Simmons Perrine PLC has been and continues to be one of the preeminent litigation firms in Iowa. The firm’s litigation attorneys include partners with years of trial and case management experience and younger attorneys who have been involved with all stages of litigation. Many attorneys have completed clerkships with trial or appellate judges before joining Simmons Perrine PLC

Approximately one-half of Simmons Perrine PLC’s attorneys devote most or all of their time to litigation. They represent plaintiffs or defendants through all phases of a lawsuit, including investigation, trial preparation, discovery, settlement negotiations and trial. The litigation attorneys also represent clients in appeals that result from trials. Legal assistants are assigned to those aspects of each lawsuit that do not require the active attention of an attorney. In this manner, Simmons Perrine PLC provides the best possible representation while remaining sensitive to the costs of litigation.

The firm represents clients in many types of lawsuits, including the following:

BANKING LITIGATION
Simmons Perrine PLC has represented banks, savings and loans and other financial institutions in litigation in state, federal and bankruptcy courts. We have defended and prosecuted claims for Cedar Rapids and eastern Iowa institutions and out-of-state institutions on collections, contracts, personal guaranties, participation agreements, negligence, fraud, alleged oral agreements and a wide variety of other matters.

BANKRUPTCY
The firm actively practices in the bankruptcy area and represents both creditors and debtors in agricultural, business and personal proceedings. Our lawyers have substantial experience in the representation of clients in Chapter 7 liquidations, Chapter 11 reorganizations and Chapter 13 proceedings. Financial difficulty is not a prerequisite for the need of experienced bankruptcy counsel; however, many successful businesses find bankruptcy matters thrust upon them. Experienced counsel often may avoid or minimize potential loss in such situations.

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
Simmons Perrine PLC provides experienced environmental legal counsel to clients on a broad range of environmental issues, including buying and selling contaminated property, gasoline station contamination, superfund cleanups, RCRA management issues, CERCLA matters, chemical spills, wastewater treatment issues, clean water issues, wetlands, clean air act matters, landfills, waste management and other issues. This representation involves handling matters for clients before local, state and federal regulatory agencies and in state and federal courts. The firm’s clients in this area include many eastern Iowa companies, engineering firms, banks, cities, counties, and the State of Iowa.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
In Iowa, a person who suffers an injury that arises out of, and in the course of, his or her employment is entitled to compensation determined by statutes, rules, and administrative proceedings rather than trial in court. Simmons Perrine PLC represents employers and employees in such claims. When we represent injured employees, we do so either on a contingent fee or hourly rate basis.

LABOR and EMPLOYMENT LAW
Simmons Perrine PLC has an extensive labor law practice in both private and public sectors. This encompasses the negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements, arbitration of contract disputes, representation of clients in administrative and judicial proceedings involving claims of unlawful discrimination, unemployment compensation, occupational safety and health complaints, unfair labor practice charges, wrongful discharge claims and a variety of related personnel matters.

LEGAL MALPRACTICE
Simmons Perrine PLC also defends attorneys from other firms sued for malpractice throughout eastern Iowa. The diverse experience of members of the firm proves very valuable for evaluating whether attorneys accused of malpractice have breached their original standard of care.

COMPUTER LAW
In recent years Simmons Perrine PLC has developed substantial experience in the area of computer law. This is rapidly becoming a very specialized area. The problems of clients in the computer business are often unique. Experienced legal advice has proven necessary for success in the field of computer business. Our lawyers have represented new firms in the formation of the business, negotiation and arrangement of financing (venture capital and private placement of securities), licensing of software products, protection of software and the drafting of various complex agreements. They have also represented old and new firms in litigation concerning computer hardware and software.

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
Another major portion of the firm’s practice is devoted to business or commercial litigation. These cases include contract, unfair competition, anti-trust, business agreements, employment and franchise/distributor litigation. Simmons Perrine PLC defends several of its business clients in litigation on a nationwide basis. Simmons Perrine PLC has developed considerable expertise in the commercial litigation area with several attorneys devoting most of their practice to commercial problems encountered by clients.

PRODUCT LIABILITY
Lawsuits arising out of allegedly defective products continue to be a source of major concern for manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Simmons Perrine PLC has defended many such companies in Iowa and elsewhere for many years. As with commercial litigation, Simmons Perrine PLC defends several of its local manufacturing clients in product liability litigation throughout the United States. The resulting expertise and case management skills are of considerable benefit to other clients with similar concerns.

CONSTRUCTION and DESIGN LITIGATION
Several Simmons Perrine PLC attorneys have broad experience representing owners, design professionals, contractors and suppliers both as general counsel and in litigation throughout Iowa. Our attorneys have defended and prosecuted claims on behalf of Iowa cities, private industries, engineers, architects, general contractors and suppliers on matters involving from several thousand to several million dollars. Closely connected with this practice, Simmons Perrine PLC also represents many of these persons on contract drafting, negotiation, performance and payment bonds, mechanic’s liens and other construction matters.

INSURANCE DEFENSE
Our litigation practice includes the defense of personal injury or property damage actions. Simmons Perrine PLC is retained by many insurance companies to defend persons or companies that are sued as a result of an accident. The firm does this defense work in state courts throughout central and eastern Iowa and in all federal courts in Iowa.

PLAINTIFFS’ CASES
Simmons Perrine PLC is not exclusively a "defense" firm. We also represent plaintiffs in personal injury and commercial litigation in Iowa and in courts in other states. When a client wishes to prosecute a claim for damages, Simmons Perrine PLC will represent the client either on a contingent fee or an hourly rate basis.

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
Simmons Perrine PLC defends doctors, hospitals, and other medical care professionals when they have been sued in Iowa for malpractice. Simmons Perrine PLC has developed a statewide reputation in the defense of hospitals and doctors in malpractice cases.

PATENT, TRADEMARK and COPYRIGHT
Simmons Perrine PLC has a long and well-established practice in patent, trademark, copyright and unfair competition law. The firm is one of just a few in Iowa with experienced patent and trademark counsel capable of obtaining patents not only in the United States but throughout the world. The firm maintains an active litigation practice in all areas of patent, trademark and copyright law.

FAMILY LAW
Simmons Perrine PLC provides legal counsel in Family Law matters in the Iowa Trial and Appellate Courts. Such representation includes litigation or settlement of issues involving child custody, child and spousal support, and equitable division of marital property and debt, among other things. Experienced attorneys and paralegal staff enable Simmons Perrine PLC to timely represent a wide variety of clients, including professionals, business owners, and ordinary wage earners, in a cost effective manner.