Education

Northwestern University (B.A. 1978)
University of Iowa College of Law (J.D. 1981)
Managing Editor, Iowa Law Review, 1980-1981

Admissions

Iowa – 1981
Illinois – 1983
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Iowa – 1981
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Iowa – 1987
U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois – 1981
U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit – 1991
U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit – 2012
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio – 2010

Professional Associations

• Member, Iowa State Bar Association (President, 2011 – 2012)
• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers since 2000 (Fellowship limited to 1% of lawyers practicing in state); and Chair, State Committee (2008 – 2010)
• Fellow, Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers since 1994 (President 2025-26; Director, 2015 – present) (Fellowship limited to 250 Iowa trial lawyers)
• Fellow, Iowa State Bar Foundation (Director, 2006 – 2018)
• Member, American Bar Association, Scott County Bar Association (President 2001-2002) and Rock Island County Bar Association
• Advocate, American Board of Trial Advocates
• Member, Iowa Defense Counsel Association (Director, 2005 – 2008)
• Past Chair, Grievance Commission of the Supreme Court of Iowa (2005-2008)
• Past Iowa Seventh Judicial District Court Nominating Commission, (1999-2005)

Honors

• Recognition by the Iowa State Bar Association, ISBA’s 125th president hails from long line of legal professions. The Iowa Lawyer, June 3, 2011.
• Recognition by the Iowa State Bar Association, ISBA’s new VP pushes himself in and out of the courtroom, office. The Iowa Lawyer, September, 2009.
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America (Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants) (Since 2007)
• Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating (since 1996)
• Chambers USA America’s Leading Business Lawyers “Band 1” rating for Litigation: General Commercial (since 2003)
• Iowa Super Lawyers Top 10 List for 2011-2024

Awards

Community

• Trustee, Hubbell-Waterman Foundation (Chair, 2023-2025)
• Member, Board of Directors, United Way of Q.C. (Vice Chair 2023-2025)
• Member, Board of Directors, Iowa Legal Aid Foundation
• Member, Board of Directors, Friendly House of Davenport (President 1990 – 1992)
• Member, Investment Committee, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
• Past Member, Board of Directors, Genesis VNA Professional Advisory Board
• Past Member, Board of Directors, Brenton Bank
• Past Member, Board of Directors, Genesis Visiting Nurses’ Association
• Past Senior Warden, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Vestry (1996)
• Past President, The Davenport Club

