YOUNG LAWYER SHOWCASE
The Young Lawyer Section ( YLS ) will be holding board elections in June . Available positions include a one-year term as president-elect , immediately followed by a one-year term as president ( two-year commitment ), and secretary-treasurer ( one-year term ). If you have any questions or are interested in running for a position on the YLS Board , please contact J . R . Steele at jsteele @ nd . gov .
If you would like to recommend young lawyers for future showcases or if you would like to get involved in YLS , please contact the YLS Board at younglawyersnd @ gmail . com .
LANE THOMPSON
Lane Thompson is the founder and sole partner at Circling Eagle Law . His practice areas are tribal law , tribal economic development , tribal government and inter-governmental affairs , and tribal housing and finance . He also practices in transactional drafting and policy reforms .
Thompson has worked extensively with tribal government and state shareholders since the beginning of his college career . During his undergraduate studies , Thompson was a key member of the MHA Road ’ s Taskforce , where he coordinated and communicated with various state entities and private corporations on behalf of the Three Affiliated Tribes in obtaining the necessary funding to restore the road conditions that were created due to the oil boom . In addition , he worked closely with the Tribal Chairman and the Tribal Business Council in addressing and assisting in various tribal issues .
Thompson continued his education at the University of North Dakota ’ s School of Law , earning his juris doctor in May 2015 . During law school , he worked as a prosecutor at the Three Affiliated Tribes , where he was responsible for arraignments , plea bargains , trials , motions , and sentencing recommendations . He also worked closely with other social agencies in finding and assessing the appropriate sentences for each defender to ensure their success and rehabilitation . In Thompson ’ s final year of law school , he was hired as an intern for the legal department of the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) in Las Vegas . This experience further honed his transactional drafting skills , and he was published in June 2015 in Gaming Law Review and Economics .
Since being appointed in 2018 , Thompson has served as an appellate justice for the Turtle Mountain Appellate Court . He also currently serves as an independent in-house , on-demand attorney for the Three Affiliated Tribes , where he deals with special projects and the implementation of new policies and programs for the Tribe . Thompson also assists as a special attorney with the child support programs of both the Red Lake and White Earth Nations . Privately , his clients include businesses and start-ups that he advises in various sectors .
He currently resides in Fargo with his wife Sharon , who is also an attorney and managing partner at their firm , and their baby daughter . In his spare time , he spends his time creating art , whether it be painting or sculpting , and also still enjoys watching UFC .
30 THE GAVEL
KATHRYN DELZOPPO
Kathryn DelZoppo is an associate attorney at Ohnstad Twichell , P . C ., in West Fargo . She is licensed to practice in North Dakota and Minnesota , and primarily focuses her practices in the areas of municipal law , bonding , and public finance .
DelZoppo grew up in Alexandria , Minn ., and graduated from Jefferson Senior High School . She earned a bachelor of arts degree from St . Cloud State University , St . Cloud , Minn ., majoring in criminal justice and minoring in political science . DelZoppo continued her education at the University of North Dakota School of Law , earning her juris doctor in 2018 . Throughout law school she was actively involved in moot court , Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity , and was an associate editor for the North Dakota Law Review . After law school , DelZoppo served as a law clerk in the Seventh Judicial District in Stearns County , Minn ., before becoming an associate attorney at Ohnstad Twichell , P . C .
She resides in Fargo . She enjoys golfing with her fiancé , Shaun , and spending summers at the lake with friends and family .