SBAND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
MONITORING TRENDS
AND CHANGES
TONY J. WEILER
SBAND Executive Director
Here at SBAND, we pay attention to the
number of licensed North Dakota lawyers.
Much of that has to do with the fact that we
are a unified bar, and every licensed lawyer is
a member. We also do so in an effort to keep
a handle on where our numbers could be
heading, and looking back to do so is helpful.
I don’t have to tell you that the practice of
law has been busy in the last few years, as
most of you have lived it daily.
Currently, we have just over 2,900 licensed
North Dakota lawyers, and finished 2015
with 2,997. In 2016, 88 lawyers did not
renew their license, were suspended,
disbarred, or went on voluntary inactive
status. In 2007, for comparison, there were
1,931 licensed North Dakota lawyers. We
enjoyed a steady increase in our numbers
every year since. It’s remarkable, really, that
we added 50 percent more members in
less than 10 years. Will the trend continue
upward, or will we see a leveling off, and
possible declines? That is difficult to say, but
it is something we will be monitoring in the
next several years.
Another interesting fact is that
approximately 55 percent of those with
North Dakota licenses have a North Dakota
address. It’s easy to say this is all tied to the
“oil boom” of the last decade, but that might
be too simplistic a view, given many of our
lawyers are working in areas outside the oil
industry, although perhaps related to it in
some way. I know most of you are very busy,
and there doesn’t appear to be any shortage
of work for lawyers to do in our great state.
I also want to bring you up to speed on the
Fleck v. McDonald, et al lawsuit. As I’ve told
you in previous columns, we settled the first
cause of action and implemented new Keller
policies. You each received a Keller notice in
your recent license fee statement, and the
procedures SBAND will be following were
outlined as well. Two further causes of action
(one requiring an “opt-in” procedure, and
one to deunify the bar) were dismissed by
the United States District Court, ruling in
favor of SBAND. Those two issues, however,
have now been appealed to the Eighth
Circuit. SBAND will keep you posted on the
progress of the litigation.
Recently, President-Elect Charles DeMakis
and I attended the Bar Leaders Institute
(BLI). The BLI is intended to help executive
directors and incoming leadership start the
upcoming president’s term on the right foot.
This year’s BLI dealt with setting the stage as
a leader, and doing so in a collaborative way.
There were breakout sessions on Leadership
by Design, Leading an Extraordinary
Board, and Setting Benchmarks for
Success. There were other sessions all
geared toward a bar association’s staff and
a new president working together with the
board of governors to make the year one
in which all members feel engaged. These
meetings always allow for time to socialize
and network with other bar leaders, which
can be just as valuable as any programming.
President-Elect DeMakis is already working
on ideas that will benefit the entire bar.
There will be some upcoming changes to
The Gavel, as SBAND has contracted with
Clearwater Communications of Bismarck
to assist with writing, design, and publishing
of the magazine. Clearwater is a full service
communications and public relations
firm. It has established itself in providing
editorial, design, and production services for
many different organizations throughout
North Dakota. Their areas of expertise
include graphic design, writing, editing, and
magazine and book publishing. Whether
this is a long term relationship remains to be
seen, but for now it is the most cost-effective
alternative to producing The Gavel.
You also should have received the most
recent Directory of Lawyers and Judges.
This publication is now being produced
by SBAND as a member benefit. It is in
a different format, but one that is more
economical to produce and distribute. If you
have any feedback on it, please let me know.
Finally, President Joseph Wetch intends to
appoint Christina Wenko from Dickinson
to replace Beth Ebert on SBAND’s Board
of Governors. Christina was elected as the
new BOG representative at the Southwest
District Meeting recently, but because her
term will not begin until after SBAND’s
Annual Meeting, she will be appointed
to fill out the remainder of the expired
term. Similarly, Kimberly Radermacher of
LaMoure was elected from the Southeast
Judicial District to a full term, but because
Lee Grossman resigned from that position,
she will also be appointed to finish his term
as well.
SPRING 2016
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