Jason M. Craig
Email:
Tel/Direct:
515-246-0372
Tel/Main:
515-243-7611
Address:
100 Court Avenue, Suite 600
Des Moines, IA 50309-2231
Assistant:
Tehya Valenta
515-246-4426
tvalenta@ahlerslaw.com
Practice Groups
Court Admissions
All Iowa Courts
U.S. District Courts – Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa
U.S. Court of Appeals – Eighth Circuit
Education
J.D. (High Distinction, Order of the Coif), University of Iowa, 2004
B.A., University of Iowa, 2000
Bar Admissions
Iowa, 2004
Background
In 2007, Jason Craig joined Ahlers & Cooney as a member of the Litigation team. Jason’s practice focuses primarily on representing clients in business, commercial, employment, and municipal litigation matters in state and federal court. In addition, Jason has extensive experience with insurance coverage issues, real estate disputes, debt collection, and defending tort claims. Jason has previously served as the firm's Private Law Practice Area leader and Litigation Practice Group chair.
Jason was born in Omaha, Nebraska and raised in West Des Moines, Iowa. A lifelong Hawkeye fan, Jason attended the University of Iowa for both undergraduate and law school. While in law school, Jason represented clients at the Student Legal Clinic in civil and criminal litigation matters, which solidified his decision to become a litigator. He graduated in the top 5% of his law school class and was made a member of the Order of the Coif for his academic accomplishments. After his graduation from law school in 2004 and prior to joining the Ahlers firm, Jason practiced with a litigation firm in Cedar Rapids defending insurance companies and their insureds from tort claims.
Representative Projects
- Defended bank in class action lawsuit asserting claims under the Iowa Consumer Credit Code relating to non-sufficient funds fees charged by the bank. Legg v. West Bank, 873 N.W.2d 763 (Iowa 2016)
- Defended county and board of supervisors against wage claim and challenge to the board’s authority. Rhinehart v. Marshall County, 2017 WL 2461487 (Iowa Ct. App. 2017)
- Defended city in successive lawsuits asserting claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Shepard v. City of Waterloo, 2015 WL 9165915 (N.D. Iowa 2015); Shepard v. City of Waterloo, 2017 WL 3723664 (N.D. Iowa 2017)
- Defended county against § 1983 claims and claims of malicious prosecution and false imprisonment. Perzynski v. Cerro Gordo County, 953 F.Supp.2d 916 (N.D. Iowa 2013), aff’d 557 Fed.Appx. 619 (8th Cir. 2014)
- Defended school district in federal lawsuit brought by a parent claiming due process and equal protection violations. Schmidt v. Des Moines Public Schools, 655 F.3d 811 (8th Cir. 2011)
- Defended school district in a multi-million dollar personal injury lawsuit brought by the parents of a student who suffered injuries during a school-sponsored swimming pool party. Dang ex rel. Dang v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 772 N.W.2d 15 (Table), 2009 WL 1708827 (Iowa Ct. App. June 17, 2009)
Memberships
American Bar Association
Iowa State Bar Association
Polk County Bar Association
Iowa Defense Counsel Association
Recognitions
Order of the Coif
Best Lawyers in America®
- Litigation - Labor and Employment (2021-2025)
- Litigation - Real Estate (2021-2025)
- Commercial Litigation (2024-2025)
Super Lawyers Great Plains - Business Litigation (2019-2024), Rising Star (2013-2018)
Speaking/Presentations
Jason's most recent speaking engagements include:
Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, Municipal Utility Law 101 Workshop, "Municipal Litigation," October 2021
Ahlers & Cooney, Employment Law Client Seminar, “Overview of the Unemployment & Iowa Civil Rights Complaint Process,” November 2015
Ahlers & Cooney, Employment Law Client Seminar, “Basics in Employment and Unemployment Litigation” with Nathan Overberg, “The Evolving Wrongful Discharge in Violation of Public Policy Cause and Action” with Nick Pellegrin, November 2013
Professional, Community and Civic Leadership
Waukee Public Library, Board of Trustees (2011-2016)
Member, Knights of Columbus Council 9574
United Way, Strengthening Families Committee Member (2006-2007)
St. Boniface Catholic Church, Member