundation’s 2025 CLE series with insights on cyberthreats, best practices, and ethical duties. In late December, the Energy & Mineral Law Foundation hosted Professor Blake A. Klinkner for the Foundation’s final CLE presentation of 2025. His CLE addressed the increasingly important topic of cybersecurity and attorney ethics, an area of growing concern […]
The Bucks County Board of Commissioners have selected UND Law Alumnus, Dan Grieser, to serve as County Solicitor. Grieser’s appointment as the County’s chief legal officer and head of its Law Department came Dec. 3, 2025, in a unanimous, bipartisan vote of the three-member board. He joined the Law Department in 2021, and served as […]
Categories: Alumni, Uncategorized
Former North Dakota Gov. Allen Olson, who served one term from 1981 to 1984, died December 26 at age 87. JEFF BEACH North Dakota Monitor | Dec 26, 2025 Olson, a Republican, served as the state’s attorney general from 1972 to 1980 before defeating Democratic incumbent Gov. Art Link in the 1980 election, the North Dakota […]
Categories: Alumni
The North Dakota VOAD – Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster – has struggled with low capacity since the COVID-19 pandemic began. On December 16, 2025, a group of disaster relief nonprofit organizations, emergency managers, and state agencies met to revive the organization by voting in and installing new board officers. VOAD is a national organization […]