Mayor TenHaken Appoints Dave Pfeifle as Next City Attorney

Mayor Paul TenHaken is honored to welcome back Dave Pfeifle to the City Attorney’s Office. Previously, Pfeifle served as the Sioux Falls City Attorney from 2010 to 2017 during Mayor Mike Huether’s two terms in office. Since 2017, Pfeifle has served as the Executive Director of the South Dakota Public Assurance Alliance (SDPAA), which is a risk-sharing pool providing property and casualty coverage for local governments in the state, including the City of Sioux Falls.

“Bringing Dave back as the City Attorney for Sioux Falls is a huge win for the office and the community,” said Mayor TenHaken. “He brings a wealth of knowledge, leadership, and experience that will be vital to continue the work of the City Attorney’s Office and protect the City of Sioux Falls.”

Pfeifle has almost 30 years of experience practicing law. Before his first stint as the Sioux Falls City Attorney, Dave was engaged in the private practice of law for 16 years, concentrating his practice in the areas of litigation and employment law for public and private entities and individuals. Dave has also served as a City Attorney for Pierre, State’s Attorney for Stanley County, and as Public Defender for Lincoln County.

“I have enjoyed watching Mayor TenHaken continue to move the City of Sioux Falls in a positive direction and I look forward to helping him sustain that momentum,” said Pfeifle. “I am honored and humbled to be asked to serve again in this capacity. I will work diligently to prove myself worthy of the Mayor’s and the City Council’s confidence in me.”

Pfeifle was born and raised in Sioux Falls. He graduated from the University of South Dakota and then pursued his legal education at USD’s School of Law, where he graduated in 1994. He has been involved in several community activities while serving in leadership positions with the Downtown Sioux Falls Rotary Club, the Sioux Falls area Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), and most recently with the Sioux Falls area Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority (REMSA). Dave is a past president of the Public Sector Lawyers Section of the State Bar of South Dakota. He also serves on the board of directors of the Association of Governmental Risk Pools (AGRiP), whose member pools serve over 75,000 local public entities in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Dave and his wife Lynda have two adult children.

“Dave’s background in public service will allow him to hit the ground running in this position,” said City Council Chair Curt Soehl. “His leadership and expertise in public service will bring so much value to the City Council and the City of Sioux Falls.”

he City Attorney’s appointment requires the advice and consent of the City Council, which will be presented for their consideration and approval at the March 21, 2023, City Council meeting. Pfeifle would fill the City Attorney position recently vacated by Stacy Kooistra, who has accepted a new position as the chief operating officer and general counsel for the Dakota State University-Applied Research Corporation.