The State Bar Association of North Dakota Fall 2014 Gavel Magazine | Page 2

SBAND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
We also share a larger conference room and
a small kitchen with the law firm tenant. In
addition, we have access to the Association
of Counties much larger, state-of-the-art
conference room when it is not being used.
One of the features of the new office space
is a VIP office which is available to SBAND
members. If members have a deposition,
mediation, a client meeting, or other need
for a short-term space, please contact us to
arrange for use of the office.

TONY J. WEILER
SBAND Executive Director
SBAND has moved! Early in October, the
State Bar Association of North Dakota
moved its office space from the C.B. Little
House near downtown Bismarck to the
North Dakota Association of Counties
Building. Our new address is 1661
Capitol Way, 104 LL, Bismarck (58501).
The new offices are right off I-94 and
close to the State Capitol.
The space we’re occupying was the home
of the state’s technology division, which
has moved into its own building. We’re
in the lower level of the Association of
Counties building. The space contained
only cubicles, with very few spaces with
hard walls. The space was designed and
built out specifically to meet SBAND’s
needs. The good news is that our new
landlord bore most of the expense of the
renovation. The lower level of the building
will also house a Bismarck law firm and
the Association of Counties technology
division.
SBAND’s new office space has six
offices, as well as a reception area, a small
conference room, and plenty of storage.
2

THE GAVEL

Moving led me to looking back and
reflecting. SBAND spent more than 10
years in the C.B. Little House, and it was
a fine home for the Association. C.B.
Little was a Bismarck and western North
Dakota pioneer, and was a lawyer. The
home is beautiful and historic, if not ideally
configured for office space. The owner of
the house decided to make use of it for the
owner’s needs, necessitating SBAND’s move.
In searching for new office space, SBAND
was faced with high prices for office space
in Bismarck, as in most of western North
Dakota. The search included looking at
some pretty good office space, and some
that was pretty terrible. The cost for building
out the newer spaces which were available
would have required an outlay of significant
funds, and much higher rent than SBAND
has paid in the past years. SBAND was
fortunate to work with the Association of
Counties, and Executive Director Mark
Johnson, in designing and constructing space
suited to our needs at a reasonable cost.
The new office space on Capitol Avenue
is right off I-94, and it’s convenient to the
State Capitol, restaurants and hotels. The
setting is professional, and we have access to
the high tech conference room which will be
ideal for the Board of Governor’s meetings
in Bismarck. The space is close enough to
the Capitol to accommodate meetings of the

legislative committee during the upcoming
legislative session.
The future is bright. The new lawyers
admitted to the bar in September pushed
our membership to 2,841, more members
than SBAND has ever had. SBAND is in
solid shape financially, and otherwise. We’re
ready for 2015 and the legislative session!
Please visit the new SBAND office any
time!