Paige Fiedler

Ask anybody—including former clients, judges, or lawyers who’ve gone up against her. There’s simply nobody in Iowa with more experience or success handling employment law cases than Paige.

She grew up in Eldora, Iowa and graduated from Simpson College in Indianola (Go Storm!). After getting married, having a baby, and working for a few years, Paige decided she was meant to go to law school. She had her second baby in October 1993, got her J.D. with honors from Drake University in May 1994 and began practicing in June.

Although Paige is a born-and-bred Iowan, she and her husband Charlie also spend a lot of time in South Carolina, where it is far warmer and there is an ocean. Their two children and their son-in-law are all good citizens, college graduates, and kind people. Paige enjoys bicycling, reading, wine, and walking on the beach with Dash, her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Paige loves practicing law and is committed to continue changing the world–one case and one client at a time.

Get to Know Paige

  • Best part of your job?

    Getting to know clients and earning their trust.

    Being in court with a jury.

    Learning about all sorts of industries and careers.

  • What obscure topic could you talk about for hours?

    Grammar.

  • Favorite quote:

    “Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.” –Amelia Earhart

    To me, this means that you have to do the thing you think you can’t do (credit to Eleanor Roosevelt). Deep down, we’re all scared and insecure. When you find the courage to do what you know must be done, peace will be your reward.

  • Karaoke song:

    Bye Bye—Jo Dee Messina

  • Can’t live without:

    My family

  • Scariest thing you’ve done for fun:

