Michael M. Galloway

Tel/Direct:

515-246-0318

Tel/Main:

515-243-7611

Address:

100 Court Avenue, Suite 600
Des Moines, IA 50309-2231

Assistant:

Rachel Ogden
515-246-4413
rachel.ogden@ahlerslaw.com

Court Admissions

All Iowa Courts

Education

J.D. (with Honors), Drake University, 1996

B.B.A. (with Distinction), Iowa State University, 1993

Bar Admissions

Iowa, 1997

Background

As a member of the firm’s Public Law and Private Law Practice Areas, Mike represents public sector employers, including cities, counties, municipal utilities, community colleges, and school districts, and private employers in the areas of labor relations and employment law. He has participated in the negotiation or impasse resolution of over 400 collective bargaining agreements. Mike has represented employers in every aspect of collective bargaining including the formation, amendment, and decertification of bargaining units, all aspects of table negotiations, resolution of negotiability disputes, mediation, arbitration, and related proceedings such as prohibited practice complaints.

Mike's experience also includes assisting employers in contract administration, civil service hearings, the processing and arbitration of grievances, the development and implementation of personnel policies, the preparation of employee handbooks, the conduct of workplace investigations, and early retirement plans and severance agreements.

Prior to his employment with the firm, he was employed by the Iowa Department of Personnel as General Counsel and Division Administrator of Labor Relations and Legal Services. He was responsible for the overall administration of labor relations functions for approximately 20,000 employees. He was also employed as the Labor Relations Manager for Polk County, Iowa, with responsibility for all labor relations functions.

While in law school, Mike clerked for the Honorable Ross Walters and practiced in the Drake University Legal Clinic.

Representative Projects

  • Thorough knowledge of the state and federal laws governing labor relations, including the Public Employment Relations Act, the National Labor Relations Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, Constitutional law as it applies to public employment, the Iowa Wage Payment Collection law, the Iowa Civil Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, state and federal drug testing laws, state and federal polygraph testing laws, and state and federal laws pertaining to employee privacy and workplace investigations.
  • Worked with various unions including the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees; fire fighter unions (some of which are affiliated with the International Association of Firefighters); independent police unions; the Communication Workers of America; Chauffeurs, Teamsters, and Helpers Union; the International Union of Operating Engineers; the Municipal Laborers Local #353; the Public Professional and Municipal Employees Union; the Steelworkers Union; the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades; the Carpenters Union; and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

Memberships

American Bar Association

Iowa State Bar Association

Polk County Bar Association

Recognitions

Best Lawyers in America©

  • Employment Law - Management (2023-2024)

Speaking/Presentations

Mike's most recent speaking engagements include:

Iowa Public Employer Labor Relations Association, "Tips & Tricks for Bargaining," with Ann Smisek, September 2023

Iowa State Association of County Auditors - Summer Conference, "All Things Human Resources," with Ann Smisek, June 2023

Iowa State Association of County Auditors - ISAC Spring Conference, "Open & Closed Meeting Guidelines," with Ann Smisek, March 2023

Iowa County Engineers Association - ISAC Spring Conference, "Trends in Collective Bargaining, Recruitment, and Retention," with Ann Smisek, March 2023

Iowa County Information Technology Organization - ISAC Spring Conference, "FLSA and Overtime Issues," with Ann Smisek, March 2023

Iowa State Association of Counties Annual Conference - County Engineers Meeting, "Status of County Collective Bargaining and Wage Scales," with Ann Smisek, August 2022

Iowa State Association of Counties Annual Conference - County Conservation Directors Meeting, "FLSA and Hiring in the 21st Century," with Ann Smisek, August 2022

Iowa State Association of County Auditors, "Legal Update," November 2018

Dubuque Area Labor Management Council, "Social Media in the Workplace,"  with Ann Smisek, June 2018

Iowa County Attorneys Association, "Employment Law for County Attorneys," June 2018

Iowa State Association of Counties, Annual Conference, "Performance Evaluations," August 2017

Iowa State Association of County Auditors, "The New Age of Collective Bargaining," with Ann Smisek, July 2017

Ahlers and Cooney, Chapter 20 Client Seminar, “Changes to the Iowa Public Employment Relations Act," with Jim Hanks, "What's Next for Employers" with Jim Hanks, February 2017

Professional, Community and Civic Leadership

Iowa Events Center Hotel, Vice-Chair (2015 - present)

Prairie Meadows, Board of Directors (2004-2010)

Chairman (2009-2010)

Secretary  (2007-2009)

Finance Committee Chair (2006-2009)