Jeana L. Goosmann

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Leaders in Law endorses Jeana Goosmann as our exclusively recommended Antitrust Law expert in South Dakota, USA. If you wish to get in touch with Jeana please use the contact information provided above.

Attorney, CEO, Founder, and Managing Partner in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota

Attorney Jeana Goosmann is the CEO’s Attorney and personally acts as general counsel to company presidents, CEOs, and corporate executives. As the Founder, CEO and Managing Partner of the Goosmann Law Firm, she knows what it takes to start a business and grow it from the ground up. Jeana’s a lawyer who thinks like a CEO and business owner because she’s lived it, been there, and gets it. Clients who work with Jeana experience a business legal partner at their side with a full law firm to tackle all legal matters. After becoming an entrepreneur and starting the firm in 2009, she’s grown the firm successfully at a rapid pace and built a client experience that’s like no other law firm. Everyday Jeana lives out the firm’s mission, making it “worth it” for her clients, employees, friends, and family.

Her fierce legal business and litigation experience with Midwest values allows Jeana to guide CEOs through their most important legal matters, helping them make the wisest business decisions the law can offer. This makes Jeana’s legal advice sought after by the most successful CEOs. Her clients include large national corporations as well as local closely-held companies and family-owned businesses of all sizes. Jeana has represented clients on Forbe’s billionaire’s list, Senators in trial, and companies involved in anti-trust class action, toxic tort, business fraud, piercing the corporate veil, adversary proceedings, mass product recall, breach of contract, explosion litigation and business torts. Jeana also helps out-of-state lawyers with transactions and litigation in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. If you’re stuck in multi-million dollar business deals, bogged down by legal disputes, losing cash flow, tangled in contracts, and getting headaches from troubled employees, Jeana is ready to work for you – worth it! Call Jeana now.

As a business and trial attorney Jeana loves to win. She looks for out of the box solutions and keeps in mind the total landscape, not just the legal landscape. “If it matters to the client, it matters to me. Behind every company is an owner, a board of people. When I represent an individual I want to know them as a person and not just their current problem. The more complicated and complex the problem, the more I like to work on it. At the same time, if I can pull from my connections and experience and help someone in a quick and simple way it is always gratifying. My favorite part of being the CEO’s attorney is the impact I can make on the future by solving problems today and anticipating the issues of tomorrow,” says Jeana.

Over the years Jeana has defied the risks of starting her own firm. Jeana says, “I took a calculated risk when I started the Goosmann Law Firm and branched out to form a business focused modern client centered law firm that is the firm today. Like a lot of entrepreneurs, it was a difficult decision because my current situation was a good one and a safe one. I just knew I wanted more.”

Jeana’s hard work over the past 20 years has not gone unnoticed. She put herself through college on academic and leadership scholarships and a full academic scholarship to law school. After law school, Jeana worked to build her legal skill and put in more than 15,000 hours before taking the leap to bring her unique vision to life. Jeana knew that nothing replaces drive and hard work – only passion fuels it. When Jeana started the firm and began hiring high paid educated attorneys to work for her, she was concerned about cash flow just like any other new business owner. Jeana had a vision and sold it to her team early on.

Jeana is heavily involved with the media and is regularly seen on news outlets as a legal correspondent, including NBC, ABC, CBS, The Des Moines Register, and Argus Leader. Jeana is a prolific speaker achieving top marks and has been a national and state presenter at conferences including the American Bar Association, Annual Midwestern Bankruptcy Institute Conference, National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, Iowa State Bar Association, Iowa State University Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation, American Bar Association Young Lawyer’s Division National Meeting, American Bar Association Law Practice Management Spring Meeting, and Prairie Family Business Association Annual Meeting. Jeana is a former Iowa State Bar Association Young Lawyer’s Division President and the 2002 recipient of the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Outstanding Scholar Award. She has achieved the Martindale AV-Rated Attorney for Legal Excellence and Ethics and has been named a Super Lawyer.

Jeana is an author of Marketing Success: How Did She Do That?, American Bar Association 2015, and has been published in The Woman Advocate and ABA Corporate Counsel news. She also writes the CEO Law Review blog, publishing multiple articles each month and has been a past author and contributor for JD Supra.

Today, Jeana has grown the firm to include locations in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. She has watched her vision come to life, and wants to help you do the same for your company – no matter the size. Whatever your business goals and challenges may be, Jeana can help you overcome them without losing sight of your overall vision. She keeps your goals top of mind and creates the strategy to solve your biggest business and legal issues so you can worry less, and focus more on the things that matter most to you – worth it.

