Damian graduated from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1997 and later that same year, was admitted to the North Dakota Bar. In addition to his license to practice law in the state courts of North Dakota, Damian is licensed to practice in the United States District Court, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, and United States Bankruptcy Court. Damian is a member of the North Dakota Bar Association, the Big Muddy Bar Association, the Western Dakota Estate Planning Council, and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), in which he served as the State of North Dakota Public Policy Liaison. He is also often called upon by various groups and organizations for presentations regarding estate and nursing home planning. Outside of the practice of law, Damian has volunteered to serve on various community boards and committees.
Since 2016, Damian has been Lead Counsel Rated by Thomson Reuters in the areas of elder law, estate planning, family law, and divorce law. To earn the Lead Counsel Rating, an attorney must not only demonstrate significant legal experience, but must also maintain an exemplary ethical record and receive multiple peer recommendations endorsing his ability. In 2017, Damian earned the distinction of being a certified Farm Succession Coordinator after training with the International Farm Transition Network (IFTN).
Prior to engaging in private practice, Damian contracted with the Fraud Department of the North Dakota Workers Compensation Bureau and served as the Grant County Assistant State’s Attorney. Since then, he has been in private practice for over twenty (20) years.
From the most complex to simplest estate plans, Damian has guided clients in their decision-making and efforts to achieve their desires. His estate planning involvement has included: planning for incapacity; minimizing and avoiding creditors’ claims; asset protection and preservation; nursing home planning; transfers and gifts of assets; drafting of wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives; guardianship and conservatorship petitions; probate actions; and the litigation of various related matters,including appeals before the North Dakota Supreme Court and United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit.
Damian understands that clients, when hiring an attorney, are experiencing difficulty with some aspect of their life. He often tells his clients that he has the easy job of advising them about the law, while the client has the difficult job of making a decision and living with its consequences. It is this understanding of the significance of his clients' decisions that guides his practice and inspires him to provide his clients with well-reasoned legal advice.
Damian grew up in Mandan and, aside from moving away for school, lived in the area his entire life. Damian and his wife are proud parents of their two children. In his spare time, Damian enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his family.
