On the personal side, Mike ran for the United States Senate in 2004 (losing to a long-time incumbent by 60,000 votes). Julie, his wife of 25 years, served in the Peace Corps in the Central African Republic. The Liffrigs have nine children, and live on a 500 acre ranch on the always thrilling prairie of western North Dakota.

Professionally, Mike earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan in 1985. He organized First CourtTM back in 1989, after having worked for an insurance defense law firm for three years.

Mike is a lawyer/mediator, and a licensed member of the bar in North Dakota. As a mediator working in Houston, Texas, he found that experienced trial lawyers really weren't interested in his case evaluations. So he started conducting private trials, knowing that trial lawyers and their clients would be very interested in how "average citizens" responded to the facts, arguments and witnesses in a case.
Because the opinions that ultimately count the most in our civil justice system belong to the jurors, First Court™ has retained its focus on helping to evaluate and settle lawsuits based on the reactions of disinterested lay people. Although we do work with experts in communication theory, the heart of our research and settlements has never been theory. Our process centers on real lawyers, real witnesses and real jurors.

We use our Midwest location to conduct private trials and mediations throughout the United States. In the last twenty years we have had the pleasure of working in some of the most urban and some of the most rural venues in the country.

Will graduated from North Dakota State University with a B.S. in Education and Spanish, and a minor in Computer Science. He is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Business Administration at the University of Phoenix.

Will joined First Court, Inc., in 2004, as Webmaster, programmer, and graphics artist. His expertise is in designing solutions and graphical user interfaces.

Will manages a team of software developers and testers and has led several successful software projects in a very short period of time. His main duty is the management of all software development including First Court's permiere private trial application, Vulcan Interactive. Other projects include First Court's reporting, private trial preparation, and juror management applications.

Will has been married for 10 year to his wife Laura and they live in Mandan, ND. Will is active in the community as a board member for the Mandan Soccer Club, and active in the Church. He enjoys playing piano and writes music. As for soccer, he enjoys it so much that he built his own soccer field in his two acre back yard!

Loren is a successful entrepreneur, having founded a niche online retail store as well as a separate computer networking and consulting business.  Loren has in-depth experience helping unsophisticated computer users work through computer problems. He is also an expert in configuring computer hardware and networking. Mr. Loh is married to his wife of 10 years and has three wonderful children.

Loren joined First Court in 2006 as technology director. He specializes in utilizing new technology to simplify the mediation process

John Dietrich is the Director of Business Development at First Court. A Queens, NYC native John is responsible for overseeing the market expansion of First Court with the primary duties of designing and implementing the company’s nationwide marketing and business development practices. John is the former Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for one of the largest, fastest-growing engineering companies in the United States. In that position, John led the company to five national marketing excellence awards including Best In Show, the industry’s most coveted and respected marketing excellence honor.

John holds Masters degrees in Business Administration and Business Management, and earned his Bachelor of Arts in English. He is an adjunct professor of undergraduate studies at the University of Mary facilitating courses in Marketing.

Community is very important to John, and in his spare time serves on the Board of Directors for First Choice Clinic, and is the Vice President of the Board of Directors for Ronald McDonald House. John is active in his church, and lives in Fargo with his wife of more than 10 years and their three beautiful daughters.

Emma Lazo Ladendecker is the Director of Major Claims at First Court. Formerly with ACE American Insurance Company and TM Claims Service, Inc., Emma brings more than 24 years of legal and insurance industry experience to the team. She has advanced industry experience specializing in major claims exposure with respect to products, premises, transportation, construction, and employer liability.

Emma attended Ventura College of Law where she earned her Juris Doctor. She worked for several large insurance defense law firms in Los Angeles, California. Emma was an active member of the Toastmasters Ventura Chapter at the district and regional level. She was involved in the Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California and remains active in the Filipino American community.

In her spare time Emma enjoys family time with her husband and their teenage son in Calabasas, California. Their adult son is a successful entrepreneur in the island of Kauai. He has blessed them with a first grandchild. Emma is an avid environmentalist, hiker, and a backpacker.

Rick Reichenberg is a Director of Client Relations at First Court where his lengthy career as a business executive and service in the US Armed Forces lend discipline and sound business practices to the company’s long-term business strategy. Rick’s responsibilities include overseeing the development and implementation of First Court’s client relationship process. In that capacity he ensures the company's client service initiatives align with the First Court's national marketing strategy, resulting in effective communication with clients.

As a successful business owner and entrepreneur, Rick is the co-owner of a real estate investment company specializing in acquisition and rental income. He was recently awarded “Top 5 of Census Interviewers of Western US 2010.” Rick was previously President of Milk n' Honey Market Inc. for 15 years.

Rick has taken collegiate courses at prestigious universities such as Texas A & M and the Colorado School of Mines, focusing his studies on Hazardous Waste and Uranium Mill Tailing Mitigation.

In his spare time, Rick serves as a Volunteer Fire Fighter and Volunteer Fire & Rescue Squad. Rick and his wife Lisa have 4 children, and they enjoy motorcycling, camping, and of course an occasional toboggan ride.

Kent graduated from Minot State University with a B.S. degree in Marketing and Management.

Kent has lived in Minneapolis,MN, Chicago,IL, and Cincinnati,OH and ten years ago moved back to the great state of ND.  Kent's main focus is to build and maintain client relationships and educate new clients on the services of First Court.  Prior to joining First Court Kent worked for five years in the retail industry, ten years in customer sales and service, and then ten years in the pharmaceutical industry.  In 2009 Kent earned Wyeth Pharmaceutical's Gold Circle Award, this is their most coveted award given to the top 2% of the national sales force.

In his spare time Kent loves to hunt, fish, sail, camp, and hike.  He volunteers as a youth baseball coach and Eucharistic minister.  Kent also mentor's youth hunting to promote the next generation of outdoors men and women. 

Matt graduated from North Dakota State University with a B.S. degree in Mass Communications, with an emphasis in Public Relations.

Matt joined First Court, Inc., in 2007, as Director of Marketing. His prime focus is to build and maintain client relationships and educate new clients on the services of First Court.

Prior to joining First Court, Matt worked as a Donor Recruitment Representative for a local blood bank. He worked with the community raising awareness about the importance of blood donation and organized blood drives.

In his spare time, Matt enjoys golf, walleye fishing, travel, and playing organized basketball.