(In alphabetical order)
THEODORE W. CRAIG
Ted Craig is an attorney at Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C. He worked as a summer associate for a Washington, D.C. law firm in 2007 and for Dickinson in 2008. He joined Dickinson as a full-time associate after graduating from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2009, and has quickly become an integral member of the firm’s Employment and Labor Law Group. Prior to attending law school Ted received dual degrees in business management and business marketing from Iowa State University. Ted can be reached at 515-246-4539 or tcraig@dickinsonlaw.com.
MEGAN J. ERICKSON
Megan Erickson is an attorney at Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C., where she practices primarily in employment law and general litigation. Her practice focuses on defending and advising employers in employment-related issues and disputes, including restrictive covenants, social media and other workplace/personnel policies, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination issues. She is a frequent author and speaker on employment-related topics, and she is the creator and principal contributor to Erickson’s Social Networking Law Blog. Megan has been quoted regarding legal implications related to social media in various publications and websites, including Inc. magazine and the official blog of the popular online job board, Monster.com.
Megan graduated with high honors from Drake University Law School, where she was an Opperman Scholar (full academic scholarship) and a member of and published in the Drake Law Review. Megan also interned with the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa (Magistrate Judge Ross A. Walters) and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (Judge William J. Riley). She is admitted to practice in the state of Iowa and the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa. She is a member of the American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section; Committee on Technology in the Practice and Workplace; Litigation Section; Business Law Section; Committee on Cyberspace Law), the Iowa State Bar Association, and Polk County Women Attorneys (board member, 2008-2010). Megan can be reached at 515-246-4538 or merickson@dickinsonlaw.com.
JOAN M. FLETCHER
Joan Fletcher is a shareholder at Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C., where her commercial litigation practice often includes employment-related matters. She has significant experience in state and federal courts with complex commercial litigation, insurance coverage and defense litigation, non-compete and trade secret litigation, and Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) defense and consultation. Joan is the author of the Iowa chapters in Business Torts: A Fifty-State Guide (Aspen Publishers, 2007-2009 editions) and Compendium on Trade Secrets and Non-competition Covenants (Defense Research Institute, 2008), as well as numerous other articles on litigation- and OSHA-related topics. She was selected for inclusion in the 2009 Iowa Super Lawyers list published by Great Plains Super Lawyers magazine.
Joan received a B.S from the University of Iowa, an M.A. from Kansas State University, and her law degree with honors from Drake University Law School, where she served as a member of the Drake Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. She is admitted to practice in the state of Iowa, the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. She is a member of the American Bar Association (Litigation Section; Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section), the Iowa State Bar Association (Member, Litigation Section Council), Litigation Counsel of America (Fellow), the Defense Research Institute (Committees: Commercial Litigation; Trial Tactics and Techniques), the Iowa Defense Counsel Association (Committees: Commercial Litigation; Tort and Insurance Law); Blackstone Inn of Court (Barrister); and Lincoln Inne. She is also general counsel to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Joan can be reached at 515-246-4525 or jfletcher@dickinsonlaw.com.
JILL R. JENSEN-WELCH
Jill Jensen-Welch is a shareholder at Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C. She practices primarily in employment law and litigation. Prior to attending law school, Jill worked as a human resources professional for various Des Moines employers for 16 years. Since 2008 Jill has been selected for inclusion in every edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as a “Leading Individual” in the area of Labor and Employment.
Jill received her B.A. and M.S. from Drake University, and her J.D. with high honors from Drake University Law School. She is admitted to practice in the states of Iowa and Minnesota, as well as the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Jill is a member of the American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section; Litigation Section), the Iowa State Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section), the Minnesota State Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section; Outstate Practice Section), the Polk County Bar Association, the Hennepin County Bar Association, Polk County Women Attorneys, the C. Edwin Moore Inn of Court (Barrister), and the Society for Human Resource Management (national and Central Iowa). Jill is a Senior Professional in Human Resources (1989, Human Resource Certification Institute, Washington, D.C.) and earned the CISHRM HR-Related Law Series Certificate. She is also a graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute, Class of 2005-2006. Jillcan be reached at 515-246-4536 or jjensen@dickinsonlaw.com.
ANN HOLDEN KENDELL
Ann Holden Kendell is a shareholder at Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C. Ann practices primarily in employment law and was selected for inclusion in the 2010 and 2011 editions of The Best Lawyers in America and the 2010 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of Labor and Employment. Ann advises and represents local, regional and national clients covering a wide range of businesses and industries. Her practice includes counseling employers on hiring, discipline, termination, discrimination and harassment issues, wage and hour issues, payroll and personnel policies, as well as employment litigation. Ann also drafts and advises clients on restrictive covenants (non-competes, non-solicitation agreements and confidentiality agreements). She handles cases at the state and federal level and also at the administrative proceeding level. Ann conducts management training including training on discrimination and harassment, as well as drug testing procedures, and has served as an investigator for clients regarding discrimination and harassment allegations. She is also a trained mediator. Ann has given over forty speeches on employment and litigation topics. She is also a frequent author on these issues and has served as editor for and was a contributor to the 2007 and 2008 editions of Hiring, Firing and Discipline for Iowa Employers, part of the Association of Business and Industry HR Compliance Library.
