Roxanne Barton Conlin
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Roxanne Barton Conlin
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Roxanne Conlin has her own law firm in Des Moines, where she exclusively represents people who have been harmed by others, whether by discrimination, products, doctors or vehicles.
She entered Drake University in 1961, when she was only 16, and graduated from law school with honors five years later at the age of 21.
From 1969 to 1976, she was an Assistant Attorney General for Iowa, where she was head of the Iowa Civil Rights section and fought race and sex discrimination. She also rewrote Iowa's inheritance laws; toughened the state's assault laws and blocked a merger of two major utilities that would have hurt the average consumer.
She left the Attorney General's Office to become a consultant to the United States Department of State for International Women's Year.
In 1977, she became one of the first two women ever to be a United States Attorney. Roxanne put heroin dealers behind bars and prosecuted white-collar crimes and corruption in public office. She also served as President of the Federal Executive Council, which is composed of the heads of all seventy federal agencies.
Roxanne has devoted much time to individual organizations and causes and community service. She founded and was the first chair of the Iowa Women's Political caucus, and was president and general counsel of the NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund. She has been named by the National Law Journal as one of the fifty most influential women lawyers in America, one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America and one of the top 10 litigators.
Her achievements have brought such honors as induction into the Iowa Woman's Hall of Fame and national attention such as selection in 1975 as one of the 44 Women Who Could Save America and in 1976 as one of 44 Women Qualified for Cabinet Position.
In June of 1982, Roxanne won a three-way primary and became the Democratic nominee for Governor of Iowa. She was narrowly defeated in her effort to become that state's first Democratic governor in 14 years, and its first woman governor.
She has had many other firsts. She was the first woman president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, a 60,000 member organization of consumer attorneys. She was the first woman to chair the Roscoe Pound Foundation, a trial lawyers think tank. She was the founder and first chair of the Civil Justice Foundation, which provides direct support to grass roots organizations and disabled individuals.
She was inducted in 1995 into the Inner Circle of Advocates, limited to only 100 of the best plaintiff trial lawyers nationwide.
Recently, she was thrilled to have a law school scholarship named after her at the University of Missouri. She also received the Rosalie Wahl Award from the Minnesota Women Lawyers Association.
She married her husband, James, on March 21, 1964. They have raised four children and have five grandchildren.
PoliticalDemocratic Nominee for Iowa for United States Senate, 2010Co-Chair Edwards for President, 2008Inducted into the Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame as Outstanding Supporter, 2007Co-Chair Edwards for President, 2004Chair, Iowa Democratic Party, November, 1998 - April, 1999Member, Senior Women's Strategy Council - Mondale/Ferraro Campaign, 1984Co-chair Women for Harkin Committee, 1984Chair, National Policy Council, John Glenn for President Committee, 1983 - 1984Democratic Nominee for Governor of Iowa, 1982Chair of the panel on Food & Agricultural Policies for Democratic National Committee, Philadelphia, 1982Headquarters Volunteer - Carter for President, 1976Vice-Chair of Iowa Delegation to the National Mid-term Convention, 1974Delegate - Iowa Democratic State Conventions, Member of the Platform, Rules and By-Laws Committee, 1964 - 1974Precinct Committeewoman - Polk County Democratic Party, 1966 - 1972Volunteer - Hughes for United State Senate, 1968National Committeewoman - Iowa Young Democrats, 1965 - 1966President - Polk County Young Democrats, 1964 - 1966Volunteer - Hughes for Governor, 1962 - 1966
Bar Admission
Iowa, 1966
Other Affiliations
NITA, 2003 - 2006 (Board of Trustees)
National Center for State Court Lawyers Committee, 2003 - 2009
Roscoe Pound Foundation, 1994 - 1997 (President)
American Law Institute, 1994 - Present (Elected Membership)
American Jury Trial Foundation, 1993 - Present (Trustee)
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1992 - 1993 (President)
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1991 - 1992 (President-Elect)
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1990 - 1991 (Vice-President)
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1989 - 1990 (Secretary)
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1988 - 1989 (Parliamentarian)
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1987 - 1989 (ATLA-PAC Board of Directors)
Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Chair, Organization Review Committee)
Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Chair, Education Committee)
Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Chair, Membership Oversight Committee)
Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Consumer and Victims Coalition Committee)
Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Chair, Safety Conference Committee)
Roscoe Pound Foundation, 1986 - 1992 (Member, Board of Governors)
National Association of Former United States Attorneys, 1991 - 1999 (Board of Directors)
Older Iowans' Permanent Fund Foundation, 1991 - 1997 (Advisory Board Member)
Animal Rescue League of Iowa, 1990 - 1995 (Honorary Board Member)
Blackstone Inn, American Inns, 1989 - Present (Master of the Bench)
Higher Education Task Force of the State of Iowa, 1988 - 1992 (Co-Chair)
Coalition for Women's Appointments, 1988 - 1990 (Advisory Board)
Civil Justice Foundation, 1986 - 1988 (President)
Council on Judicial Selection, 1986 (Appointed by Chief Justice Reynoldsen)
YWCA, 1986 - 1988 (Board of Directors)
Drake University Law School Endowment Trust, 1985 - 1986 (Chair, Board of Governors)
Association of Trial Lawyers of Iowa, 1984 - 1995 (Board of Governors)
NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, 1983 - 1989 (Board of Directors)
NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, 1986 - 1988 (President)
NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, 1985 - 1986 (General Counsel)
Dowling High School, 1981 - Present (Board of Directors)
Federal Executive Council, 1979 - 1981 (President, Vice-President)
Des Moines Chamber of Commerce, 1979 - Present (Member)
Iowa Shares Program, 1978 - 1980 (Board of Directors)
National Women's Political Caucus, 1977 - Present (Advisory Board)
Drake University Law School, 1977 - 1985 (Law Board of Counselors)
Upper Midwest Council - Critical Choice Project, 1976 - 1977 (Panelist)
Youth for Understanding, 1976 (Bicentennial Committee of Iowa)
National Women's Political Caucus, 1975 - 1977 (Administrative Committee Member)
Polk County Rape/Sexual Assault Care Center, 1974 - 1977 (Board of Directors)
Riverhills Day Care Center, 1974 - 1975 (Board of Directors)
Iowa Women's Political Caucus, 1973 - 1975 (Founder & State Chairperson)
Iowa Commission on the Status of Women, 1972 - 1978
American Bar Association, 1966 - Present (Member)
Iowa Bar Association, 1966 - Present (Member)
Iowa Bar Association, 1987 - 1992 (Member, Bar Review Committee)
Iowa Bar Association, Career Day Panel, 1987 - 1992 (Member)
Iowa Bar Association, 1987 - 1992 (Member, Federal Practice Committee)
Iowa Bar Association, 1987 - 1992 (Member, Uniform Court Instructions Committee)
Iowa Democratic Party, 1998 - 1999 (Chair)
Senior Women's Strategy Council - Mondale/Ferraro Campaign, 1984 (Member)
Women for Harkin Committee, 1984 (Co-Chair)
Food & Agricultural Policies for Democratic National Committee-Philadelphia, 1982 (Chair of the Panel)
Carter for President, 1976 (Headquarters Volunteer)
National Mid-term Convention, 1974 (Vice-Chair of Iowa Delegation)
Iowa Democratic State Conventions-Delegate, 1964 - 1974 (Member of the Platform, Rules and By-Laws Committee)
Polk County Democratic Party, 1966 - 1972 (Precinct Committeewoman)
Hughes for United States Senate, 1968 (Volunteer)
Iowa Young Democrats, 1965 - Present (National Committeewoman)
Polk County Young Democrats, 1964 - 1966 (President)
Hughes for Governor, 1966 (Volunteer)
Hughes for Governor, 1964 (Volunteer)
Hughes for Governor, 1962 (Volunteer)
Department of Justice, Iowa Civil Rights Section, 1969 - 1976 (Director)
United States Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year, 1976 - 1977 (Consultant)
United States Attorneys, 1977 - 1981 (Attorney General's Advisory Committee)
Attorney General's Advocacy Institute, 1977 - 1981 (Consultant)
Iowa Trial Lawyers Association (Board of Governors)
Achievements
- Other Sources of Feedback About Roxanne Barton Conlin
- Included on the 2022 Great Plains
Past Lists
- 2021 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2020 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2019 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2018 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2017 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2016 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2015 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2014 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2013 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2012 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2011 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2010 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2009 Great Plains Super Lawyers list
- 2007 Iowa Super Lawyers list
Education
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Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, 1964 Bachelor of Arts
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Lambda Delta, Women's Honorary Sorority, Chi Omega Social Service Award, National Merit Scholarship Finalist, Reader's Digest Scholar, Kappa Beta Pi Legal Sorority (International)
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Harvard University
Honors: Recipient, Seminar Grant: Limits of Positivism: Certainty & Justice in the Law. August, 1980.
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Drake University Law School, Des Moines, Iowa, 1966 J.D.
