Our Attorneys

Position: Member
E-Mail rstone@simmonsperrine.com
115 3rd Street SE, Suite 1200
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401-1266

Phone 319-366-7641
Fax 319-366-1917
vCard

Roger Stone was recently elected as the first Iowan to the American College of Construction Lawyers, a prestigious group of 180 of the nation's top construction lawyers. Roger was recently named as one of the Top Ten Superlawyers for the State of Iowa. He also was honored as Construction Litigation--Lawyer of the Year for Cedar Rapids by Best Lawyers and a Great Plains Superlawyer.

Mr. Stone graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. with highest distinction, in 1975, and was the State of Iowa’s nominee for the Rhodes Scholarship. Following graduation, Mr. Stone earned an M.A. in International Relations from Columbia University. Mr. Stone earned his J.D. from the University of Iowa in 1980 with highest distinction, where the law faculty awarded him the Iowa State Bar Award as the outstanding student and graduate colleges faculty awarded him the Hancher-Finkbine Medallion as the Outstanding Graduate Student at the University. Mr. Stone served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Corporation Law and research assistant to Prof. Allan D. Vestal. Following graduation, Mr. Stone clerked for the Honorable Donald P. Lay, Chief Judge of the Eighth Circuit, United States Court of Appeals.

Mr. Stone joined Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman PLC in 1981 and began litigating construction and environmental cases. He has led the firm’s efforts to build a strong reputation and practice in both fields. Mr. Stone has represented many corporations, contractors, cities, counties, engineers and architects on hundreds of construction cases for over twenty-five years. He has handled claims of up to $100 million. He serves as general counsel to general, roofing, mechanical, electrical, excavation, concrete, masonry, paving, painting, drywall and other contractors, and architect and engineer firms. He has served as lead counsel on a wide range of construction cases, including cases involving athletic stadiums, landfills, steel plants, waste treatment plants, water plants, golf courses, storm water, ethanol plants, environmental sites, arenas, high rise buildings, offices, schools, dormitories, hospitals, hotels, churches, museums, swimming pools, coal mines, pipes, sewers, bridges, building collapse, streets, highways, domes, windows, concrete, precast, flooring, cladding, telephone, mechanical, waste transfer, HVAC, electrical, computer controls, glazing, ceramics, tile, refrigeration, drainage, excavation, demolition, drywall, mold, dikes, embankments, dams, acoustics, odor control, coffer dams, underwater, testing, geotechnical, geothermal, roofing, painting, masonry, delay, extra work, mechanic’s liens, public bonds, bidding, design errors, indemnification, and insurance.

Mr. Stone has served as an arbitrator on the American Arbitration Association’s national panel of construction arbitrators for large complex cases. He has served on twenty-seven panels of three arbitrators with claims of up to $80 million and has served as a single arbitrator on twenty-five matters with claims of up to $5 million. Mr. Stone has also served as counsel representing clients in many construction arbitrations. Mr. Stone also serves as a mediator in construction cases throughout Iowa.

In the environmental field, Mr. Stone has managed Superfund matters, chemical spills, air quality problems, permitting issues, water and wastewater cases, contaminated land sales, remediation plans, and criminal defense of corporate officers, among other matters. The State of Iowa hired Simmons Perrine to handle approximately 1000 cases involving contaminated gas station sites. The program resulted in recovery for the State of nearly $40 million, which amount exceeded original projections by about $10 million.

In 1996, Attorney General Tom Miller selected Mr. Stone and Simmons Perrine as the only lawyer and firm outside of Des Moines to serve as Special State Counsel to represent the State against the Tobacco companies. Among other activities, Mr. Stone argued the case in the Supreme Court of Iowa. Iowa and the other states successfully settled their claims in late 1998, resulting in the largest recovery in the State’s history of nearly $2 billion and substantial health related programs.

