A Local Firm Representing The Community
At the Higgins Law Firm, PLLC, we treat the people who come into our office as the friends, neighbors, family and fellow Iowans that they are. Although some people measure success in terms of how much money is recovered or whether charges were dismissed, the greatest sense of accomplishment we experience is watching our clients reach a sense of closure and pride in having stood up for themselves.
Committed To Defending Iowans
I have called Iowa home my entire life. Born and raised on a small farm west of Ottumwa, my early experiences watching my parents, particularly my mother, face challenges of inequality in the workplace inform my work and dedication to protecting the rights of working individuals and the families who rely on them.
Education And Work Experience
After graduating from Ottumwa High School, I attended the University of Iowa and then Drake University Law School, where I graduated in 2011.
While in law school, I clerked for the Ottumwa firm of Kiple, Denefe, Beaver, Gardner, Zingg, LLP, and for attorney Marc Humphrey at the Humphrey Law Firm in West Des Moines. Working with these firms, I gained a great deal of experience in the legal areas of personal injury, medical malpractice and products liability. I also practiced as a Student Attorney where I represented persons charged with crimes of various levels of severity including, but not limited to, OWI, assault, theft and possession of illegal substances.
It was working for the Iowa Civil Rights Commission that initially spurred my interest in the area of employment law, particularly laws that prohibit discrimination in the workplace. In screening complaints received by the commission from persons suffering the effects of discrimination, I came to understand the prevalence of harassment and discrimination in the workplace and the terrible harm that is inflicted on victims. Further, I learned the difference an attorney advocate can make in the lives of victims of discrimination.
I founded the Higgins Law Firm, PLLC, in 2011. The mission statement of the firm is to protect the rights of Iowans. The firm is dedicated to helping injured Iowans — those harmed in car wrecks and other types of accidents, by medical negligence, by unreasonably dangerous products and by discrimination in the workplace. I also defend Iowans who have been charged with crimes. In each case I strive to empower clients by giving them agency over their own affairs.
My wife, Melissa, and I were married in August 2010. We are the proud parents of two daughters and we live in Urbandale.
Recognition
- “Association of American Trial Lawyers (AOATL): Top 40 Under 40 for Employment Law”
- “The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40 (State of Iowa 2017)”
- “Top 100 Trial Lawyers, 2015, The National Trial Lawyers”
- “Premier 100 Trial Attorneys, 2015, American Academy of Trial Attorneys”
- “Great Plains Super Lawyers, Rising Star, (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)”
Professional and Community Affiliations
- American Association for Justice
- Iowa State Bar Association
- Polk County Bar Association
- Iowa Association for Justice – Board of Governors (2015-Present); New Lawyers Section (Chairman)
- National Employment Lawyers Association
- National Employment Lawyers Association – Iowa Chapter
- Des Moines Branch of the NAACP – Legal Grievance Committee
- Adjunct Professor of Law – Drake Law School
Schedule a free, confidential initial consultation with me, attorney Stuart Higgins, by calling 515-619-9148 or reach out to our West Des Moines law office by sending an email.