Colby Merlound Lessmann
Helping You with All Your Legal Needs
* Both fields are required
Not Yet Verified Profile
Claim Your Profile?
Colby Merlound Lessmann
Biography
Attorney Colby M. Lessmann was born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa, and is a graduate of Sioux City North High School. Colby graduated from the University of South Dakota School of Business (B.S., 1996) and School of Law (J.D., 1999). During his law school education, he published a casenote in the South Dakota Law Review (1998) and was both the Managing Editor and the Production Editor for Volume 44 of the South Dakota Law Review (1998-1999). After graduating from Law School, Colby clerked for Justice Robert Amundson of the South Dakota Supreme Court in Pierre, South Dakota. In August 2000, upon completion of his clerkship, Colby returned to practice law in Sioux City, Iowa, where he practices in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota in the areas of General Litigation, Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Probate, Landlord Tenant Law, Collections, and Personal Injury, including but not limited to, car accidents, wrongful death, slips and falls, and dog bites.
Colby is a member of the State Bar Associations for Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. He is a member of the Probate Section for the Iowa Bar Association, the Woodbury County (Iowa) and Dakota County (Nebraska) Bar Associations, as well as a member of the Iowa Trust and Estate Council and the Iowa Association for Justice (formerly Iowa Trial Lawyers Association). He is also licensed to practice in the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Iowa, the District of Nebraska, the District of South Dakota, the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, the United States Court of Federal Claims, and the United States Supreme Court.
Practice Areas
Estate Planning
Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
Probate
Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
Elder Law
Landlord Tenant
Evictions, Housing Discrimination, Landlord Rights, Rent Control, Tenants' Rights
Collections
Personal Injury
Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death
Real Estate Law
Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums, Easements, Eminent Domain, Homeowners Association, Land Use & Zoning, Mortgages, Neighbor Disputes, Residential Real Estate, Water Law
Fees
- Free Consultation
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Contingent Fees
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Languages
Professional Experience
Managing Partner Tigges, Bottaro, & Lessmann, LLP
Year: 2023 - Current
Description:
Managing Partner Vriezelaar, Tigges, Edgington, Bottaro, Boden & Lessmann, L.L.P.
Year: 2010 - 2022
Description:
Associate Munger, Reinschmidt, & Denne, L.L.P.
Year: 2000 - 2010
Description:
Clerk South Dakota Supreme Court
Year: 1999 - 2000
Description:
Professional Associations
Iowa Association for Justice (formerly Iowa Trial Lawyers Association) Member (Current)
Woodbury County, Iowa Bar Association Member (Current)
Siouxland Estate Planning Counsel Member (2020 - Current)
Iowa Trust & Estate Council Member (Current)
Iowa State Bar Association - Probate Section Committee Member (Current)
Iowa State Bar Member (Current)
Nebraska State Bar  # 22298 Member (Current)
South Dakota State Bar Member (Current)
Publications
Challenging a Will aka Will Contest Firm bLAWg (August, 2021)
Common Estate Planning Questions Firm bLAWg (December, 2020)
Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples and Common Law Spouses Firm bLAWg (June, 2020)
Third Party Bad Faith Refusals to Settle in Nielsen v. Boos South Dakota Law Review (1998)
Awards
-
Best Law Firm - Trusts & Estates Law (Metropolitan Tier 2)
Best Lawyers 2022.0
-
Client Champion - Silver
Martindale-Hubbell 2020.0
-
Top-Listed City Awards (Total Lawyers in Sioux City: 5 lawyers)
Best Lawyers 2023.0
-
Best Law Firms – Trusts & Estates Law (Metropolitan Tier 2)
Best Lawyers 2023.0
-
Best Law Firms – Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs (Metropolitan Tier 2)
Best Lawyers 2023.0
-
Client Champion - Gold
Martindale-Hubbell 2022.0
-
Top-Listed City Awards (Total Lawyers in Sioux City: 4 lawyers)
Best Lawyers 2022.0
-
AV Preeminent
Martindale-Hubbell 2021.0
Note: AV Preeminent®: The highest peer rating standard. This is given to attorneys who are ranked at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards by their peers. https://www.martindale.com/ratings-and-reviews/
-
Best Law Firm - Trusts & Estates Law (Metropolitan Tier 3)
Best Lawyers 2021.0
-
Accredited Estate Planner (AEP) Designation
National Association of Estate Planners & Councils 2020.0
-
Distinguished Attorney
Martindale-Hubbell 2020.0
-
Best Law Firm - Trusts & Estates Law (Metropolitan Tier 3)
Best Lawyers 2020.0
Education
-
University of South Dakota School of Law J.D. (1999)
Year: 1996 - 1999
-
University of South Dakota B.S. (1996) | Business Administration
Year: 1994 - 1996
Speaking Engagements
Guardianship/Conservatorship Update: New Procedural Hurdles to Settling Cases For Minors and Incapacitated Clients, IAJ Personal Injury Seminar, March 4, 2022, Iowa Association for Justice (formerly Iowa Trial Lawyers Association), New Procedural Hurdles to Settling Personal Injury Cases For Minors and Incapacitated Clients
Guardianship/Conservatorship Update: New Procedural Hurdles to Settling Cases For Minors and Incapacitated Clients, IAJ Personal Injury Seminar, March 4, 2022, Iowa Association for Justice (formerly Iowa Trial Lawyers Association), New Procedural Hurdles to Settling Personal Injury Cases For Minors and Incapacitated Clients
Certifications
- Accredited Estate Planner: National Association of Estate Planners & Councils 2020
Websites
Vriezelaar, Tigges, Edgington, Bottaro, Boden & Lessmann Law Firm
613 Pierce Street, Sioux City, IA 51101
Monday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Tuesday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Wednesday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Thursday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Friday: 8 AM - 5 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
(712) 252-4873