How much money does a developer need to spend before the government cannot pull the rug out from under a project? On April 24, 2026, the Iowa Supreme Court answered: how much you spend doesn’t matter—no permit, no vested right. The case, Worthwhile Wind LLC v. Worth County Board of Supervisors, carries significant implications for
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Attorney William Serangeli Retires from Dickinson Bradshaw
Congratulations to William Serangeli on his retirement from Dickinson, Bradshaw, Fowler & Hagen, P.C.
With a remarkable legal career spanning across five decades, Bill focused his practice on representing business clients, including real estate companies, banks, and insurance companies, in commercial litigation and insurance defense matters. He served as general counsel for various Boards…
It’s Mechanics’ Lien Time
There is no question that the U.S. economy is under stress from several factors. One sector where stress is turning into distress is commercial construction. In September, Experian reported that while construction, and in particular commercial construction, has reached new heights, credit stress is building in commercial construction projects throughout the United States.
Growing delinquency…
Understanding the Iowa Real Estate Transparency Act and Administrative Rule Changes
In the wake of the NAR Settlement, law and administrative rules were changed to implement the two practice changes in Iowa. The Iowa Real Estate Transparency Act (Senate File 2291) and proposed administrative rules (ARC 7931C) together implement mandatory buyer agreements within the real estate transaction and change cooperative compensation…
Dickinson Bradshaw Named a Leading Law Firm by Chambers USA 2024
Dickinson, Bradshaw, Fowler & Hagen, P.C. has been ranked as one of the top firms in Iowa by Chambers USA in its annual survey, America’s Leading Lawyers for Business 2024.
Chambers identifies, ranks and differentiates the best legal talent globally using an independent research method that is unmatched in accuracy, depth and quality.
The following…
Real Estate Agent Practice Changes Under the Proposed NAR Settlement
Last year, the real estate profession was rocked by a lawsuit from Missouri known as the Sitzer/Burnett case. This case drew national attention as well-known real estate brokerages and the National Association of REALTORS® (“NAR”) received a $1.78 billion verdict against them. Plaintiffs alleged antitrust violations based on the cooperative compensation model required for participants…
Attorney Matthew Blake Joins Dickinson Bradshaw
Dickinson, Bradshaw, Fowler & Hagen, P.C. is pleased to announce that Matthew Blake has joined the firm as an Of Counsel attorney.
With an extensive background serving as the General Counsel to the Iowa Association of REALTORS, Matt’s practice primarily specializes in real estate and land use matters, including residential and real estate brokerage work.…
Litigator L. Lars Hulsebus Joins Dickinson Law
Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen P.C. is happy to announce that attorney L. Lars Hulsebus has joined the firm.
Lars brings nearly ten years of litigation experience with him, having handled a wide array of litigation cases in state and federal court. He also has experience in arbitrations and mediations, including before JAMS, the world’s…
Iowa Supreme Court Ruling Benefits Subcontractors
On June 17, 2022, the Iowa Supreme Court resolved an ambiguity in the mechanic’s lien statute which greatly benefits subcontractors.
As we have shared in prior blog posts, the law is clear that both general contractors and subcontractors must post timely notices to the MNLR website to secure mechanics’ liens on residential properties. But,…