Dentons Davis Brown

05/28/2026

Women are inheriting more wealth and influencing more financial decisions than ever before. So how can women take charge of their legacy - on their own terms?

Trust and estate shareholder Jana Weiler recently joined the DSM Wealth Podcast with host Suzanna de Baca as well as Erica Axiotis and Michelle Mahoney to talk about it.

Jana covered how women are reshaping estate planning conversations - from asking the “why” behind decisions to building multigenerational transparency.

Her key takeaway? Be active in the process. Know where your documents are, understand the basics, and stay involved in the conversations. Knowledge builds confidence - and ensures your legacy lives on your way.

🎧Watch or listen to the full episode: https://dsmmagazine.com/dsm-wealth-podcast-episode-5/

05/28/2026

Words of Wisdom from our colleague Jenna Wheeler, litigation attorney, and current West Des Moines Leadership Academy member:

Thank you for sharing your Words of Wisdom, Jenna!

Jenna Wheeler with Dentons Davis Brown PC is a current member of the 2025-2026 WDMLA program.

The West Des Moines Leadership Academy is sponsored by NCMIC.

05/27/2026

Real estate and renewable energy shareholder Shannon Hasse contributed to the latest edition of the Real Estate Global Practice Guide, published by Chambers and Partners.

Along with co-authoring the law and practice chapter, she authored, “Clouds and Currents: Evolving Challenges and Opportunities for Iowa Renewable Energy Development,” highlighting key legal real estate developments and trends impacting Iowa’s renewable energy industry.

You can read her chapter here: https://practiceguides.chambers.com/practice-guides/real-estate-2026/usa-iowa

05/27/2026

We are excited to share our contribution to the latest edition of the Real Estate Global Practice Guide, published by Chambers and Partners.

Real estate attorneys David Erickson, Shannon Hasse, Amy Montgomery, and Christopher Talcott authored a comprehensive chapter for the guide, providing a general overview of the law and practice in Iowa’s real estate landscape in 2026.

We invite you to read the chapter: https://practiceguides.chambers.com/practice-guides/real-estate-2026/usa-iowa

05/26/2026

Now more than ever, understanding the rules of your nonimmigrant visa status is essential. Whether you’re on a B-1/B-2 visitor visa, F-1 student status, or an H-1B work visa, knowing what activities are permitted – and what could put your status at risk – can make all the difference.

Immigration attorney Elizabeth Van Arkel covers five key areas every nonimmigrant should know about:

✅ Visitor visa limitations (B-1/B-2)
✅ F-1 student work authorization rules
✅ H-1B and H-4 employment restrictions
✅ Additional income streams that could be problematic
✅ How law enforcement encounters can affect your status

Even seemingly minor activities – like continuing remote work for an overseas employer while visiting the U.S. or generating hobby income – can create serious immigration consequences.

Read the full article to learn more: https://www.globalmobilityreview.com/staying-in-status-5-key-areas-to-nonimmigrant-visa-compliance/

05/26/2026

✨ Please help us welcome our 2026 Summer Associates to Dentons Davis Brown! ✨

We are excited to have this extraordinary group of law students join us for the summer. While they are here, they will get an up-close look at what it means to practice law at Dentons Davis Brown.

Welcome – we’re glad you’re here!

05/22/2026

🎙️Fresh off the Iowa Legislative Session, government relations attorneys Sydney Gangestad and Logan Murray sat down with IowaPodcast.com to break down what happened during the recently wrapped Iowa Legislative Session. Give it a listen/watch for key insights and takeaways from the Capitol.

05/22/2026

🎉Celebrating Mike Richards🎉

Please join us in congratulating Mike on his 15-year anniversary with Dentons Davis Brown!

Mike defends clients in all stages of complex civil litigation. He regularly represents professionals facing claims of negligence and liability, including architects, engineers, medical providers, lawyers, and brokers. He also represents businesses, companies, municipalities, and insurance carriers in a wide variety in construction litigation, contract disputes and claims of catastrophic personal injury claims. Mike is routinely engaged to provide coverage opinions for insurance carriers and insureds.

Mike is the former Secretary of the Dentons Davis Brown Board of Directors and is currently the Iowa Insurance Defense Department Chair.

We are proud to celebrate Mike’s dedication, leadership, and outstanding service to his clients and the firm over the past 15 years. Thank you, Mike 👏

https://www.dentons.com/en/mike-richards

05/22/2026

For in-house teams managing multijurisdictional retail portfolios, the greatest risk is rarely any single lease – it is fragmentation across the portfolio. Taking a strategic, portfolio-level approach and involving local counsel delivers measurable benefits in risk reduction, efficiency, and negotiating leverage.

Dentons lawyers Linda Warnke and Amy Montgomery expose where fragmented portfolios break down and share a multi-stage path forward that combines portfolio-level oversight with local-market depth from outside counsel to help strengthen lease management.

Read more: https://www.dentons.com/en/insights/articles/2026/may/20/managing-multijurisdictional-retail-leasing-portfolios

05/21/2026

🎊Join us as we celebrate Travis Waters’ 20-year anniversary at Dentons Davis Brown!

Travis started in our services department and now supports attorneys on our real estate team. We are grateful for all he does.

Thank you, Travis!

05/20/2026

🎉Celebrating John Pietila🎉

Please join us in congratulating John on his 25-year anniversary with Dentons Davis Brown!

John helps telecommunications and agribusiness clients navigate complex business strategies, regulatory change, and growth opportunities. His work spans mergers, acquisitions, financing, joint ventures, rural economic development, and telecommunications infrastructure projects. He also serves as outside general counsel and advises boards of directors on strategic, corporate, and regulatory matters.

John is a leader – he previously served as President for six years. Under John’s leadership, the firm successfully combined with Dentons, expanded its representation of key clients, and navigated the challenges of an unprecedented pandemic. Now, John serves as Chair of the Business Division.

We are proud to celebrate John’s dedication, leadership, and outstanding service to his clients and the firm over the past 25 years. Thank you, John! 👏

https://www.dentons.com/en/john-pietila