He is a partner in the Barker Wilson Law Firm in Belle Fourche and Rapid City, SD. The firm specializes in complex litigation cases. The Governor of South Dakota hired the firm to represent the State in a civil action against a local power company for causing the “Grizzly Gulch fire.” The fire started near Deadwood, South Dakota as a result of power line contact with trees located within the transmission line right-of-way, resulting in substantial suppression costs and loss of public and private property. The case required a number of experts to prove the cause, origin, and damages as a result of the fire. His presentation will center on the challenges and efforts necessary to successfully prosecute the civil action and subsequent private property claims.