    Every mile of RAGBRAI

The Facts

Education
  • Drake University Law School, Des Moines, Iowa, J.D. with Honors (1994)
    • Drake University Law Review (1992–1994)
  • Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa, B. A. in management (1987)
Bar Admissions
  • State of Iowa (1994)
  • State of Nebraska (2022)
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Iowa (1994)
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Iowa (1995)
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit (1996)
Professional Associations
  • National Employment Lawyers Association, 1997–present
    • 8th Circuit Board of Governors, 2018–present
    • Annual Convention Committee, 2010–2012
  • Iowa Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules of Civil Procedure, 2004–2010
  • Iowa Civil Justice Foundation Board, 2008–2012
  • Iowa Association for Justice, 1994–present
    • Board of Governors, 2000–2006
  • Polk County Women Attorneys, 1994–present
  • Iowa State Bar Association, 1994–present
    • Jury Instructions Committee, 2008-present
  • Polk County Bar Association, 1994–present
Published Cases
  • Benson v. City of Lincoln, 343 F.R.D. 595 (D. Neb. 2023)
  • Vasquez v. Iowa Dep’t of Human Servs., 2023 WL 3397460 (May 12, 2023) (amicus)
  • Morgan v. Sundance, Inc., 142 S.Ct. 1708 (2022)
  • Planned Parenthood v. Reynolds, 975 N.W.2d 710 (Iowa 2022) (amicus)
  • Morgan v. Sundance, 992 F.3d 711 (8th Cir. 2021)
  • Bucco v. W. Iowa Tech Cmty. Coll., 555 F. Supp. 3d 628, (N.D. Iowa Aug. 16, 2021)
  • Iowa Citizens for Cmty. Improvement v. State, 962 N.W.2d 780 (Iowa 2021) (amicus)
  • Heisler v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 931 F.3d 786 (8th Cir. 2019)
  • Good v. Iowa Dep’t of Human Servs., 924 N.W.2d 853 (Iowa 2019) (amicus)
  • Planned Parenthood v. Reynolds, 915 N.W.2d 206 (Iowa 2018) (amicus)
  • Jahnke v. Deere & Co., 912 N.W.2d 136 (Iowa 2018)
  • Lee v. State, 906 N.W.2d 186 (Iowa 2018)
  • Haskenhoff v. Homeland Energy Solutions, LLC, 897 N.W.2d 553 (Iowa 2017)
  • Sink v. State, 888 N.W.2d 682 (Iowa Ct. App. 2016)
  • Hernandez v. Bridgestone Am. Tire Ops., LLC, 831 F.3d 940 (8th Cir. 2016)
  • Lee v. State, 874 N.W.2d 631 (Iowa 2016)
  • Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, Inc. v. Iowa Bd. of Med., 865 N.W.2d 252 (Iowa 2015) (amicus)
  • Fagen v. Grandview Univ., 861 N.W.2d 825 (Iowa 2015) (amicus)
  • Hernandez v. Bridgestone Am. Tire Ops., LLC, 97 F. Supp. 3d 1062 (S.D. Iowa 2014)
  • Ames v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 760 F.3d 763 (8th Cir. 2014), cert. denied 135 S.Ct. 947 (2015)
  • Ames v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 747 F.3d 509 (8th Cir. 2014), rehearing granted
  • Gilster v. Primebank, 747 F.3d 1007 (8th Cir. 2014)
  • Lee v. State, 844 N.W.2d 668 (Iowa 2014)
  • Whitney v. Franklin Gen. Hosp., 995 F. Supp. 2d 917 (N.D. Iowa 2014)
  • Nelson v. James H. Knight, D.D.S., P.C., 834 N.W.2d 64 (Iowa 2013)
  • Pulczinski v. Trinity Structural Towers, Inc., 691 F.3d 996 (8th Cir.2012)
  • Lee v. State, 815 N.W.2d 731 (Iowa 2012)
  • Mahony v. Universal Pediatric Servs., Inc., 643 F.3d 1103 (8th Cir. 2011)
  • Strom v. Holiday Cos., 789 F. Supp. 2d 1060 (N.D. Iowa 2011)
  • Ray v. Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 777 F. Supp. 2d 1175 (S.D. Iowa 2011)
  • Pitts v. Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union No. 32, 718 F. Supp. 2d 1010 (S.D. Iowa 2010)
  • Mahony v. Specialized Support Servs., Inc., 753 F. Supp. 2d (S.D. Iowa 2010)
  • Parsons v. Principal Life Ins. Co., 686 F. Supp. 2d 906 (S.D. Iowa 2010)
  • Lee v. State, 765 N.W.2d 607 (Iowa Ct. App. 2009)
  • Varnum v. Brien, 763 N.W.2d 862 (Iowa 2009) (amicus)
  • Tokheim v. Georgia-Pacific Gypsum L.L.C., 606 F. Supp. 2d 988 (N.D. Iowa 2009)
  • Kucera v. Baldazo, 745 N.W.2d 481 (Iowa 2008)
  • Smith v. Bankers Life & Cas. Co., 519 F. Supp. 2d 964 (S.D. Iowa 2007)
  • Pospisil v. O’Reilly Auto., Inc., 619 F. Supp. 2d 614 (N.D. Iowa 2007)
