Melissa R. O'Rourke

Background

O'Rourke, Melissa R. was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States.

Education

Illinois State University (Bachelor of Science, 1975). University of Minnesota (Master of Arts, 1977). University of South Dakota (Juris Doctor, 1993).

Career

Worked at Morgan, Theeler, Cogley & Petersen (Mitchell, South Dakota) specializing in Banking, Commercial, Corporate and Real Estate Law, Estate Planning, Trusts and Probate, Business Planning, Education Law, Employment Law. General Civil Trial and Appellate Practice State and Federal Courts. Insurance and Personal Injury Litigation including Alternative Dispute Resolution, Construction Litigation and Arbitration, Workers Compensation.

Admitted to the bar, 1994, South Dakota and Nebraska. Phi Alpha Delta. Editor in Chief, South Dakota Law Review, 1992-1993. Recipient: Gavel Award for Outstanding Graduate, 1993.

Law School Foundation Distinguished Scholar, 1991-1993. Member, Thomas Sterling Honor Society. Law Clerk to the Honorable George W. Wuest, South Dakota Supreme Court, 1993-1994.

Author: "Nonrenewal of Teacher Contracts: A Primer on South Dakota Statutory and Case Law," South Dakota Law Review, Volume 39, No. 2, 1994: "Challenges to Performance Appraisals of Federal Employees Under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978," South Dakota Law Review, Vol 38, No. 2, 1993; "The Status of Infertility Treatments and Insurance Coverage: Some Hopes and Frustrations," South Dakota Law Review, Vol 37, No.

2, 1992. Member: State Bar of South Dakota. American Bar Association. Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association. Defense Research Institute. The firm was originally founded in 1893 by Tyman Spangler, who was later joined by Chester L. Morgan.

The firm's office is in Mitchell, which is centrally located in the southeast quadrant of South Dakota, the most populous area in the state. The firm is a general practice firm which has historically been counsel for many of the leading banks, most major businesses and individuals in the area. In the commercial area of the law, the members of the firm practice extensively in the fields of banking, corporate and business law, litigation, municipal law and real estate.

In addition, the firm members practice in areas of civil rights, insurance, personal injury, property damage and products liability litigation, representing both plaintiffs and defendants, probate, guardianship and family law, school law, wills, trusts and estate planning, and worker's compensation.

Achievements

• Melissa R. O"Rourke has been listed as a reputable lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell.

Works

• Other Work

  • Author: "Nonrenewal of Teacher Contracts: A Primer on South Dakota Statutory and Case Law," South Dakota Law Review, Volume 39, No. 2, 1994: "Challenges to Performance Appraisals of Federal Employees Under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978," South Dakota Law Review, Vol 38, No. 2, 1993

  • "The Status of Infertility Treatments and Insurance Coverage: Some Hopes and Frustrations," South Dakota Law Review, Vol 37, No.

Membership

Member, Thomas Sterling Honor Society. Law Clerk to the Honorable George W. Wuest, South Dakota Supreme Court, 1993-1994.