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Law Alumni News
Welcome to the Drake Law Alumni News Section! If you would like to share some of your news, both personal or professional, with your fellow Drake Law alum's be sure to click here. If you would like to read some of the events going on with other alumni be sure to read below!Latest Drake Law Alumni News…
Judge Newt Draheim (LW'54)
The Honorable Newt Draheim has written a book about the heroes of World War II - a time of duty, honor and country. The book is a tribute to the men and women who served in World War II and those who supported the war effort. It is entitled Ordinary Heroes and can be purchased at http://wwiiordinaryheroes.com/. Don't miss this powerful book!
Jim Carney (LW'75)
PEOPLE ON THE MOVE FOR SEPTEMBER 10, 2009 - THE DES MOINES REGISTER
Jim Carney of Carney & Appleby PLC in Des Moines was honored in July with the University of Iowa's I-Club volunteer of the year award for his long-time involvement with the university as a member of the University of Iowa Foundation board of directors, the National I-Club board and the Carver-Hawkeye Arena campaign committee. Carney has supported athletics through his membership in the club for more than 30 years and contributed to many of the major capital campaigns, including Hawkeye Horizons, Hall of Fame, Kinnick Stadium and Carver-Hawkeye Arena. He is the founder and coordinator of the Polk County I-Club's annual golf outing, now in its 12th year at Wakonda Club.
William P. Kelly (LW'99)
Davis Brown attorney William P. Kelly was promoted to a Field Grade Officer on February 24, 2009. COL Alan Meyer is the Commander of the 734th RSG where Kelly serves as a Combat Judge Advocate at Camp Dodge, Johnston, Iowa. Kelly, a member of the Judge Advocate General Corps has been active in the National Guard since February 21, 1995. As a Major and JAG Officer, his duties include advising the Commander on non-judicial punishment issues, deployment issues for soldiers, and other legal issues that might impact the Iowa Army National Guard. Kelly is a Senior Shareholder in the Litigation Division with a General Litigation practice including Family Law, Military Law, Complex Commercial Litigation and Arbitration, Federal Statutory Defense, Commercial Disputes, Real Property Litigation and he serves as a Polk County Bar Association Family Law mediator. Kelly along with the Honorable Peter Keller, Peter Welch and Gregory Greiner were the speakers for the 136th Annual Meeting of the Iowa Bar Association for Military/Family Law.
Christine E. Branstad (LW'94)
KREAMER LAW FIRM, P.C. ANNOUNCES NEW ATTORNEY West Des Moines, Iowa—Kreamer Law Firm, P.C. is pleased to announce the addition of Christine E. Branstad to their firm. Christine works in the Kreamer Law litigation section; her professional background includes criminal and civil litigation, litigation management and work as corporate counsel. Christine received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Iowa in 1991 and her Juris Doctorate from Drake University Law School in 1994. Christine is licensed to practice law in Iowa, as well as the District of Columbia. Ms. Branstad is a member of the Polk County and Iowa State Bar Associations and has achieved the status of Master of the Bench in the Blackstone American Inn of Court. Kreamer Law Firm, P.C. practices law in areas including, but not limited to: Corporate and Business Law, Wills, Estate and Probate Law. For more information, visit the website at www.kreamerlaw.com or call at (515) 727-0900.
Adam Gerol (LW'88)
Gov. Doyle: Appoints Adam Gerol as Ozaukee County District Attorney
7/2/2009
Contact: Carla Vigue, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2162
MADISON - Governor Jim Doyle announced today the appointment of Adam Gerol as Ozaukee County District Attorney. Gerol will fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Sandy Williams to the Ozaukee County Circuit Court. He will begin serving in early July.
"Adam Gerol has the experience and qualifications to be an excellent District Attorney,” Governor Doyle said. “His dedication to justice and fairness will be an asset to Ozaukee County.”
“I am deeply appreciative of the trust and confidence Governor Doyle has shown in me with this appointment,” Gerol said. “I look forward to taking on this great responsibility and serving the citizens of Ozaukee County.”