  • Gonnerman v. McHan Const., Inc., 520 F. Supp. 2d 1095 (N.D. Iowa 2007)
  • Faust v. Command Ctr., Inc., 484 F. Supp. 2d 953 (S.D. Iowa 2007)
  • Hite v. Vermeer Mfg. Co., 446 F.3d 858 (8th Cir. 2006)
  • Wilson v. City of Des Moines, 442 F.3d 637 (8th Cir. 2006)
  • Tiffey v. Speck Enter., Ltd., 418 F. Supp. 2d 1120 (S. D. Iowa 2006)
  • Rodgers v. City of Des Moines, 435 F.3d 904 (8th Cir. 2006)
  • McElroy v. State, 703 N.W.2d 385 (Iowa 2005)
  • Hite v. Vermeer Mfg. Co., 361 F. Supp. 2d 935 (S.D. Iowa 2005)
  • Eliserio v. United Steelworkers of Am. Local 310, 398 F.3d 1071 (8th Cir. 2005)
  • Wilson v. City of Des Moines, 338 F. Supp. 2d 1008 (S.D. Iowa 2004)
  • Groves v. Cost Planning & Mgt. Int’l, Inc., 372 F.3d 1008 (8th Cir. 2004)
  • Kennedy & Co., Inc. v. Teamsters, 315 F. Supp. 2d 992 (S.D. Iowa 2004)
  • Shepard v. Wapello County, 303 F. Supp. 2d 1004 (S. D. Iowa 2003)
  • Local Union No. 387 v. Roberts Dairy, 294 F. Supp. 2d 1050 (S.D. Iowa 2003)
  • Van Horn v. Specialized Support Servs., Inc., 269 F. Supp. 2d 1064 (S.D. Iowa 2003)
  • Shepard v. Wapello County, 250 F. Supp. 2d 1112 (S.D. Iowa 2003)
  • Van Horn v. Specialized Support Servs., Inc., 241 F. Supp. 2d 994 (S.D. Iowa 2003)
  • Runyon v. Kubota Tractor Corp., 653 N.W.2d 582 (Iowa 2002)
  • Doe, ex rel. Doe v. Perry Cmty. Sch. Dist., 650 N.W.2d 594 (Iowa 2002)
  • Wood v. Crown Redi Mix, Inc., 218 F. Supp. 2d 1094 (S.D. Iowa 2002)
  • Morgan v. FBL Fin’l Servs., Inc., 178 F. Supp. 2d 1022 (S.D. Iowa 2001)
  • McElroy v. State, 637 N.W.2d 488 (Iowa 2001)
  • State v. Iowa Dist. Court for Polk Co., 572 N.W.2d 587 (Iowa 1997)
  • In re Property seized from Chiodo, 555 N.W.2d 412 (Iowa 1996)
  • State v. Adamson, 542 N.W.2d 12 (Iowa Ct. App. 1995)
Honors and Awards
  • Iowa Association for Justice Verne Lawyer Outstanding Member Award (2019) in recognition of “many years of spectacularly successful trial advocacy to enforce the rights of employees and secure just compensation for claimants harmed by discrimination, harassment, and other abuses at work.”
  • Simpson College Alumni Achievement Award (2019)
  • Iowa Organization of Women Attorneys Arabella Mansfield Award for promoting and nurturing women in the legal profession (2014)
  • Iowa Association for Justice Public Justice Award for establishing right to trial by jury under the Iowa Civil Rights Act (2005)
  • Simpson College Double S Award for outstanding achievement beyond college athletics (2004)
  • Drake University Law Review Jeff Gilbert Memorial Writing Award for best case note (1994)
Classes and Seminars Taught
  • Jury Selection in Employment Cases, Iowa State Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Seminar, November 17, 2023 (invited)
  • Maximizing and Valuing Emotional Distress Damages, National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention, Chicago, June 29, 2023
  • Lessons Learned from our Biggest Losses, Iowa Association for Justice Annual Convention, November 10, 2022
  • Trial Boot Camp Team Leader, National Employment Lawyers Association, Washington, D.C., October 29-29, 2022
  • Valuing Emotional Distress Damages, National Employment Lawyers Association Eighth Circuit Conference, St. Louis, October 14, 2022
  • How To Draft a Great Demand Letter to Settle the Matter Prior To Litigation, National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention, San Francisco, July 1, 2022
  • Time’s Up on Sexual Harassment at Work, Panel Moderator, Workplace Fairness, April 28, 2022
  • When to Use Experts in Employment Cases, National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention, July 10, 2020
  • Model Jury Instructions for Employment Law Cases, Iowa State Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Seminar, November 22, 2019 
  • Godfrey Revisited: Winning Constitutional Tort Damages, Iowa Association for Justice Annual Convention, November 7, 2019 
  • #MeToo and Time’s Up: The Movement’s Impact on Legislation & Litigation, National Employment Lawyers Association Eighth Circuit Conference, Minneapolis, April 6, 2018
