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News And Firm Updates

April 14, 2020

Information on Corona Virus & Workers’ Compensation

April 5, 2019

A Polk County jury awarded a $12.25 million verdict to an Iowa man and his wife after he underwent a radical prostate removal surgery only to later by told that didn’t actually have cancer or need the surgery in the first place. Attorney Mark Hedberg represented the couple and brought in additional lawyers to help as the case progressed. The case was featured by People Magazine in a story available here: https://people.com/health/man-incorrect-cancer-diagnosis-prostate-surgery/

December 12, 2018

Attorney Mark Hedberg presented arguments to the Iowa Supreme Court on behalf of AFSCME Council 61 to challenge the constitutionality of a statute passed in 2017 to limit the rights of many public employees to negotiate over critical topics such as wages and health insurance.

August 6, 2017

Attorney Art Hedberg, who built the firm into one of Iowa’s most respected and widely-recognized workers’ rights law firms, passed away at the age of 89.

January 3, 2017

Attorney Nate Boulton was sworn in as an Iowa State Senator. He will be serving a term of four years in the Iowa Legislature and represent an area of Polk County that includes areas of north and east Des Moines and Pleasant Hill.

September 14, 2016

Attorneys Mark Hedberg and Nate Boulton gave their arguments before the Iowa Supreme court in Homan v. Branstad, the case challenging the Governor’s veto that closed two of the state’s four mental health facilities

June 17, 2015

IOWA workers` compensation | Advisory committee | org - 1913

Attorney Nate Boulton has been elected president of the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee is an organization comprised of constituency representatives of businesses, insurance companies, labor unions, claimant attorneys, and defense attorneys that seeks to support the enhancement of the workers’ compensation system in the state of Iowa.

May 29, 2015

Homan, et al, v. Branstad, Juvenile Home Closure Case, STATEMENTS ON SUPREME COURT DECISION

February 26, 2015

Attorney Mark Hedberg: Lawsuit is about Constitutional limits to the Governor’s powers. It’s critical to know “what the executive can or can’t do next.”

http://www.radioiowa.com/2015/02/25/supreme-court-hears-arguments-over-closing-of-toledo-juvenile-home/

February 24, 2015

Attorneys Mark Hedberg and Nate Boulton are at the Iowa Supreme Court for Homan v. Branstad arguments. You can watch live beginning at 7pm at www.iowacourts.gov

January 5, 2015

The Supreme Court of Iowa has set a special evening session to hear the case of Homan v. Branstad. Arguments for the case, involving the closure of the Iowa Juvenile Home in Toledo, will be held at the Iowa Judicial Brank Building at 7:00pm on February 24. In 2014, a district court judge determined the governor acted unconstitutionally in closing the facility. Attorneys Mark Hedberg and Nate Boulton represent the state employees’ union president and a group of state legislators who brought the claim against the governor. Arguments are open to the public and can be watched online at www.iowacourts.gov

December 1, 2014

Attorney Nate Boulton was elected to serve as vice president of the Iowa Association for Justice at the organization’s annual convention in November.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/business/networking/2014/12/01/board-appointments-house-mercy-iowa-association-justice/19725543/

November 6, 2014

WHO-TV aired a story featuring attorney Nate Boulton, who serves as Vice President of the Iowa Association for Justice, about the organization’s efforts to fund a therapy dog that was recently placed with On With Life.

http://whotv.com/2014/11/05/therapy-dog-provides-new-motivation/

dog

October 10, 2014

Such a fun honor as attorney Nate Boulton represented the Iowa Association for Justice today in placing a therapy dog with the On With Life brain injury rehabilitation facility.

September 9, 2014

Governor Branstad has now appointed an acting Worker’s Compensation Commissioner. Attorney Nate Boulton drew attention to this issue with an editorial that was published on Friday.

September 5, 2014

Attorney Nate Boulton in a Des Moines Register Iowa View essay on Branstad administration tactics at Workforce Development: “Abusing power to bully judges is bad for business, bad for the integrity of our system of justice and unfair to Iowa’s citizens.”
Where is Branstad’s replacement for Godfrey?