A long time Ozaukee County resident, Adam Gerol is currently an Assistant District Attorney in Milwaukee County. His experience includes sixteen years in the Ozaukee County District Attorney’s office, in addition to private practice work. Adam earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Iowa, and his law degree from Drake University Law School in 1988. He is active in several community organizations, including Rotary and Habitat for Humanity. Adam, his wife Lisa, and their two young daughters live in Cedarburg.
Tony L. James (LW'08)
Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave, P.C. are pleased to announce that Tony James has joined the firm as an associate.
Rob Ziems (LW '95)
DEQ Systems Corp. ("DEQ" or the "Company"), a leading provider of table game bonusing, jackpot and loyalty solutions, announces that it has retained Rob Ziems as legal counsel for intellectual property ("IP") matters.
Rob Ziems is a recognized and respected veteran of the Gaming Industry and has held various positions such as Executive Vice President & General Counsel at PGIC, Associate General Counsel of Aristocrat Technologies and Associate General Counsel with Station Casinos, Inc. Other noteworthy appointments held by Mr. Ziems include Associate Attorney with the Las Vegas law firm of Jimmerson Hansen as well as Dempsey Roberts and Smith. Mr. Ziems' IP expertise stems from his service as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for M-CAM, Inc., a patent valuation company in Charlottesville, Virginia as well as Senior Counsel for NOS Communications, Inc., a telecommunications company. Mr. Ziems served as the Law Clerk for the Honorable Robert E. Gaston, presiding judge of the Clark County District Court in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mr. Ziems is admitted to practice law in Nevada and Virginia and earned his Bachelor's degree from the University of South Florida in 1992 and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Drake University School of Law in December of 1995.
"We are very excited to have such expertise onboard at DEQ," stated Earle G. Hall, President and CEO of DEQ. "Rob's unique expertise in gaming intellectual property and revenue generation from IP will be a definite asset as we explore new ways to generate revenue from our extensive patent portfolio. DEQ has a tremendous amount of IP that we want to turn into revenue generation and we are very happy to have Rob's expertise and experience to help us to seek out these opportunities. We have recently successfully defended our patent portfolio on several occasions and it is now time for us to actively seek ways of generating new revenue streams with all the IP we have developed."
"DEQ is an up and coming leader in the table game bonusing segment of the gaming industry," stated Rob Ziems. "DEQ's patent portfolio shows tremendous potential and I am excited to lend my expertise to helping them exploit the untapped potential of their IP."
Bill Kelly (LW '99)The Davis Brown Law Firm Congratulates William P. Kelly for 10 Years of Service.
Bill is a senior shareholder of the Davis Brown Law Firm in the Litigation Division. His practice encompasses general litigation, with primary concern on Family Law, Military Law, Complex Commercial Litigation and Arbitration, Federal Statutory Defense, Commercial Disputes, Breach of Contract, UCC Litigation, and Real Property Litigation.
He is BV rated by Martindale-Hubbell.
Bill’s bio can be viewed by clicking here.
B.J. Miller (LW '02)
B.J. has been elected a shareholder of the Davis Brown Law Firm. B.J. practices in the firm's business division in the areas of business organization and transactions and real estate transactions. He is a 2002 graduate of the Drake University Law School with High Honors and 1998 graduate of the University of Northern Iowa.
Michelle Lickteig (LW '05)Michelle has joined the Business Division of Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines, Iowa.
Michelle practices in the area of Government Relations. She previously operated a solo lobbying practice and was an Associate at BrownWinick.
Christopher A. Proskey (LW'07) and William R. Tinker (LW'07)
The Zarley Law Firm P.L.C. announced Christopher and William have joined the firm as associates.
Victoria P. Nwasike (LW '08)
Victoria has joined the Litigation Division in the Davis Brown Law Firm. Victoria practices in the areas of litigation. She was a 2008 graduate of the Drake University Law School with High Honor, awarded the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Certificate, on the Deans List, and was a recipient of the Timothy N. Carlucci Award. She was elected to the Order of the Barristers, a semi- finalist in the C. Edwin Moore Moot Court Competition, a Public Service Scholarship Fellow, and was Captain of Environmental Law Moot Court Team.