  • Taxing NDAs & Attorney Fees: Big Changes Ahead for Your Clients’ Settlement Agreements, Iowa Association for Justice Employment Law Seminar, February 16, 2018
  • Maximizing Your Client’s Recovery for Emotional Suffering, Iowa Association for Justice Annual Convention, November 10, 2017
  • Harassment in the Legal Profession: Proposed Changes to Model Rule 8.4(g), Iowa State Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Seminar, October 20, 2017
  • Trial Boot Camp Team Leader, National Employment Lawyers Association, Chicago, October 12–14, 2017
  • Forensic Mental Health Experts: Understanding Yours & Undercutting Theirs, National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention, Los Angeles, June 23, 2016 (invited)
  • Define Your Own Success, Polk County Women Attorneys Professional Development Panel, November 12, 2015
  • The Art of Trial Preparation, Iowa Association for Justice Annual Convention, November 5, 2015
  • Trial Boot Camp Team Leader, National Employment Lawyers Association, Chicago, October 15–16, 2015
  • Rule 68 Offers to Confess Judgment—What Happens When You Accept? What Happens When You Don’t?, National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention, June 27, 2014
  • The Art of Trial Preparation, National Employment Lawyers Association Eighth Circuit Conference, April 12, 2014
  • Conducting Voir Dire, Drake University Law School guest speaker, March 24, 2014
  • Public Service Career Options, Drake University Law School guest speaker, October 31, 2013
  • Why Melissa Nelson was Irresistible to the Iowa Supreme Court, Polk County Women Attorneys, September 25, 2013
  • Implicit Bias and the Irresistible Dental Assistant, Iowa State Bar Association, August 30, 2013
  • New (and Revealing) Deposition Techniques, Iowa Association for Justice Personal Injury Seminar, August 23, 2013
  • When is it Right to Discuss Settlement?, Iowa State Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Seminar, November 9, 2012
  • Employment Law 101, Iowa State Bar Association Nuts & Bolts Seminar, October 15, 2012
  • The Plaintiffs’ Perspective on Employment Discrimination Claims, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Technical Assistance Program, June 27, 2012
  • Top Ten Tips for the Next Generation of Plaintiffs’ Employment Lawyers, National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention, June 21, 2012
  • Ethics Panel, Iowa Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Bridge the Gap Seminar, May 11, 2012
  • Wishing on a Lodestar, National Employment Lawyers Association Eighth Circuit Conference, April 21, 2012
  • Punitive Damages: Because You Can’t Put a Corporation in “Time Out,” Iowa Association for Justice Annual Convention, November 11, 2011
  • Expert Disclosures Under Revised Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26, Iowa Association for Justice Personal Injury Seminar, August 26, 2011
  • Starting Up & Staying Alive: Succeeding as a Plaintiffs’ Employment Lawyer, National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention, June 30, 2011
  • Injured Workers: an Overlap of Opportunities OR a Traverse of Traps, Iowa State Bar Association Annual Meeting, June 24, 2011
  • Discovery Strategies & Challenges in Leave & Disability Cases, National Employment Lawyers Association, October 15, 2010
  • To Object or Not to Object: Trial Advocacy & Evidentiary Issues, Polk County Women Attorneys, July 28, 2010
  • Representing Workers in FMLA Retaliation & Interference Claims, National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention, June 24, 2010
  • Return to Work Issues in the Context of Recent Changes to the ADA and FMLA, Iowa Workers’ Compensation Advisory Committee Symposium, June 3, 2010
  • Employment Law Legislative Update, National Employment Lawyers Association Eighth Circuit Conference, April 16, 2010
  • The New ADA: Added Protection for Your Clients, Iowa Association for Justice Annual Workers Compensation Seminar, February 11, 2010