Practice Areas

  • Business
  • Business Disputes and Litigation
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Finance
  • Banking
  • Creditor Bankruptcy
  • Commercial Law
  • Telecommunications Law
  • Contracts
  • Corporate Law
  • Employment
  • Real Estate

Firm Description:

Having left an established 100-year-old law firm, Jeana Goosmann had a vision and defied the risks of starting her own firm. Initially, Jeana had enough work to hire multiple attorneys, however, she opted to hire only one lawyer and an assistant. Then came the rebranding, which she refers to as one of her best investments to date. This rebranding decision helped to define Goosmann Law Firm and what it was about, attracting clients and team members. As a result, Jeana hired up to seven attorneys and eight non-attorney staff just five years later.

Jeana’s priority has been about creating a firm culture centered around Midwest values, big city style, hometown service, team-approach, and keeping up with the pace of business. Now having grown to three locations in the Midwest, Sioux City, Sioux Falls, and Omaha, Jeana continues to grow the firm without plans of stopping anytime soon. She says, “With a business mindset, hiring and promoting the right people, developing a strong professional culture, and capturing hot markets, I have been able to beat the odds, defy the risks, and watch my firm grow.”

 

Mike Shaw

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Mike Shaw was born in Canton, South Dakota, on July 18, 1957, and was raised in Pierre. He attended the University of South Dakota and later graduated from Western Kentucky University in 1981 with a bachelor’s degree. Mike continued his education at the School of Law, University of South Dakota, graduating with a Juris Doctor degree in 1987. While in law school, he was a member of the Delta Theta Phi legal fraternity and was president of the Student Bar Association, 1986 to 1987. He was admitted to the South Dakota Bar in 1987 and was admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota in 1988. Mike served as law clerk to the Honorable James W. Anderson, presiding judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit for the State of South Dakota, from 1987 to 1988 and joined the firm in June, 1988. He is a member of the South Dakota State Bar Association, the South Dakota Defense Trial Lawyers Association, and the International Association of Gaming Regulators.

Mike is a senior partner at the May, Adam Firm in Pierre. He has an extensive administrative law and lobbying practice and specializes in regulatory practices routinely appearing before State Regulatory agencies such as the SD Division of Insurance and the Division of Banking, representing companies and agents. He has represented various companies in the creation of newly formed insurance companies and successfully secured certificates of authority to transact the business of insurance as well as money lending licenses. His practice includes mergers and acquisitions of insurance companies as well as representation of companies before the Division of Insurance on a variety of matters including market conduct examinations.

Mike currently serves as lobbyist for the South Dakota Association of Specialty Care Providers, the state association of physician owned surgical hospitals. He also represents other entities in the insurance and health care fields, including Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, American Family Insurance and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Other lobbying clients include the Motion Picture Association of America, DeSmet Farm Mutual Insurance Company, DeSmet Insurance Company, Energy Transfer-Dakota Access Pipeline and Nonmeandered Waters Association of SD. In the past 20 plus years he has also represented many other groups and clients before the SD Legislature, including, various insurance companies, farming interests, manufacturers of farm machinery, and has assisted the South Dakota Gaming Commission with its legislative efforts.

Mike has served on a variety of boards under appointment by various Governors. Governor Mike Rounds appointed him to the Risk Pool Advisory Board. The Advisory Board assisted and advised the Risk Pool Governing Board, the entity responsible for managing and directing South Dakota’s Risk Pool, the State-operated health insurance for high-risk individuals. Mike also worked extensively on the legislation creating the Risk Pool which was passed during a special legislative session in June 2003. Mike was also nominated by Governor William Janklow to the Governor’s Task Force on Workers’ Compensation. The Task Force did a detailed study on the laws of workers’ compensation in South Dakota and made specific legislative recommendations to the South Dakota Legislature. As a result of that Task Force, significant changes in the laws of workers’ compensation were enacted. In the past, Mike has also lobbied extensively in the areas of workers’ compensation, health insurance, and property casualty insurance.

Rounding out his legal field, Mike acts as General Counsel for the South Dakota Commission on Gaming, and actively participates in both plaintiff and defense trial litigation and routinely appears in both state and federal courts across the state.