David Reeder (LW '87)
David has been admitted to the New York State Bar. He has also been admitted to the State Bar of California since 1988. He practices with the firm Hoffman Polland & Furman, PLLC, with offices in Manhattan and Los Angeles. His practice focuses on business bankruptcy cases, financial restructuring, and bankruptcy litigation.
Robert J. Baudino Jr. (LW '78)
The Baudino Law Group, PLC (BLG) is pleased to have served as Transaction Counsel to The Medical Center Hospital Authority and Columbus Regional Healthcare System, Inc. (CRHS) in the recent acquisition of Hughston Orthopedic Hospital (HOH) Columbus, Georgia from HCA Health Services of Georgia, Inc. and Hughston Hospital Services, LLC.
This is the second acquisition completed this year by BLG as Transaction Counsel for The Medical Center Hospital Authority and CRHS. Due to BLG’s familiarity and experience in structuring acquisitions of hospitals from HCA, the deal was initiated, negotiated, and closed within 120 days. The Asset Purchase Agreement was signed on April 15, 2008 and the deal closed on July 2, 2008.
David Erickson (LW '79)
David has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America® 2007 and Chambers USA 2008 as Band 2 in Real Estate Law. He is a shareholder of the Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines, Iowa, practicing in the Real Estate Division.
Best Lawyers is the oldest peer-review publication in the legal profession. For a quarter century, the publication has helped lawyers and clients find legal counsel in unfamiliar jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties.
Brian Stowe (LW '00)
I have authored a novel entitled "Cross-Winds, A Seventh Cross Novel" which is currently being printed by a major publishing house and is to be released near the end of July. It is a fiction/fantasy novel.
Sharon Malheiro (LW '89)
Sharon has been recognized by Chambers USA as Band 2 in Labor and Employment Law. Sharon is a shareholder of the Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines, Iowa. She practices in the Litigation Division.
Chambers USA, based in London, covers all the major practice areas at national levels, as well as, the key specializations within each State. These independent legal rankings are the culmination of years of diligent research. Personal interviews, surveys and referrals are used to establish these rankings, and they are reviewed annually to ensure cutting-edge legal practice.
Dennis G. Ellison (LW '99)
Dennis has left the practice of law to pursue a career teaching History at the secondary level after serving as an Assistant State's Attorney in Tazewell County, IL, for eight years.
Michael B. Devine, J.D. & M.P.A., (1980)
Michael B. Devine, Attorney-at-Law and Barrister-at-Law and Assistant Professor of Business Law in the College of Business Administration of the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse, was admitted as a Fellow in International Commercial Arbitration of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London, England, on May 13, 2008. Devine is one of nine members of the Chicago Chapter of the North American Branch of the Institute which has additional North American chapters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; New York, New York; Washington, D.C.; and Los Angeles, California.
He holds the LL.M. in International Business Legal Studies from the University of Exeter, Exeter, England and teaches Law of International Business Transactions at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.
Rebecca Bishop (LW '99)
Rebecca (BA '96 / JD '99) is pursuing an MBA in Brand and Product Management at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is currently completing a General Management summer internship in Merchandising at Target's headquarters in Minneapolis, MN, and will complete her MBA studies in the Spring of 2009.
Nichole Miras Mordini (LW '04)
Nichole has joined Litigation Division of the Davis Brown Law Firm. She practices in the areas of Immigration Law including Removal and Deportation, Criminal and Family Law.
She is a 2004 graduate with honors, of the Drake University Law School.
Darron L. Brawner (LW '99)
Darron has joined the Law Offices of Craig & Associates, PSC in Owensboro, Kentucky. His areas of practice includes civil litigation, estate planning, and probate.
Kelly A. Saindon (LW '96)
In January of 2008 Kelly merged her practice with Belongia & Shapiro, LLP. Ms. Saindon is a partner at Belongia & Shapiro, LLP. Belongia & Shapiro, LLP is a boutique Chicago firm that focuses on providing full service representation to its clients.
Jan D. Gibson (LW '86)
Baudino Law Group, PLC (BLG) is pleased to announce the addition of Jan D. Gibson to the firm, as well as the expansion of our practice to include Insurance, as it relates to Healthcare Law and our clients’ healthcare businesses.
