Community

Professional Activities

The lawyers at LaMarca Law Group, P.C. are proud to serve as leaders in the Iowa legal community. This leadership role has been exemplified by our attorneys’ professional awards, commitment to legal education, legal publications, and leadership positions in state and national trial lawyer organizations.

Commitment to Legal Education

At LaMarca Law Group, P.C., we have a proud history of supporting and participating in legal education programs.

LaMarca Law Group, P.C. attorneys have been invited to lecture on trial tactics and other subjects related to litigation at more than 100 seminars and programs by Iowa and national organizations providing accredited continuing legal education for lawyers, legal assistants, and legal investigators.

For over 25 years our attorneys have been involved in the education and mentoring of over 100 Drake and University of Iowa law school students participating in the firm’s highly respected law clerkship program. We strongly believe that serving as mentors to law students not only benefits the legal community, but future clients as well.

LaMarca Law Group, P.C. is an approved internship sponsor for the Legal Assistants certification program at Des Moines Area Community College.

Ryan Nixon has taught as an adjunct professor at Drake University College of Business and Public Administration in the Masters of Accounting graduate program and undergraduate pre-law program.

Gary G. Mattson has both written and lectured extensively on Iowa workers’ compensation laws and contested case presentation methods at accredited continuing education programs for Iowa attorneys.

The firm’s attorneys frequently serve as judges and coaches in law school and community “Moot Court” and ”Mock Trial” programs.

Law Student Scholarships and Awards

George A. LaMarca has established the George A. LaMarca Trial Advocacy Scholarship at Drake University Law School. In 2002, Mr. LaMarca initiated this scholarship with a total endowment of $225,000, which funds an annual scholarship to a student who has demonstrated an interest in the field of trial advocacy. Scholarship, financial need and participation in extra-curricular activities related to trial advocacy, such as Mock Trial or Moot Court, are co-equal factors in the selection of a recipient.

Philip J. De Koster has established the K.M. Waggoner Peer Mentoring Award at Drake University Law School. In 2010, Mr. De Koster initiated this endowed fund, which will provide an annual award to a student who embodies Dr. K.M. Waggoner’s spirit of mentoring and has made a significant positive impact on their fellow students through peer mentoring. The award is made annually at the Supreme Court Day celebration and is designed to further a culture of mentoring at the law school and in the legal profession.

LaMarca Law Group, P.C. annually sponsors the Iowa Supreme Court Writing Competition Award, given as part of Drake’s Supreme Court Day Celebration. Five finalists are selected by the Drake Law School faculty, and the winner is selected by the Iowa Supreme Court. The winner’s article is published in the Iowa Bar Association’s journal, The Iowa Lawyer.

Legal Publications

LaMarca Law Group, P.C. attorneys have authored over 60 articles accepted for publication by law schools and respected legal journals.

Iowa Pleading, Causes of Action and Defenses, by George A. LaMarca

This book is the premier Iowa litigation pleadings and practice manual. It is the only book of its kind, and Iowa litigators deem it to be the authoritative and reliable source for determining the proper causes of action, affirmative defenses and the required pleading language for over 200 causes of action and defenses. This highly-acclaimed book contains a combined analysis of Iowa case law, the Iowa Code and Rules of Procedure, along with key advice and forms for these actions and defenses.

While Mr. LaMarca was the principal author, many of the lawyers at LaMarca Law Group, P.C. contributed their experience, research and forms to make this a comprehensive and definitive work for Iowa litigators. For more information on this book, click here. It is used by students at both Drake University School of Law and the University of Iowa School of Law. All revenue from the sale of this book goes to support the public affairs efforts of the Iowa Association for Justice.

Trial Practice Leadership

In addition to their trial experience, the lawyers at LaMarca Law Group, P.C. are active in professional organizations that are dedicated to the professional development of trial attorneys.

George A. LaMarca served on the Board of Governors of the Iowa Association for Justice for over 15 years. He has also served in all of the executive committee and leadership positions for five years leading to his election as President of that organization in 1995-96.

Mr. LaMarca serves as the National Board Representative from Iowa for the American Board of Trial Advocates. He was elected President of this prestigious trial lawyers organization in 2006.

