Source: https://www.brownwinick.com/practice-areas/litigation-trial-law.aspx
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 09:08:07+00:00

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BrownWinick's Litigation team represents clients in a wide array of civil and commercial matters in state and federal courts, appellate courts, arbitration, mediation and proceedings before administrative agencies.
BrownWinick's Litigation team represents clients in a wide array of civil and commercial matters in state and federal courts, appellate courts, arbitration, mediation and proceedings before administrative agencies. In addition to the State and Federal District Courts, its attorneys have appeared before the Iowa Supreme Court and Iowa Court of Appeals, numerous federal circuit courts of appeal, including the Eighth and Federal Circuits, the United States Court of Claims and innumerable state agencies.
BrownWinick's litigation practice covers a broad range of substantive areas including business torts, contracts, unfair competition, intellectual property, including patent, trademark, trade secrets and copyright, securities, employment, healthcare, toxic torts, energy distribution, software design, communications, real estate, environmental, agricultural, corporate and partnership disputes, trust and estate disputes and construction. BrownWinick's litigation attorneys become well versed in the industry or issues at stake to provide our clients with the best advocacy possible.
Arbitration, mediation, "minitrials" and other techniques for minimizing or avoiding litigation expense, both in Iowa and nationwide.
BrownWinick attorneys are experienced in state and federal appellate advocacy, not only locally but on a national scale.
Defense of lender liability suits, as well as the structuring of workouts to resolve major creditor collection actions.
Representation of lenders, creditors and lessors in enforcement of security interests, obtaining relief from stay, participation in reorganization plans and related Bankruptcy Court litigation. Business Commercial litigation, including suits on contracts, claims of tortious interference, misrepresentation and fraud, RICO violations and suits for injunctive relief.
Representation of clients involved in large, factually and/or legally complex cases, including trade secrets, software contract issues, securities, professional liability, class action defense and tax matters.
Representation of contractors and owners in connection with construction matters, preparation of defense and prosecution of claims, bonding matters, business advice and counseling of contractors.
Litigation and disputes arising out of plans governed by ERISA, COBRA, the Taft-Hartley Act, Iowa government pension funds and similar statutes.
BrownWinick's employment law attorneys represent employers in litigation, arbitration and administrative proceedings related to the employment relationship, discrimination, wrongful discharge, non-competes and general employment agreements.
BrownWinick's environmental attorneys defend CERCLA claims, handle third party contribution lawsuits and defend EPA and IDNR penalty and injunctive actions and criminal enforcement actions.
Represent clients in all aspects of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secrets cases, at the trial level, in the appellate courts and in mediation and arbitration. The firm's attorneys have handled matters in State and Federal District Court and the Federal and Regional Circuit Courts of Appeal.
Representation of manufacturers and distributors in defending product liability claims involving industrial, commercial and consumer products.
Litigation relating to land transfers, boundaries, foreclosures, development and related disputes.
Disputes involving breach of fiduciary duty, estate taxation, will contests and actions for trust accounting.
Obtained summary judgment in Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky for our client JM Farms. The plaintiff brought suit alleging JM Farms breached a license agreement for the use of multiple patents and trademarks. The District Court granted JM Farms’ motion for summary judgment that Natural Alternatives had terminated the license agreement and was not entitled to license fees for any period of time after the termination.
Obtained summary judgment in state district court in Iowa for our client Magellan Health Services and one of its employees in a disability discrimination lawsuit filed against them by a former employee. The court found the evidence undisputed that the plaintiff could not perform the essential functions of her job, that the alleged acts about which the plaintiff complained were not objectively severe or pervasive enough to constitute harassment as a matter of law, and that there was no retaliation against the plaintiff. The summary judgment ruling was later affirmed by the Iowa Court of Appeals.
Obtained summary judgment in Federal District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, which was affirmed by the Eighth Circuit of Appeals, for our client the City of Iowa City. The plaintiff alleged that Iowa City violated the Federal Telecommunications Act by allowing a competitor to construct a multi-use infrastructure for phone, internet and cable television services in the City without requiring the competitor to obtain a cable franchise under state and local law. The competitor, however, was not providing cable television services, just phone and internet. The court found it undisputed that the competitor was only providing “telecommunications services” and that “telecommunications services” are not subject to local franchising authorities, noting that although the competitor may become capable of delivering cable programming in the future, it was not now delivering said programming and therefore not presently required to seek a cable franchise.