Samantha Steinle (formerly Ohlgart) (LW'02)
I had a baby boy on December 29, 2007, named Nolan Joseph Steinle. He was 8.2 pounds.
James W. Stephenson (LW '79)
I am a senior counsel providing legal support for Northrop Grumman Corporation's Defensive Systems Division in suburban Chicago Illinois.
Sharon K. Malhiero (LW '89)
Sharon (B.A. 1978, J.D. 1989) has been elected Vice-President of the Board of Directors at the law firm of Davis, Brown, Koehn, Shors & Roberts, P.C. Ms. Malhiero practices in the areas of Employment Law, Media and Communications Law in the Firm's Des Moines office.
Carlos S. Rebollo (LW '84)
I was appointed Broward County Circuit Court Judge by Charlie Crist the Governor of Florida. Governor Crist notified me of the appointment on November 21, 2007 and I began serving December 17, 2007. My Investiture took place January 25, 2008.
Bryan Dearinger (LW '05)
Bryan recently accepted a Trial Attorney position with the Department of Justice Honors Program. He will work in the DOJ's Civil Division, Federal Programs Branch, beginning in November 2008. The Federal Programs Branch conducts both affirmative and defensive litigation, representing the United States, its departments and agencies, members of Congress, the President, Cabinet officials and other federal government employees. Bryan's duties will consist primarily of litigating constitutional challenges to federal statutes and programs, federal employment discrimination cases, and administrative law cases. He will be located at Main Justice in Washington, D.C. Bryan was a Public Service Fellow at Drake. He also served as Editor in Chief of the Drake Law Review, and was the recipient of the H.G. Cartwright Writing Award, the Morris H. Haft Law Review Award, and the Edwin Earle Ferguson Public Service Award. He is currently in the middle of his second federal judicial clerkship in Seattle, Washington.
Lawrence I. James, Jr. (LW '01)Lawrence has joined the law firm of Dickinson Mackaman
Tyler & Hagen as an associate.
Tim Pratt (LW '75)
Tim Pratt, a Drake University School of Law alum, was featured in the January 2008 edition of The American Lawyer for being apart of the Litigation Department of the Year in the Product Liability category. Tim is a partner at Shook, Hardy & Bacon law firm in Kansas City. He is a 1975 graduate of the Drake University School of Law. The article featuring Pratt is available by clicking here.
Benjamin D. Bergmann (LW '07)
On October 1, 2007, I accepted a position as an associate at the firm Parrish, Kruidenier, Dunn, Boles, Gribble, Cook, Parrish, Gentry & Fisher, L.L.P. I practice in the areas of criminal law, personal injury, employment, and immigration, catering specifically to the Hispanic population of Iowa.
Kent R. Stevens (LW' 84)
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP, one of the world's leading law firms, announced today that Kent R. Stevens joined the firm's Intellectual Property Group.
Mr. Stevens concentrates in international trade aspects of intellectual property litigation, including a specialty in Section 337 investigations before the ITC. For more than ten years, he served in various capacities with the ITC, including as a Senior Investigative Attorney for the ITC's Office of Unfair Import Investigations. He also has experience in proceedings relating to ITC investigations before the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He is a former President of the ITC Trial Lawyers Association and a frequent speaker on international trade issues relating to intellectual property litigation. Mr. Stevens earned his B.A., M.P.A., and J.D. from Drake University and an LL.M. in International and Comparative Law from the Georgetown University Law Center.
Thomas A. Jacobson (LW '90)
Thomas A. Jacobson (Law & Journalism, 1990) has been elected President of the Alexandria (Minnesota) Area Chamber of Commerce for 2008. Tom will serve a one year term as president and has been on the Chamber's Board of Directors since 2004.
Tom and his wife, Joni, have three sons and live in Alexandria where Tom is an attorney and shareholder with the law firm of Swenson Lervick Syverson Trosvig Jacobson, PA.
Andrew Rempfer (LW '03)
I have joined the firm Littler Mendelson as an Associate, where I practice employment law and employee benefits law specifically.
John F. Hodges (LW '04)
John has joined the firm of Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor and Fairgrave, P.C. in Des Moines.
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