U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts 2nd Annual Summer Law Camp

SIOUX FALLS – Earlier this week, 36 high school students from across the state participated in an immersive Summer Law Camp hosted by the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of South Dakota. Over the course of three days, students learned about the federal justice system from the perspective of criminal and civil attorneys who practice in federal court, paralegals, victim witness advocates, forensic examiners, members of the federal judiciary, and federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

“The USAO’s Summer Law Camp introduces high school students to various career paths associated with the criminal justice system and the practice of law,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “It is our hope that by offering a window into the work we do each and every day to uphold the rule of law and keep our communities safe, we can inspire the next generation of leaders to consider careers as attorneys, law enforcement officers, and vital legal support professionals.”

Students traveled from across South Dakota to participate in the USAO’s Summer Law Camp. Cities and towns represented at the Camp included Sturgis, Pine Ridge, Wounded Knee, White River, Kennebec, Chamberlain, Pierre, Ft. Pierre, Timber Lake, Ipswich, Wetonka, Aberdeen, Sisseton, Castlewood, Watertown, Clear Lake, Brandt, Madison, Dell Rapids, Montrose, Armour, Tyndall, Vermillion, Dakota Dunes, Beresford, Tea, Brandon, and Sioux Falls.

In addition to meeting with members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, students heard from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Federal Public Defender’s Office. On the final day of Camp, students conducted a mock trial before U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.  

This was the second Summer Law Camp organized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota. Information about future programming will be distributed to South Dakota school districts in Spring 2026. For more information, please reach out to USASD.SummerLawCamp@usdoj.gov.