Ann is a graduate of Drake University Law School. Following law school, she completed a clerkship for Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Harris, practiced law as an associate at Dickinson, and spent several years as a partner at another large law firm in Des Moines before returning to Dickinson as a shareholder. She is admitted to practice in the state of Iowa, the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. Ann is a member of the American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section; Litigation Section), the Iowa State Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section; Litigation Section), the Polk County Bar Association, Polk County Women Attorneys (president, 2006; board member, 2000-present), the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations, and the Women’s Chamber Alliance. Ann can be reached at 515-246-4555 or akendell@dickinsonlaw.com.
JEFFREY A. KRAUSMAN
Jeff Krausman is a shareholder at Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C. He represents both public and private sector clients in a wide variety of employment-related issues. He has experience as a negotiator at the bargaining table, as an advocate in grievance disputes, and has litigated employment-related matters in both state and federal courts. Jeff began his law career at the Iowa Public Relations Board (PERB), which administers the Iowa law governing employment relations and collective bargaining in the public sector. In 1977 he entered private practice, focusing primarily on labor and employment issues. He is a frequent speaker at Iowa Bar Association and Iowa School Board Association programs. Jeff was selected for inclusion in the 2009-2011 editions of The Best Lawyers in America and the most recent edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business in the area of Labor and Employment Law.
Jeff received his law degree from Drake University Law School and is admitted to practice in the state of Iowa. He is a member of the American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section; Dispute Resolution Section; Litigation Section; Forum on the Construction Industry), the Iowa State Bar Association (Chair, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, 2009-2010; Chair, Labor and Employment Law Section, 1987-1988; Litigation Section), the Polk County Bar Association, the National Council of School Board Attorneys, the Iowa Council of School Board Attorneys (Vice Chair, 2007-2008; Member, Executive Committee, 1994-1998, 2007-present; Chair, 1997-1998), Lincoln Inne, and the American Academy of ADR Attorneys. Jeff can be reached at 515-246-4518 or jkrausman@dickinsonlaw.com.
BRIDGET R. PENICK
Bridget Penick is a shareholder and president of the board of directors at Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C. She practices primarily in employment law. She represents employers of all sizes and in numerous industries in both state and federal courts as well as before administrative agencies. In addition to employment-related litigation, Bridget handles a variety of employment-related matters including counseling employers in human resources policies and procedures, employment discrimination, FMLA, ADA, wage and hour law, labor law matters, and advising on union organizing campaigns and labor negotiations. She also assists employers with employment-related immigration issues. Since 2008 Bridget has been selected for inclusion in every edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as a “Leading Individual” in the area of Labor & Employment Law. She was also selected for inclusion in the 2010 and 2011 editions of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Immigration Law.
Bridget received her J.D. with high distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law, where she served as managing editor of the Iowa Law Review. She is admitted to practice in the states of Iowa and Illinois, as well as the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. She is a member of the American Bar Association (Fellow, Labor and Employment Law Section’s Federal Labor Standards Legislative Committee; Litigation Section; Vice-Chair, Young Lawyers Division Labor & Employment Law Committee, 2008-2009), the Iowa State Bar Association (President, Young Lawyers Division, 2007-2008; Vice-Chair, Continuing Legal Education Committee, 2008-present), the Polk County Bar Association (Board of Directors, 2008-present), Litigation Counsel of America (Fellow), Polk County Women Attorneys, the Blackstone Inn of Court, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Bridget can be reached at 515-246-4545 or bpenick@dickinsonlaw.com.
JANET E. PHIPPS BURKHEAD
Janet Phipps Burkhead is of counsel at Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C. and practices primarily in intellectual property. Her practice often enters the employment arena when companies protect their intellectual property rights using legal documents such as confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, non-compete agreements with scope and duration provisions, and work-for-hire agreements.
Janet held several executive positions in state government, including two gubernatorial appointments, prior to entering the private practice of law. She is also a decorated military officer, currently assigned as a Brigadier General in the Iowa National Guard.
Janet received her J.D. from Drake University School of Law and holds both an M.P.A and a B.S. from Iowa State University. She is admitted to practice in the state of Iowa, the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. She is a member of the American, Iowa State, and Polk County Bar Associations; the American and Iowa Intellectual Property Law Associations; the International Trademark Association; the Iowa Trial Lawyers Association; the Association of the United States Army, the National Guard Association of the United States; and Rotary Club of Des Moines (1994-1998; 2005 to present; Board Member, 2009-present). Janet can be reached at 515-246-4531 or jphipps@dickinsonlaw.com.
RUSSELL L. SAMSON
Russ Samson is a shareholder at Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C., where he currently chairs the firm’s Employment and Labor Law Group. His practice is concentrated in the areas of labor and employment law, representing employers. He has served as counsel to the Iowa Association of Business and Industry since 1978. His practice includes both traditional labor law (including the representation of employers in “R” and “C” cases before the National Labor Relations Board, negotiation of collective bargaining agreements, and processing of grievances in arbitration) and employment law (including not only administrative and judicial proceedings involving claims of unlawful discrimination and wrongful discharge, but also counseling clients on compliance with the many and growing federal and state laws in that area). Russ was selected for inclusion in the 2004-2006 and 2008-2010 editions of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and the 2006-2011 editions of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Labor and Employment Law. He was also selected for inclusion in the 2009 Iowa Super Lawyers list published by Great Plains Super Lawyers magazine.
Russ received both a B.S. and an M.S. from Iowa State University before attending law school at the Georgetown University Law Center. He is admitted to practice in the state of Iowa and is a member of the American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section), the Iowa State Bar Association (Labor and Employment Section), and the Polk County Bar Association. Russ can be reached at 515-246-4548 or rsamson@dickinsonlaw.com.