FIRM DESCRIPTION

May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP offers superior legal representation from the foremost South Dakota attorneys. Our clients can be assured their legal matters will be handled with expertise and the utmost professionalism. Our South Dakota law firm and all of our senior attorneys, have consistently received an AV designation for our skills and integrity in the legal profession. In a recent publication, five members of our South Dakota law firm were recognized as among the best lawyers in America. In addition, May Adam is listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers and is recommended by Best’s Directory and Hines Insurance Counsel.

Before South Dakota was even a state, and before Pierre became the capital, Wakefield and Horner became partners in the practice of law, serving what would one day become South Dakota. More than 135 years later, our South Dakota lawyers remain committed to resolving our client’s matters through practical legal advice and representation. That commitment to principle is the cornerstone of May Adam’s place in South Dakota history, and its relevance today in South Dakota’s legal, business, government, and political communities. From that inauspicious start, the May Adam Law Firm has grown into a team of committed lawyers and staff who serve businesses of all sizes and clients from all walks of life.

Diverse Law Practice

Our clients include families, farmers and ranchers, small businesses, banks and lenders, government agencies and Fortune 100 industrial corporations. Owing to our location in the seat of South Dakota government and in the central part of the state, May Adam lawyers have a very diverse practice. We litigate statewide, in state and federal courts, and in tribal courts as well. We also practice South Dakota Administrative Law before state agencies, and we are a strong participant in government relations.

Because of our central location and easy accessibility to the entire state, our lawyers in Pierre, SD routinely advise clients and appear in courts all across the state including the other major cities of the state, Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Aberdeen. But May Adam lawyers keep fingers on the pulse in Washington as well. Our many state and national professional and trade association clients require us to maintain access to, and communication with, our state’s delegation to the US Congress.

May Adam is a member of the State Capital Law Firm Group. The State Capital Law Firm Group is a highly selective international organization of leading law firms with offices in their state and national capitals. The State Capital Law Firm Group provides our South Dakota lawyers and clients with access to a point of reference and a contact in every state in the United States and dozens of nations around the globe. Member firms of the group practice independently and not in a relationship for the joint practice of law.

May Adam has continually earned AV ratings, the highest possible designation from Martindale-Hubbell for its legal ability and integrity in the legal profession. Five of our lawyers hold that rating. In addition, five members of our South Dakota law firm were recently recognized among the best lawyers in America. The firm is also listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers and is recommended by Best’s Directory and Hines Insurance Counsel.

May Adam has an active appellate practice in South Dakota. We have represented clients in hundreds of reported cases over the years. It would be impossible to list them all but some of the most recent include:

  • Voorhees Cattle Co., LLP v. Dakota Feeding Co., LLC, 2015 SD 68
  • Repp v. Van Someren, 2015 SD 53
  • Berkley Reg’l Specialty Ins. Co. v. Dowling Spray Serv., 2015 SD 35
  • In re Luff Exploration Co., 2015 SD 61
  • Oglala Sioux Tribe & Rosebud Sioux Tribe v. Van Hunnik, 100 F. Supp. 3d 749
  • Terveen v. S.D. DOT, 2015 SD 10
  • Dollar Gen. Corp v. Miss Band of Choctaw Indians, 2015 US LEXIS 7121
  • Hutterville Hutterian Brethren, Inc. v. Sveen, No. CIV 12-1010, 776 F 3d. 547 (8th Cir. 2015)
  • Rosenbrahn v. Daugaard, 61 F. Supp. 3d 862
  • Paul Nelson Farm v. S.D. Dep’t of Revenue, 2014 SD 31
  • Pfuhl v. Pfuhl, 2014 SD 25
  • In re Toyota Motor Corp. Unintended Acceleration Mktg., Sales Practices & Prods. Liab. Litig., 978 F. Supp. 2d 1053
  • Aegis Food Testing Labs. v. Aegis Scis. Corp., 913 F. Supp. 2d 742
  • Ass Kickin Ranch, LLC v. N. Star Mut. Ins. Co., 2012 SD 73
  • Manuel v. Toner Plus, Inc., 2012 SD 47
  • In re Toyota Motor Corp. Unintended Acceleration Mktg., 284 F.R.D. 485
  • In re Toyota Motor Corp. Unintended Acceleration Mktg., 838 F. Supp. 2d 967
  • Adrian v. Vonk, 2011 SD 84
  • Rodriquez v. Miles, 2011 SD 29
  • Heartland State Bank v. Am. Bank & Trust, 2010 SD 83
  • In re S.M.N., 2010 SD 31
  • Charge of Sandra M. Williams v. S.D. Dep’t of Agric., 2010 SD 19
  • Tracfone Wireless, Inc. v. S.D. Dep’t of Revenue & Regulation, 2010 SD 6
  • Plains Commerce Bank v. Long Family Land & Cattle Co., 554 U.S. 316, 320, 128 S. Ct. 2709, 2714 (2008)
  • Nancy J. Weatherill v. John McHugh, Secretary of the Army et al. 616 F 3d. 789, Cert. Denied in US Supreme Court 10-638.
  • Gerlach v. State, 2008 SD 25

