43 Dickinson Bradshaw Attorneys Honored by Best Lawyers®

As a direct result of peer feedback and independent research, we’re happy to report that more than 85% of Dickinson Bradshaw’s attorneys have been named by Best Lawyers® to all three of its recognition lists for 2026.

Of those honored, two attorneys were named as “Lawyer of Year” in their respective areas for receiving the highest level of peer review in the Des Moines area; 31 were named as among The Best Lawyers in America; and 12 were named to the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list.

Highlights Include:

• Jason Madden was named “Lawyer of the Year” for his work in Product Liability Litigation – Defendants. Jason was also recognized in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law.
• Melissa Schilling was recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” for her work in Litigation – Labor and Employment. Melissa was also honored for her work in Education Law, Employment Law – Management, and Labor Law – Management.
• Tim Lillwitz, Nicole Proesch, and Lars Hulsebus were recognized for the first time as among The Best Lawyers in America.
• Blake Hanson transitioned this year from the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list to The Best Lawyers in America.
• Eight newcomers were named to the Ones to Watch list, including Matthew Blake, Brandon Hanson, Elissa Holman, Benjamin Kenkel, Brendan McGuire, Anthony Siegrist, and Endylion Strohman.
• Five previously-recognized attorneys were each honored in several new areas of law including Joe Borg, John Lande, Mollie Pawlosky, David Wetsch, and Brennan Eddie.

Best Lawyers

The complete list of Dickinson Bradshaw attorneys selected as among The Best Lawyers in America and their areas of recognition include:

• Steven Augspurger
  • Workers' Compensation Law – Employers
• Jeffrey Baxter
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
  • Real Estate Law
• Joseph Borg
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation - Real Estate (new)
• Lori Brandau
  • Workers' Compensation Law – Employers
• Ben Bruner
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
  • Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Mortgage Banking Foreclosure Law
  • Real Estate Law
• Ted Craig
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation and Controversy – Tax

• Cody Edwards
  • Litigation and Controversy - Tax
  • Tax Law

• Jeffrey Goetz
  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

• Howard Hagen
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Financial Services Regulation Law

• Matthew J. Haindfield
  • Insurance Law

• Blake R. Hanson
  • Commercial Litigation

• L. Lars Hulsebus
  • Commercial Litigation
• Jill R. Jensen-Welch
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Labor Law - Management
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment

• Gregory Kenyon
  • Elder Law
• John Lande
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Construction Law (new)
  • Litigation – Construction (new)
  • Privacy and Data Security Law

• Justin LaVan
  • Commercial Litigation

• Tim Lillwitz
  • Insurance Law
  • Litigation – Insurance

• Jason Madden
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Insurance Law
  • Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Ron Mountsier
  • Tax Law

• Sean O'Brien
  • Insurance Law
  • Litigation – Insurance
• Mollie Pawlosky
  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation - Banking and Finance (new)
  • Litigation – Construction (new)
  • Litigation - Real Estate

• Amy Plummer
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
  • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
  • Corporate Law
• Nicole Proesch
  • Education Law
  • Employment Law – Management

• David Repp
  • Nonprofit / Charities Law
  • Tax Law
  • Trusts and Estates​​​​
• Russ Samson
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Labor Law – Management

• Melissa Schilling
  • Education Law
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Labor Law – Management
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
• William Serangeli
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
  • Litigation - Real Estate
  • Real Estate Law

• William Smith
  • Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• William Stiles
  • Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
  • Corporate Law
  • Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Real Estate Law

• David Wetsch
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Corporate Law (new)
  • Real Estate Law
  • Trusts and Estates
• Mary Zambreno
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Family Law

Ones to Watch

• Matthew Blake
  • Elder Law
  • Real Estate Law
  • Trusts and Estates
• Regan E. Conder
  • Family Law
• Brennan Eddie
  • Banking and Finance Law (new)
  • Corporate Law (new)
  • Real Estate Law

• Brandon Hanson
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Insurance Law
  • Municipal Law
• Elissa Holman
  • Education Law
  • Labor and Employment Law - Management
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
  • Privacy and Data Security Law

• Benjamin Kenkel
  • Appellate Practice
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Insurance Law
• Sierra McConnell
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
  • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
  • Corporate Governance and Compliance Law
  • Privacy and Data Security Law

• Brendan McGuire
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Insurance Law
  • Litigation – Construction
• Matthew Phillips
  • Insurance Law

• William Reasoner
  • Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Litigation - Real Estate
  • Litigation - Trusts and Estates
• Anthony Siegrist
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Labor and Employment Law – Management

• Endylion Strohman
  • Elder Law
  • Trusts and Estates

About the Best Lawyers Lists

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence, having earned the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Attorneys selected for each of its three ratings lists are selected based on peer reviews for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity.

Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the "Lawyer of the Year.” These lawyers are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the peer review assessments. Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America list are also divided by geographic region and practice areas, and are reviewed by their peers for their professional expertise. The Ones to Watch list recognizes associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice.