Thomas R Hensley, Attorney

Tom Hensley is the head of the firm's Criminal Defense practice. After spending nearly twenty years as a prosecutor, Tom entered private practice in 2006 to defend clients of all kinds accused of felonies, misdemeanors or other violations of the law. He appears in both State and Federal courts at all stages of criminal proceedings.

As a prosecutor, Tom had an opportunity to represent the State in contested juvenile and adult cases, presenting cases to grand juries and trying cases to judges and juries on criminal charges ranging from petty theft to homicide. He was fortunate to have trained with some of the best and most experienced law enforcement officers and prosecutors in the country, and then to have had a chance to put that training to work on a regular basis.

Tom grew up in Watertown, South Dakota, and had the opportunity to be part of a legendary debate program led by the renowned coach, Donus Roberts, qualifying for the National Debate Tournament his senior year. Tom then attended the University of South Dakota before entering the United States Air Force as a Medic, assigned to Taiwan and Germany. Upon returning to USD and completing his undergraduate degree, Tom entered the United States Army, and had the opportunity to serve as a Law Clerk in the Judge Advocate General's Office, Headquarters, Berlin Brigade, Berlin, Germany. Tom received both Air Force and Army Commendation Medals.

Returning to South Dakota, Tom graduated from USD School of Law in 1986, and then began his legal career as a Deputy Pennington County State's Attorney in Rapid City, South Dakota. He went on to serve as an Administrative Law Judge with the South Dakota Department of Labor; as Chief Deputy State's Attorney in Aberdeen, Brown County; was appointed and served as Day County State's Attorney in Webster; and was selected as a Senior Trial Attorney for the Minnehaha County State's Attorney Office in Sioux Falls.

Tom joined fellow former prosecutor Aaron McGowan in the private practice of law in 2006. The McGowan-Hensley Law Office specialized in criminal defense and personal injury matters. When Aaron McGowan was elected Minnehaha County State's Attorney in 2008, Tom accepted a position with this firm.