Beacon Lawyers

Restoring hope, one client at a time. As an Iowa disability lawyer, I am driven by that one goal; it has been my personal and professional mission since I first began representing disabled Iowans in 1996. Prior to that, I worked for the Social Security Administration, as one of their attorneys in NYC. I have seen first-hand how a large government bureaucracy can frustrate and confuse even the most determined claimant. I am driven to restore hope to disabled Iowans as I guide them through Social Security disability process.

Brad Biren is an elder law and estate planning attorney with specialized training in tax law. He is passionate about crisis Medicaid planning, special needs planning, and reducing tax liability. Much of his work also focuses on business and land-use consulting for startups, early ventures, and agriculture. Born in New York, Brad attended Cornell University for his undergraduate degrees in both landscape architecture and plant sciences. In 2006, he became the youngest person in the state of Florida to obtain LEED Accreditation. Mr. Biren moved to Iowa to attend the University of Iowa College of...

Ed Cox practices in agricultural law, estate planning, and real estate and handles general practices matters. Prior to private practice Ed worked as staff attorney at the Drake University Agricultural Law Center. He has written several publications on agricultural law issues and has given numerous presentations on the topic across the country. Ed is licensed to practice law in Iowa and Missouri.

Experience Counselor with more than 30 years experience advising clients in stressful and difficult circumstances

Michael Boomershine grew up in Des Moines, Iowa. He attended Drake University for his undergraduate studies, majoring in Political Science and English while minoring in Philosophy. After developing an interest in law during his time at Drake University, Michael decided to pursue a legal education at Drake University Law School.

During law school, Michael was a member of the Drake Journal of Agricultural Law, where he served as a Note Editor. He was published in the Spring of 2017 for his writing on the topic of family farming operations and Iowa law. Michael also participated in the Drake University Legal Clinic;...

At age 14, I began working for my grandfather in the concrete construction business during the summer school break. The work was hard, hot, and long, but provided me with framework for my character. My grandfather always told me to get a good education so I did not have to do hard labor for the rest of my life. I graduated from Newton High school in 1990 and played on the 1988 state 4A runner-up football team. After I graduated from high school, my mother purchased an appliance store and I began working on...

H. Edwin Detlie has practiced law in Ottumwa since 1982; before that, he was an Administrative Law Judge with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission for several years. Mr. Detlie is a former President of the Iowa Association of Workers' Compensation Lawyers, and is Chair of the Iowa State Bar Association's Law Practice Management Committee. He has spoken at national, regional and State conferences on workers' compensation and Social Security Disability, and is a member of the Larson's National Workers' Compensation Advisory Board for LexisNexis, the world's largest legal publisher.

Licensed Business and Tax Attorney (Iowa). Ms. Blessing graduated from the University of Iowa: College of Law in 2014 and then spent the next 8 years serving as an awarded business, economics, finance, and law professor with American universities abroad. She returned to the United States in 2021 and is currently a small business consultant with Blessing Associates, LLC. Blessing Associates is a business consulting firm offering services to Americans at home and abroad. We specialize in small business solutions, working with business owners from start-up to wind-down. Services include (but are not limited to): - Taxation (Domestic,...

Joe Casey is a trial lawyer handling complex commercial and injury litigation in Iowa's state and federal courts.

Mindi Vervaecke is an Attorney at Law for Wertz Law Firm, P.C. Her practice focuses on Workers' Compensation. Mindi joined the firm in 2021 and is committed to representing injured workers throughout the state of Iowa. As a 1996 graduate of the University of Iowa Law School with distinction, Mindi has been a member of the Iowa Association of Justice Workers' Compensation Core Group, Continuing Education Committee, Iowa Supreme Court Nominating Commission. Mindi currently serves as a member of the Iowa Supreme Court Commission on Continuing Legal Education, in addition to her memberships with the Iowa Association of Justice and Iowa Association...