Honors: Fischer Foundation Scholar, Representative, American Law Student Association, Dean: Kappa Beta Phi Legal Sorority, 1964, Law Review: Drake University Law Review,
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Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, 1979 Master's Degree in Public Administration
Honors: Pi Alpha Alpha, Honorary Society in Public Affairs & Administration, 1978
Honers
- Attorney and Practice Magazine’s Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney, 2022 - Present
- AAJ Distinguished Service Award, 2022 - Present
- Best Lawyers U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firms, 2022 - Present
- American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys Attorney Client Satisfaction 10 Best High Verdict & Settlement Winner, 2022 - Present
- Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Related for Highest Level of Professional Excellence, 2021 - Present
- Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability & Ethical Standards, 2021 - Present
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers, 2021 - Present
- Business Finance Sector Excellence Global Business Awards – Best Personal Injury & Discrimination Attorneys Iowa, 2021 - Present
- Best Lawyers Sixth Annual “Women in the Law”, 2021 - Present
- Expertise’s Best Medical Malpractice Lawyers in Des Moines, 2021 - Present
- Martindale Hubbell Top Rated Lawyer Medical Malpractice for Ethical Standards and Legal Ability, 2021 - Present
- American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys 10 Best High Verdict & Settlement, 2020 - 2021
- Marquis Who’s Who Top Professional Series, 2020 - Present
- Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Related for Highest Level of Professional Excellence, 2020 - Present
- Martindale Hubbell Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability & Ethical Standards, 2020 - Present
- Best of the Best Attorneys Top 10 Personal Injury Law Attorney, 2020 - Present
- Lawdragon 500 To Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers
- Hall of Fame, 2020 - Present
- Interfaith Alliance Award, 2020 - Present
- Iowa Women’s Foundation Ovation - A Tribute to Iowa Women and Girls, 2019 - Present
- 10 Best Attorneys – American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, 2019 - Present
- Martindale Hubbell Judicial Edition Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability & Ethical Standards Reflecting the Confidential Opinions of Members of the Bar and Judiciary, 2019 - Present
- Benchmark Litigation Labor & Employment – Midwest Regional Best, 2018 - Present
- The World Food Prize Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award, 2018 - Present
- Lawdragon 500 Plaintiff Employment Lawyers Guide, 2018 - Present
- 10 Best Attorneys – American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, 2018 - Present
- Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability & Ethical Standards, 2018 - Present
- America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators for Iowa, 2018 - Present
- The American Registry Top 1 Percent America’s Most Honored Professionals, 2018 - Present
- Albert Nelson Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award, 2017 - Present
- 10 Best Female Attorneys – American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, 2017 - Present
- 10 Best Attorneys – American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, 2017 - Present
- The American Registry Top 1 Percent America’s Most Honored Professionals, 2017 - Present
- 10 Best Female Attorneys – American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, 2016 - Present
- The American Registry Top 1 Percent America’s Most Honored Professionals, 2016 - Present
- Elected as Senior Fellow with Litigation Counsel of America, 2015 - Present
- Donald Lay Award, 2014 - Present
- Bloomer/Catt Award for Public Service, Status of Women Conference, 2013 - Present
- Alumni Achievement Award - Drake Law School, 2013 - Present
- Selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a Preeminent Woman Lawyer - exclusively for women attorneys who have received the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards from their peers, 2013 - Present
- Recognized as being in the top 5% of America’s Most Honored Professionals, 2011 - Present
- Community Champion Award from the Civil Justice Foundation, 2011 - Present
- National Championship Honoree from the American Mock Trial Association, 2011 - Present
- Community Champion Award from the Civil Justice Foundation, 2010 - Present
- Selected as one of Labor & Employment’s Best Lawyers, 2010 - Present
- Gertrude Rush Award from Iowa State Bar Association, 2009 - Present
- Selected as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, 2009 - Present
- Selected as one of Midwest CEO’s Most Influential Women of 2009, 2009 - Present
- Selected as one of Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America, 2008 - Present
- Iowa Senate Resolution 134 commending work and congratulating for accomplishments, passed unanimously, 2008 - Present
- 2008 Louise Noun Visionary Women Award – awarded by the Young Women’s Resource Center, 2008 - Present
- Inducted into Iowa Legal Aid Hall of Fame, 2008 - Present
- 1st recipient of the Iowa Trial Lawyer’s Public Justice Award, named the Roxanne Conlin Public Justice Award, 2007 - Present
