2022 Spring Federal Law CLE

Nancy Freudenthal was born and raised in Cody and earned both a bachelor’s degree and juris doctorate from the University of Wyoming. She worked for former Wyoming Governors Ed Herschler and Mike Sullivan and then was appointed to the State Board of Equalization. She entered private practice in 1995 with the law firm of Davis & Cannon. In 2010, following a presidential appointment and Senate confirmation, Judge Freudenthal became the first woman appointed to the federal court in Wyoming and the seventh federal district judge in the State’s history.

Judge Freudenthal and her husband Dave raised their four children in Cheyenne and are the proud grandparents of eight.

Alan Johnson became the fifth United States District Judge to serve in the District of Wyoming, following his nomination for appointment in 1985 by President Ronald Reagan and he was sworn in January 1986. He was elevated to Chief Judge in 1992 and served in that position until 1999.

Judge Johnson was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in 1939, received his education in Cheyenne schools, Vanderbilt University 1957-61, B.A.; and the University of Wyoming College of Law 1961-64, J.D.

In November 1964, Johnson entered active duty with the United States Air Force, serving as a Judge Advocate; and later, after returning to Cheyenne, joined the Wyoming National Guard serving in the same capacity until he retired as Judge Advocate for State Headquarters.

He was admitted to the Wyoming Bar in 1961.Following military service, he associated in the law practice of Paul B. Godfrex, 1969-71 and the firm of Hanes, Carmichael, Johnson, Gage and Speight, 1971-74. In 1971 he was appointed to serve in a part time capacity as a United States Magistrate Judge for the District of Wyoming. On December 28, 1974, Johnson was robed as District Judge for the First Judicial District, State of Wyoming, following judicial selection by Governor Stanley K. Hathaway and served as a trial judge in the First Judicial District until he ascended the Federal bench in 1986.

Judge Johnson’s memberships include service on the Judicial Conference of the United States, 2006-09, Executive Committee for U.S. Courts, 2010-12, Committee on Audits and Administrative Office Accountability of the Judicial Conference of the U.S. 2012-18.

He has two daughters and grandchildren from marriage to Linda Lee (dee.).

Professor Sam Kalen joined the University of Wyoming College of Law faculty in 2009. Professor Kalen is an expert in energy, public lands and natural resources, as well as environmental and administrative law. Prior to Joining the College of Law, he held various adjunct or visiting teaching positions at the University of Baltimore, Florida State University, Washington & Lee University and Penn State University. Before teaching, Professor Kalen practiced in Washington, D.C. for over 20 years, both in the private and public sectors. His private practice work focused on energy, environment, as well as public lands and natural resources law.

Hon. Kelly Rankin is the Chief Magistrate Judge for the District of Wyoming. Prior to his appointment in 2012, he served in the U.S. Attorney’s Office as an assistant, criminal chief and as the presidentially appointed United States Attorney. Magistrate Judge Rankin also served in the Lincoln County Attorney’s Office, as the twice elected Park County Attorney and counsel to former Governor Dave Freudenthal. Magistrate Judge Rankin also worked in private practice in Cody. He obtained both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Wyoming.

Hon. Scott W. Skavdahl was born and raised in western Nebraska. He received his B.S. in political economics from the University of Wyoming in 1989, and his law degree from the University of Wyoming College of Law in 1992. He served as production manager for the Land and Water Review and as Student Director for the Western Trial Advocacy Institute.

After entering private practice in 1992, Judge Skavdahl accepted a law clerk position with the Honorable William F. Downes, United States District Judge for the District of Wyoming in 1994. After a three-year clerkship, Judge Skavdahl joined the law firm of Williams, Porter, Day & Neville, P.C. in Casper, Wyoming. As a partner in the firm, his practice focused on civil litigation.

In July 2003, Judge Skavdahl was appointed by Governor Freudenthal to the Seventh Judicial District as a District Court Judge. On February 1, 2011, Judge Skavdahl was appointed to serve as the full time Magistrate Judge for the District of Wyoming. On February 16, 2011, President Obama nominated him to serve as a Wyoming Federal District Court Judge in Casper, Wyoming. On November 3, 2011, his nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate. He resides in Casper, Wyoming, with his wife and their daughter.

Pete Williams has covered the Justice Department and the U.S. Supreme Court for NBC News since 1993 as a correspondent based in Washington, DC. He has also covered the Department of Homeland Security since its creation after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Among the stories he has reported: the Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen spy cases, the Unabomber investigation, the Oklahoma City bombing, the Olympic bombing and search for Eric Rudolph, the Clinton impeachment proceedings, the legal wrangling over the 2000 Florida election results, the federal government's massive investigation following the September 11th terror attacks, and the Boston Marathon bombing and trial. He is a recipient of three national news Emmy awards.

He is now the senior television correspondent at the Supreme Court.

A native of Casper, Wyoming, and a 1974 graduate of Stanford University, Williams was a reporter and news director at KTWO Radio and Television in Casper from 1974 to 1985. Working with the Radio-Television News Directors Association, which he served as a member of its board of directors, he successfully lobbied the Wyoming Supreme Court to permit broadcast coverage of its proceedings and twice sued Wyoming judges over pre-trial exclusion of reporters from the courtroom. For these efforts, he received a First Amendment Award from the Society of Professional Journalists.

He went to Washington in 1986 to join the staff of Congressman Dick Cheney of Wyoming as a legislative assistant and press secretary. In 1989, when Cheney was named Secretary of Defense, Williams was appointed Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs. He served as Pentagon spokesman during the Persian Gulf War and military operations in Panama and Somalia. The National Association of Government Communicators named him Communicator of the Year in 1991.