South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service
Although not a traditional lawyer referral service, the South Dakota State Bar maintains an online listing of attorneys and law firms that have agreed to provide you with a 30-minute consultation for a reasonable fee.
The attorneys on this list charge reasonable attorney fees for the services rendered. The listing is often referred to as a "Lawyer Referral Directory" maintained by the State Bar of South Dakota in Pierre, SD.
The listings include attorneys practicing in Belle Fourche, Brookings, Burke, DeSmet, Huron, Madison, Miller, Mitchell, Pierre, Plankinton, Rapid City, Salem, Sioux Falls, Spearfish, Sturgis, Tea, Vermillion, Watertown and Yankton, South Dakota.
The online listing indicates the types of legal matters handled by each attorney or law firm.
Contact Information:
State Bar of South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service (SDLRS)
222 E Capitol Avenue #3
Pierre, SD 57501 Call the LRS: 1-800-952-2333 Website: https://findalawyerinsd.com
Disclaimers for the State Bar of South Dakota LRS
The State Bar of South Dakota cannot verify the accuracy of the information about areas of practice or experience appearing in its directory. The information was supplied by each lawyer or law firm.
The directory also contains the following disclaimer: Listings stating or implying that a law practice is specialized, limited to, or concentrated in a particular field should not be interpreted to mean that the lawyer or firm is recognized or certified as a specialist by any court, official agency, board or bar association.
The lawyer referral directory maintained by the State Bar of South Dakota does not include all lawyers in your community. The attorneys listed in the directory of members of the South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service whose registration fees partially fund the publication of the directory.
How to Use the South Dakota Lawyer Referral Directory
To find an attorney on the list, scroll through the listings. The listings are organized by city or town. If you know the city or town where the attorney is needed, then scroll through the list to find the attorneys in that city or town. After you have selected an attorney, call the attorney's office to set up the initial consultation.
Tell the attorney that you are calling because of the listing on the South Dakota State Bar's Lawyer Referral Directory.
Types of Attorneys Listed in the Lawyer Referral Directory
It is important to consider the general practice areas listed in the directory. The attorneys on the list practice in the following areas of law:
- ADMINISTRATIVE LAW: Generally includes social security, unemployment compensation, worker's compensation.
- BUSINESS PLANNING AND PRACTICE: Generally includes matters relating to the formation and operation of corporations, partnerships, and one-owner businesses.
- CIVIL LITIGATION: Generally includes common types of civil trial practice in county courts, such as collections, contracts, insurance, accident cases, products liability, real property disputes.
- FAMILY LAW or DOMESTIC RELATIONS: Generally includes separation and divorce, custody, support, adoption.
- LABOR LAW: Generally includes any matters relating to employment, such as employer-employee disputes, unfair labor practices.
- REAL ESTATE: Generally includes landlord-tenant disputes, purchase or sale of real estate, zoning and subdivision law.
- WILLS AND ESTATES or WILLS AND PROBATE: Generally includes drawing a will or estate plan, and handling the administration of estates.
Practice Panels in the South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service (“SDLRS”)
The practice panels in the South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service (“SDLRS”) include:
- BANKRUPTCY
- BENEFITS & ADMINISTRATION
- BUSINESS
- CONSUMER & DEBT
- CRIMINAL
- DISPUTE RESOLUTION
- DWI/DUI
- EMPLOYMENT
- EDUCATION
- FAMILY
- HOUSING & APARTMENT
- INDIAN LAW
- INSURANCE
- INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
- IMMIGRATION
- LOBBYING
- PERSONAL INJURY & RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
- REAL ESTATE
- WILLS, TRUSTS, ELDER
- WORKERS COMPENSATION
- TAX
Conditions to Join the South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service (“SDLRS”)
To participate in South Dakota Lawyer Referral Service (“SDLRS”), the attorney must agree to the following:
- Being an active member in good standing of the State Bar of South Dakota;
- Paying a $50 service fee on an annual basis;
- Creating a referral profile at www.findalawyerinsd.com;
- Showing that the attorney is covered by Errors and Omissions Insurance totaling at least $100,000/$300,000;
- Maintaining such insurance at all times while participating in SDLRS;
- Promptly inform the State Bar of South Dakota Bar of any change in my address or phone number;
- Agreeing to a suspension of referrals until final resolution of the matter:
- The license to practice law is suspended for any reason;
- The license is transfered to inactive status for any reason;
- Formal disciplinary proceedings are initiated against the attorney; or
- A criminal complaint is filed or an indictment returned against the attorney alleging a serious crime as defined in SDCL 16- 19-37.
- In the event the attorney receives a referral through the SDLRS that results in the payment of attorney fees, the attorney understands it is strongly encouraged I contribute 7% of those fees to the SD Bar Foundation.
- The attorney agrees to pay a total the amount of $50, to cover the registration fee for the appropriate Practice Panels.
Finding an Attorney in South Dakota
If you need to find an attorney in South Dakota, then consider the simplicity and effectiveness of using the Lawyer Referral Directory maintained by the State Bar of South Dakota.
The attorneys that participate in the service provide information about their practice areas and willingness to provide a 30-minute consultation. The list is maintained instead of a more traditional lawyer referral service.
At Lawyer Legion, we recognize that lawyer referral services maintained by bar associations provide an important alternative to commercial online attorney directories and other ways of finding an attorney in South Dakota.
This article was last updated on Friday, December 27, 2019.
