Mary Eliasen, Esq.
Personal injury law is, at its core, about people navigating some of the hardest moments of their lives — often while in pain, under financial pressure, and unsure of what to expect from a legal process they never planned to be part of. Over the course of my career, I've focused specifically on clients whose pain is too often minimized, whose medical and personal histories are treated as open territory in litigation, and whose voices can get lost amid insurance adjusters, opposing counsel, and even well-meaning family members who want to weigh in on decisions that aren't theirs to make. I built my practice to make sure those clients are treated with the attention, credibility, and respect their situations deserve.
Children, meanwhile, depend entirely on the adults around them to advocate carefully on their behalf. I built my practice to address both of these realities directly.
What I Believe
Every client deserves to be believed the first time they tell their story — not required to prove their pain before being taken seriously. Every client's medical and personal history deserves to be treated with discretion, requested and used only where genuinely relevant to their case. And every client deserves to remain the decision-maker in their own case, with each choice explained clearly enough that they never have to wonder what's happening or why.
These aren't just values I hold — they shape how I structure intake conversations, how I scope medical records requests, and how I communicate with clients at every stage of a case.
Credentials
I earned my bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, and my law degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law, where I graduated first in my class. (I'll admit it — I've always been a bit of a nerd about this work.)
I started law school with two children and finished with three, commuting 150 miles round trip each day throughout. I share that not because it's unusual for a lawyer to have a demanding schedule, but because I understand, firsthand, what it means to hold together a career, a family, and a lot of long drives — and I bring that same persistence to every case I take on.
I am licensed to practice in North Dakota and Minnesota state and federal courts, as well as the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and I have appeared pro hac vice in Wisconsin, Iowa, California, Missouri, Texas, and Utah. I have published several articles on complex trucking litigation issues [link to Resources page], and I speak regularly at trucking law conferences. I currently serve on the Board of Governors for both the Minnesota Association for Justice and the North Dakota Association for Justice.
I am licensed to practice in both North Dakota and Minnesota, allowing me to represent clients on either side of the Red River, including cases that cross state lines along the I-94 and I-29 corridors.
Community Ties
I've lived in the Fargo-Moorhead area for more than 20 years, and this community is home. I'm the proud mother of three daughters, and I know firsthand what it means to raise a family here, care about the schools they attend, and want the community around them to be a safe and supportive one.
I've served on the Fargo Public Library Board, including a term as board president, and I currently mentor law students through the State Bar Association. I'm also involved with the FM Wellness Commission, my church community at Hope Lutheran, and several organizations focused on women's empowerment. I especially love opportunities to speak with young people — about law school, about mental health, and about what it looks like to build a career and a family at the same time — because those were the conversations I wish I'd had more of when I was younger.
Let's Talk
If you or someone you love has been injured, I invite you to reach out for a conversation about what happened and what your options are. That conversation is confidential, and there is no cost to you.