Our Attorneys

Position: Member

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

Phone: 319.366.7641
Fax: 319.366.1917
vCard

Thomas D. Wolle is a member of Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman PLC. Mr. Wolle focuses his practice in the areas of workers’ compensation defense and labor and employment law. Prior to joining the firm Mr. Wolle was a member of Moyer & Bergman and served on the firm’s executive committee.

Mr. Wolle’s workers’ compensation practice includes representation of large, self-insured employers as well as those employers who procure workers’ compensation insurance from insurers and third-party administrators.

His labor and employment law practice involves representing primarily employers in the broad range of employment-based claims that are frequently asserted in litigated cases brought in administrative agencies, and in state and federal court. Mr. Wolle has tried numerous cases to juries and judges, and has handled multiple appeals in both state and federal court. His litigation and jury trial experience includes cases involving race discrimination, national origin discrimination, disability discrimination, age discrimination, sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and also cases involving various wrongful termination claims, the FMLA, non-compete/unfair competition, drug testing, and contract-based claims. He has also handled numerous matters involving allegations that employees have left employment in violation of restrictive covenants and/or have misappropriated trade secrets of the former employer.

Mr. Wolle devotes a significant portion of his time counseling employers in developing and implementing effective workplace policies, and in preventing discriminatory practices from occurring in the workplace. A former instructor of workers’ compensation law and litigation at Kirkwood Community College and Labor Relations at Mount Mercy College, he frequently speaks at seminars on the law areas in which he practices.

Mr. Wolle is admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa and in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Linn County, Iowa State and American Bar Associations. He received his law degree with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law, where he also served as an Associate Editor of the Iowa Law Review in 1991-1992.

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

Firm Attorneys Named to 2011 Great Plains Super Lawyers

A number of Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman attorneys have been named to the 2011 Great Plains Super Lawyers, published by Super Lawyers. They are: J. Scott Bogguss, James A. Gerk, Stephen J. Holtman, David W. Kubicek, Eric W. Lam, Michael McDonough, Darrel A. Morf, Iris E. Muchmore, Mark A. Roberts, James E. Shipman, William Vernon, Kevin J. Visser, Thomas D. Wolle

Friday, October 29, 2010

Thomas Wolle co-chairs and Kevin Visser presents at employment law seminar

Thomas Wolle co-chaired the ISBA Labor & Employment Law Section’s Annual CLE conference October 26 in Des Moines. Kevin Visser presented at the conference on the topics of EEOC systemic litigation and sex-based harassment.

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Federal district court dismisses claims against firm’s client

On October 4, 2010, federal district court judge Linda Reade granted a motion for summary judgment filed by the City of Hiawatha, represented by Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman's Thomas Wolle, in a lawsuit brought by a former employee of the City. The Plaintiff had filed a multi-count complaint alleging sexual harassment, discrimination, wrongful discharge, back pay on the basis of failing to be included in a collective bargaining unit that was covered by a union contract, and a separate claim for violation of Iowa’s open meetings laws. Plaintiff had filed a cross-motion for partial summary judgment. The court dismissed the lawsuit in its entirety.

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Thomas Wolle Obtains Favorable Eighth Circuit Ruling for Client in Race Discrimination Case

Thomas Wolle successfully defended the firm’s client CRST Van Expedited, Inc. in a race discrimination case brought by a former driver of the company. The district court granted CRST’s motion for summary judgment, and the Plaintiff filed an appeal to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Following oral argument, the court found that the Plaintiff had not proven a prima facie case of discrimination and quickly disposed of the case.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Thomas Wolle Speaks at Two Seminars

Thomas Wolle spoke at two recent seminars. On October 15, 2009, he spoke at the Iowa Association of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers' 31st annual seminar in Des Moines. His topic was apportionment. On November 13, 2009, he spoke at the Iowa State Bar Association's Labor & Employment Law seminar in Des Moines. His topic was Americans with Disabilities Act Regulatory and Case law update.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Federal Judge Dismisses Entire ‘Class’ Claim of EEOC

Chief Judge Linda Reade has entered the final judgment in a series of rulings against the EEOC in a massive but “untenable” case it brought against the privately held national trucking firm, CRST Van Expedited, headquartered in Cedar Rapids. Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman and the Chicago firm Jenner & Block LLP represented CRST in the case.

Other, like cases brought by the EEOC have languished in federal courts for years, with very few, if any, having actually been brought to trial or summary dismissal. The court criticized the EEOC’s “sue first, ask questions later” litigation strategy, observing, “The government, like its citizens, must follow the law.” This order follows earlier orders: 1) granting summary judgment to CRST in determining that no reasonable jury could conclude that CRST tolerated a "pattern or practice" of sex harassment as part of its "standard operating procedure"; 2) dismissing more than 100 prospective claimants as a discovery sanction against the EEOC for its failure to make the women available for depositions; 3) granting summary judgment to the employer on nearly 90 individual claims as the claimed conduct failed to rise to the level actionable by law; and 4) dismissing several claims because of inconsistent statements made by claimants in bankruptcy. At least seven SPMB attorneys were called upon to depose claimants across the country beginning in 2008 when the government provided CRST “a continuously moving target” of the number of claimants involved. The court has also invited CRST to apply for its attorneys' fees as a “prevailing party.” For further information, please contact Kevin Visser or Thomas Wolle.