The State Bar Association of North Dakota Winter 2013 Gavel Magazine | Page 12

MURRAY SAGSVEEN SAGSVEEN’S LEGAL CAREER HAS BROUGHT OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP MANY PEOPLE Murray Sagsveen graduated from Concordia College of Moorhead, Minnesota, in 1968, with degrees in English and political science. “That was a tumultuous year,” Sagsveen recalls. “There were assassinations and riots and the War in Vietnam was still going on.” But, before he considered a career path, Sagsveen enlisted in the Army. At the end of his military service in 1970, which included time in Korea, he decided to study law, enrolling at the University of North Dakota School of Law. A native of Lansford, Sagsveen says he thought highly of two Minot lawyers who did work for his family, Orlin Backes, and Bruce Van Sickle, prior to being named a federal judge. “I thought being a lawyer would give me a lot of flexibility in a professional career,” he recalls of his decision to study law. “And I thought it would give me the ability to help people. When clients come into a law office, it’s not usually because they are having a good day. Often there’s a problem of some kind.” Today, 40 years after beginning his law career in 1973, Sagsveen insists he did not plan on his work spanning such a variety of experiences. His professional accomplishments demonstrate the versatility of a law degree, even though he sees it as simply “having phenomenal opportunities to help people.” Sagsveen believes the most valuable component of his law school education was learning analytical thinking and problem solving skills. “It lasts forever,” he says. “Other material learned in law school can become obsolete, but the analytical skills stay with you for a lifetime. When clients come in with a long story, you need to figure out how to fix their problems. You need to take a complex issue and make it simple. That’s what you learn in law school.” Starting at the Top Sagsveen’s legal career started at the top office in state government. While still in law school, he supported the candidacy of then Congressman Art Link for governor in 1972. When Link was elected, he asked