About Paige Fiedler


Phone: (515) 254-1999
Fax: (515) 254-9923
E-mail: paige@employmentlawiowa.com

Paige Fiedler grew up in Eldora and graduated from Simpson College in Indianola in May 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in management.

After working in Des Moines for four years, Paige began law school at Drake University, where she was a member of the Drake Law Review staff. She earned a J.D. with honors in May 1994 and was admitted to practice law in the State of Iowa in June 1994.

She takes cases involving sexual harassment; racial harassment; discrimination based on race, national origin, pregnancy, age, and sexual orientation; the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and general employment law.  She also serves as an expert witness in such cases.

Paige is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association, Iowa Employment Lawyers Association, Iowa Association for Justice, Iowa Bar Association, Polk County Bar Association, and Polk County Women Attorneys. 

She and her husband Charlie have two children, ages 21 and 17.  She enjoys reading, wine, exercise, gardening, and sports.

Paige is committed to changing the world--one case and one client at a time. 

Areas Of Practice:
Employment Law
Discrimination
Civil Rights

Bar Admissions:
State of Iowa (1994)
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)

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)

Published Article:
Case Note, 42 Drake L. Rev. 921 (1993)

Classes/Seminars Taught:
Wishing on a Lodestar, National Employment Lawyers Association Eighth Circuit Conference, April 21, 2012 (invited)

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 Practice 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

Honors and Awards:
Iowa Trial Lawyers Association 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
 


Professional Affiliations:
National Employment Lawyers Association, 1997 - present
        Annual Convention Committee, 2010-2012
Iowa Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Rules of Civil Procedure, 2004 - 2010
Iowa Civil Justice Foundation Board, 2008 - present
Iowa Association for Justice, 1994 - present
        Board of Governors, 2000 - 2006
Polk County Women Attorneys, 1994 - present
Iowa State Bar Association, 1994 - present
Polk County Bar Association, 1994 - present

Civic Service:

Johnston Public Library Foundation Board, 2006 - present
Simpson College Corporate Development Commitee, 2002 - 2005
St. James Lutheran Church, Johnston, Iowa
      Church Council, 2004 - 2006
              Secretary, 2005
      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

Reported Cases:

Mahony v. Universal Pediatric Servs., Inc., 643 F.3d 1103 (8th Cir. 2011)
Strom v. Holiday Companies, 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 & Casualty Co., 519 F. Supp. 2d 964 (S.D. Iowa 2007)
Pospisil v. O'Reilly Automotive, 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 Center, 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 Enterprises, 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 America 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 & Management 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 Services, 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 Services, 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 Community School District, 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 Financial Services, Inc., 178 F. Supp. 2d 1022 (S.D. Iowa 2001)
McElroy v. State, 637 N.W.2d 488 (Iowa 2001)
State v. Iowa District 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)