September 5, 2014
Attorney Nate Boulton provided his legal analysis for WHO-TV Channel 13 of the potential for civil claims in the tragic Ellingson drowning case.
Des Moines Attorney Explains Legal Side of Ellingson Case

July 3, 2014
Attorney Mark Hedberg explains the union’s position on members’ rights to wear anti-Branstad buttons.
Debate over anti-Branstad buttons worn by state prison workers

June 24, 2014
Attorney Mark Hedberg’s Supreme Court brief was quoted in a Des Moines Register article that covered AFSCME’s union pins. Hedberg successfully fought for the union’s right to distribute the pins to its members to be worn in work areas and is now defending the union’s legal victory before the Iowa appellate courts.
Iowa’s largest public employee union says it’s their right to wear a pin uncomplimentary to the state’s governor; state disagrees.

Great Day

May 7, 2014
Great day for the post Drake Relays downtown street painting. Check out our new square on Court Avenue, where attorney/artists Nate Boulton and Sarah Wolfe gave the sidewalk the full “Bob Ross” treatment.

April 14, 2014
Attorney Mark Hedberg successfully represented AFSCME, the public employees’ union, in a claim contesting the Branstad administration’s efforts to ban state workers from wearing anti-Branstad pins. An administrative law judge ruled that it was illegal for the administration to prohibit the pins
State workers can wear anti-governor pins, judge says

March 19, 2014
Attorney Mark Hedberg will be addressing delegates to the United Auto Workers State Community Action Program Convention on standing up for workplace rights.

March 18, 2014
Attorney Nate Boulton delivered a lecture entitled “Enhancing Your Community” to the Des Moines Jaycees last week. His remarks were aimed at energizing young professionals so they become more involved in their personal, professional, and public lives.

AFSCME

March 3, 2014
Attorneys Mark Hedberg and Nate Boulton were honored by AFSCME Iowa Council 61 today for their successful efforts in two separate lawsuits to push back against unconstitutional actions by Governor Branstad. The attorneys each received a gavel with the dates of their Supreme Court victory in 2012 and their recent district court victory in 2014.

February 14, 2014
Hedberg & Boulton attorneys file with Iowa Supreme Court to defend the recent District Court ruling that Governor violated Iowa Constitution in closing the Iowa Juvenile Home.

February 5, 2014
A very important victory in ensuring the spending powers of the Governor cannot nullify those of the Legislature.
Ruling to reopen Juvenile Home called ‘100 percent win’ by supporters

January 10, 2014
The Des Moines Register editorial on the lawsuit filed by our attorneys is right on point: It is critically important to protect and maintain the limits of Constitutional powers.

January 8, 2014
Workplace injuries can happen in unusual ways. One of attorney Nate Boulton’s cases was #3 on the 2014 top ten bizarre workers’ comp cases in the U.S. published by Larsons/LexisNexis. Fortunately, the worker was awarded the compensation he deserved for his serious injuries even though they way he was injured was certainly unexpected
The Top 10 Bizarre Workers’ Comp Cases for 2013

January 2, 2014
Hedberg & Boulton attorneys Mark Hedberg and Nate Boulton have filed a lawsuit on behalf of AFSCME Iowa President Danny Homan and four Iowa legislators challenging the constitutional and statutory authority used by Governor Branstad in shutting down the Toledo Iowa Juvenile Home. The firm also represented Homan and several legislators in a successful legal challenge to Governor Branstad’s use of an item veto in 2011. In 2011, the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled the Governor’s actions unconstitutional.

December 13, 2013
A new set of television ads had begun airing on central Iowa network television.

Nate Boulton

November 10, 2013
For the second time in three years, Hedberg & Boulton attorney Nate Boulton received the Key Person Award at the Iowa Association for Justice annual convention. In addition to the honor, Boulton was installed an officer of the organization at the convention as well.

October 26, 2013
Hedberg & Boulton has launched its first television advertisements. The ads debuted during the World Series and will continue to run through November.

July 30, 2013
Attorney Nate Boulton, who also teaches sport law at Simpson College, is now a regular featured guest of the Miller and Brinson radio show on AM 1460 KxNO in Des Moines. Boulton offers analysis on sports-related legal issue for the show.

March 7, 2013
Attorney Mark Hedberg represented AFSCME Iowa Council 61 in a successful arbitration over health care with the State. While the Governor sought a substantial and unprecedented cost-shifting on health insurance toward state workers, the Arbitrator sided with the union’s argument, ensuring that state employees will not face a dramatic hike in their health insurance costs.

January 9, 2013
Hedberg & Boulton, P.C. has started airing radio ads on AM 1460 KXNO in Des Moines. The ads promote our Facts for Workers website to help Iowans learn more about their rights in the workplace.

Prairie Meadows

January 3, 2013
Attorney Mark Hedberg is now a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino. Mark has served on that organization’s Board of Directors since 2010.

