Lori T. Chesser

William S. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: White-Collar. William, who practices law in Des Moines, Iowa, has been recognized since 1995. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. William practices as Smith & Kramer, P.C. and Of Counsel to Dickinson, Bradshaw, Fowler & Hagen, P.C....

David advises clients, including small business owners and professionals, in a broad range of business and tax areas including corporate and business mergers and acquisitions, tax and employee benefits counsel and estate succession planning. This includes the preparation of wills, trusts and related documents. He also assists owners, professionals and executives in the formation and structure of their businesses including contract and compliance matters, and formation of corporations, limited...

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 ...

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...

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...

Adam D. Zenor is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: General Practice, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Litigation - Insurance and Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants. Adam D., who practices law in Des Moines, Iowa, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Adam D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal pra...

Kevin is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and a Fellow in the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers. Kevin has been listed in the Best Lawyers of America since 2008 and Chamber's USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business since 2006. He was named "Des Moines Construction Lawyer of the Year" in 2015 and 2017 by Best Lawyers of America.Kevin maintains a trial practice in the area of professional negligence, in the defense of physicians, attorneys, architects and engineers, as well as ...

Nicole Proesch is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Education Law and Employment Law - Management. Nicole, 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 Nicole is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. With over 20 years of experience, Attorney Nicole Proesch has a practice that focuses on Employment L...

Sean started his career in private practice with the Bradshaw Law Firm in 1996. Prior to joining Bradshaw, he clerked for Justice David Harris of the Iowa Supreme Court. Sean has also served as an adjunct professor in Drake University's Undergraduate and MBA programs lecturing on business law. Sean’s practice focuses on consulting with insurers on all aspects of catastrophic property loss claims. He advises clients on first party and third party coverage issues. He also defends insureds...

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...