I represent businesses and their owners in a variety of different spaces, ranging from agriculture, construction and real estate development all the way to emerging technology, venture capital and financial services. The diversity of the clients I work for and the issues they present me with make me well-equipped to provide you practical legal advice on all matters pertaining to your business.

My specific expertise is in structuring, negotiating and documenting merger and acquisition (“M&A”) transactions. In the past few years, I’ve served as lead or associate counsel on a variety of M&A transactions, ranging in value from $5,000 to over...

Jefferson Fink, the founder of The Law Office of Jefferson Fink, is a legal professional with years of experience in the Capitol and in front of the Courts. His academic experience started as a Senate Page, then later at Iowa State as a Senate intern, which allowed him to gain valuable insight into the legislative process. Jefferson's dedication to his education is evident in his simultaneous pursuit of a Master of Arts in Political Science from Iowa State University, writing his thesis - Law, Politics, and the Creation of Public Policy: How the Two Can Come Together and Create Better...

I'm Tim Semelroth. I'm a board-certified trial attorney in Iowa, and I fight for fairness for Iowans who have been injured because of someone else's fault. My firm handles personal injury and workers' compensation cases, as well as denied Social Security Disability claims and employment law matters. If you need someone to fight for fairness for you, contact me today.

I am passionate about business and technology risk. I have worked with small "shop around the corner" companies and multi-national Fortune 500 companies. Contact me if you are starting or growing your business and need assistance assessing or understanding your risk and creating a plan to move forward with confidence. I have a particularly strong technology background focused on software development, Internet businesses, electrical engineering, and telecommunications. I'm sometimes known as "the Geekiest Lawyer in Iowa."

Russell Nicolet has always been focused on helping people through difficult situations. He became an attorney and has integrated this personal philosophy into his practice so that he could help people through some of the most stressful situations they will face in life. Russell’s goal in every case is to help his clients get into a better position than where they were prior to contacting him. Russell has focused his legal practice to the area of Personal Injury in Wisconsin and Minnesota. This focused approach allows him to provide clients with knowledgeable and effective representation while maintaining the...

Associate Attorney at Kragnes and Associates, P.C. practicing in the areas of criminal defense, personal injury, and NIL (Name/Image/Likeness) representation of high school and collegiate athletes. Call (515) 282-9200 Kragnes and Associates, P.C. 317 6th Avenue Suite 1300 Des Moines, IA 50309 Born and raised in southern Iowa, the son of a farmer and a teacher, I am passionate about helping those who need it most with their legal needs. The tightknit, blue collar community where I grew up instilled the values of hard work and loyalty into me at a young age, and I carry these values with me wherever I go. I...

Brett J. Trout, P.C. is an AV-rated Midwest law firm, offering its clients the global perspective on Intellectual Property and Information Technology issues. Based in Des Moines, Iowa, Brett J. Trout has serviced clients across Iowa and throughout the country for over a decade.Brett's latest book, CyberLaw: A Legal Arsenal for Online Business, is available now on Amazon.com. Mr. Trout offers a free 30 minute new-client consultation.

I am an aggressive, experienced criminal defense lawyer. I handle all types of criminal cases including but not limited to: traffic tickets, assaults, domestic assaults, sexual assaults, OWI, public intoxication, drug charges, federal drug charges, federal child pornography charges, federal medicare fraud, state & federal gun charges, harassment, stalking, burglary, robbery, forgery, theft, fraud, murder etc. I also handle state and federal appeals from all types of criminal cases. My goal is to get you the best possible outcome on your case. This involves a skilled evaluation of the charges, the evidence and available strategies. I will never back...

With knowledge of the law and passion for her clients, Christine Branstad works hard to achieve results. Having worked as a prosecutor, a civil litigator, and a litigation manager, she knows the court system inside and out. She has the skills and the drive to help her clients, no matter the circumstance. If you are looking for someone with experience who cares, Ms. Branstad is ready to review your case. You can reach her at (515) 329-3100, branstad@branstadlaw.com, or on her website at branstadlaw.com.

