May 13, 2024

This week’s Up-and-Comer is Justin Bergeson, an attorney at Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith.

Name: Justin Bergeson

Age: 32

Hometown: Hartford

What brought you to Sioux Falls?

Growing up in Hartford, the Sioux Falls area has always been home to me. I left the area to go to college at Black Hills State in Spearfish and moved to Washington, D.C., where I worked as a congressional staffer for 3½ years. After a few years of living in a larger city away from home, I knew I was ready to come back to the Midwest. After meeting my wife and attending law school in Lincoln, Nebraska, I knew I wanted to come back to this area to start a family.

What keeps you in Sioux Falls?

This is home for me.  My parents and my wife’s parents are still in Hartford, and we knew we wanted to be near them when we started having children. As a parent, Sioux Falls is great for things like the parks, bike path and libraries. We also love going to the zoo, butterfly house, Pavilion and swimming pools as a family.

What’s your favorite thing about your job?

I became a lawyer because I like reading, writing and problem-solving. I get to do each of those things daily.

How did you get connected to your industry?

When I was working as a congressional staffer, I worked with a few lawyers. I admired how they thought through problems. “Thinking like a lawyer” is a real thing, and to me, it is methodical, logical and thoughtful. I wanted to think that way, so I applied to law school.

Describe your workplace in three words.

Diligence. Collegiality. Excellence.

What is something someone might be surprised to learn about you?

I learned to drive — off road — in a 1976 GMC Sierra when I was about 8 years old while helping my grandpa fix fence on his ranch near Howes, South Dakota.

What’s your favorite way to give back to your community?

I volunteer with East River Legal Services to help provide pro bono legal assistance to those in need. I also volunteer with Junior Achievement. I recently became a member of my parish’s council of the Knights of Columbus, which does charitable work around the Sioux Falls area.

What’s one business you’d like to see in Sioux Falls that isn’t here now?

I used to enjoy the occasional Narragansett and Yuengling beer when I lived in D.C., but they aren’t distributed this far west.  It would be great if they were out here. Spotted Cow would be good, too, but that’ll never happen.

If you had $1 million to start a business, what kind of business would it be?

Probably a bookstore. I don’t read as much as I would like, but I love reading, especially the classics. I don’t know why, but even when I’m on vacation, I visit the independent bookstores. They’re just a nice place to be.