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Education & Background
Grinnell College (B.A., Economics, with honors, 1992)
The University of Iowa College of Law (J.D., with distinction, 1995)
- Van Oosterhout Memorial Moot Court Competition
- Senior Note and Comment Editor, Journal of Corporation Law, 1994-1995
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Practice Areas
- Appellate Practice
- Construction Law and Litigation
- Contracts and Agreements
- Litigation & Trial Law
- Insurance Law and Litigation
- Insurance Defense
- Crisis Management
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Overview
Sean started his career in private practice with Dickinson Bradshaw in 1996. Prior to joining the firm, 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 on liability claims or pursues subrogation. These claims have involved a variety of issues such as arson, insurance fraud, construction defects, products liability, insurance coverage, and bad faith. Sean has developed a specific expertise in investigating and litigating claims arising from fires and explosions. He has tried numerous cases to verdict in state and federal court and resolved matters through binding arbitration. Sean also provides counsel to insurers on regulatory and corporate governance matters.
Reported Cases and Representative Matters
- Menard, Inc v. Farm Bureau Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., __ F.3d __ (8th Circuit 2024) (auto liability coverage dispute involving intrafamily immunity exclusion)
- Becker v. Dallas Center Board of Adjustment, 955 N.W.2d 517 (Iowa App. 2023) (challenge to zoning exception)
- Lissette Enterprises, Ltd v. Regent Ins. Co., 537 F.Supp.3d 1038 (S.D. Iowa 2021) (COVID business interruption claim)
- Palmer Holdings and Investments, Inc v. Integrity Ins. Co., 505 F.Supp.3d 842 (S.D. Iowa 2021) (COVID business interruption claim)
- Ziel v. Energy Panel Structures, Inc., 949 N.W.2d 653 (Iowa App. 2020) (subrogation action involving building collapse)
- Telligen, Inc. v. Atlantic Specialty Ins. Co., 454 F.Supp.3d 843 (S.D. Iowa 2020) (E&O coverage dispute involving prior notice issues)
- 33 Carpenters Const. Inc v. Cincinnati Ins. Co., 939 N.W.2d 82 (Iowa 2020) (challenge to assignment of insurance benefits to contractor)
- Diercks v. City of Bettendorf, 929N.W.2d 273 (Iowa App. 2019) (public records dispute involving legal invoices)
- City of West Liberty v. Employers Mut. Cas. Co., 922 N.W.2d 876 (Iowa 2019) (property insurance coverage dispute involving electric currents exclusion and application of the efficient proximate cause doctrine)
- Capson Physicians Ins. Co. v. Yates, 2017 WL 6997897 (S.D. Iowa 2017) (professional liability coverage dispute involving late notice)
- Walsh Const. Co. II, LLC v. Peerless Specialty Flooring, LLC, 2017 WL 7693380 (S.D. Iowa 2017) (construction defects dispute)
- Michigan Millers Mut. Ins. Co. v. Asoyia, Inc., 793 F.3d 872 (8th Circuit 2015) (liability insurance coverage dispute involving late notice)
- Continental Western Ins. Co. v. Continental Fire Sprinkler Co., 2013 WL 12092291 (S.D. Iowa 2013) (subrogation action involving water loss)
- Flynn v. Sprint Communication Co., 2012 WL 13026882 (S.D. Iowa 2012)
- Holt v. Quality Egg, LLC, 777 F.Supp.2d 1160 (N.D. Iowa 2011) (personal injury claims from salmonella outbreak)
- Rossmanith v. Union Ins. Co. of Providence, 2001 WL 1451050 (Iowa App. 2001) (property insurance coverage dispute)
- Cline v. Union County, 182 F.Supp.2d 791 (S.D. Iowa 2001) (Section 1983 action involving alleged illegal arrest)
- Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave, PC v. Winke, 2001 WL 1043243 (Iowa App. 2001) (collections matter)
- Bailey Travel Corp. v. General Cas. Co., 2001 WL 710131 (Iowa App. 2001) (property insurance coverage dispute involving flase pretense exclusion)
- In Re Robinson, 246 B.R. 373 (S.D. Iowa 1999) (workers compensation exemption claim)
- Butner v. Beyer, 593 N.W.2d 133 (Iowa 1999) (automatic stay dispute)
Honors & Awards
  
Best Lawyers
Super Lawyers
Martindale-Hubbell
Leadership Positions
Iowa Defense Council Association
- Past President, 2025-2026
- At-Large Board Representative, 2020-2024
International Association of Arson Investigators, Iowa Chapter, Prosecution Section
Memberships & Activities
State Bar Admissions
Federal Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Iowa
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Iowa
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Professional Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Defense Research Institute
- Iowa Defense Counsel Association
- Iowa State Bar Association
- Polk County Bar Association
Other Memberships
- International Association of Arson Investigators, Inc.
- Iowa Chapter, International Association of Arson Investigators
- National Association of Subrogation Professionals
Articles, Presentations, and Publications
Publications
- Unique Coverage Issues in Flood Losses
- Audio and Video Surveillance in Civil Litigation
- Ode from a Law Clerk
- Suing Ned Devine: Enforceability of Promise to Share Lottery Proceeds
- 1997 Appellate Court Update--Litigation Related Cases
- My Way or the Highway: The Tort of Constructive Discharge
- When Does a Treating Physician Become an Expert Witness Under Rule 125?--A Consideration of Iowa Case Law
- Note, Caveat Venditor A Case for Granting Subsequent Purchasers a Cause of Action Against Builder-Vendors for Latent Defects in the Home
Support Team
THERESA BIRCH (LEGAL ASSISTANT)
515.246.5807
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/obrienseanm/
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