Hanes v. National Comfort Institute, Inc., et. al. – Following a six-day trial, successfully defended our clients, National Comfort Institute and two of its shareholders, from another shareholder’s derivative and direct claims for breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract, and obtained a monetary judgment against the Plaintiff on Defendants’ counterclaims for breach of fiduciary duty. The Court ordered the Plaintiff to pay compensatory and punitive damages, and awarded the Defendants their attorney’s fees.
Urbandale Best, LLC, et. al. v. R&R Realty Group, LLC, et. al. – Successfully tried a breach of contract claim, which was affirmed by the Iowa Court of Appeals, involving the Defendant’s breach of fiduciary duty. The parties were fifty percent owners in a real estate joint venture, where the Defendant was the managing member. The Court found the Defendant appropriated for itself a development opportunity that belonged to the joint venture, thereby breaching its fiduciary duty for personal profit in violation of the joint venture’s operating agreement, and ordered the Defendant removed as managing member of the joint venture.
BrownWinick attorneys Rebecca Brommel and Douglas Gross received favorable ruling in a judicial review action for clients Tom and Rhonda Brakke and their company McBra, Inc. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources attempted to put an “Emergency Order” in place requiring the Brakkes to maintain a fence and to allow DNR officials on their property months after the Brakkes had completed an agreement to depopulate their hunting preserve located in Davis County, Iowa. At the time of the Emergency Order, the Brakkes had withdrawn their registration as a hunting preserve. The Brakkes alleged that the DNR did not have jurisdiction to issue the Emergency Order. After a multi-day contested case hearing, Administrative Law Judge Heather Palmer agreed with the Brakkes and held that DNR did not have jurisdiction. The Natural Resource Commission reversed the Administrative Law Judge’s opinion, and the Brakkes then appealed to District Court in Polk County. Hon. Dennis J. Stovall agreed with the Administrative Law Judge’s opinion and held that DNR did not have jurisdiction to enter the Emergency Order. DNR has filed an appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court. Upon filing the appeal, DNR also requested a stay and asked that the Brakkes be required to comply with the Emergency Order despite the Court’s ruling that it had no jurisdiction. The District Court denied DNR’s Motion for Stay.
Kemin Foods, et. al. v. Pigmentos Vegetales del Centro de C.V.
Successfully defended Pigmentos Vegetales against numerous patent infringement claims involving two patents for the nutriceutical lutein. The case involved multiple appeals to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, a preliminary injunction hearing, Markman hearing and multi-week jury trial.
Successfully defended Kinze Manufacturing Inc. on a petition for promissory estoppel and wrongful termination brought by a former employee. During discovery it was determined that the employee had intentionally deleted relevant evidence. After filing a motion that brought the employee's destruction of evidence to the attention of the court, the employee did not respond to the motion, but promptly dismissed all claims against Kinze Manufacturing.
Represented these three defendants, who were each sued in separate lawsuits in the Northern District of Iowa and the Eastern District of California, alleging infringement of numerous patents describing a process for separating corn oil as a byproduct of the ethanol manufacturing process. The cases, along with more than a dozen others, were transferred to multidistrict litigation in the Southern District of Indiana. After years of litigation, the District Court entered an Order granting Summary Judgment that all of the patents in suit are invalid on numerous grounds, and entered a subsequent Ruling following a bench trial that the inventors and their attorneys committed inequitable conduct in the prosecution of the patents in suit before the patent office.
D.B. Zwirn v. First American Bank, et. al.
Represented First American Bank in a case in the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York involving various breach of contract and conspiracy claims related to the transfer and repayment of a debt instrument, which the parties eventually settled.
Serverside Group, Ltd., et. al v. Tactical 8 Technologies, et. al.
Represented Tactical 8 against allegations of infringement of patents involving the customization of financial transaction cards. The case was originally filed in the District of Delaware before being transferred to the Northern District of Iowa. The case proceeded through claim construction and fact and expert discovery before settling.
Successfully represented a contractor in a multi-week trial involving claims for breach of contract for the Owner's failure to pay the contractor. The Owner claimed defective work in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid making payment.
Wisecup v. AMI Environmental and Engineering, et. al.
Successfully represented AMI against claims that AMI was negligent in conducting mold remediation work in the plaintiffs' home.
Accessible Medical Services, Inc. v. A-1 Staffing, et. al.
Obtained a preliminary injunction for Accessible Medical Services for claims of misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of contract, which led to a successful mediation and settlement.
Speight v. Walters Development Co., Ltd.
Construction matter involving the ability of a subsequent owner of a home to sue the original builder for implied warranty.
