Attorneys Katherine Beenken, Nicholas Pellegrin and Ann Smisek were recently elected shareholders at Ahlers & Cooney, P.C.
Katherine Beenken works in the firm’s Government Law and Education Law Practice Areas and provides representation and counsel to public school districts, cities and counties. She assists clients in a variety of capacities, including counseling on personnel issues, labor relations, employee benefits, contract and policy review, and representation in special education matters. Katherine serves as the Practice Group Leader for the firm's Employee Benefits Practice Group. She joined the firm as an associate in 2012 after completing the summer clerkship program with the firm.
Nicholas Pellegrin works primarily with the firm’s Workers’ Compensation Practice Group, but also practices in the broader employment and litigation areas. As part of the workers’ compensation group, Nick serves a broad base of clients, providing counsel with pre-litigated preventative matters, non-litigated matters and contested case proceedings before the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commission. As part of the litigation and employment groups, Nick handles a wide variety of litigation ranging from contract disputes to personal injury, as well as appellate advocacy. Nick came to the firm through the summer associate program.
Ann Smisek works in the firm’s Government Law and Education Law Practice Areas. Ann counsels clients on various personnel matters regarding hiring, disciplining, and terminating employees, as well as how to conduct workplace investigations. She advises on compliance with applicable state and federal regulations. Ann also advises clients on labor issues, representing employers in collective bargaining agreement negotiations, in cases before the Public Employment Relations Board, and in grievance arbitrations. Ann joined the firm in 2014, after having served as an Administrative Law Judge for the Iowa Public Employment Relations Board (IPERB). She serves as the Practice Group Leader for the firm’s Collective Bargaining/Labor Law Practice Group.
For nearly 130 years, Ahlers & Cooney has been providing comprehensive legal services to local, state, national and international businesses, educational institutions and municipalities.