After graduating first in his law school class in St. Paul, Minnesota, Mike returned to South Dakota to work at one of the largest law firms in in the state. Initially, he worked in the firm’s business department before transitioning to commercial litigation work. After leaving and forming his own firm, Mike and two other business lawyers formed a new firm in 1996. Mike continued to do both transactional and commercial litigation work at that firm until 2000, when he was recruited to help open a Sioux Falls office for another large South Dakota law firm.
Six years later, Mike moved into the role of Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of a Sioux Falls commercial real estate brokerage. In 2014, he formed his own brokerage company and remains a licensed real estate broker in South Dakota. Mike recently joined Ogborn Mihm Quaintance, PLLC, as Of Counsel, reuniting with his former law partner, John Quaintance, to assist the firm’s business clients.
Mike is known for his ability to connect people and businesses, often acting as a liaison between parties to help them achieve their goals. He is a natural relationship builder and has a talent for understanding his clients’ needs and objectives, which he puts at the forefront of his business and legal practices. Mike is dedicated to finding creative solutions that meet his clients’ unique needs, and his commitment to excellent service has earned him a reputation as a trusted advisor and advocate. He is also a skilled business generator, using his extensive network and knowledge of the local market to identify opportunities and make connections that benefit his clients. In all his work, Mike puts his clients first, striving to exceed their expectations and achieve the best possible outcomes for them.
Mike has also been actively involved in his community. He served as an Ambassador and Board of Directors member of the local Chamber of Commerce, a State Director for the local Realtors Association, and a Chair of its Government Affairs Committee. Mike was also a member of the Sioux Falls Sales and Marketing Executives, a board member for Crimestoppers of the Sioux Empire, and a Sioux Falls Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). Through these roles, Mike has developed a strong network in the local business community.
In addition to his professional and community pursuits, Mike inherited an entrepreneurial inclination from his father. He has been an active real estate investor and property manager since 2007, using his legal background to put together investment groups to acquire various income-producing properties. He is also a member of an LLC that has developed multi-family housing in some of the smaller communities around Sioux Falls. Mike and his wife, Jessica, also owned a small printing business that they operated in downtown Sioux Falls from 2017-2021.
Mike and Jessica live in Sioux Falls and enjoy spending free time at their lake cabin in northeast South Dakota and traveling to warmer locations when the winter winds whip the prairie. Mike has two adult children and, at last count, three granddaughters whom he enjoys spoiling whenever possible.
