about creighton

Born in Kansas, but raised on a farm in northern South Dakota, Creighton Thurman is no stranger to hard work.  Long days of picking rocks, putting up fences, and raising cattle served as preparation for the many hours necessary to build a thriving legal practice.  With a pragmatism passed down from his Bohemian grandparents, Creighton gives practical legal advice, without the legalese and “$5 words” that so many lawyers love.  (His secretary, however, has been known to slip in a few big words now and then.) 

Years of showing cattle for 4H left Creighton with a keen interest in business.  After signing up for the South Dakota National Guard, he enrolled in the University of South Dakota and graduated in 1995 with a degree in business.  Creighton then attended USD Law, earning his J.D. in 1998.  After a brief stint at Gateway Computers, Creighton began working in the Yankton County State’s Attorney’s Office.  With the valuable insight gained into the prosecutorial side of law, Creighton decided to forge out on his own, establishing Thurman Law Office in 2001.  In 2018, Thurman Law Office moved for the last time, to historic 409 Walnut in downtown Yankton.  Built in 1890, the house was in need of some restoration (and continues to be a work in progress), but has proven to be a suitable home for Thurman Law.

While it’s not uncommon for lawyers to specialize in one area of law, Creighton considers himself to be a jack-of-all-trades (and even a master of a few).  Whether you are going through a painful divorce, dealing with the death of a loved one, facing the difficult decision of whether to file bankruptcy, or looking to set up a corporation, Creighton brings 20 years of experience and compassion to the table to help you through nearly any legal situation.

When he’s not practicing law, he can be found hunting (often elk, and usually unsuccessfully), fishing, or volunteering with the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

In past lives, Creighton also worked as a cotton-candy-maker, a cigarette-stocker (despite never smoking), a bartender, and a DJ.