Attorneys and Personnel

The Hamilton Law Firm attorneys and key personnel include Willis Hamilton, Steven Hamilton, Mary Hamilton and James Hamilton Jr.

Willis J. Hamilton

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Willis J. Hamilton was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, August 20, 1949. He graduated from Creighton University, B.A., 1971; J.D., 1974. He was admitted to bar, 1974, Iowa; 1977, U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa; 1984, U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit; 1985, Nebraska. Willis is a member of Buena Vista County, Iowa State, Nebraska State and American Bar Associations; Iowa Trial Lawyers Association; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America; Iowa Association of Workmen's Compensation Lawyers.

His practice areas are primarily Personal Injury and Workers' Compensation law. Willis Hamilton has been responsible for a number of significant cases.

He argued Ross v. Ross in the Iowa Supreme Court which established that it was not unconstitutional to treat farm employers and employees differently than other employers and employees in the Iowa workers' compensation system.

Willis tried Allen v. Finnman, which resulted in a verdict of $1.8 million in Cherokee County, Iowa.

He has represented a number of firemen and families in a propane explosion which resulted in significant confidential settlements in Buena Vista County, Iowa, in 2001.

Willis Hamilton also represented the Reitz Family in Woodbury County, Iowa in Reitz v. Buchanan where a cash settlement of $8 million was paid in July 2002. This is the largest known settlement in Iowa for a single personal injury case.

Steven D. Hamilton

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Steven D. Hamilton was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, November 9, 1947. Steven graduated from University of Notre Dame, B.A., 1969 and University of Arizona, J.D., 1972 Phi Delta Phi. He was admitted to bar, 1972, Arizona and U.S. District Court, District of Arizona; 1976, U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit; 1977, Iowa and U.S. District Courts, Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa. He was Vice Chairman, Moot Court Board, 1971-1972.

Steven is a member of State Bar of Arizona; Iowa Trial Lawyers Association; National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; The Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He practices primarily in Personal Injury and Workers' Compensation matters.

Steven Hamilton represented Kevin Biederman in Biederman v. The City of Sioux City. The case was settled for $2.5 million in 1994. This is one of the largest known settlements in Woodbury County, Iowa, for a single personal injury.

He represented Jim and Barbara Hooper in Hooper v. IBP, a workers' compensation case against IBP where Jim Hooper sustained depression as a result of physical injuries and was found to be totally disabled. After three appeals to the Iowa Court of Appeals in various matters and the passage of close to ten years, the matter was finally resolved in 2002.

Steve Hamilton has a pilot's license and flies the Firm's airplane, a Saratoga II HP. He is available to represent persons in aircraft injury.

Mary C. Hamilton

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Mary C. Hamilton joined the law firm in 1982. She was born in Storm Lake, Iowa, March 21, 1956. She graduated from Buena Vista College, B.A., Accounting, 1995, and Creighton University, J.D., 1996. She was admitted to bar, 1997, Iowa; 1998, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Iowa. She is a member of Buena Vista County, Iowa State and American Bar Associations. Mary also holds a Certified Public Accountancy Certificate. Mary practices in significant Domestic Relations, Personal Injury, Workers' Compensation and other litigation where her accounting background is of great value.

James R. Hamilton Jr.

James R. Hamilton Jr. is a paralegal with the firm, active in our Des Moines office. James graduated from Mankato State University. He has over thirty years experience supervising major litigation with national insurance companies, including catastrophic injury cases and major property damage cases. He has supervised litigation throughout Iowa, Michigan, the Midwest and in Nevada.

James has a great knowledge of the insurance industry, particularly large losses in workers' compensation, personal injury and property damage.