Twenty-four attorneys from Ahlers & Cooney, P.C., a Des Moines-based law firm, were recently selected by their peers to be recognized in respective practice areas by The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 edition for Des Moines. Four attorneys were recognized as Ones to Watch.
Best Lawyer of the Year® (2025 Edition) – Des Moines
Two attorneys are also recognized as Best Lawyer of the Year 2025 in Des Moines for respective practice areas. "Lawyer of the Year" honors are awarded annually to only one lawyer per practice area in each region with extremely high overall feedback from their peers, making it an exceptional distinction.
- Bradley Beaman – Litigation-Construction
- Kristin Cooper – Economic Development Law
Best Lawyers in America® (2025 Edition) – Des Moines
After each name below in parentheses is the year that the lawyer was first recognized by Best Lawyers.
- Brad Beaman (2024)
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Law
- Litigation – Construction
- Katherin Beenken (2025)
- Employment Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Mark Beerman (2003)
- Trusts and Estates
- Trusts and Estates
- Eric Boehlert (2011)
- Economic Development Law
- Municipal Law
- Public Finance Law
- Maria Brownell (2023)
- Construction Law
- Litigation - Construction
- Litigation - Municipal
- Municipal Law
- John Bunz (2013)
- Public Finance Law
- Public Finance Law
- Jennifer Clendenin (2015)
- Employment Law - Management
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
- Jason Comisky (2023)
- Economic Development Law
- Public Finance Law
- Kristin Cooper (2021)
- Economic Development Law
- Public Finance Law
- Jason Craig (2021)
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Litigation – Real Estate
- Emily Ellingson (2025)
- Employment Law – Management
- Employment Law – Management
- Michael Galloway (2023)
- Employment Law – Management
- Employment Law – Management
- Beth Grob (2013)
- Municipal Law
- Public Finance Law
- Danielle Haindfield (2021)
- Construction Law
- Education Law
- Aaron Hilligas (2021)
- Employment Law – Management
- Employment Law – Management
- Steven Nadel (2021)
- Municipal Law
- Public Finance Law
- Nathan Overberg (2013)
- Civil Rights Law
- Economic Development Law
- Employment Law – Management
- Nicholas Pellegrin (2024)
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
- Ann Smisek (2021)
- Employment Law - Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Kristine Stone (2025)
- Litigation – Municipal
- Litigation – Municipal
- Andrew Tice (2013)
- Commercial Litigation
- Litigation – Construction
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
- Miriam Van Heukelem (2021)
- Education Law
- Employment Law - Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Lindsay Vaught (2021)
- Employment Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- James Wainwright (2020)
- Construction Law
- Litigation – Municipal
- Municipal Law
Best Lawyers – Ones to Watch (2025 Edition)
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch awards recognize lawyers who have been in private practice for less than 10 years in the United States. Like traditional Best Lawyers awards, a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognition is based entirely on peer review.
- Emily Kolbe (2021)
- Education Law
- Education Law
- Rebecca Reif (2021)
- Education Law
- Labor and Employment Law – Management
- Litigation – Labor and Employment
- Conner Wasson (2022)
- Construction Law
- Environmental Law
- Real Estate Law
- Carrie Weber (2022)
- Education Law
First published in 1983, inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America is based on an exhaustive Purely Peer Review® evaluation. More than 184,000 industry leading lawyers are eligible to vote from around the world, and they received more than 25.8 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be recognized; therefore, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.
For more than 135 years, Ahlers & Cooney has been providing comprehensive legal services to local, state, national and international businesses, educational institutions, and municipalities.
More information can be found at: www.bestlawyers.com