Beacon Lawyers

Brad Biren is an elder law and estate planning attorney with specialized training in tax law. He is passionate about crisis Medicaid planning, special needs planning, and reducing tax liability. Much of his work also focuses on business and land-use consulting for startups, early ventures, and agriculture. Born in New York, Brad attended Cornell University for his undergraduate degrees in both landscape architecture and plant sciences. In 2006, he became the youngest person in the state of Florida to obtain LEED Accreditation. Mr. Biren moved to Iowa to attend the University of Iowa College of...

Ed Cox practices in agricultural law, estate planning, and real estate and handles general practices matters. Prior to private practice Ed worked as staff attorney at the Drake University Agricultural Law Center. He has written several publications on agricultural law issues and has given numerous presentations on the topic across the country. Ed is licensed to practice law in Iowa and Missouri.

Experience Counselor with more than 30 years experience advising clients in stressful and difficult circumstances

Michael Boomershine grew up in Des Moines, Iowa. He attended Drake University for his undergraduate studies, majoring in Political Science and English while minoring in Philosophy. After developing an interest in law during his time at Drake University, Michael decided to pursue a legal education at Drake University Law School.

During law school, Michael was a member of the Drake Journal of Agricultural Law, where he served as a Note Editor. He was published in the Spring of 2017 for his writing on the topic of family farming operations and Iowa law. Michael also participated in the Drake University Legal Clinic;...

At age 14, I began working for my grandfather in the concrete construction business during the summer school break. The work was hard, hot, and long, but provided me with framework for my character. My grandfather always told me to get a good education so I did not have to do hard labor for the rest of my life. I graduated from Newton High school in 1990 and played on the 1988 state 4A runner-up football team. After I graduated from high school, my mother purchased an appliance store and I began working on...

H. Edwin Detlie has practiced law in Ottumwa since 1982; before that, he was an Administrative Law Judge with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission for several years. Mr. Detlie is a former President of the Iowa Association of Workers' Compensation Lawyers, and is Chair of the Iowa State Bar Association's Law Practice Management Committee. He has spoken at national, regional and State conferences on workers' compensation and Social Security Disability, and is a member of the Larson's National Workers' Compensation Advisory Board for LexisNexis, the world's largest legal publisher.

As an Iowa City native, Parker attended the University of Iowa for his undergraduate education where he majored in Marketing Management, along with attending the University of Iowa College of Law for his legal education. During law school, Parker competed in various mock competitions including Iowa's Intramural Mock Baseball Salary Arbitration Competitions in 2023 and 2024, along with Iowa's Mock NCAA Infractions Competitions in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Additionally, Parker competed in the National Mock NCAA Infractions Competition in 2023 and 2024, where in 2024 he achieved runner-up in the hearing portion of the competition, and won the writing portion of the...

Licensed Business and Tax Attorney (Iowa). Ms. Blessing graduated from the University of Iowa: College of Law in 2014 and then spent the next 8 years serving as an awarded business, economics, finance, and law professor with American universities abroad. She returned to the United States in 2021 and is currently a small business consultant with Blessing Associates, LLC. Blessing Associates is a business consulting firm offering services to Americans at home and abroad. We specialize in small business solutions, working with business owners from start-up to wind-down. Services include (but are not limited to): - Taxation (Domestic,...

Joe Casey is a civil trial attorney representing plaintiffs in financial, products, and medical litigation. Rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, Joe has been recognized as a Great Plains Rising Star by SuperLawyer, and been named one of the country's leading young plaintiff lawyers by Lawdragon as well as a Top 40 Under 40 trial attorney by National Trial Lawyers.

Mindi Vervaecke is an Attorney at Law for Wertz Law Firm, P.C. Her practice focuses on Workers' Compensation. Mindi joined the firm in 2021 and is committed to representing injured workers throughout the state of Iowa. As a 1996 graduate of the University of Iowa Law School with distinction, Mindi has been a member of the Iowa Association of Justice Workers' Compensation Core Group, Continuing Education Committee, Iowa Supreme Court Nominating Commission. Mindi currently serves as a member of the Iowa Supreme Court Commission on Continuing Legal Education, in addition to her memberships with the Iowa Association of Justice and Iowa Association...

I represent businesses and their owners in a variety of different spaces, ranging from agriculture, construction and real estate development all the way to emerging technology, venture capital and financial services. The diversity of the clients I work for and the issues they present me with make me well-equipped to provide you practical legal advice on all matters pertaining to your business.

My specific expertise is in structuring, negotiating and documenting merger and acquisition (“M&A”) transactions. In the past few years, I’ve served as lead or associate counsel on a variety of M&A transactions, ranging in value from $5,000 to over...

