Madison Fiedler-Carlson

Madison Fiedler-Carlson is an Iowa attorney who represents employees and individuals in civil litigation. Her practice focuses on workplace disputes involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour violations, and other employment-related claims. She is committed to helping clients understand their rights, evaluate their options, and make informed decisions about what comes next.

Clients often describe Madison as a steady presence during an uncertain process. “I needed a guide through the entire process and that is what I found in Madison,” one client shared. Another told us, “She helped me feel like I had some control when I had felt powerless for so long.” (Read more from clients on our Success Stories page.) Madison believes effective advocacy means more than achieving a strong legal result; it means helping people regain a sense of control, confidence, and dignity along the way.

Madison grew up in Johnston, Iowa, and spent much of her childhood at her mother’s law firm, answering phones, filing paperwork, and helping where she could. Watching clients turn to an attorney during some of the most stressful periods of their lives gave her an early understanding of the responsibility that comes with practicing law.

Madison earned her bachelor’s degree from Simpson College, where she studied religion and psychology, spent time abroad in England, and served as a teaching assistant for a course on Harry Potter and religion. Long before “popular culture and the law” became a common academic theme, the course explored how stories shape our understanding of religion, ethics, community, and justice. Those conversations were a natural fit for someone fascinated by what drives people’s beliefs, decisions, and conflicts.

She went on to attend the University of New Hampshire School of Law, where she was selected for the highly competitive Daniel Webster Scholar Honors Program. The program provided intensive hands-on training in practical lawyering skills, preparing her to represent clients from her first day in practice.

Throughout college and law school, Madison dedicated significant time to service and advocacy. She worked with interfaith programs, mentored fellow students, volunteered as an English-language conversation partner, and supported low-income clients through a fellowship with New Hampshire Legal Assistance. She also gained experience working with plaintiff-side employment and personal injury law firms, helping individuals pursue justice against larger institutions.

Madison earned her J.D. in 2016 and was admitted to the New Hampshire Bar that same year. She practiced law in Colorado before returning home to Iowa in 2018, where she was admitted to the Iowa Bar and has continued advocating for employees and individuals throughout the state.

Madison lives in Beaverdale with her husband, Jacob, her dog Henry, and her two cats, James and Goldie. Their century-old brick house is the love of their life and the bane of their existence. When she’s away from her desk, you’ll likely find her reading a fantasy novel, horseback riding, painting, biking Iowa’s gorgeous trails, tackling another home project, or creating an exceptionally detailed to-do list.

Selected to Rising Stars: 2022 – 2025

• Jury awards nearly $1.4 million to DMACC IT worker for pay disparity, retaliation
• DHS worker accuses managers in Des Moines service area of widespread sexual harassment
• ‘She still has not recovered’: Jury awards Iowa DHS employee $790k in sexual harassment lawsuit
• Bad Boss of the Month – This Bad Boss Had the Facts He Needed to Stop Sexual Harassment, Yet Failed to Act
• Iowa to pay nearly $1 million because of alleged sexual harassment by female DHS supervisor
• Former Collins employee sues over sexual harassment and assault
• Same-sex couple sues employer for alleged harassment and discrimination
• Two lawsuits accuse the state of discriminating against workers
• Former deputy director of state agency claims retaliation, civil rights violations
• Britt police chief alleges years-long same-sex harassment by mayor, council member
• Britt police chief fired after lawsuit accusing mayor of sexual harassment
• Former librarian sues Des Moines library, alleges leaders failed to protect staff
• Ex-Britt police officer sues city for sex discrimination
• Former education department employee to receive settlement in discrimination case
• Iowa police chief fired after alleging sexual harassment by mayor gets $300k settlement
• Transgender Iowans scramble to change birth certificates before new law goes into effect
• Lawsuit seeking class action claims Hy-Vee fails to pay overtime
• Class-action lawsuit alleges Hy-Vee has failed to pay overtime wages