Michael Sabers

A fierce competitor, Michael Sabers enjoys a fast-paced litigation practice that includes multiple types of civil litigation. This litigation includes but is not limited to complex divorce, commercial and business, shareholder dispute, real estate dispute, and personal injury.

Michael was born and raised in South Dakota. He and his wife Cathy, who is a corporate attorney at Black Hills Energy in Rapid City, are the proud parents of two beautiful girls. Following in the family footsteps of his father, a trial lawyer in Sioux Falls before being appointed a South Dakota Supreme Court Justice, Michael became a trial lawyer. His sister Susan was also a practicing trial lawyer in Sioux Falls before her appointment by the Governor to the South Dakota Circuit Court as a Judge in 2012.

Taught at an early age that there is no substitute for hard work and the will to win, Michael applied those principles throughout his education and now applies them to the practice of law. Such work ethic allowed him to excel in athletics and academics, obtaining state and college champion hurdle titles while also graduating Magna Cum Laude from Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Michael subsequently attended the University of South Dakota Law School, obtaining dean’s list and high-grade honors. While at USD he was published in the South Dakota Law Review and became the Managing Editor in his third year. Upon graduation, Michael had the honor of clerking for the Honorable Judge Steven Zinter in Pierre, South Dakota, before moving with his wife to Rapid City, South Dakota, to begin private practice in 2001.

Believing that a balance in life is important, Michael enjoys spending time with his family. They enjoy long summer days boating on local lakes, skiing, riding bicycles and motorcycles, and traveling extensively for both pleasure and the girls’ numerous gymnastics and related events. Michael is his daughters’ biggest fan (next to their mother) and also volunteers as the president of the gymnastics booster club and organizes meets. When free time allows he can be found, engaging in the many activities the Black Hills has to offer; including road and mountain bicycling, adventure and trail motorcycling, trail running, and skiing or wakeboarding depending on the season.

In the last nineteen years, Michael has been the lead counsel on many types of divorce and other civil litigation cases. Although believing all of his client’s cases are important and deserving of equal attention, some examples of Michael’s reported cases, settlements, or recent issues are provided for below.

Michael has had the opportunity and continues to represent countless professionals, ranchers, farmers, business owners, and other persons in complex divorce litigation. Divorce litigation has involved substantial assets, valuation issues, and issues pertaining to alimony, child support, and division of marital property. Some recently litigated issues due to divorce that Michael is or has handled are listed.

Michael has also tried many court and jury trials throughout the State of South Dakota. These trials include, but are not limited to divorce, contract dispute, personal injury, and trials involving shareholder dispute and valuation claims. This broad range of litigation experience, whether initiating a lawsuit on behalf of his client, or defending his client in a lawsuit brought by another party, has given Michael the hard earned training necessary to be a steady hand on the rudder when litigation ultimately becomes contentious, difficult, or uncertain.

Michael is also a member of various professional organizations and holds the necessary licenses to practice in both State and Federal court in South Dakota. Michael is an eleven year Sustaining Member of the South Dakota Trial Lawyer’s Association and also is a member of the Pennington County Bar Association. Throughout his legal career, Michael has presented to local groups on a variety of legal topics including but not limited to valuation, expert testimony, and trial issues.