Michael L. Luce Full Bio

Mike was born in Mitchell, South Dakota on March 2, 1952, and was admitted to the South Dakota Bar in 1977. He was also admitted to the U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota, and U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit, in 1978.

Mike received his B.A. degree, with honors, from Augustana College in 1974, and enrolled in law school at the University of South Dakota, where he graduated with his law degree in 1977. While at the University of South Dakota School of Law, he was lead articles editor for the South Dakota Law Review during the 1976-77 school year. Mike also authored an article that appeared in Volume 21 of the South Dakota Law Review entitled Indemnity and Third-Party Tort Actions in South Dakota.

Mike spent one year as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Fred J. Nichol, Chief Judge, United States District Court, District of South Dakota, before entering private practice with the law firm of Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith in 1978. After nearly 30 years, he left to start his own practice, Luce Law Office, before joining Murphy, Goldammer & Prendergast as a partner in 2008.

Professionally, Mike holds the highest rank, Diplomat, in the American Board of Trial Advocates, and is past President for the South Dakota chapter. He is also a past member of the National School Boards Association.

Mike is involved in alternative dispute resolution and is increasingly being used as a mediator. He has been the guest lecturer numerous times at local higher educational institutions, at Continuing Legal Education seminar and at other professional programs. Mike has also testified as an expert witness in several insurance bad faith cases.

Mike is listed in Best Lawyers In America, Cambridge Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals “Honors Edition”, Madison’s Who’s Who Among Executives and Professionals, Outstanding Lawyers in America, Marquis Who’s Who, Strathmore’s Who’s Who, and Great Plains Super Lawyers. He is also listed in Martindale Hubbell’s Bar Register of Pre-Eminent Lawyers (Civil Litigation) where he holds the top rating, AV.

Mike has also been rated as a top litigator in the State of South Dakota by two separate publications which rates and evaluates America’s lawyers for business clients and insurance companies through peer reviews and client inquiry. Those publications are Chamber USA America’s Leading Business Lawyers and Benchmark: Litigation.

Mike is a member of the Second Circuit Bar Association, the State Bar of South Dakota, and the American Bar Association. He is also honored to be a member of two highly-respected organizations in which membership is by invitation only and recognizes excellence in the field of trial work: the American Board of Trial Advocates and the International Society of Barristers.

Mike’s practice areas include commercial litigation, personal injury litigation, defense litigation and civil rights litigation. He is also involved in alternative dispute resolution.

Mike is married. He and Mary have two adult children.