Mark Thompson practices criminal defense law in Iowa City and the surrounding areas in Eastern Iowa. He has been operating his own firm, practicing in criminal law, since 2005. He has represented clients in over 2,000 criminal cases, with a majority of these cases being OWI / DUI. Mark has also handled contract defense cases for the Iowa State Public Defender, served as defense counsel for the Johnson County Drug Treatment Court, and served as a Judicial Magistrate. Now he focuses solely on his private criminal law practice.

Some lawyers dabble in many different areas of the law. Not so for Tom Wertz. Shortly after moving into private practice, he turned his focus to workers' compensation and representing injured workers. Wertz quickly recognized the need for experienced attorneys in this specialized field. His commitment has resulted in a legal practice representing injured workers for more than 35 years. His record before the Iowa Supreme Court has led to major legal changes on behalf of injured workers. These changes include: Compensation benefits for tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and acute psychological injuries. Home medical care for out-of-state injured workers. These workers no...

Gunda J. Brost is a U.S. immigration attorney ("lawyer") from Oldenburg, North Germany. Ms. Brost holds a J.D. from Hamline Mitchell University School of Law (2006) and holds a license to practice law in Iowa (2007). Ms. Brost has represented clients from all over the world in various different immigration-related matters and has a special interest in asylum law, waivers and getting complex cases unstuck. Ms. Brost is fluent in French, German and Spanish.

Let a qualified, award-winning lawyer take care of all your legal needs. At Hansen Law Offices in Burlington, Iowa, we have over 37 years of experience in representing our clients in the state and federal courts. It is our primary goal to diligently ensure that our clients receive the best legal assistance available, while maintaining all of their rights afforded under the law. Hansen Law Offices is a full service law firm providing services in most areas of the law with the high concentration devoted to General Practice, Including but not Limited to: Accidents, Bankruptcy, Criminal Law, Legal Malpractice, Litigation, Medical...

George A. LaMarca's practice includes Personal Injury Law, Business Litigation, and Professional Malpractice. He has handled some of Iowa's largest personal injury cases and some of the state's most complex business litigation cases. He is board certified in civil trials by the National Board of Trial Advocates. He is also board certified in medical malpractice litigation by the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys. He is a member of the American College of Board Certified Attorneys. Mr. LaMarca was named the Best Lawyers 2016 Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs "Lawyer of the Year" in the Des Moines metropolitan area....

Mr. Pothitakis practices in the areas of Iowa Workers' Compensation and Personal Injury. He focuses on helping Injured workers in their fight for full compensation when injured at work in Iowa. His personal injury practice focuses on auto accident and other litigated claims. As an AV-Rated attorney by Martindale-Hubble and a 10.0 out of 10.0 rated attorney by AVVO he is highly skilled and qualified in his areas of practice. Mr. Pothitakis handles cases across the state including cases from Davenport, Bettendorf, Muscatine, Burlington, Keokuk, Clinton, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mt. Pleasant, Fairfield, Ottumwa and most other Iowa towns.

My name is Pressley and I am a trial lawyer. The only thing I am before that is a father of my two sons. I have worked hard to live authentically in all aspects of my life. I always try to grow and learn. This has been true in my lawyering as well as my personal life – they are, in many ways, one in the same – because I am who I am, whether at home, meeting with clients, or in the courtroom.

Melvin O. Shaw is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law (2004). He has a Master’s in journalism from the UI, and a B.S. in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Melvin has been a solo practitioner since he opened his law firm in 2006. Melvin will serve a one-year term as president of the Iowa State Bar Association starting June 2024. He is Chair of the Iowa Judicial Qualifications Commission and has served on the JQC since 2018. Melvin was appointed to the Lawyers Trust Account Commission 2024-2027 under an order of...

I joined Hupy and Abraham in 2015 as an Associate Attorney. I became a shareholder in 2020. Prior to joining the firm, I spent four years as an insurance defense trial lawyer and have experience in Domestic Relations, Employment and Family Law. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, practicing yoga and running half-marathons.