Meet Kayla Peterson

Family Law Attorney

Originally from Tempe, Arizona, Kayla moved to Bismarck in 2011. She graduated Cum Laude from Minot State University with a B.A. in Criminal Justice while working as a legal assistant for a local law firm. She joined Suhr / Merkens, PLLC as a legal assistant in 2019. She went on to attend the University of North Dakota School of Law and worked as a law clerk with the firm in the summer of 2021 and 2022. Kayla is now an associate attorney practicing family law and criminal defense. During her time in law school, she was on the board of the Criminal Law Association, a member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Trial team and participated as a student attorney in UND’s Family Law Clinical Practicum representing clients in divorce, custody, and guardianship matters. Kayla also serves on the board of directors for the Styled with Strength Foundation, a nonprofit organization that is rooted in empowerment of women through professional wardrobing, job coaching and advocacy to flourish in their future.

In her free time, Kayla loves spending time with her family, being outdoors, running, playing softball, and volunteering. She volunteers as a troop leader for Girl Scouts, has volunteered with the Bismarck-Mentor Squad and Ministry on the Margins, and runs with RADD (Runners Against Destructive Decisions), a running group founded by South-Central Judicial District Judge David Reich.