Our Attorneys and Staff

After clerking for a summer, Jami joined Melbye Law Office in August of 2013. She attended Dickinson State University, graduating with degrees in social science and Spanish education. After working for two years in the education field, she attended the University of North Dakota School of law, receiving her Juris Doctor in 2013. Jami grew up in Dickinson. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, spending time at the family farm and chasing after her three young children with her husband, Rusty.

Elizabeth received a BSc in Physiology and Pharmacology from the University of Saskatchewan in 2018 and her Juris Doctor from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2022. Her hometown is Saskatoon, SK, Canada. In her spare time, Elizabeth enjoys swimming, watching a mystery/law movie, and spending time with her friends and family.

Penny earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Pre-Law concentration from Dickinson State University in May 2023. She aspires to attend Law School in the near future and plans to return to Dickinson upon completing her graduate studies. Her primary interest lies in Immigration Law, although she is currently gaining experience in a variety of legal areas at our firm, including Family Law, Criminal Law, and Estate Planning. Originally from the islands of Samoa, Penny enjoys spending her free time traveling with her husband, Mahonri, and their two children, Mailei and Ma’Taliya, whether attending gymnastics meets or enjoying summer vacations together.

Melbye Law Office was formed in the mid-1980s by Diane Melbye, who was the first permanent female attorney in Dickinson.  She practiced as a solo practitioner for many years, building a multispecialty practice with areas of focus in estate planning, probates, family law, and criminal law.  In 2013, Jami Haynes joined Melbye Law Office, and the practice expanded to serve more clients in various areas throughout western North Dakota.  Haynes Melbye Law Office, PLLC was formed in 2021.  Although the name changed, the practice largely remained the same.  In July of 2022, Diane Melbye retired from full-time practice after 42 years. The office also moved from downtown Dickinson to its current location at 2048 3rd Ave W, Suite A, in north Dickinson.  In April of 2023, Elizabeth Hill, who joined Haynes Melbye as a law clerk in October of 2022, was sworn in to practice in North Dakota.