James Biscoglia serves on the Board of Directors for the Iowa Association for Justice and is also a Legislative Action Committee Member of that organization.

Roman Vald is a charter member of a select group of Iowa attorneys trained and certified in high conflict divorce parenting coordination and serves as a founding member of the High Conflict Divorce Coordination Working Group.

Andrew H. Doane has served on the Ethics & Practice Guidelines Committee of the Iowa State Bar Association.

Gary G. Mattson has been an active member of the Iowa Association of Workers Compensation Lawyers. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Iowa Association for Justice for All PAC since 2004.

Community Involvement

Gary G. Mattson has been very active with the Iowa and North Central States Chapters of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Iowa Chapter, as well as Vice Chair from 1999-2002 and Chairman from 2002-05. He served on the Board of Directors of the North Central States Chapter for 2007-08, as well as Vice Chair from 2005-07 and Audit Committee Member from 2009 to present.

James J. Biscoglia is currently the Assistant Wrestling Coach at the Waukee High School and a Team Coach at the Johnston Urbandale Soccer Club. He was a Staff Coach with Vision Soccer Academy in Waukee, Iowa from 2004-08. He spent five years as a high school soccer referee and two years as an NCAA soccer referee. He has USSF National Coaching and USA Wrestling Bronze Coaching Licenses and was a certified Soccer Referee by the NCAA and Iowa High School Athletic Association. He also has taken an interest in the development of youth recreational green space and serves as President of GET WYRD, a non-profit corporation organized to help develop green space for recreational programs in the Waukee area.

Drennan L. Fischer is a member of Soroptomists International, a charitable organization promoting the needs of women. She is also a member of the Iowa Wine Growers Association.

Andrew H. Doane is an Innocence Partner fundraiser for the Innocence Project, a non-profit legal clinic that utilizes DNA evidence to prove the innocence of people in prison for crimes they did not commit. He also has been a Merit Badge Counselor for Boy Scouts of America. He has served as a Legal Observer during national elections and a legal researcher for the Louisiana State Public Defender’s Office in the wake of Hurricane Katrina

Trial Lawyer Publications

“The Trial Masters,” published by Prentice-Hall
George A. LaMarca was an invited contributor to this national legal anthology. A number of the nation’s leading trial attorneys were invited to submit works on various aspects of the trial process. Mr. LaMarca wrote the chapters on Opening Statement and Demonstrative Evidence of this highly acclaimed book.

The Trial Diplomacy Journal
George A. LaMarca was on the Board of Editors of this journal from 1998 to 2009. It is a national legal publication that promotes excellence in trial advocacy by providing a peer-reviewed professional medium for learning courtroom skills and trial techniques from the nation’s top trial attorneys.

The Trial Lawyer
George A. LaMarca was the editor and substantial contributor to this journal from 1982 to 2001. It is a national legal publication that promotes excellence in trial advocacy by providing a peer-reviewed professional medium for learning courtroom skills and trial techniques from the nation’s top trial attorneys.

Modern Trials.2d
The late and legendary Melvin M. Belli was the editor of this prestigious and encyclopedic work covering all aspects of civil and criminal litigation. Mr. Belli asked a number of the country’s top trial lawyers to contribute to this publication. George A. LaMarca wrote the chapter on Opening Statements.

Forensic Science
Highly acclaimed and nationally prominent forensic pathologist Cyril H. Wecht, M.D. gathered a number of experts in a variety of scientific, medical, and legal fields to provide these professionals with state of the art investigation methods and techniques for use in both criminal and civil cases. As a result of working with Dr. Wecht in the Younker’s Merle Hay Department Store Fire and other cases, Dr. Wecht invited Mr. LaMarca to write the chapter on Investigation of Fire Cases.

George A. LaMarca has received two separate Bancroft-Whitney Company Awards for notable contributions to legal literature for 27 Am.Jur. Proof of Facts 2d 471 (1981) and 37 Am.Jur. Proof of Facts 2d 439 (1984).

Mr. LaMarca has prepared both written materials and lectured on legal investigation techniques and strategies at continuing education programs sponsored by both the Iowa Association of Private Investigators and the National Association of Legal Investigators.

For a complete list of Mr. LaMarca’s publications and editorial positions, and the publications of other attorneys, please visit George’s biography page of this website.

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