Russ Janklow

Russ Janklow is a distinguished attorney specializing in personal injury and civil litigation in South Dakota. With a career spanning over numerous jury trials, he has also appeared before the South Dakota Supreme Court on several occasions. Recognized by his peers for his personal approach and diverse skills, Russ has been consistently acknowledged as one of the top personal injury trial attorneys in the state.

Since 2010, Russ has been annually recognized by Best Lawyers in America, underscoring his outstanding accomplishments. In 2014, he was honored as the “Lawyer of the Year” in Sioux Falls for plaintiffs’ personal injury litigation, an accolade awarded based entirely on peer reviews. Additionally, he has been named a South Dakota “Super Lawyer” since 2007, an honor given to the top 5% of practicing attorneys in the state.

Russ was born in Vermillion, South Dakota, and spent most of his life in Pierre. He earned a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts Degree from Creighton University in 1985, followed by a law degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1989. He began his legal career as a Law Clerk for the South Dakota First Judicial Circuit Court in Yankton from 1989 to 1990.

In 1990, Russ joined the law firm of Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith in Sioux Falls, where he practiced until 1995. He then became a partner at Johnson, Heidepriem, Janklow & Abdallah in Sioux Falls. On September 1, 2008, Russ left the firm to partner with his father in establishing the Janklow Law Firm, Prof. L.L.C, where he currently serves as the owner.