Dawnelle Schlagel

Melissa Schilling represents public and private sector employers in labor and employment matters. In that role, she has successfully represented clients in state and federal cases involving a broad range of labor and employment laws, including Title VII, the American with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Melissa also has extensive experience investigating and handling matters filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and related...

Erik Bergeland is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Health Care, Litigation - Insurance and Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants. Erik, 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 Erik is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Connie is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and is currently serving as the President of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers. In addition to healthcare litigation trials, she frequently appears before the Iowa Board of Medicine, the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals and the Office of Inspector General on issues related to licensing, EMTALA, HIPAA, Medicare/Medicaid Fraud and Abuse. She has also represented both facilities and professionals on issues of credentialing and...

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...

L. Lars Hulsebus is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Lars, 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 Lars is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. At Dickinson Bradshaw, Lars advocates for clients in high-stakes disputes of all kinds. Over more than a decade as a civil liti...

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 ...

Amy’s practice includes corporate law, banking law, mergers and acquisitions, business formations, e-commerce, intellectual property law, and publishing law. Amy also assists clients with intellectual property, e-commerce law, and software licensing agreements. She serves as chair of the firm’s Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Group and currently serves on the firm’s Board of Directors. Amy earned her B.S. from the University of Minnesota in 1999 and her J.D. from Pepperdin...

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.

Jack is an elected member of the American College of Trial Lawyers. For more than 35 years his practice has focused on the defense of hundreds of civil cases in areas including: product liability, automobile liability, wrongful death, aircraft crash liability, defamation, premises liability, professional liability, drug and device liability, employment law, commercial liability and trustee and fiduciary liability. This exposure has resulted in more than 100 civil jury trials throughout the St...

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...