By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Growing up in the small community of Elwood, Elizabeth Klingelhoefer never imagined herself practicing law and representing clients across greater Nebraska.
But looking back now, the signs were definitely there early on.
“I will say I’m the kid who enjoyed arguing with my mom growing up, and I may have told Santa I wanted to be a lawyer,” she said with a laugh.
Originally interested in physical therapy, Klingelhoefer adjusted her career plans after enrolling at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where a general education political science course ignited her passion and redirected her future.
“I quickly found out that I was not very good at biology, nor did I enjoy it,” she recalled. “But I took a 101 political science class with Dr. Diane Duffin and was immediately hooked.”
By the second semester of her freshman year, Klingelhoefer had shifted gears and changed majors – a decision that would lead her to a successful career in litigation and rewarding life in the central Nebraska town of Amherst.
Solid Foundation
A 2010 honors graduate, earning degrees in political science and criminal justice, Klingelhoefer describes her undergraduate experience as “foundational” to her career.
“I enjoyed how those two departments gave me a really well-rounded sense of how our government and our political and criminal justice systems work. It wasn’t one-dimensional. I didn’t feel pigeonholed in one particular area,” she said. “UNK developed me as a scholar and, probably most importantly, taught me that having a love for learning is very important.”
That mindset continues to serve her well in her current role at the Jacobsen Orr law firm in Kearney, where she’s a shareholder and litigator handling complex civil cases, including personal injury, wrongful death, products liability, insurance disputes and estate and trust litigation.
“I love learning something new every day,” she said. “Now, I get to learn about everything from braking systems in commercial trucks to why curtain walls in commercial buildings leak. My love for learning started at UNK, and it’s only grown.”
While pursuing her bachelor’s degrees, Klingelhoefer worked full time at the Estée Lauder counter at the former Herberger’s department store in Kearney – a job that helped her graduate debt-free.
“That was a game-changer for me,” she said. “I love being a lawyer now and people will still come up and say, ‘Oh, you were my makeup girl. You’re a lawyer now?’”
She also gained valuable experience through an internship with the Buffalo County Attorney’s Office during her final semester. That opportunity led to a full-time position as a bailiff and courtroom clerk for Buffalo County Court Judge Gerald Jorgensen, giving her hands-on exposure to the legal process before starting law school.
“I was one of the few individuals in law school who had prior court experience working directly with judges, so that was really invaluable,” Klingelhoefer said. “And it was the internship that provided the avenue for that.”
Path to Practice
Klingelhoefer attended law school at the University of South Dakota, where she was editor-in-chief of the law review and a graduate assistant in the dean’s office. During summer and winter breaks, she returned home to work as a clerk at Jacobsen Orr.
After graduating with highest honors in 2015, she completed a federal clerkship in Pierre, South Dakota, and considered a position at a law firm in downtown Omaha. However, she didn’t want to start a family away from her rural roots.
“Because I was dating a Klingelhoefer, I knew I was always going to have to come back to this area,” she said with a smile. “In a way, God steered the direction and said, ‘No, you’re supposed to stay here,’ and that’s what I did. I’m so glad I didn’t raise a baby in downtown Omaha.”
She joined Jacobsen Orr full time in 2017 and has built a thriving career advocating for clients in rural communities. Licensed in Nebraska, South Dakota and Kansas, she handles cases that span from Scottsbluff to York and beyond.
“I get to live in a small town of 250, watch my boys ride their bikes in our circle drive, and enjoy the perks of small-town living,” she said. “Then I come to Kearney and work on multimillion-dollar cases. I get the perfect balance.”
Leading by Example
Klingelhoefer is especially passionate about serving rural Nebraska, where access to legal services can be limited. According to the Nebraska Supreme Court’s Attorney Services Division, more than half of the state’s counties have five or fewer practicing attorneys and 11 counties don’t have any at all.
“There’s a real shortage of rural lawyers. It’s like the health care crisis. Just because there’s not a lawyer in an area doesn’t mean people don’t need legal services,” she said. “Kearney is such a central hub for so much of greater Nebraska, and I’m very fortunate to work at a community-focused practice like Jacobsen Orr. Our clients aren’t just files, they’re people with families. When you get to meet their kids at a YMCA soccer game, you really double down and work harder for them.”
In addition to her work at Jacobsen Orr, Klingelhoefer serves on the Amherst Public School Board and Nebraska Defense Counsel Association Board. She’s a Leadership Kearney and Nebraska State Bar Association Leadership Academy graduate, a former high school mock trial regional coordinator and a past president of Kearney/Buffalo County CASA.
Klingelhoefer also mentors current UNK students through initiatives like the Kearney Law Opportunities Program (KLOP), which connects future attorneys with rural Nebraska law firms.
“I’m very much hoping we have KLOP hires in the future,” she said. “These are smart, hardworking young adults who can help fill the need for legal assistance in this part of the state. Plus, we don’t have to sell them on how awesome Kearney is if they’re already living here.”
Klingelhoefer was recognized with the Rising Star Award from the Nebraska Defense Counsel Association in 2023 – a testament to her growing impact in the legal community. That honor was special because it came from her peers, but the true reward lies in serving others.
“I often interact with people on their worst days, when they’re facing their biggest challenges,” she said. “Being able to walk them through those challenges is really fulfilling. The law is definitely not for the faint of heart, but it gives you a way to be a leader in various aspects of your life – personally and professionally.
“It’s a sacred profession, and once you see the impact you can make, it becomes an obligation to your community and those around you.”