  • The Psychology of Employment Discrimination, Iowa State University guest speaker, February 1, 2010
  • Where Has Lilly Gone? Ledbetter Case Update, Iowa Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Seminar, November 13, 2009
  • Sovereign Immunity & the FMLA, National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights, April 23, 2009
  • Cross-Examining the Adverse Deponent to Obtain Helpful Admissions, National Employment Lawyers Association, March 20, 2009
  • Employment Law Issues in Worker’s Compensation Claims, Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, February 26, 2009
  • Rainmaking Panel Discussion, Polk County Attorneys Association, September 11, 2007
  • Rainmaking Women, Polk County Women Attorneys, April 25, 2007
  • Employment Discrimination Case Studies, Greater Des Moines Friends of Human Rights Annual Symposium, April 18, 2007
  • Maximizing Damages in Harassment Cases, Polk County Women Attorneys Employment Law Seminar, May 12, 2006
  • Getting the Big Fish on the Hook: Employer Liability, Iowa Association for Justice Employment Law Seminar, April 21, 2006
  • Protecting Your Case from Summary Judgment and Bad Jury Instructions, National Employment Lawyers Association Eighth Circuit Conference, April 7, 2006
  • Employment Law Panel, Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers Advocacy Institute, March 2, 2006
  • Sexual Harassment in Education and Employment, Graceland University guest speaker, February 9, 2006
  • Desperately Seeking Damages, Iowa Association for Justice Employment Law Seminar, April 29, 2005
  • Settlement Alternatives, American Bar Association, November 16, 2004
  • How to Recognize Employment Law Claims, Iowa Association for Justice Annual Convention, November 5, 2004
  • Employment Law, The People’s Law School, October 5, 2004
  • The Plaintiff’s Deposition in an Employment Discrimination Case, Iowa State Bar Association, September 24, 2004
  • Answering Discovery, Iowa Association for Justice, September 3, 2004
  • Sexual Harassment, Iowa Court Reporters Association, May 15, 2004
  • Pretrial Procedure & Strategy, Polk County Women Attorneys, May 13, 2004
  • Pep Talk for Employment Warriors, Iowa Association for Justice Employment Law Seminar, April 30, 2004
  • Masters in Trial: From Opening Statement to Jury Deliberations, American Board of Trial Advocates, September 5, 2003
  • Hitting Back: Assaults in Defense of Sexual Harassment, Polk County Women Attorneys Employment Law Seminar, May 16, 2003
  • Sexual Orientation Discrimination under Local Ordinances, Iowa Association for Justice Employment Law Seminar, April 25, 2003
  • Hot Topics under the Family Medical Leave Act, Sterling Education Services, March 26, 2003
  • Sexual Harassment, Iowa Governor’s Safety Council, October 30, 2001
  • Sexual Harassment for Personnel Managers, Iowa Association for Justice, June 29, 2001
  • Valuation of Sexual Harassment Cases: A Plaintiff’s Lawyer’s Perspective, Iowa Defense Counsel Association, March 30, 2001
  • Experts in Sexual Harassment Cases, Iowa State Bar Association Labor & Employment Law Seminar, September 15, 2000
  • Jury Instructions in Sexual Harassment Cases, Iowa Association for Justice, June 9, 2000
  • Trying Sexual Harassment Cases, Iowa Association for Justice, June 30, 2000
  • Evaluating Employment Discrimination Cases: When to Say No, Iowa Association for Justice, April 16, 1999

 

Civic Activities
  • Johnston Public Library Foundation Board, 2006–2012
  • Simpson College Corporate Development Committee, 2002–2005
  • St. James Lutheran Church, Johnston, Iowa
    • Church Council, 2004 –2006
    • Child Safety Task Force, 2011
    • Confirmation Student Mentor, 2010–2011
    • Sunday School Teacher, 2002–2005
    • Global & Social Ministry Team, 2006–present
    • Stewardship Team, 2005
    • Worship & Music Team, 2004
    • Youth & Family Team, 2002 –2003

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