Vincent A Purtell
866-258-0645
800-429-4304
Vincent A. Purtell was born and raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He did his undergraduate studies at the University of South Dakota where he graduated in 1982. He went on to attend the University of South Dakota School of Law and attained his law degree in 1986.
After law school, Vince joined the Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith law firm as an associate attorney in the litigation section of the firm.
In 1990, he accepted a corporate counsel position with American Family Insurance Group in its Sioux Falls office. American Family's Sioux Falls branch office handled litigation in the entire state of South Dakota and portions of Minnesota and Iowa. While at American Family, Vince had an active litigation practice trying over fifty jury trials to verdict.
In 2010, he became a partner in the Johnson, Heidepriem & Abdallah law firm. Vince's practice is centered in the areas of trial work and civil litigation, including insurance defense, personal injury, products liability, and wrongful death.
Vince has been listed as one of the top 24 litigation attorneys in the State of South Dakota by Benchmark Litigation.
Vince and his wife, Teresa, have three children.
Areas of Practice
- Arbitration
- Civil Litigation
- Civil Trials
- Insurance Subrogation
- Mediation
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Premises Liability
- Property and Casualty
- Slip and Fall
- State Trial Practice
- Workers' Compensation
- Wrongful Death
Litigation Percentage
- 95% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions
- South Dakota, 1986
- Iowa, 1998
- U.S. District Court District of South Dakota, 1986
- U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1986
Education
- University of South Dakota School of Law, Vermillion, South Dakota
- J.D. - 1986
- University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota
- B.S. - 1982
- Honors: Dean's List 1978-1982
- Honors: Phi Beta Kappa
- Major: Political/History
Classes/Seminars
- "Insurance - Dealing with the Adjustor", South Dakota State Bar - Continuing Legal Education, 1994
- "Evaluating and Negotiating the Defense Way", South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association - The Mechanics of Automobile Litigation, 1998
- "Underinsured Motorist Coverage, Schmidt v. Clothier Settlements and Their Ramifications", South Dakota Insurance Law, 1999
Honors and Awards
- Top 24 Litigation Attorneys in the State of South Dakota by Benchmark Litigation
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Bar Association, Member
- South Dakota Bar Association, Member, 1986 - Present
- Iowa Bar Association, Member, 1998 - Present
- South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association, Member
- South Dakota Defense Lawyers Association, Member
- Iowa Defense Lawyers Association, Member
- Defense Research Institute, Member
- International Association of Defense Counsel, Member
Past Employment Positions
- Woods, Fuller, Shultz, & Smith, Associate Attorney, 1986 - 1990
- American Family Ins. Group, Senior Staff Attorney, 1990 - 2010
- South Dakota Circuit Court - First Circuit (Yankton, SD), Clerk, 1985 - 1986
Fraternities/Sororities
- Phi Delta Theta