Licensed to practice law in both Iowa and Illinois, Alison’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation, particularly in the areas of education law, complex contract law, commercial law, administrative law, wrongful death law, personal injury law, and immigration law.

Whether working with a team of attorneys or leading the case, Alison has a track record of success. As a trial attorney, Alison’s recent victories include:

• Successfully overturning several administrative decisions to expel students at both the primary and collegiate levels.
• Won a $2.4 million-dollar judgment for a Northeastern Iowa church.
• Successfully defended multiple motions for summary judgment in several complex civil disputes.
• Overturning Medicaid-MCO decisions to ensure clients have access to the healthcare they deserve.
• Won a negligence lawsuit on behalf of a mentally ill man who was sexually abused by a group home employee for six to eight months.
• Successfully defending a first-degree murder charge that proceeded to trial.

In addition to guiding her clients through courtroom disputes, Alison has gained favorable outcomes for her clients by resolving disputes at their early stages through dismissal or settlement. She is adept at assessing risk and developing strategies to minimize any risk presented. Alison has obtained favorable results through both motion practice and mediation. Examples include:

• Successfully guiding multiple Iowa school districts through mediation and gaining a favorable settlement amount prior to proceeding to trial.
• Defending and settling multiple cases for small percentages of what was originally demanded;
• Successfully briefing and arguing numerous motions related to legal issues encountered at the outset of litigation, including administrative law and civil procedure issues.

Alison was born and raised in the Washington D.C. area, although her father is an Iowa native. She graduated from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Between college and law school, Alison served as an Environmental Education volunteer in the United States Peace Corps in Peru. At the University of Iowa College of Law, Alison served as an Articles Editor for the Journal of Corporation Law and published an article discussing the complexities of holding corporations liable for their actions overseas. She served on the Appellate Advocacy Board and graduated with Boyd Service honors after spending many hours volunteering at the local food bank and writing and producing a Know Your Rights Manual for detained immigrants in the state of Iowa. After law school, Alison joined Wandro & Associates as an Associate Attorney.

Alison cares deeply about her clients and is committed to guiding them through every step of what can be an intimidating and costly process. Alison is bilingual in English and Spanish and enjoys spending time with her friends, family, and her adopted Peruvian dog, Moose.

Bar Admissions

• State of Illinois (2016)
• State of Iowa (2017)
• United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
• United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• Immigration Court
• United States Court of Federal Claims

Education

• University of Iowa College of Law, Juris Doctor (2016)
• Rollins College, Bachelor of Arts in History and Music (2010)

Memberships and Activities

• Iowa State Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Chicago Bar Association

Wandro & Associates, P.C.

Founded in 1996, Wandro & Associates, P.C., is a full-service litigation law firm in Des Moines, Iowa. Over the past fifteen years, our firm has participated in some of the largest and most significant litigation in Iowa. From complex contract, business, product liability and personal injury cases to family law, criminal law and estate matters, we are ready to put our experience to work for you.

Our clients come first. “I’ve always looked at the law as a higher calling. I believe the whole reason lawyers exist is to help people,” says founder Steve Wandro. “That’s what it’s all about.” Under Steve’s leadership, the firm has a distinctly collegial and team-centered approach to advocacy. We are results-oriented and committed to achieving the best outcome possible in every case. This means working hand-in-hand with our clients so that we understand the intricacies of each case and paying close attention to how it affects their day-to-day life. It also means working together. Our attorneys draw on each other’s experiences and strengths in order to serve each client efficiently and productively.

Our firm possesses sophisticated legal skills and the resources necessary for handling a variety of cases, from small claims actions to large, complex cases. We take great pride in the results we have obtained for our clients.