November 1, 2012
You can now follow firm news and updates for Hedberg & Boulton, P.C. on facebook by visiting http://www.facebook.com/HedbergBoulton.

October 3, 2012
Attorney Nate Boulton has been appointed as adjunct professor of labor law at Drake Law School. Nate continues to represent a number of labor unions as an attorney with Hedberg & Boulton, P.C. His labor law practice includes arbitrations, NLRB proceedings, state and federal court proceedings and appeals, and union certification elections.

May 30, 2012
Attorney Nate Boulton has been elected Treasurer of the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Advisory Committee. The IWCAC is an organization comprised of workers’ compensation claimant attorneys, defense attorneys, employers, insurance carriers, and labor leaders that is designed to bring all sides together to protect and advance Iowa’s workers’ compensation system.

May 23, 2012
Attorney Art Hedberg was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Polk County Democrats for his past civic involvement, including his tenure as chair of the Polk County Democratic Party.

March 20, 2012
Attorney Nate Boulton has been appointed by the Iowa Supreme Court to serve as a grader for the 2012 Iowa bar examination.

March 16, 2012

The Iowa Supreme Court unanimously held that Governor Branstad’s item veto of Iowa Workforce Development funds was unconstitutional. Attorneys Mark Hedberg and Nate Boulton represented AFSCME Iowa President Danny Homan and a group of Iowa legislators who challenged the item veto. The Iowa Supreme Court decision is available at https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/media/documents/112022_1D1699F3C2D16.pdf

February 21, 2012

Attorney Mark Hedberg completed oral arguments at the Iowa Supreme Court in Homan, et al, v. Branstad, a case that the Governor appealed after the district court determined that Governor Branstad’s line-item veto on portions of a bill appropriating funds for Iowa Workforce Development was unconstitutional. As attorneys for the party challenging the legality of Governor Branstad’s item veto, attorneys Mark Hedberg and Nate Boulton released a statement about the case: HEDBERG & BOULTON STATEMENTS ON SUPREME COURT ARGUMENTS February 21, 2012 – Des Moines, Iowa

February 9, 2012

Hedberg & Boulton, P.C. has launched a revised informational site at www.FactsForWorkers.com. The website contains information about workers’ compensation law, employment law, labor law, wills, FMLA, ADA, personal injury claims, and other areas of the law.

December 31, 2011

The Sioux City Journal reported on work by attorney Mark Hedberg to recover wages for Woodbury County Sheriff’s Deputies who were not paid for time spend caring for and training their working dogs. The paper reported that a federal district court judge had approved the settlement reached by the parties for payment of the unpaid earnings and that the county has adjusted its compensation practices for officers with canines.

December 8, 2011

Attorneys Mark Hedberg and Nate Boulton represented the plaintiffs in Homan, et al, v. Branstad, a case that received a favorable ruling from the district court on whether or not Governor Branstad’s line-item veto on portions of a bill appropriating funds for Iowa Workforce Development was unconstitutional. According to the district court’s ruling, the governor exceeded his authority in vetoing the legislative restrictions that related to appropriations of over $8.6 and $4.3 million dollars. The restrictions required that the number of Iowa Workforce Development field offices could not be reduced if the funds were accepted.

Click here for the district court ruling

Click here for the statements made by the firm’s attorneys

November 10, 2011

Attorney Nate Boulton was awarded the 2011 Key Person Award by the Iowa Association for Justice at the organization’s annual convention. The award was made to Nate in recognition of “dedicated and effective advocacy for the rights of injured workers during the legislative session.”

November 8, 2011

Attorney Nate Boulton will be awarded the 2011 President’s Faculty Achievement Award by William Penn University at the school’s winter commencement ceremony.

September 15, 2011

Attorney Mark Hedberg was quoted in an Associated Press article concerning the labor law issues related to the reinstatement of terminated corrections workers. Mark represents AFSCME Iowa Council 61, and the correction workers’ rights under the union’s collective bargaining agreement were at issue in the case.

August 16, 2011

Attorney Nate Boulton has been appointed by the Iowa Supreme Court to serve as a grader for the 2011 Iowa Bar Examination.

June 24, 2011

Nate Boulton was recognized by Simpson College as the recipient of the 2011 Recent Alumni Loyalty Award for his involvement in the Simpson College community. Nate is an adjunct professor at Simpson and serves on the Board of Directors for the Simpson College Alumni Association as well as the Board of Directors for the John C. Culver Public Policy Center at Simpson College. Nate also taught an alumni college class entitled “Hard Fouls or Intentional Torts: Examining Ethics and Law in Sports” as part of the college’s alumni weekend festivities.