Virden v. Betts and Beer Const. Co., Inc.
Construction matter denying claim of Plaintiff and finding mechanical subcontractor was not responsible for Plaintiff's injuries.
General Casualty Ins. Co. v. Exterior Sheet Metal, Inc.
Insurance coverage dispute regarding defective construction of a domed athletic facility for the University of Northern Iowa.
Dispute between neighboring landowners over the extent of easements and access to properties.
State of Iowa v. Penn-Co Construction, Inc., et al.
Represented sheet metal contractor in dispute resulting from construction of domed athletic complex for the University of Northern Iowa.
Represented Royal Financial in a lawsuit against the State of Iowa and the Iowa Lottery involving the TouchPlay lottery program. After the State authorized the creation of the TouchPlay program, Royal Financial invested substantial amounts to purchase, install and maintain over 1,700 TouchPlay machines statewide. The State banned the program less than a year later causing Royal Financial to lose much of its investment.
Nuckolls Concrete Services, Inc. v. City of Grimes, et al.
Successfully obtained preliminary injunction against municipality resulting from public bidding dispute and work on public construction project.
American Concrete Products, Inc. v. City of Winterset, et al.
Represented major concrete supplier in claims against City resulting from public construction project.
Tetzlaff v. Camp, et al.
Represented livestock producer in nuisance lawsuit claiming negligent manure spreading.
Represented shareholder of closely-held company in dispute with other shareholder.
Successfully challenged constitutionality of Iowa Code Chapter 9H forbidding pork processors from owning or controlling pork production in Iowa.
Case involved the sale of real estate for the construction of a new bank. After the bank was built, neighboring owners sued to gain possession of the bank claiming that before the sale the seller had lost title to the former railroad right of way and that the neighboring owners were the true owners. Successfully argued that by waiting until after the bank was built that the doctrine of estoppel quieted in the name of the bank.
Des Moines Public Library v. Trabue Package Boiler Co., et. al.
Represented Trabue, which was one of five defendants sued for alleged defective construction of the new Des Moines Public Library. Trabue eventually reached a settlement with the Library, after much fact and expert discovery had taken place.
Birchansky Real Estate/Fox Eye Surgery, LLC, et al. v. St. Luke's Hospital, et al.
Successfully represented St. Luke's Hospital before the Iowa Supreme Court in the judicial review of the Iowa Department of Health's denial of Birchansky Real Estate's request for a Certificate of Need to open an outpatient surgical facility. Birchansky attempted to utilize an exception to Iowa's Certificate of Need law to become the successor to an ambulatory surgery center operated by St. Luke's Hospital. The Supreme Court unanimously agreed that the agency properly denied Birchansky's request. Birchansky subsequently attempted to obtain another Certificate of Need as Fox Eye Surgery and was again denied by the agency. The agency and St. Luke's, as an intervenor in the case, successfully defended such denial at both the district court and the Iowa Court of Appeals.
We represented a nationally recognized satellite television company in its efforts to curb satellite piracy. Specifically, we filed approximately seventy-five federal court lawsuits against individuals accused of stealing our client's satellite signal and programming. The cases resulted in favorable settlements and judgments, including one case tried to a successful result.
We were successful in obtaining the dismissal of our client, a Florida corporation, from a proposed class action brought by the purchasers of campground memberships. The trial court granted our motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction and the Iowa Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal at 695 N.W. 1 (Iowa 2005).
We represented a distributor of industrial equipment in a federal breach of contract/breach of warranty lawsuit filed by the purchaser of the equipment. We won a motion for summary judgment resulting in the dismissal of a majority of plaintiff's damages claims. Following that partial dismissal, the case settled on favorable terms.
We represented a large national insurance company in an eminent domain lawsuit over the amount of compensation owed as a result of Polk County's "taking" of our client's property for the development of the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines. The parties' valuations of the property differed by more than one million dollars. At trial, the jury returned a verdict within ten percent of our client's valuation of the property. The jury verdict was affirmed by the Iowa Court of Appeals in an unpublished opinion at 2004 WL 2579062.
We represented a national outdoor advertising company in a lawsuit to enforce a right of first refusal to purchase commercial property contained in a billboard lease. Following a non-jury trial, the court determined that our client was entitled to specifically enforce the right of first refusal and was entitled to purchase the property over the objections of another party whose purchase offer had been previously accepted by the owner.
We represented a real estate developer in a boundary dispute case brought by an adjoining landowner. Following a non-jury trial, the court determined that the boundary line was established by the properties' legal description and plat map - and not by an old barbed wire fence as claimed by the plaintiff. The Iowa Court Appeals, in an unpublished opinion at 2007 WL 108900, upheld the trial court's determination.