RECENT SIGNIFICANT MATTERS
1. Representing owners of approximately 100 apartment buildings damaged by tornados on insurance claims.
2. Representing the State of Iowa as private appointed counsel in a dispute over settlement payments of approximately $165 million.
3. Recently prosecuted six wrongful death claims as plaintiff’s counsel.
4. Recently prosecuted two class actions as plaintiffs’ counsel (claims of $2.7 million and $4 million).
5. Recently won two federal trials in Northern District of Iowa on construction claims in excess of $2 million.
6. Representing an owner of an ethanol facility in an arbitration claim against a design firm on claims of $5 million.
7. Representing several clean up companies on claims ranging from $1 million to $4 million on restoration and remodeling of flooded commercial buildings in Cedar Rapids.
8. Representing a mechanical contractor on claims of $2 million and $2.5 million for construction of two ethanol facilities in western Iowa.

SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
1. Represented several large corporations on Superfund cleanup negotiations in Iowa, Rhode Island, New Mexico, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin.

2. Represented several corporations before U.S.E.P.A. and Iowa Department of Natural Resources on aquifer contamination by heavy metals, PCB contamination of soil, heavy metal pretreatment violations, chemical spills of fertilizer, clean up and closing of generator sites under RCRA, landfill closings, Clean Water Act violations, Air Quality Permitting applications, improper burning of waste and byproducts, landfill permit applications, and effluent limitations on cold water streams and rivers.

3. Represented the State of Iowa as private appointed counsel on approximately 1,000 claims against 12 major oil companies during a 10 year period for reimbursement of clean up costs for gasoline contamination at service station sites. Won the State of Iowa’s first trial against Amoco Oil Company on an environmental claim.
4. Defended a city on a claim for a $2.5 million equitable adjustment on computer control overruns at the Wastewater Treatment Facility.

5. Defended a corporation on $4 million cleanup claim at a power generating station in Des Moines.

6. Defended corporation President on felony charges by U.S.E.P.A. for environmental contamination.

7. Defended corporation President on criminal investigation by U.S.E.P.A. and the State of Iowa for environmental spill into the Mississippi River.

SIGNIFICANT CONSTRUCTION MATTERS
1. Defended a City on a $2 million claim for equitable adjustment on pipeline project.

2. Prosecuted claim of a City for replacement of architectural panels on a facility ($1 million)

3. Prosecuted claim of a City for repair of structural concrete beams ($1.2 million)

4. Defended centrifuge manufacturer on a claim by a City for $20 million on Wastewater Treatment Facility.

5. Defended engineers on a claim by a City for $60 million on Wastewater Treatment Facility.

6. Won a trial for contractor on $400,000 claim for a coal mine project.

7. Defended a City on a $2.2 million claim in arbitration and successfully negotiated E.P.A.’s payment of the judgment against the City.

8. Won trial defending a roof subcontractor on a claim of $500,000 for roof replacement.

9. Won trial defending a roof subcontractor on a claim for roof replacement valued at $2.4 million.

10. Won trial defending an engineering firm on a claim of $800,000 by a city on excavation project.

11. Defended engineering firm on a claim of $1.5 million over design of watershed improvements and obtained a dismissal with prejudice.

12. Defended engineering firm on a claim of $2 million for improperly designating an easement and improper platting.

13. Defended aquatics design firm on a $1 million claim for pool replacement.

14. Defended aquatics firm on a claim of $800,000 for pool defects and repairs.

15. Defended approximately 200 cases and claims of engineering and architectural malpractice.

16. Prosecuted and filed approximately 1,000 mechanic’s liens.

17. Tried in court or arbitrated over 40 construction claims.

18. Involved in approximately twenty public bidding disputes representing both cities and contractors.

SIGNIFICANT BANKING MATTERS
1. Won four jury trials on claims of lender liability against a national bank.

2. Obtained summary judgment on a claim of $550,000 against a bank for honoring checks.

3. Defended and settled approximately fifty claims of lender liability and other allegations of wrongdoing by banks.

4. Defended banks on claims of improper agricultural loan practices in 1980s.

5. Defended bank on claims by a tribe related to control and use of accounts.

6. Defended bank trust department on claim of negligence.

PUBLICATIONS
1. Author, Construction Damages in Iowa, 52 Drake Law Review 101 (2004)
2. Author, Mechanic's Liens in Iowa-Revised, 49 Drake L. Rev. 1 (2000)
3. Author, Architect's and Engineers Liability under Iowa Construction Law, 50 Drake L. Rev. 33 (2001)
4. Author, Mechanic's Liens in Iowa, 30 Drake Law Rev. 39, 1980
5. Mr. Roger W. Stone & Jeffrey A. Stone, Indemnity in Iowa Construction Law, 54 Drake L. Rev. 125 (2005)

