ROBERT B. ANDERSON was born in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, October 5, 1951, and raised there on a family farm. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1973 (B.A., Magna Cum Laude) and attended law school at the University of South Dakota, graduating with a Juris Doctor Degree in 1977. He was a member of the Sterling Honor Society while in law school. Mr. Anderson was admitted to the Bar in 1977 and currently is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of South Dakota, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He is a member of the Bar of the following tribal courts: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, and Rosebud Sioux Tribe.

Mr. Anderson is a member of the State Bar of South Dakota and served on the Negligence and Tort Law Committee (Chairman, 1984-86) and on the Disciplinary Board (1990-1996), the last year serving as chairman. He is a member of the American Bar Association and belongs to the Litigation Section. He is also a member of the South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association (Board of Governors, 1988-92 and 1996-98), The Association of Insurance Attorneys, the International Association of Defense Counsel, and the Defense Research Institute. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, serving as Chapter President 1996-97, and a member of the South Dakota Defense Lawyers Association. Mr. Anderson has prepared papers and spoken at five Continuing Legal Education seminars sponsored by the State Bar of South Dakota on the topics of workers' compensation and subrogation, employment law overview, federal civil procedure update, Indian law for the general practitioner, and pre and post trial practice.

PROFESSIONAL EMPHASIS AND EXPERIENCE

Mr. Anderson pursues a general civil practice with emphasis on employment law, including workers' compensation, insurance defense and coverage issues, and governmental liability. He has significant experience with major litigation involving explosion and fire, livestock health disorders, and feed storage systems. He also has experience with a wide range of products liability and motor vehicle litigation.

MAJOR CASES AND CLIENT REPRESENTATION

• State counsel for Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds in regard to various products liability cases commenced in Indian tribal courts by Indian tribal organizations or Native American individuals.

• Represented the employer and defendant in the often cited decisions on defamation in the employment context. See Petersen vs. Dacy, 1996 SD 72, 550 NW2d 91; and Uken vs. Sloat, 296 NW2d 540 (SD 1980

• Successfully defended the defendant Bank of Hoven in the lender liability case known as Darrell Rausch, et al vs. Bank of Hoven, et al.

• Represented the plaintiff in a significant and often cited opinion relating to covenants not to compete and trade secrets. Overholt Crop Insurance Service Company vs. Travis, 941 F2d 1361 (8th Cir 1991).

• Represented the claimant in one of the definitive cases on the effect of releases and settlement agreements in workers' compensation proceedings. Mills vs. Spink Electric Cooperative, 442 NW2d 243 (SD 1989).

• Represented the employer and insurer in one of the leading cases on a claimant's entitlement or lack of entitlement to lump sum payments in workers' compensation actions. Thomas vs. Custer State Hospital, 511 NW2d 576 (SD 1994).
  

Robert B. Anderson