Attorney Profiles

Admitted to bar: 1965, Iowa; 1989, Nebraska. Education: State College of Iowa, B.A., 1961; University of Iowa, J.D., with distinction, 1965. Mr. Laubenthal is the senior member of the Firm. His trial experience includes insurance defense, personal injury, worker compensation, product liability, civil rights issues, business torts, property damage and crop insurance cases. He serves as the general counsel for Iowa Western Community College. He represents a number of public bodies in addition to private clients. Member: Federation of Insurance Corporate Counsel, Litigation Section of the American Bar Association, Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, Iowa Defense Counsel Association, Iowa Association of Workers' Compensation Lawyers. President: Pottawattamie County Bar Association, 1982 - 1983. Mr. Laubenthal is past President of the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce, 1979 - 1980, and past President of the Salvation Army Advisory Board and the Council Bluffs YMCA Board of Directors. Mr. Laubenthal has more than 45 years personal injury, insurance defense experience including property damage and crop insurance and more than 200 trials.  He has participated in over 100 arbitrations and mediations and is available as an arbitrator and mediator.

Year Joined Organization

• 1965

Areas of Practice

• Insurance Defense
• Personal Injury
• Worker Compensation
• Product Liability
• Civil Rights Issues and Business Torts
• Property Damage
• Arbitration
• Mediation

Litigation Percentage

• 95% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

• Iowa, 1965
• Nebraska, 1989

Education

• University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa, 1965
  J.D.
  Honors: With Distinction
  
  
• State College of Iowa, 1961
  B.A.
  
  

Representative Cases

• East Broadway v. Taco Bell Corp, 542 N.W. 2d 816 (Iowa 1996)
• Allied Mutual Ins Co v. Costello, 557 N.W. 2d 284 (Iowa 1996)
• Holst v. Countryside Ent., Inc., 14 F. 3d 1319 (8th Circuit 1994)

Representative Clients

• American Growers, Inc.
• Silverstone Group
• Allied Insurance
• Allstate Insurance
• Farm Bureau Insurance
• Iowa Western Community College
• Peoples National Bank

References

• Peoples National Bank
• Silverstone Group
• Cutler Funeral Homes
• Heartland Properties
• Agro National LLC
• Iowa Western Community College

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Nebraska Claims Professionals Seminars, Smith Peterson Law Firm, 1994 - 1995

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Federation of Insurance Corporate Counsel
  Member
  
  
• Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers
  Member
  
  
• Iowa Defense Counsel Association
  Member
  
  
• Iowa Association of Workers' Compensation Lawyers
  Member
  
  
• Pottawattamie County Bar Association, 1982 - 1983
  President
  
  

Past Employment Positions

• Iowa Western Community College, General Counsel
• Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce, Past President, 1979 - 1980
• Salvation Army Advisory Board, Past President
• The Council Bluffs YMCA, Board of Director
• The Council Bluffs Noon Rotary, Member

Pro Bono Activities

• Legal Services to low income households, 1965 - 2000