Summer Associates Begin Work at Woods Fuller

Woods Fuller welcomes four new summer associates to the firm. The law students are from the University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law. Each year Woods Fuller invites law students to spend their summer working alongside its attorneys, getting a feel for the ins and outs of the legal profession.

Emalee Larson

Emalee Larson returns to Woods Fuller this summer; she was an associate last summer as well. Emalee wrapped up her second year of law school and is also pursuing a master’s in business administration. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota and is passionate about the intersection of business and law.

“Last summer's internship at Woods Fuller was a phenomenal experience, and I am excited to return for another summer,” said Emalee. “I gained exposure to a variety of practice areas and discovered a genuine interest in legal specialties that I had never considered before. This summer, I hope to continue exploring different areas of the law while honing my research and writing skills.”

Shanell Niewendorp

Shanell Niewendorp just finished her second year of law school as well. Shanell is from Orange City, Iowa where she attended Northwestern College for criminal justice and political science. “During my internship, I hope to be exposed to many different practice areas and gain skills that will enable me to be an excellent lawyer,” said Shanell. “I know Woods Fuller will be a great place to learn!”

Shanell will divide her time between the Sioux Falls office and the Sioux Center office.

Will West

Will West grew up in Red Oak, Iowa and received his undergraduate degree in political science from USD with a minor in psychology. He, too, has finished his second year of law school.

While he is unsure which practice area to focus on yet, Will hopes to practice law in South Dakota following graduation from law school. Will said: “Because I am unsure about which area I plan to practice in, I am hopeful my summer at Woods Fuller will expose me to many different areas of law as well as many different styles of practice.”

In his free time, Will enjoys golfing, hunting, fishing, and woodworking.

Beth Peterson

Beth Peterson is originally from Jasper, Minnesota, but has spent the last decade in Sioux Falls. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Nursing and French from Augustana University in 2014, and practiced as a registered nurse for eight years prior to law school. “I chose Woods Fuller for my internship for several reasons,” said Peterson. “First, Woods Fuller has an outstanding team of reputable, highly skilled attorneys to learn from. Second, I was excited to explore the many different fields that the firm practices in. And lastly, it was important to me to be part of an organization that gives back to the community, and it was clear to me that Woods Fuller makes this a priority.”

Outside of law school, she spends a lot of her time reading, playing with her niece and nephew, and volunteering with animal rescues.

 The team at Woods Fuller hopes the four find their time here to be rewarding and informative.