We represented a large agricultural seed company, and its financial subsidiary, in a lawsuit involving amounts owed to the financing subsidiary by a customer and the customer's product liability claims against the seed company. We were successful in dismissing the seed company from the lawsuit after which the case settled on favorable terms.
We represented a large agricultural and construction equipment financing company with respect to the termination of an agricultural equipment dealership in northern Iowa. The dealership was involved in a variety of wrongful conduct including the submission of fraudulent retail installment contracts to our client, which our client funded. We filed a federal court lawsuit against the President of the dealership and obtained a judgment against that individual for over $12 million. We also filed over a dozen lawsuits against other individuals believed to have been involved in assisting the dealership's wrongful conduct and we obtained numerous favorable settlements with those individuals.
Represented the owner of a dairy facility in eastern Iowa in a lawsuit against the engineer and general contractor for the negligent design and construction of the dairy.
Obtained a ruling from the Iowa Supreme Court affirming summary judgment for Magellan on a reinsurance contract claim involving Highmark's failure to reimburse Magellan approximately one million dollars for medical expenses Magellan paid for an employee's child who was treated for cancer.
Represented a contractor who performed extensive remodeling work on a high school. The high school claimed the contractor's work was defective inn certain respects. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, and involved extensive discovery, motions for summary judgment and mediation before settling.
Outcomes Pharmaceutical Health Care v. National Community Pharmacists Association, et al.
Represented Outcomes Pharmaceutical in a case involving allegations of trade secrets misappropriation and breach of contract against NCPA, based in Alexandria, Virginia.
We represented a Colorado consulting company and two of its officers in a federal court lawsuit filed in New York by one of the company's former clients. The lawsuit alleged breach of contract, business tort and anti-trust claims and asserted damages of $72 million. We won a motion to stay the lawsuit pending the former client's commencement of an arbitration proceeding as required by the consulting agreement.
We currently represent an agricultural chemical company in defending a federal court lawsuit filed in Tennessee by another chemical company for over $1 million allegedly owed under a terminated agreement.
PUTCO v. Internet Pioneering Inc.
Represented PUTCO in a case involving claims of trademark infringement, cybersquatting, and unfair competition regarding the unauthorized use of PUTCO's mark in various website domain names.
Vander Weide v. Keeling, et al.
FINRA Arbitration. Successfully represented a former partner in an Ameriprise Financial Services investment advisory firm regarding the alleged breach of his buyout agreement with his former partners.
Represented a herbicide manufacturer against a mass tort lawsuit brought by 60 cotton farmers in Arkansas, alleging a herbicide drifted on their fields and damaged their cotton crop. At the first trial involving six plaintiffs, a complete defense verdict was obtained.
Bekins Distribution Center, et. al. v. First American Bank, et. al.
Successfully defended First American Bank and one of its investment advisors against breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and various negligence claims involving defendants' handling of plaintiffs' investment portfolio. Plaintiffs sought over $20 million in damages and case involved an approximately two-week trial.
Annett Holdings, Inc. v. Kum & Go, LC, et. al.
Obtained summary judgment for our client/the defendant based on application of the economic loss doctrine to bar plaintiff's claims, and successfully defended that judgment in the Iowa Supreme Court.
Represented one of the members of an LLC in a multimillion dollar dispute involving the entity's value and the price one member was willing to pay to buyout the other, which eventually settled.
Represented one of the subcontractors in a lawsuit filed by a public owner claiming that various contractors installed a faulty heating system in the newly-constructed building.
Represented the defendant in a trademark infringement matter in the Southern District of New York, which settled after a successful mediation.
Filtrexx International, LLC v. Soil-Tek, Inc., et. al.
Represented defendants in a multimillion dollar patent and trademark infringement lawsuit in federal district court for the Northern District of Ohio, where Court granted our motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction.
Five BrownWinick attorneys Names as Best Lawyers "Lawyers of the Year" for 2019.
The newly enacted Expedited Civil Action (ECA) system is still in its infancy. Nevertheless, BrownWinick attorneys have been involved in several of proceedings and through those experiences, have gained insight regarding how these actions may develop in our state's legal system. Based on our experiences, the ECA system provides a fair, efficient method for solving disputes that might otherwise go unresolved or unpursued.
Hardly a day goes by without a headline about data security and online privacy issues.There is no comprehensive privacy or data security law in the United States.

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