Attorney Profiles

Thomas W. Lipps

Thomas W. Lipps has sucessfully handled landmark cases, won multimillion-dollar jury verdicts and record-setting settlements.  He also handles Estates, Trusts, Wills, Probate and Estate Planning matters. 

Mr. Lipps represented the Plaintiffs who obtained a $33 million jury verdict in an environmental pollution case - reportedly a national record.

He also represented the Plaintiff in a jury trial recovering what still stands  as the highest verdict in Kossuth County history  for a wrongful death case as well as what was reported as the highest punitive damage award  in Kossuth County District Court history.

Mr. Lipps, in addtion to being licensed on all State and Federal Courts,  is qualified as a Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy  and a Fellow of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers.  Mr. Lipps is also a member of the Iowa Association for Justice(IAJ) and the American Association for Justice(AAJ).  Mr. Lipps received the 2000 Public Justice Award from the Iowa Association for Justice  for holding a Poultry Factory Farm accountable for pollution.  He has also handled, briefed and/or argued several significant Iowa Appellate decision including;

• 2022:  Goche v. WMG, L.C., 970 N.W.2d 860, (2022).   Mr. Lipps sucessfully represented WMG in an Application for Further Review to the Iowa Supreme Court after WMG had received  adverse ruliings from both an Iowa District Court and the Iowa Court of Appeals.  Presenting "a question of first impression," the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that  although Iowa Code Section 489.408(1), grants  indemnity to a corporate officer for his "activites on behalf of the company," it does not provide  indemnity for corporate officers who are  litigating againt their own company.  As a result, the Iowa Supreme Court reversed an Iowa Court of Appeals decsion and vacated an Iowa District Court judgment against WMG, ending on a high note,  over seven year of litigation against WMG involving two bench trials, one jury trial and no less than five Iowa Appellate decisions.
• 2021: NCJC, Inc. v. WMG, LC, 960 N.W.2d 58, (2021).  Mr. Lipps represented the appellant, WMG, who offered to confess judgment to NCJC. Although a jury subsequently awarded NCJC a verdict in an amount that was less than WMG’s offer to confess, the District Court, nevertheless, still awarded post-offer attorney fees to NCJC, reasoning, that NCJC  was a contractual “prevailing party.” In matter of first impression, the Iowa Supreme Court held that "Iowa Code Section 677.10 can be seen as the legislature's bright-line determination that  attorney fees incurred after the claimant rejects an offer to confess judgment are deemed unreasonable if the jury awards less than the amount offered."  The Supreme Court reversed the District Court, holding that any attorney fees incurred by NCJC after the offer to confess, were precluded.
• 2019:  Goche v. WMG, L.C., 2019 WL 1057105 (Iowa App.); No.18-0793.  Mr. Lipps represented WMG who appealed a District Court ruling which held that WMG was in breach of a Warranty deed.  The District Court also denied WMG's request for reformation of the deed.  WMG successfully appealed, with the Court of Appeals reversing the District Court. Upon retrial, WMG prevailed and the District Court reformed the deed to reflect the true intent of the parties.
• 2018: $501,000 judgment/jury verdict affirmed by Iowa Court of Appeals.  McIlrath v. Prestage Farms of Iowa, 889 NW2d 700 (Table);
• 2018:  Iowa Supreme Court Landmark Decision that rules it is against public policy for prenuptial agreements to bar recovery of attorney fees for a parent who litigates child custody, child support or alimony issues.  Erpelding v. Erpelding, 917 N.W.2d 235 (Iowa 2018);
• 2018:  Amicus Brief:  Honomichl v. Valley View Swine, 914 N.W.2d 223 (2018). Iowa Supreme Court affirms continued vitality of court's landmark decison, Gacke v. Pork Xtra, 684 NW2d 168 (Iowa 2004).  Mr. Lipps handled the Gacke case in 2004 where the Iowa Supreme Court declared unconstitutional a law that immunized wrongdoers and prevented homeowners from  holding  factory farm responsbile for air pollution damages.
• 2018:  Reinstatement of $500,000 Jury Verdict for Stray Voltage Damages (reduced by 20% comparative fault)  for damges casued to a  Dairy herd by power company's electrical system.   Burdick v. Interstate Power Company

David J. Siegrist
Brian D. Jones
Martin W. Peterson

Martin W. Peterson(1943-2022) practiced in Algona for over 51 years in the areas of Estates, Probate, Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning and Real Estate,until retiring in 2021.  Mr. LIpps and Mr. Peterson worked together in the same firm from 1984 until Mr. Peterson retired.  Mr. Lipps and the Siegrist, Jones, Lipps & Bakke Law Firm are now handling  Mr. Peterson's client matters. 

Siegrist, Jones, Lipps & Bakke are personal injury lawyers available to represent clients throughout Iowa including  Algona, Ames, Anekny, Britt, Carroll, Charles City,  Cherokee, Clarion, Clear Lake,  Des Moines, Emmetsburg, Estherville, Forest City, Fort Dodge, Garner, Hampton; Humboldt, Iowa Falls; Jefferson, Le Mars, Mason City, Okobobi, Osage, Pocahontas,  Rockwell City, Sac City, Sibley, Sioux City, Spencer, Spirit Lake, Storm Lake, Webster City  and especially Northern Iowa

Contact