- Inducted into the Iowa Democratic Party Hall of Fame as Outstanding Supporter, 2007 - Present
- Elected to Litigation Counsel of America, 2007 - Present
- American Association of Justice (formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America), Leonard M. Ring Champion of Justice Award – Awarded annually to a member whose life and career epitomizes that of a true champion of justice, 2006 - Present
- Activist Leader Award from Drake University, United Way and the Des Moines ‘Business Record’, 2005 - Present
- Iowa Trial Lawyers Association, 2005 ITLA Public Justice Award in Recognition of Persistence and Determination in Pursuing Successful Litigation that Establishes the Right to Trial by Jury for Plaintiffs in Civil Rights Cases under the Iowa Civil Rights Act, 2005 - Present
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America, National College of Advocacy, Diplomat of Trial Advocacy, 2005 - Present
- Iowa Juneteenth Observance Liberty Award, 2005 - Present
- The Iowa Shares Special Recognition in Iowa for efforts to resettle Vietnamese boat people in Iowa, 2005 - Present
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg Award from NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund, 2004 - Present
- The 2004 Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers 88th Edition, 2004 - Present
- Lifetime Achievement Award from ATLA, 2003 - Present
- Mary Louise Smith Human Rights Award from the Des Moines Human Rights Commission, 2003 - Present
- Elected to Membership in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, 2002 - Present
- Award from Very Special Arts of Iowa Serving Disabled Iowans, 2002 - Present
- Award from United Way for work with Young Women’s Resource Center, 2002 - Present
- Named by National Law Journal as One of the Ten Most Influential Women Attorneys, 2002 - Present
- Mary Louise Smith Award for Racial Justice from the YWCA, 2001 - Present
- Marie Lambert Award for Equality for Women from the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 2000 - Present
- Selected as One of Twelve Most Influential Women by the Des Moines ‘Business Record’, 2000 - Present
- Named One of the Fifty Most Influential Iowans of the Twentieth Century by Des Moines Register, 2000 - Present
- Martindale Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys, 1999 - Present
- International Society of Lawyers for Public Service, 1999 - Present
- Kansas City Association of Women Lawyers established the Annual Roxanne Barton Conlin Scholarship, 1999 - Present
- Rosalie Wahl Leadership Award from the Minnesota Women Lawyers Association, 1998 - Present
- Named by the National Law Journal as one of “The Fifty Most Influential Women Lawyers in America”, 1998 - Present
- Named Woman of the Year by the Metro Women's Network, 1997 - Present
- Elected to Membership in the Inner Circle of Advocates, 1995 - Present
- Featured in Best Lawyers in America for Employment Law – Individuals and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, 1995 - 2022
- Elected to membership in the American Law Institute, 1994 - Present
- APEX Award recognizing excellence in opinion column writing for President's Page in Trial of June, 1993 on Alcoholism, 1994 - Present
- Verne Lawyer Outstanding Member Award from the Iowa Association of Trial Lawyers, 1993 - Present
- Elected to Membership in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, 1993 - Present
- 7th Annual Chester Bedell Memorial Lecture, 1992 - Present
- Life Fellow of the Iowa State Bar Association, 1992 - Present
- One of the women featured in the book More Strongminded Women by Louise Noun (ISU Press), 1992 - Present
- Named one of 100 most influential lawyers in the nation by National Law Journal, 1991 - Present
- Elected to Membership in the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, 1991 - Present
- Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1991 - Present
- Diplomat of the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, 1990 - Present
- Outstanding Alumni Award, Drake University Law School, 1989 - Present
- Woman of Vision Award, Young Women's Resource Center, 1989 - Present
- Named one of the nation’s top ten litigators in an article in the National Law Journal, 1989 - Present
- Iowa Citizens Action Network Annual Award for Public Service, 1987 - Present
- Iowa Women's Hall of Fame, 1981 - Present
- Omicron Delta Kappa, Alumni Member, 1981 - Present
- Award for Outstanding Assistance - United States Secret Service, 1981 - Present
- Special Commendation - Director of Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1979 - Present
- Special Commendation - United States Postal Inspection Service, 1978 - Present
- Chosen in article in McCall's Magazine (November issue) as one of 44 Women qualified for a Cabinet Position, 1976 - Present
- Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of Dubuque, 1975 - Present
- Chosen in article in Redbook Magazine as one of "44 Women Who Could Save America", 1975 - Present
- Outstanding Service to Civil Liberties presented by the Iowa Civil Liberties Union, 1974 - Present
- Martin Luther King, Jr. award for outstanding service presented by Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of N.A. AFL-CIO, 1974 - Present
- The Outstanding Young Woman of Iowa, 1974 - Present