Christopher S. "Chris" Talcott

Joseph Moser is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice and Litigation - Health Care. Joseph, who practices law in Des Moines, Iowa, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Bill Stiles advises clients in commercial real estate matters ranging from acquisition of income-producing properties to valuation cases involving the assessed value of real estate. His clientele in real estate has necessitated his representation in personal estate planning, wills and probate, as well as corporate, limited liability company and partnership entity issues and the attendant tax planning associated with these areas.

Allison Abbott has been with Elverson Vasey since 1999 and has been a partner in the firm since 2006. Her areas of practice include civil defense, insurance litigation and defense, insurance subrogation, and family law. She is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association, Polk County Bar Association, Dallas County Bar Association, Iowa Defense Counsel Association and the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers. She is currently serving a term on the Dallas County Magistrate Nomination Commission. She ser...

Bill Serangeli represents business clients, including real estate companies, banks and insurance companies, in commercial litigation and insurance defense matters. He currently serves as general counsel for various Boards of Realtors® and regularly lectures on legal topics to bar associations and trade organizations on professional compliance issues and ethics. Bill is also active in professional community organizations including the Iowa State Bar Association and the Polk County Bar Asso...

David practices primarily in the area of taxation. He provides a broad range of tax counsel to small businesses on topics including federal and state income tax planning, taxation of employee benefits, equity structure and mergers, and succession planning. He also counsels and advises clients with respect to the management of their wealth to minimize estate and inheritance taxes through the use of asset protection trusts, grantor trusts, powers of appointment, lifetime gifts, QTIP trusts and ...

Christine Bestor Townsend is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Christine, who practices law in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christine is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Howard Hagen practices primarily in banking law. For over 25 years he has counseled banks in virtually every Iowa county on such issues as regulation, acquisitions and various corporate and shareholder matters that have confronted banks in both good and troubled times. Howard also has served as counsel to the Community Bankers of Iowa for more than 20 years. He currently serves as a member of the American Bar Association Banking Law Committee. Earlier in his career, Howard served in the publi...

Timothy N. Lillwitz is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Insurance Law and Litigation - Insurance. Tim, who practices law in Des Moines, Iowa, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Tim is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. Tim joined the litigation division of Dickinson Bradshaw in 2006 and has first and second-chaired numerous ...

Todd was born in Storm Lake, Iowa and he has been a resident of the Des Moines area for approximately 40 years. Todd maintains his litigation practice in the areas of transportation, products liability, commercial, premises liability, legal malpractice and property rights. Todd has received defense verdicts in courtrooms throughout all parts of Iowa. Todd is recognized as a leader in Iowa in the defense of railroads and trucking companies. He is one of the only few railroad litigators whose o...

Russell L. Samson practices primarily in the area of employment law, including traditional labor law, exclusively representing employers in the private sector. He advises clients in the areas of union representation, unfair labor practices, negotiating contracts and union grievances. He also counsels, advises and represents employers in personnel matters ranging from policy creation and documentation, restructuring of personnel to investigating, responding to and defending against claims of u...