The Professional Education Group

Stephen D. Easton

President of Dickinson State University,

Dickinson, North Dakota 

 

Steve Easton is a trial lawyer and award-winning teacher who has excelled at trial and in both law school and CLE classrooms. His energy and focused approach flawlessly translate into practical and entertaining CLE presentations. 

 

Currently the President of Dickinson State University, Easton served as the U.S. Attorney for the District of North Dakota and has tried cases in civil and criminal courts—in fact, with 4 trials in the past few years, Easton has now tried cases to successful jury verdicts from all 4 seats available to trial attorneys—prosecution, criminal defense, plaintiff’s attorney and civil defense attorney. Easton spent 4 years as dean of the University of Wyoming College of Law, where he also taught trial skills. He continued to hone his impressive litigation skills by actively trying cases even while serving as law professor and dean. Previously, he served as a professor of law at the University of Missouri Columbia School of Law. During his time in North Dakota, Easton was also a partner in the firm of Pearce & Durick, where he concentrated on product liability and insurance defense. 

 

Easton was the recipient of the Richard S. Jacobson Award for Excellence in Teaching Trial Advocacy from the Pound Civil Justice Institute, and the Warren E. Burger Prize for scholarship concerning legal excellence, civility, ethics and professionalism from the American Inns of Court. 

 

He is the author of three essential guidebooks for attorneys, Attacking Adverse Experts (ABA), How to Win Jury Trials: Building Credibility with Judges and Jurors (ALI-CLE), and Problems, Cases & Materials in Professional Responsibility (Thomson-West). He has also been published in both the legal and popular press, including The Federal Lawyer; The Practical Litigator; Stanford Law Review; The Wall Street Journal; and USA Today. Easton received his B.A. from Dickinson State University and his  JD from Stanford Law School.