SEMINAR PRESENTATIONS:
1. Indemnity Law for Architects and Engineers, 2010
2. Legalities of the Construction Industry, 2010
3. Arbitration 201, 2009
4. Iowa Construction Law, Termination, and Contract Provisions, 2009
5. Labor and Materials on Public Improvements Iowa Code Ch. 573, 2009
6. Current Issues in Storm Water Regulation, 2008
7. Risk Management Seminar for Architects and Engineers, 2008
8. 2008 Architects Liability under Iowa Construction Law, 2008
9. 2007 Revisions to AIA Contract Documents, 2008
10. Risk Management Seminar Preventing Losses, 2008
11. Fundamentals of Construction Contracts: Understanding the Issues, 2007
12. Architects/Engineers Liability Under Iowa Construction Law, 2006
13. Architects/Engineers Liability Under Iowa Construction Law, 2006
14. Construction Damages, 2006
15. Mechanic’s Liens, 2006
16. Recent Iowa Construction Law Cases 2005, 2006
17. Architects and Engineers Liability under Iowa Construction Law, 2006
18. Construction Damages in Iowa, 2006
19. Mechanic’s Liens: Claims against Private Property, 2006
20. Road to Mechanic’s Lien Litigation, 2006
21. Resolving Construction Disputes, 2006
22. Construction Lien Law in Iowa, 2004
23. Iowa Construction Law: What Do You Do When…?, 2003
24. Top Twelve Iowa Construction Cases 2003, 2003
25. Construction Lien Law in Iowa, 2000
26. Iowa Construction Law Developments, Avoiding Problems and Getting Paid, 2000
27. “Pay if Paid” Clauses, 1999
28. Environmental Audit Privilege and Immunity Act, 1999
29. When Case Law Principles Do Not Match the Real World, 1999
30. Consequential Damages and the Mutual Waiver Clause, 1999

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Mr. Stone has served as Chairperson of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, a director on the Priority One Board, a director and President of the Cedar Rapids Country Club, President of the Cedar Rapids Art Museum, and has served on other community and church boards. Mr. Stone serves as Managing Partner of the firm and Chair of its Board of Directors.

Place of Birth

Dakota City, Iowa

Saturday, September 29, 2012

17 Firm Attorneys Named to Great Plains Super Lawyers
17 Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman PLC attorneys have been named to the 2012 Great Plains Super Lawyers, published by Super Lawyers. They are: Nicolas Abou-Assaly, J. Scott Bogguss, James A. Gerk, Robert S. Hatala, Stephen J. Holtman, David W. Kubicek, Eric W. Lam, Michael McDonough, Darrel A. Morf, Paul P. Morf, Iris E. Muchmore, Mark A. Roberts, James E. Shipman, Roger W. Stone, William Vernon, Kevin J. Visser, and Thomas D. Wolle.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Four Firm Attorneys Receive New Best Lawyers Recognition

Four Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman lawyers have received recognition from Best Lawyers in a new category of recognition: its "Lawyer of the Year" for Cedar Rapids in select practice areas. Scott Bogguss received the recognition for Trusts and Estates; David Kubicek for Real Estate Law; Eric Lam for Bankruptcy; and Roger Stone for Construction Litigation.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Roger Stone Elected to American College of Construction Lawyers

Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman congratulates Roger W. Stone on his election to the American College of Construction Lawyers. Roger is the first Iowan to be elected to this prestigious college. The American College includes 180 lawyers from around the nation who practice largely in the area of construction law and litigation.

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Iowa Supreme Court Cites Roger and Jeff Stone's Article on Indemnity

The Iowa Supreme Court's recent decision on construction indemnity cited Roger W. and Jeffrey A. Stone's article on "Indemnity in Iowa Construction Law," 54 Drake Law. Review 125 (2005) as authority for its decision. The March 6 opinion in Wells Dairy, Inc. v. American Industrial Refrigeration, Inc., No. 06-1018, cited the law review article in two places in its discussion of contractual and equitable indemnity. The case has far reaching implications for claims of indemnity against architects and engineers, an area in which the firm has practiced extensively for over thirty years.