Law Firm Profile

Position:

Attorney at law and member (co-owner) of the firm. Joined the firm as an associate in July 1991; became a member in January 1993.

Description of practice:

General practice including but not limited to alternative dispute resolution, business law, corporate law, government, government contracts, municipal law, real estate, taxation, tax returns, wills, trusts, estate planning and probate law, and zoning, planning and land use.

Professional Licenses:

Iowa Supreme Court, 1990.

U.S. District Court, Southern District of Iowa, 1991.

U.S. District Court, Northern District of Iowa, 1992.

U.S. Tax Court, 2003.

Legal & Professional Experience:

Commissioner, District 2B Judicial Nominating Commission, term February 2002 to January 2008.

City Attorney for City of Gilbert, Iowa, since 1991.

City Attorney for City of Huxley, Iowa, 1994-2006.

City Attorney for City of Sheldahl, Iowa, 1991-2001.

City Attorney for City of Slater, Iowa, since 1994.

City Attorney for City of Zearing, Iowa, since 1996.

Senior Teaching Assistant, Iowa State University, Economics 451: Agriculture Law, Fall 2000.

Law Clerk, Iowa Court of Appeals (Hon. Dick R. Schlegel), 1990-1991.

Education, Related Honors, and Experience:

University of Iowa, College of Law (Juris Doctor, 1990).

Managing Editor, Iowa Law Review, Vol. 75, 1989-1990.

University of Iowa, College of Liberal Arts (Bachelor of Arts in political science, with honors and Bachelor of Arts in economics, 1987).

Professional Memberships:

Story County Bar Association (President 2001-2002, Vice President 2000-2001, Treasurer 1999-2000).

Iowa State Bar Association.

Iowa Municipal Attorneys Association (President, 2006-07, Vice President 2005-06, Secretary/Treasurer 2004-05).

International Municipal Lawyers Association.

Legal Authorships:

“A Rescission Approach to Vendor's Damages After Forfeiture of an Installment Real Estate Contract,” 74 Iowa Law Review, 901 (1989). Forfeiture is a remedy by which a seller can take back land and improvements sold on contract. Because of the nature of the remedy, the seller cannot claim damages above the contract payments retained. The note argues that certain types damages, particularly injury to the property, should be allowed.

Overview of Residential Real Estate Transactions in Iowa. This is a short overview of the steps involved in a residential real estate transaction in the Ames, Iowa area. The overview breaks the typical transaction into six basic phases and describes the common steps. The intent is to provide a basic familiarity with these steps and the terminology frequently used.

Closed Meeting Rules and Procedures, which describes the general requirements of the "open meetings law" (chapter 21 of the Code of Iowa).

Financial and medical powers of attorney and living wills presentation to First National Bank New Horizons Club on July 10, 2001 [Powerpoint show (2270 kb)].

Status Information:

Iowa Supreme Court Commissions data

Continuing legal education