Miriam Van Heukelem

Tel/Direct:

515-246-0342

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

U.S. District Courts – Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa

U.S. Court of Appeals – Eighth Circuit

Education

J.D. (Highest Honors), Drake University, 2009

B.A., The George Washington University, 2003

Bar Admissions

Iowa, 2009

Background

Miriam comes from a long line of public school teachers – beginning with her great-grandfather, who taught in a one-room schoolhouse in Kansas – so she knows firsthand the value of a high-quality education. Prior to embarking on her legal career, she dedicated three years to teaching middle school on Chicago’s south side through Teach for America. The inspiration and challenges she experienced as a classroom teacher led her to the field of education law.

Miriam provides comprehensive legal representation to school districts, area education agencies, community colleges, and universities throughout Iowa. Miriam currently leads the firm's Education Law Practice Area and has previously led the firm's public sector Board Governance Practice Group and the Student Issues Practice Group. She provides counsel to and represents clients in litigation and dispute resolution in a variety of areas, including employment law, Title IX, IDEA and Section 504, student rights, and board governance. Her practice also includes drafting and negotiating contracts, policies, and procedures to assist her clients with maintaining legal compliance in their day-to-day operations. Miriam assists a variety of public and private entities by conducting or assisting with internal investigations, including Title IX investigations.

Miriam continues her passion for teaching by presenting at numerous conferences, meetings, and staff trainings on education and employment-related topics. She is an adjunct professor for Viterbo University and is on the faculty of the Iowa Superintendents Finance and Leadership Consortium Conference and the Iowa School Business Management Academy.

While at Drake University Law School, she served as Articles Editor for the Drake Law Review and was selected as a member of the Order of the Coif, the Order of the Barristers, the C. Edwin Moore Inn of Court, and the National Moot Court team.  Miriam was named one of the Des Moines Business Record’s "Forty Under 40" in 2020.

Representative Projects

  • Successful defense of school district and area education agency in civil action arising under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in which the student’s parent challenged virtually every aspect of the student’s special education program.  Bohn v. Cedar Rapids Cmty. Sch. Dist. and Grant Wood Area Educ. Agency, 116 LRP 48692 (N.D. Iowa Nov. 18, 2016).
  • Successful defense of school district and area education agency in appeal of parent’s claim seeking reimbursement for out-of-state tuition reimbursement under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.  Sneitzer v. Iowa Dep’t of Educ. et al., 796 F.3d 942 (8th Cir. 2015).
  • Obtained summary judgment in favor of school district and individually-named defendants in federal lawsuit alleging employment discrimination.  Duarte v. Colo-NESCO Community School District et al., no. 4:12-cv-00456 (S.D. Iowa Mar. 27, 2014).
  • Successful defense of school district in federal lawsuit brought by a parent claiming violations of constitutional due process and equal protection.  Schmidt v. Des Moines Indep. Cmty. Sch. Dist., 655 F.3d 811 (8th Cir. 2011).

Memberships

American Bar Association

Iowa State Bar Association

Polk County Bar Association

National School Boards Association, Council of School Attorneys

Iowa Council of School Board Attorneys

Polk County Women Attorneys

Recognitions

Best Lawyers in America©

  • Education Law (2022-2024)
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment (2021-2024)

Super Lawyers Great Plains - Schools & Education (2017-2019)

Chambers USA - Litigation: General Commercial - Associate to Watch (2015-2016), Up and Coming (2017)

The Business Record's Forty Under 40 (2020)

Order of the Coif

Honorary Order of the Barristers

Speaking/Presentations

Miriam's most recent speaking engagements include:

Iowa Association of School Business Officials, Spring Conference, "Stump the Attorneys," with Danielle Haindfield and Kristy Latta, March 2024

Iowa Association of School Business Officials, Fall Conference, "Stump the Attorneys," with Danielle Haindfield and Kristy Latta, September 2023

Iowa State University, Iowa School Business Management Academy, "Legal - Advanced Employment Law," May 2023

Ahlers & Cooney, Employment Law Client Seminar, "Handbook Workshop," with Carrie Weber and "Iowa Employment Law Hot Topics," with Emily Ellingson, Aaron Hilligas, and Brett Nitzschke, April 2023

Iowa Association of School Business Officials, Spring Conference, "Hot Topics in Education Law" with Danielle Haindfield and Kristy Latta, March 2023

Iowa Association of School Boards, Annual Convention, "Navigating Social Media:  Lessons Learned from the Front Line," with panel, November 2022

Iowa State University, Iowa School Business Management Academy, "Legal - Advanced Employment Law," and "Top 5 School Legal Issues" with Katherine Beenken, Danielle Haindfield, and Kristy Latta, April 2022

Ahlers & Cooney, Employment Law Client Seminar, "ADA and FMLA," with Carrie Weber, April 2022

Iowa Association of School Business Officials, "Staff Reductions," March 2022

Iowa State Bar Association, "COVID-19: Vaccination and Mask Mandates," March 2022

Iowa Association of School Boards, "Mock Contract Termination Hearing," with Kristy Latta, March 2022 

Iowa State University, Iowa School Business Management Academy, “Parent & Student Rights,” April 2021

Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., Webinar, "Final Chapter 103 Rules Adopted," with Katherine Beenken, Elizabeth Heffernan, and Carrie Weber, December 2020

Iowa State Bar Association, Labor and Employment Virtual Seminar, “COVID-19 Case Law and Legal Issues (ADA Accommodation Issues)," November 2020

Iowa Association of School Boards, 2020 Employee Relations Digital Conference, “Implementing Title IX Changes in a Historic Time,” October 2020

Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., Title IX Virtual Training Workshop for Clients, June 2020 

  • "Title IX Coordinator Training"
  • "Title IX Investigator Training," with Ann Smisek
  • "Training on Supportive Measures and Informal Resolution," with Carrie Weber

Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., Webinar, "New Title IX Final Regulations, What You Need to Know for K-12s and Higher Education," with Rebecca Reif, May 2020

Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., Webinar, "Chapter 103, Restraint and Seclusion: How Proposed Rule Changes Will Affect District Practices," with Katherine Beenken and Carrie Weber, November 2019

Ahlers & Cooney, Employment Law Client Seminar, "Investigations," with Emily Kolbe, November 2019

Iowa State University, Iowa School Business Management Academy, “Legal Perspective: Mental Health Issues in Our Schools,” May 2019 

Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Annual Symposium, "Navigating the Legal Landscape of Accessible Education for Students with Disabilities,” April 2019

Ahlers & Cooney P.C., Webinar, "New Proposed Regulations under Title IX," January 2019

Iowa Public Employer Labor Relations Association (IaPELRA), Winter Conference, "Transgender Issues in Employment," December 2018

Iowa Association of School Boards, Employee Relations Conference, "Investigating Allegation of Sexual Harassment & Assault in the #MeToo Era," October 2018

Iowa Association of School Business Officials, Payroll Conference, "Public Employer Garnishments," October 2018

Iowa Department of Education, Special Education Symposium, "Legal Update," June 2018

Professional, Community and Civic Leadership

Ashcraft Library Project, Board Secretary (2015 - present)

Polk County Juvenile Drug Court Collective, Board of Directors (2015 - present)

Polk County Women Attorneys, Board of Directors (2013 - present, President 2019)

Iowa State Bar Association – Young Lawyers Division, District 5C Representative (2014-2016)

Volunteer Judge, Drake Moot Court Program