Mitchell, SD

Grant Alvine

Grant is a seasoned litigator with the firm with over 25 years of experience. Grant specializes in cases where people have suffered serious bodily injuries from car accidents, motorcycle accidents and semi-truck accidents along with wrongful death and products liability. Grant has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of his injured clients and has been selected as a member of the prestigious “Super Lawyers” of the Great Plains following peer review along with being named as National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers. Grant grew up in a medical family. Both Grant’s father and brother are Orthopedic Surgeons. Grant chose to enter the practice of law rather than medicine to help injured clients achieve the justice they deserve. Before he entered private practice, Grant worked as a law clerk for the Fifth Judicial Circuit in Aberdeen, South Dakota and as a prosecutor for the Minnehaha County State’s Attorney’s Office in Sioux Falls where he gained valuable trial experience. Grant has extensive knowledge of the human anatomy and has handled many complex injury cases. In 2001 Grant graduated from the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming. Some of the more notable types of cases Grant has handled for his injured clients include serious injuries caused from deck collapse cases, hydraulic hoist failures, semi-truck / motorcycle accidents and elevator malfunction. Grant has also handled many wrongful death cases caused from motor vehicle accidents. Grant is a lifelong South Dakota resident. Grant lives in Sioux Falls and is married and has two sons. On his free time Grant enjoys all types of outdoor activities including fishing and archery hunting. Grant tirelessly fights for the injured.

Russ Janklow

Russ Janklow specializes in personal injury and civil litigation, having tried over 100 jury trials in South Dakota and made several appearances before the South Dakota Supreme Court. He is recognized as one of the top personal injury trial attorneys in South Dakota, acknowledged by peers for his personal approach, diverse skills, and outstanding accomplishments. A tenacious litigator, Russ has been recognized annually by Best Lawyers in America since 2010 and repeatedly selected as a South Dakota 'Super Lawyer' since 2007. He was also awarded 'Lawyer of the Year' in Sioux Falls for plaintiffs’ personal injury litigation in 2014 and 2016, and for Workers Compensation in 2012.

Jack Theeler

JACK THEELER is a South Dakota native who earned undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Dakota (1971) where he graduated magna cum laude and served as Editor-in-Chief of the South Dakota Law Review. He served as Chairman of the South Dakota Lottery Commission from 1986 to 1992. In addition to being admitted to practice in the State of South Dakota, Jack is admitted to the US District Court for the District of South Dakota. He is an associate in the America Board of Trial Advocates and a member of the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, the American Bar Association and the South Dakota State Bar. Jack’s practice focuses on the areas of insurance litigation, construction litigation and arbitration, alternative dispute resolution, personal injury and business litigation, estate planning, trust administration and probate.

Richard J. Rylance, II

RICHARD J. RYLANCE, II (RJ) is a South Dakota native and grew up in several communities across the state. He obtained his bachelor’s degree from Augustana College and his law degree from the University of South Dakota. RJ is a member of the South Dakota State Bar and has been admitted to practice in the US District Court for the District of South Dakota. He is also a member of the Applied Leadership Network through the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Juvenile Justice Strategy Group and the American Health Lawyers Association. RJ’s practice focuses on the areas of Criminal Defense, Employment Law, Civil Litigation, Adoptions and Guardianships, Juvenile Law, and Personal Injury.

Zachary T. Flood

If you have been injured, hurt on the job, or facing criminal charges, call me today. I grew up on an acreage just outside of small town, De Smet, South Dakota with my parents and three younger sisters. This is where my family instilled small town values, work ethic, and a drive to seek justice. After graduating high school, I attended the University of South Dakota (Go Yotes!) in Vermillion majoring in Business Economics. I decided to stick to my South Dakota roots and stay at USD for law school. While in law school I was the President of the Trial Team where I spent time traveling the nation competing against the nation’s future top litigators. After law school and prior to becoming a full-time litigator, I worked as a law clerk for the First Judicial Circuit based out of Mitchell, South Dakota. My wife, Brittni, and I, along with our two girls have since made Mitchell our home. I am an active member of the South Dakota Trial Lawyer’s Association and was recently recognized as a Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney for 2019 by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys as well as a Top 40 under 40 Trial Attorney. My experiences in capital cases and multiple jury trials coupled with the insight, acumen, and experience gained working with the very Judges who will decide your case cannot be overlooked. I was raised with the same hard working, Midwest values I bring to all my cases in and out of the courtroom. You can trust that I will invest the time, effort, and skill into ensuring you obtain the best possible outcome. Give me a call today. Let’s demand your Justice together.

Mark J. Welter

Mark J. Welter has 33 years of experience representing clients in personal injury and workers’ compensation matters, including listening to clients, helping clients make fully-informed decisions, providing clients sound legal advice, evaluating cases and claims, gathering evidence, drafting well-documented demands, litigating with liability insurance companies and lawyers, working with doctors and other experts, trial practice, handling appeals, participating in administrative hearings, participating in mediations, and negotiating. Mark is a member of the State Bar of South Dakota and a member of its Negligence and Tort Law committee. Mark is also a member of the South Dakota Second Judicial Circuit Bar Association. Mark is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court (District of South Dakota), the U.S. Court of Appeals (8th Circuit), the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and the United States Supreme Court. Mark was born and raised in Yankton, South Dakota. Mark graduated from Yankton High School (1980), the University of South Dakota School of Business (B.S. Business Management) (1984), and the University of South Dakota School of Law (Juris Doctor) (1988) Mark served as a clerk for Hon. John B. Jones, United States District Court, District of South Dakota, Southern Division (1988-1990). Mark practiced insurance defense tort and workers’ compensation law at Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith, P.C. (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) for 14 years (1990-2004) defending clients against legal claims for damages and compensation. Mark was a partner there for 9 years. For 17 years (2004-2021) Mark was a partner at Wilka, Welter, & Ash, LLP (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), helping personal injury and work injury victims recover legal compensation from those legally responsible (and their liability insurance companies). Mark brings with him the knowledge, skill, and experience of having counseled and represented insurance companies and their insureds (for 14 years), and now (for the last 17 years) helping the injured recover compensation from insurance companies and those legally responsible.

Diane Haiar

DIANE HAIAR was born and raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of South Dakota and her law degree from the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law. During law school, Diane was a member of Trial Team, President of USD Women in Law, and Vice President of the Public Interest Network. Diane is a member of the South Dakota Bar Association. Her practice focuses on family law, personal injury, and general litigation.