701-567-2418
MICHELLE SCHMIDT
LEGAL ASSISTANT
Michelle Schmidt is a South Dakota girl through and through who spent her childhood and teenage years living and working on a ranch. Post high school, Michelle attended Western Dakota Vocational Technical Institute and obtained her diploma from their Computerized Office Careers program. Shortly thereafter, Michelle began her career in the legal profession as a legal secretary for the Carr & Pluimer law firm in Belle Fourche, South Dakota and its successor entity of Richard Pluimer, PC.
In 1988, Michelle began working for the Brady Pluimer Law Firm in Spearfish, South Dakota as a Paralegal and office manager, and in 2007, she joined the Barker Wilson Law Firm in Belle Fourche, SD also as a paralegal. In 2014, Michelle joined Permian Tank & Manufacturing in Belle Fourche, South Dakota as the head of the HR department in the Belle Fourche plant. When the Permian plant closed, she resumed employment with Richard Pluimer, PLLC in Spearfish, SD. Upon Mr. Pluimer’s retirement at the end of 2020, Michelle was delighted to join Melling & Roseland Law, PC in Belle Fourche, where she continues to employ her vast, 30+ years of legal knowledge and experience as a Certified Legal Assistant to Attorney Erin Melling, as well as the office manager.
In 2000, Michelle obtained her Certified Legal Assistant (CLA) certification from the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and in 2001, she obtained her Real Estate Specialty designation. Michelle subsequently obtained Specialty designations in Trial Practice in 2010, Discovery in 2019 and Real Estate Principals in 2021.
Michelle is 20+ year member of the National Association of Legal Assistants, a member of the South Dakota Paralegal Association and served as President of the South Dakota Paralegal Association from 2005-2006. In addition to her impressive accolades in her career, Michelle is also an Advanced EMT and member of the Belle Fourche Ambulance Service.
In her free time, Michelle enjoys spending time with her family including her husband, Dennis daughter and son-in-law and, of course, the cutest grandson ever! Michelle has a passion for trail running and exploring the trails in the beautiful Black Hills with her trail running friends and her golden retriever, Corbittz.
STEPHANIE HOWE
LEGAL ASSISTANT
Stephanie Howe is a Tennessee native who now calls North Dakota her home. Stephanie and her husband Kelly, own and operate a farming operation outside of Hettinger, North Dakota. Stephanie joined Melling & Roseland Law in May of 2019 as the firm’s bookkeeper and secretary.
Her love for passion for the law quickly resulted in Stephanie transitioning into the role of both the bookkeeper and legal assistant, shortly after joining the firm. Stephanie furthered her education through the University of North Dakota for Paralegal Certification, and in 2020 became a Certified Paralegal.
Stephanie continues to maintain her position as both bookkeeper and Certified Paralegal working out of the Hettinger, North Dakota office.
Stephanie is also a member of the Western Dakota Association of Legal Assistance and hopes to finish courses to become an advanced certified paralegal in the near future.
In her free time, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her husband and two beautiful daughters, Emerson, and Lillian. She also enjoys running and has been a cross country coach for the local high school. Stephane loves to travel, cook, and spend time at the lake. Recently, she has become an avid listener to true crime podcasts.