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 Glen Johnson and Greg Eiesland are associate members of the
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). Glen Johnson has served as a National Board Representative since 2002. The preservation of the civil jury trial, "Justice by the People," is the primary purpose of ABOTA.
The general purpose of this Association is to foster improvement in the ethical and technical standards of practice in the field of advocacy to the end that individual litigants
may receive more effective representation and the general public be benefited by more efficient administration of justice consistent with time-tested and traditional principles of
litigation. By imposing high membership standards, ABOTA's "by invitation only" association has earned the reputation as the best in the nation.
 Glen Johnson and Greg Eiesland are Board Certified Civil Trial
Specialists by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Fewer than 25 of South Dakota's attorneys have this important certification. The National Board of Trial Advocacy was founded in 1977 and is devoted to
improving the quality of trial advocacy and to aid clients in choosing experienced legal representation. Its board of directors includes renowned trial attorneys, law professors, and judges across the country. Certification
consists of stringent standards, including continuing legal education, peer review, proof of good standing in the profession, and, of course, an active trial practice. Although most
cases settle without going to trial, it helps to know that if your claim does go to trial, we have the expertise you need.
 "Best Lawyers in America for 2002-2003" has selected Glen Johnson and
Greg Eiesland. First published in 1983, The Best Lawyers in America is widely regarded as the preeminent referral guide to the legal profession in the United States. The Best Lawyers lists, representing 27 specialties
in all 50 states and Washington, DC, are compiled through an exhaustive peer-review survey in which thousands of the top lawyers in the country confidentially evaluate their professional peers.
 Glen Johnson is a former State Delegate to The American
Association for Justice (AAJ) (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America [ATLA]). Greg Eiesland has served on the Board of Governors of AAJ from 1989 to the present. Greg Eiesland
lectures nationally on trial practice and strategy. AAJ, with 60,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad, is the world's largest trial bar. It was
established in 1946 to safeguard victims' rights, strengthen the civil justice system, promote injury prevention, and foster the disclosure of information critical to public health and safety.
Glen Johnson and Greg Eiesland are former presidents of the South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association (SDTLA) and both have been awarded the honor of South Dakota Trial Lawyer of the Year. SDTLA goals
include preserving the jury system, promoting justice and efficiency in all matters pertaining to the trial of civil and criminal cases, establishing a high standard of ethics, clarifying and simplifying trial procedures, and promoting a
program of continuing education in trial practice. Our firm is dedicated to ensuring these goals are met and followed in our daily activities for the betterment of present and future clients.
 The State Bar of South Dakota became an active association on
December 7, 1897. Lawyers play a vital role in the preservation of society. The fulfillment of this role requires an understanding by lawyers of their relationship to the legal system. The Rules of Professional
Conduct serve to define that relationship. A lawyer is a representative of clients, an officer of the legal system and a public citizen having special
responsibility for the quality of justice. Our lawyers have served the bar on many levels, including the Disciplinary Board, Ethics Committee, Medical-Legal Liaison Committee,
Judicial Qualification Committee, Civil Pattern Jury Instruction Committee, and Greg Eiesland served as The State Bar President (1993 - 1994).
 The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA) presented its prestigious 2003 Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award to attorneys Glen
Johnson and Greg Eiesland, and to their clients, Vernon and Shawnna Gardner, of Martin, SD, for their efforts in working for greater patient safety to prevent incidents of medical malpractice.
The Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award is presented annually to those clients and their attorneys whose cases tell the story of  American civil
justice and help educate state and national policy makers and the public about the importance of consumers' rights. It honors Steven Sharp of Richland, Oregon, who lost both arms in 1992 in a defective tractor hay
baler. Sharp's story is now the subject of a new book, A Measure of Endurance: The Unlikely Triumph of Steven Sharp, released by Knopf Publishing in September 2003.
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