STAFF

Donna Abrahamson
Debbie Miller

Becky Maier

Sharyl Maier

beth@svlawpartners.com 222 North 4th Street Bismarck, ND 58501 (701) 221-2911 Download vCard (right-click -> save as)

Beth is a North Dakota native who received her Bachelor of Philosophy in social work from the University of North Dakota in 1968. She worked in social work in Illinois, North Dakota, New York, and Kentucky prior to attending law school at the University of Kentucky. Beth graduated from law school sixth in her class of 154 in 1980, was Editorial Associate on the Kentucky Law Journal and member of the coif. She practiced law with Brown, Todd & Heyburn, a private law firm in Lexington, KY, focusing on litigation, until 1985 when she joined the KY Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet. While there she represented the agency in sex discrimination and civil rights cases, as well as prosecuting violations of surface coal mining laws and regulations, instituting actions for reclamation.

In 1990, Beth returned to ND to work as an assistant attorney general for the State of North Dakota. During her tenure with the Attorney General’s Office, Beth represented the Secretary of State's Office on all Uniform Commercial Code issues and the State Health Department among other agencies. She also served as legislative liaison for the Attorney General’s office and was director of the State and Local Government Division, which provides legal services to over 55 state agencies and drafts and edits Attorney General opinions. Beth was instrumental in drafting the state’s open records and meetings law, was responsible for state-wide training on the law and for administering the open records and meetings administrative review process. Beth was responsible for overseeing the state’s interests under the international trade agreements (NAFTA and GATTS) and served as staff liaison for two trade advisory committees. She authored two amicus briefs on behalf of twenty-two states in a case before the United States Supreme Court that challenged states' rights to restrict their purchases from certain foreign countries. See Natsios v. National Foreign Trade Council.

In 2001, Beth returned to private practice joining Wheeler Wolf Law Firm where she concentrated on agricultural cases, including contract disputes, crop insurance, farm program disputes and representing farmers in federal administrative hearings and state and federal courts. She has provided consultation to attorneys across the country on representing farmers on issues related to federal government shared appreciation agreements. Beth has also represented clients before the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Court and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Tribal Court.

Beth is a member of the American Agricultural Law Association, the State Bar of North Dakota, the Kentucky Bar Association, Big Muddy Bar Association, and the Inns of Court. She is also a Trained Family Law Mediator and is listed on the Supreme Court Roster of Neutrals.

Practice
Beth’s general civil practice focuses on agricultural law, administrative law, employment law, litigation, and family law mediation. She is licensed to practice before state and federal courts in North Dakota and Kentucky, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Court, the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Tribal Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the 6th, 8th and 9th Circuits, the United States Tax Court, and the United States Supreme Court.