Updates from the University of North Dakota School of Law.
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 […]
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 […]
Categories: Alumni
North Dakota names Fair McEvers Supreme Court chief justice, 1st female to hold the role MARY STEURER North Dakota Monitor Lisa Fair McEvers has been elected the first female chief justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court. She earned about 83% of the vote by sitting justices and district court judges. Justice Jerod Tufte, who […]
Former Chief Justice Jerry VandeWalle received the inaugural Distinguished Alumni Award from the North Dakota Law Review. The award was presented by Editor in Chief, Erin Cummings, and Managing Editor, Taylor House. Governor Kelly Armstrong and First Lady Kjersti Armstrong hosted a luncheon that included Federal District Judge Daniel M. Traynor, Justice Daniel Crothers, Justice […]
Governor Kelly Armstrong appointed Devils Lake attorney Ashley Samuelson to an open judgeship in the Northeast Judicial District, effective November 28. Samuelson has served as a staff attorney for the Northeast Judicial District since 2017, assisting district judges with civil and felony-level trials and drafting and editing court orders. She served as a special assistant […]
A proud UND School of Law alum, Ms. Askew represents individuals and institutions in criminal and civil matters, with particular focus on employment law, internal and government investigations and enforcement actions, and white collar criminal defense. As a former federal prosecutor, Askew has made countless appearances in federal court and tried cases to jury verdict […]