I am an aggressive, experienced criminal defense lawyer. I handle all types of criminal cases including but not limited to: traffic tickets, assaults, domestic assaults, sexual assaults, OWI, public intoxication, drug charges, federal drug charges, federal child pornography charges, federal medicare fraud, state & federal gun charges, harassment, stalking, burglary, robbery, forgery, theft, fraud, murder etc. I also handle state and federal appeals from all types of criminal cases. My goal is to get you the best possible outcome on your case. This involves a skilled evaluation of the charges, the evidence and available strategies. I will never back...

Brett J. Trout, P.C. is an AV-rated Midwest law firm, offering its clients the global perspective on Intellectual Property and Information Technology issues. Based in Des Moines, Iowa, Brett J. Trout has serviced clients across Iowa and throughout the country for over a decade.Brett's latest book, CyberLaw: A Legal Arsenal for Online Business, is available now on Amazon.com. Mr. Trout offers a free 30 minute new-client consultation.

Russell Nicolet has always been focused on helping people through difficult situations. He became an attorney and has integrated this personal philosophy into his practice so that he could help people through some of the most stressful situations they will face in life. Russell’s goal in every case is to help his clients get into a better position than where they were prior to contacting him. Russell has focused his legal practice to the area of Personal Injury in Wisconsin and Minnesota. This focused approach allows him to provide clients with knowledgeable and effective representation while maintaining the...

I'm Tim Semelroth. I'm a board-certified trial attorney in Iowa, and I fight for fairness for Iowans who have been injured because of someone else's fault. My firm handles personal injury and workers' compensation cases, as well as denied Social Security Disability claims and employment law matters. If you need someone to fight for fairness for you, contact me today.

Jefferson Fink, the founder of The Law Office of Jefferson Fink, is a legal professional with years of experience in the Capitol and in front of the Courts. His academic experience started as a Senate Page, then later at Iowa State as a Senate intern, which allowed him to gain valuable insight into the legislative process. Jefferson's dedication to his education is evident in his simultaneous pursuit of a Master of Arts in Political Science from Iowa State University, writing his thesis - Law, Politics, and the Creation of Public Policy: How the Two Can Come Together and Create Better...

I am passionate about business and technology risk. I have worked with small "shop around the corner" companies and multi-national Fortune 500 companies. Contact me if you are starting or growing your business and need assistance assessing or understanding your risk and creating a plan to move forward with confidence. I have a particularly strong technology background focused on software development, Internet businesses, electrical engineering, and telecommunications. I'm sometimes known as "the Geekiest Lawyer in Iowa."

Some lawyers dabble in many different areas of the law. Not so for Tom Wertz. Shortly after moving into private practice, he turned his focus to workers' compensation and representing injured workers. Wertz quickly recognized the need for experienced attorneys in this specialized field. His commitment has resulted in a legal practice representing injured workers for more than 35 years. His record before the Iowa Supreme Court has led to major legal changes on behalf of injured workers. These changes include: Compensation benefits for tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and acute psychological injuries. Home medical care for out-of-state injured workers. These workers no...

Gunda J. Brost is a U.S. immigration attorney ("lawyer") from Oldenburg, North Germany. Ms. Brost holds a J.D. from Hamline Mitchell University School of Law (2006) and holds a license to practice law in Iowa (2007). Ms. Brost has represented clients from all over the world in various different immigration-related matters and has a special interest in asylum law, waivers and getting complex cases unstuck. Ms. Brost is fluent in French, German and Spanish.

Let a qualified, award-winning lawyer take care of all your legal needs. At Hansen Law Offices in Burlington, Iowa, we have over 37 years of experience in representing our clients in the state and federal courts. It is our primary goal to diligently ensure that our clients receive the best legal assistance available, while maintaining all of their rights afforded under the law. Hansen Law Offices is a full service law firm providing services in most areas of the law with the high concentration devoted to General Practice, Including but not Limited to: Accidents, Bankruptcy, Criminal Law, Legal Malpractice, Litigation, Medical...

I joined Hupy and Abraham in 2015 as an Associate Attorney. I became a shareholder in 2020. Prior to joining the firm, I spent four years as an insurance defense trial lawyer and have experience in Domestic Relations, Employment and Family Law. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, practicing yoga and running half-marathons.