Jean H. Bender

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Sioux Falls lawyer Jean H. Bender is an employment lawyer at Davenport Evans. Jean is extremely active assisting clients with employee benefits issues and all areas of employment law. Jean counsels clients on issues involving sexual harassment, race, sex, age, national origin and disability discrimination, wrongful termination, wage and hour issues arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act, and leave issues under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Jean proactively counsels clients on issues such as hiring and firing, drug testing, harassment and discrimination investigations, employment policies, and company handbooks. Jean also drafts corporate documents related to employment such as contracts, non-compete agreements, and settlement agreements and releases.

Jean also consults with clients on ERISA and other legal compliance issues for employee benefit plans ranging from qualified retirement plans to flexible benefit plans. Jean has assisted a number of clients in correcting plan errors through IRS and DOL voluntary compliance programs such as EPCRS and DFVCP. She also negotiates service contracts with third party providers.

Jean has received a Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished Peer Rating, indicating the attorney is widely respected for high professional achievement and ethical standards. She has also been selected by Best Lawyers® in the area of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, and has been ranked by Chambers and Partners in the area of Labor & Employment Law.

Jean is active in a number of community organizations. She currently serves on the Minnehaha County Board of Commissioners. She is past president of the Brandon Valley School Board and currently serves as president of the Brandon Valley Booster Club. She is also the former president of the board of directors for Volunteers of America, Dakotas. Jean also currently serves on the CASA Board of Directors. She is a frequent volunteer for Junior Achievement and active in her church.

The Employment Law Practice:

The labor and employment lawyers of Davenport Evans law firm, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, represent both public and private employers. Our attorneys counsel employers in all areas of labor and employment law and advise clients in the prevention of potential litigation from the beginning of the employment relationship to termination and everything in between.

The firm advises clients on a broad range of issues under federal and state employment law, including Title VII Discrimination Claims, FMLA, ADA, Wage and Hour, Workers’ Compensation and more. The firm represents employers in proceedings before various administrative agencies, as well as all types of employment litigation, including wrongful termination and discrimination claims, in both federal and state courts.

Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith LLP:

The attorneys of Davenport Evans are committed to client success. One of South Dakota’s oldest, largest, and most highly respected law firms, Davenport Evans offers its clients a wealth of experience across a wide range of practice areas.

Davenport Evans is unique in that it has attracted top lawyers from across the region, each of whom brings diverse experiences, areas of practice, and legal specializations to one location in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Davenport Evans routinely represents national clients on major transactions and in complex litigation matters.

Founded in 1939 by four of South Dakota’s premier lawyers, Davenport Evans has led the state in developing separate business and litigation sections and specific areas of attorney expertise. Our experienced litigation attorneys are battle-tested in both federal and state trial courts as well as in courts of appeal. Our litigation team also has extensive experience before federal and state administrative tribunals. Our business attorneys have in-depth experience in a wide range of commercial matters and are able to provide clients with one-stop counsel for numerous corporate, banking, and individual business needs. Committed to excellence, Davenport Evans is dedicated to being a trusted advocate and advisor to our clients. Rely on Davenport Evans to Protect What You’ve Built.

Jon C. Sogn

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Mr. Sogn has been with the firm since 1986. He has substantial experience in employment discrimination and wrongful termination litigation, employee non-compete disputes, and a wide range of other labor and employment issues. Jon was recently recognized for his employment law experience in the Chamber USA 2005 America’s Leading Lawyers for Business publication. He is a former editor of the South Dakota Employment Law Newsletter and a frequent speaker at seminars and the University of South Dakota School of Law. Mr. Sogn is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Firm Background

Since 1946, the law firm of Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun, P.C. has been serving the needs of employers throughout the state and region, earning a solid reputation for excellence. As one of the larger firms in the state, the Lynn, Jackson law firm has a deep pool of talented attorneys with extensive legal knowledge on a wide range of human resource issues, employee benefits, contracts, discrimination and other employment related litigation, and other business needs. With offices in South Dakota’s two largest cities, our firm is ready to provide employment and labor law services on a statewide basis.