New SBAND President Darcie Einarson:
Leading a Strong and Established Association
Can you tell us about your background and family?
I grew up in Park River, N.D. My dad was the milkman, and I
remember fondly helping him by bringing the glass, gallon jugs into
homes, on porches, or even placing them in refrigerators. My mother
stayed at home with me and my younger sister, Denise. Then she
took a job as a school cook at our school. My parents were honest,
hard-working people. They always supported my sister and me in our
activities.
After high school, I attended the University of North Dakota
(UND) to follow my passion for music. I completed the music
education curriculum with the exception of student teaching. I
graduated with a bachelor of arts in psychology and entered law
school in the fall of 1989. I graduated in 1992 and am admitted in
Minnesota and North Dakota.
I have two wonderful children, Sydney and Landen. Sydney is a
graduate of North Dakota State University (NDSU) and is starting
law school at UND in the fall. She lives in Adams, N.D., with
her fiancé, Alex Bata. Sydney is a certified family court mediator
and plans to return to Walsh County to practice with me. Landen
recently graduated from Grafton High School and will begin at
NDSU this fall. He plans to study history and hopes to be a college
professor one day.
What inspired you to pursue a career in law?
I never considered law an option for me. I did not know any lawyers
and was not really even sure what they did. In high school, I was the
minority whip in a mock legislative session, and I recognized I had
the “power of persuasion.” This was probably my first taste of what
the practice of law might be like.
4
THE GAVEL
I went to college with the plan to become a high school band
director. I finished with a bachelor of arts in psychology, and
my advisor in that department noticed my lawyering skills. He
encouraged me to apply for law school and provided an excellent
faculty reference. I suspect Dr. Paul Wright had no idea what his off-
hand comment meant to me at the time. It was life-changing.
What type of law do you practice?
I am a divorce lawyer. As a young lawyer, I had the fortune of
working in a small firm with three others who had very diverse
practices, and I learned a lot from them. I am the municipal judge in
Grafton and a certified mediator and have law offices in Grafton and
Cavalier. I love what I do. It is so rewarding to help people through
such a hard time. If I were not a lawyer, I’d be a counselor. I guess
they call it “Attorney and Counselor at Law” for a reason.
What has drawn you to your involvement in SBAND?
How have you stayed active in SBAND?
I’ve been drawn to SBAND through other leaders. My first term as
a board member came when my district did not have an election and
the SBAND president needed to appoint someone from my district.
I have been on the board since 2012. I’ve served on a number
of committees during my tenure, including as president of the
Family Law Section. I have also served on the Alternative Dispute
Resolution Committee and on the task force that created the Family
Mediation Program. I have served on the Judicial Education, Inquiry,
Case Management, and Consumer Protection Committees. I have
also served as a mentor for other municipal court judges.