Spring 2020 Gavel 268650 SBAND Gavel Magazine_web | Page 18

support having an office in the state, but in 2004, efforts were started to establish an office in North Dakota. In 2005, the state consolidated offices with South Dakota and federal public defenders were placed in Fargo and Bismarck. Since 2005, both offices have expanded to meet changing demands on the federal court system. “The federal public defenders have significant resources to make sure defendants receive a fair trial and can provide training to lawyers who handle court appointed cases,” says Hovland. “It’s a really valuable resource in the defense of criminal cases.” His professional involvements included serving on the national Court Administration and Case Management Committee (CACM), as well as the Eighth Circuit Judicial Conference, the Eighth Circuit Chief Judges Committee, and several circuit subcommittees. He was a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association and SBAND, having served on various SBAND committees. In the Bismarck community, he was the former president and served on the Bismarck Park Board from 1994 to 2006; former president and member of the Missouri Valley YMCA Board of Directors from 1992 to 1998; and served on the North Dakota Parole Board from 1999 to 2002. Advice Hovland says his success as a federal judge can also be attributed to excellent support staff and law clerks, which include one permanent law clerk and three law clerks on two-year rotations. “All of my law clerks have been graduates of the UND School of Law. Without top notch law clerks, most federal judges would not function very well. I have been very fortunate to have had a wonderful contingent of law clerks, as well as other fine professional staff in the courthouse, all of whom have made my job easier and more enjoyable,” he notes. “And having had the opportunity to work with former federal judges Patrick Conmy and Rodney Webb was an honor and a privilege.” The career advice he shares with law students, recent graduates, and his law clerks focuses on the people surrounding them in their professional lives. “Find yourself some great mentors, colleagues, and other lawyers you can surround yourself with and learn from them about the practice of law. Surround yourself with people who are honest, straight forward, hardworking, ethical, and respectful to others,” says Hovland. “Trust your instincts and follow your moral compass.” “In every job I’ve had, I have been fortunate to have been surrounded by really excellent lawyers, judges, and colleagues that were willing to mentor and teach, and provide sound guidance and direction along the way,” he continues. “I could not have had better people to work with as a young lawyer.” He also recommends law students find work in their areas of interest in the summer months to get an inside look into what 18 THE GAVEL Judge Hovland enjoying time at his lake cabin in Minnesota. it takes to be a lawyer. “It’s all about having a strong work ethic and working diligently and with civility to serve your client’s best interest. More important, it’s about fairness and treating all people, regardless of their station in life, with dignity, respect, humility, and kindness,” Hovland says. “Those are the underlying tools to success. Professional excellence does not come from a book, a computer, or the internet. I have found that the best lawyers are respectful to everyone they deal with. The lawyers you deal with on the other side of a case will always remember professionalism, civility, and courtesy. They will never forget those who practice otherwise.” Retirement Plans Hovland has been married to his wife, Kristen, for 32 years. “She is a wonderful woman and mother, and a very caring, loving, and compassionate person,” he says. They have three kids, Brandon, who works in the bar and restaurant business in Bismarck; Mark, a medical doctor and second-year resident in Iowa; and Lexi, who works as a marketing specialist at North Dakota State University and is pursuing an MBA in Fargo. “They have all done very well for themselves and I am extremely proud of their accomplishments and the life path they have chosen,” he notes, adding he also has two grandchildren. There is a plan to cut back “a little” once the caseload settles down, he says, to enjoy additional time at their lake cabin near Detroit Lakes, Minn. “I hope to spend more time there. I love to sail my Hobie Cat and there is a never-ending list of things to do, but it doesn’t feel like work when you are at the lake.” Hovland is also looking forward to more time to work out, play golf, and enjoy life. “I enjoy playing golf and would like to tune-up my golf game, which is a never ending, life-long task. We also hope to do a bit of traveling.” “I feel very blessed and fortunate to have this position and to be able to work as a federal judge in North Dakota for the last 18 years. I have never been bored and the job is intellectually challenging and enjoyable every day,” he says. “I have loved the job every day. It is, without question, the greatest job I have ever had. It is a real honor to serve in this capacity.”