Mr. Pothitakis practices in the areas of Iowa Workers' Compensation and Personal Injury. He focuses on helping Injured workers in their fight for full compensation when injured at work in Iowa. His personal injury practice focuses on auto accident and other litigated claims. As an AV-Rated attorney by Martindale-Hubble and a 10.0 out of 10.0 rated attorney by AVVO he is highly skilled and qualified in his areas of practice. Mr. Pothitakis handles cases across the state including cases from Davenport, Bettendorf, Muscatine, Burlington, Keokuk, Clinton, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mt. Pleasant, Fairfield, Ottumwa and most other Iowa towns.

Melvin O. Shaw is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law (2004). He has a Master’s in journalism from the UI, and a B.S. in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Melvin has been a solo practitioner since he opened his law firm in 2006. Melvin will serve a one-year term as president of the Iowa State Bar Association starting June 2024. He is Chair of the Iowa Judicial Qualifications Commission and has served on the JQC since 2018. Melvin was appointed to the Lawyers Trust Account Commission 2024-2027 under an order of...

George A. LaMarca's practice includes Personal Injury Law, Business Litigation, and Professional Malpractice. He has handled some of Iowa's largest personal injury cases and some of the state's most complex business litigation cases. He is board certified in civil trials by the National Board of Trial Advocates. He is also board certified in medical malpractice litigation by the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys. He is a member of the American College of Board Certified Attorneys. Mr. LaMarca was named the Best Lawyers 2016 Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs "Lawyer of the Year" in the Des Moines metropolitan area....

Let me welcome you to my profile page. Contact West Des Moines personal injury lawyer, Stephen D. Lombardi who has practiced civil trial litigation (personal injury lawyer-litigator, accidents, construction site injuries that include injuries resulting in death, along with workers’ compensation cases, for over 43 years. We practice law in Iowa. Call us for a free consultation about your personal injury claim. Injuries caused by car, truck, pedestrian, single-car, drunk driving, skiing, sports, abuse of power by government officials, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, criminal acts, high-speed chases, wrongful deaths, motorcycles, work injuries, catastrophic injuries, brain damage, paraplegia,...

Harley has spent his law career exclusively handling civil litigation matters. He founded Erbe Law Firm in July 2005. Harley represents individuals and small businesses in car accident, personal injury law, employment law, contract law, insurance law, and construction defect cases in Iowa and nationwide. He has argued and tried jury and nonjury cases in Iowa state and federal court. Harley has also argued before the United States Court of Appeals, the Iowa Supreme Court, and the Iowa Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers. Membership in the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers...

Craig Nierman mediates and arbitrates complex insurance, tort, and healthcare claims. His quarter-century of litigation experience includes representing plaintiffs and defendants—including hospitals, individuals and families, insurers, domestic and international businesses, as well as government entities—in jury trials, appeals, and arbitrations. His insurance experience includes: First party claims; Third party cases; Extracontractual damages; Agent/broker errors and omissions; ERISA; Subrogation; and Carrier/producer disputes. His health law practice has involved complex reimbursement and revenue cycle issues (e.g., experimental, medical necessity, and exclusion questions), medical malpractice and devices, primary and secondary payor conflicts, provider contracts, and HIPAA compliance. He previously taught Insurance Law as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Iowa College of Law....

Notice to Prospective Clients: Please don't cold call me without an appointment to inquire about your legal matter. Please first visit my website, http://www.kohnlawoffices.com and if you're interested in my services as described there for a California or Iowa legal matter, please schedule a prospective client phone consult.

I'm a California and Iowa licensed attorney with a very diverse, yet practical, skill set and range of expertise, which allows me to take a cross-functional and interdisciplinary approach to all services I render. From Data Science, Game Theory, and Statistical Risk Management Guided Decision Sciences, to Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)-enhanced communication and...

Partner at Cray Law Firm.

CHRISTINE L. CRILLEY is a General Practice Attorney and Collaborative Lawyer with over thirty years of experience in a variety of legal areas such as family law, adoptions, business law, litigation, construction law, probate and wills.

In Addition to her law practice Ms. Crilley is also an accomplished Mediator and Arbitrator as well as a nationally approved Mediation Trainer. She offers basic Mediation training and advance Mediation training as well as Collaborative Law Training, and Parent Coordinator Training. Christine is also a Parenting Coordinator and Parent Coach.

After earning her B.A. degree at the University of Northern Iowa in 1979, Christine...

Growing up I learned how to serve client interests from my father and grandfather, who are both attorneys in northeast Iowa. They taught me to take a hands-on approach to learning and to work hard to understand the underlying causes of a conflict, not just address the immediate problem. I applied that philosophy throughout my academic and professional education by learning the construction industry beginning as a carpenter and then architectural intern at OPN Architects, SOM, and Kahler Slater Architects. After I earned my Bachelors of Architecture from Iowa State University and my Juris Doctorate from the University of Iowa,...