Jo Ellen Whitney

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 ...

Jeff has a business-focused practice specializing in the areas of corporate law, banking and financial services, commercial finance, real estate and land use law. He advises a wide array of clients in all phases of institutional lending, including loan structuring, negotiating and drafting credit transaction documentation. Additionally, he provides advice to a variety of business clients regarding general corporate transactions, including organizational, development, funding and start-up issu...

Lori A. Brandau is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Workers' Compensation Law - Employers. Lori, who practices law in Des Moines, Iowa, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lori is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. Lori's practice also extends into the area of mediation, where she frequently serves as a mediator in workers' c...

Jason T. Madden is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Jason T., who practices law in Des Moines, Iowa, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jason T. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Board-certified in both Business and Consumer Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification, with practice devoted primarily to the representation of debtors, creditors, committees and trustees in bankruptcy and reorganization cases. Practice devoted primarily to Bankruptcy Law.

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 ...

Dennis VanDerGinst Dennis VanDerGinst is a personal injury attorney, trial lawyer, and the Founder & CEO of VanDerGinst Law PC. He represents injured individuals and families throughout Illinois, Iowa, and other jurisdictions. For more than 30 years, Dennis has focused his practice on helping people navigate serious injury claims and complex litigation during challenging periods of their lives. Dennis handles a wide range of plaintiff-side personal injury matters, including car accidents,...

Megan Kennedy Marty is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law and Trusts and Estates. Megan Kennedy, who practices law in Des Moines, Iowa, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Megan Kennedy 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...

Ben has a business-focused practice specializing in the areas of banking and financial services, commercial finance, real estate and corporate law. He advises a wide array of clients in all phases of institutional lending, including loan structuring, negotiating and drafting credit transaction documentation. Additionally, he regularly advises commercial lenders and borrowers with regard to judicial and non-judicial foreclosure proceedings, UCC enforcement, bankruptcy, and has extensive experi...