Speeches & Publications

Moderator, “Judicial Retention: Voting on the back of the Ballot,” held October 30, 2024, and available now on YouTube, presented by the Iowa State Bar Association as a 60-minute CLE Webinar. The panelists were former Iowa Supreme Court Justice Michael Streit, ISBA Past President and Chair of the Independence of the Judiciary Committee, Guy Cook, President of Justice Not Politics, Connie Ryan, Des Moines Register Editorial Board Member, Rox Laird, and current ISBA President Melvin Shaw. The purpose of the Webinar was to clarify the judicial retention process and what a “yes” or “no” vote means, in advance of the November 5, 2024, election.
Presenter, “Complexities of Chemplex,” a Study of Complex Litigation Issues of First Impression and Practicalities of Case Management,” presented to Dillon Inn of Court, April 18, 2018, The Davenport Country Club.
Presenter, “Masters in Trial, A trial demonstration from opening statement through jury deliberation,” sponsored by ABOTA Foundation, May 19, 2017, Drake Legal Clinic, Des Moines, Iowa.
Presenter, “The Art of Today’s Trial: Techniques to Switch Up Your Game,” Bench-Bar Conference, sponsored by the Iowa State Bar Association, May 5, 2016.
Presenter, “Medical Malpractice, Case & Client Selection,” Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, February 25, 2016, Des Moines, Iowa.
Program Moderator, “As Judges See It: Top Mistakes Attorneys Make in Civil Litigation,” judicial panel consisting of Judges Joel Barrows, Marlita Greve, Mark Lawson, Thomas Reidel, Nancy Tabor and John Wright, National Business Institute, Inc., December 11, 2014, Davenport, Iowa.
Presenter, “Opening Statements and Closing Arguments,” Scott County Bar Association 2014 Last Chance Seminar, December 19, 2014, Davenport, Iowa.
Presenter, “Justice Not Politics: Lessons Learned from Iowa’s 2010 Judicial Retention Election,” American College of Trial Lawyers Regional Meeting, May 16, 2014, Rapid City, South Dakota.
Presenter, “Economic Experts: Law in the New Economy,” Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, February 27-28, 2014, Des Moines, Iowa.
Program Moderator, “What Civil Court Judges Want You To Know,” judicial panel consisting of Judges Mark D. Cleve, Gary D. McKendrick, Thomas G. Reidel, and Marlita Greve, National Business Institute, Inc., October 5, 2012, Davenport, Iowa.
Presenter, “Justice Not Politics: Lessons Learned From The 2010 Judicial Retention Elections,” Dubuque County Bar Association Annual Meeting, April 12, 2012, Dubuque, Iowa.
Presenter, “Trial of the Patent Case,” Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers Annual Seminar, February 24, 2012, Des Moines, Iowa.
Investiture of Iowa Supreme Court Justice Thomas D. Waterman, June 3, 2011, House Chamber, State Capitol, Des Moines, Iowa.
Presenter, “Update from the Iowa State Bar Association,” Iowa Judges Association Membership Semi-Annual Meeting, June 15, 2011, Des Moines, Iowa.
Investiture of Iowa Court of Appeals Judge Michael R. Mullins, August 12, 2011, Iowa Judicial Building, Des Moines, Iowa.
Orientation of 1L Class, University of Iowa College of Law, August 14, 2011 Iowa City, Iowa.
Co-Presenter, “Judicial Retention in Iowa,” with Chief Justice Marsha Ternus, 4th Annual Corporate Counsel Forum, University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, October 1, 2010, Iowa City, Iowa.
Presenter, “Case Management – Defense Perspective,” Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers Annual Seminar, February 25, 2010, Des Moines, Iowa.
Presenter, “Winning the Business Case,” Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers Annual Seminar, February 26, 2009, Des Moines, Iowa.
Presenter, “Evidentiary Matters: Recent Decisions,” Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers Annual Seminar, March 3, 2006, Des Moines, Iowa.
Presenter, “Use of Expert Testimony in a Bad Faith Case,” Iowa Defense Counsel 39th Annual Meeting & Seminar, September 25, 2003, Des Moines, Iowa.
“Medical Malpractice in Iowa,” presented at an all-day seminar sponsored by National Business Institute, Inc., May 21, 2003, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Presenter, “Personal Injury Settlements in Iowa: Practical Methods for Perfecting the Settlement of a Claim,” National Business Institute, Inc., August 22, 2002, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Presenter, “Trying the Wrongful Death Case in Iowa: Strategies in Preparation and Valuation,” National Business Institute, Inc., September 13, 2001, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Presenter, “The Evolution of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,” 509 U.S. 579, 113 S.Ct. 2786, 125 L.Ed.2d 469 (1993),” Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers Annual Seminar, February 16, 2001, Des Moines, Iowa.
Presenter, “Top Ten Do’s and Don’ts for Giving an Effective Opening Statement (A Defense Counsel’s Perspective),” Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers Annual Seminar, March 2, 2000, Des Moines, Iowa.
Presenter, “The Art of Jury Selection,” Iowa Defense Counsel Association 1999 Annual Meeting and Seminar, September 24, 1999, Des Moines, Iowa.
Presenter, “Using Video Depositions and Imaging Technology to Improve Your Effectiveness at Trial,” presented at the Federal Practice Seminar, December 11, 1998, Des Moines, Iowa.
Presenter, “Medical Malpractice in Iowa,” presented at an all-day seminar sponsored by National Business Institute, Inc., September 27, 1996, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Presenter, “Medical Malpractice in Iowa,” presented at Risk Management Seminar for Physicians by The Medical Protective Company, August 7, 1996, Radisson Quad City Plaza, Davenport, Iowa.
Presenter,”Expert Testimony After Daubert,” presented at The Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers Annual Seminar, February 17, 1995, Des Moines, Iowa.
Presenter, “Annual Appellate Decisions Review,” presented at the Iowa Defense Counsel Association Annual Meeting, September 17, 1983, Des Moines, Iowa.