June 20, 2011

Nate Boulton has been named to the Drake University Bulldog Club Board of Directors. The Bulldog Club Board acts as an advisory board for the Drake athletic department in terms of enhancing the student-athlete experience and strengthening and improving the athletic programs at Drake University.

June 2, 2011

Mark Hedberg, a practitioner in both labor law and workers’ compensation, spoke on return to work issues unique to workplaces with a collective bargaining agreement at the 2011 Annual Workers’ Compensation Symposium in Des Moines.

March 10, 2011

Attorney Mark Hedberg was named in the Des Moines Register as one of the “People on the Move” in greater Des Moines. Mark is President of Hedberg & Boulton law firm and sits on the Board of Directors of Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino.

March 5, 2011

Attorney Nate Boulton has been elected Chair of the Faculty Advisory Committee at the William Penn University College for Working Adults. Nate is an adjunct professor at William Penn and teaches courses ranging from business law to conflict resolution and ethics.

February 11, 2011

Attorney Nate Boulton was interviewed by WHO Radio in Des Moines about the Iowa Association for Justice’s Byard Braley Scholarship Program. The scholarship is part of IAJ’s “Justice in Deed” program and is designed to help injured workers and their immediate family members with education costs. In 2010, the scholarship was awarded to the spouse of a worker who was represented by Hedberg & Boulton, P.C. More information about the scholarship program is available at http://www.iowajustice.org/.

February 1, 2011

Hedberg & Boulton, P.C. has launched http://www.factsforworkers.com/ as a resource for Iowa workers to use in learning more about their rights in the workplace. The website has a number of “Fast Facts” for employees on areas of law ranging from workers’ compensation to FMLA law to unemployment benefits.

January 24, 2011

Attorney Nate Boulton has authored a law review article that was recently accepted for publication by the Drake Law Review. His article, entitled “Establishing Causation in Iowa Workers’ Compensation Law: An Analysis of Common Disputes over the Compensability of Certain Injuries,” will be included in Volume 59, Issue 2 of the publication and will be printed this spring. Nate will be delivering a presentation on his article at the 2011 Iowa Association for Justice Workers’ Compensation Seminar in February.

December 1, 2010

Attorney Mark Hedberg has been appointed to serve as a member of the Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino Board of Directors.

November 12, 2010

Attorney Nate Boulton has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the John C. Culver Public Policy Center at Simpson College. The Center oversees an academic fellowship program as well as a variety of public affairs programs at Simpson College.

October 5, 2010

Attorney Nate Boulton was the featured guest for an hour-long program on 98.3 WOW-FM about the upcoming judicial retention election and Iowa’s merit selection system for judicial appointments.

September 24, 2010

Attorney Mark Hedberg was featured in a Des Moines Register news article regarding an employee termination appeal case he has taken on behalf of a Des Moines Police Bargaining Unit member.

July 16, 2010

Attorney Mark Hedberg was featured in an article on the legal news website Law360. The article reviewed a recent Iowa Court of Appeals decision where attorney Mark Hedberg successfully argued that labor arbitrators have the power to subpoena company documents that relate to union grievances, even if the company possessing the documents is not a party to the arbitration proceeding.

May 5, 2010

Attorney Mark Hedberg was quoted on labor and employment law issues in a Des Moines Register article. The article discussed grievance procedures and collective bargaining in the public sector.

March 21, 2010

Attorney Nate Boulton was featured in Simpson College’s Spring Issue of “Simpson The Magazine” for his role as an adjunct professor in the Evening, Weekend & Graduate program. This fall, Nate will teach a newly designed course on sports law at Simpson College.

March 8, 2010

Attorney Mark Hedberg was quoted in a Des Moines Register article concerning the duties held by labor unions in handling employee grievances.

March 4, 2010

Attorney Nate Boulton , who also serves as a part-time college professor at William Penn University, has been elected vice chair of the faculty advisory committee for the College for Working Adults. He also serves as chair of the school’s faculty development committee.

November 4, 2009

Attorney Nate Boulton was elected to the Board of Governors of the Iowa Association for Justice (formerly the Iowa Trial Lawyers Association).

July 1, 2009

Hedberg Law Firm, P.C. is now Hedberg & Boulton, P.C. Attorney Nate Boulton is now an officially named partner with the firm.

June 12, 2009

The firm has completed an recent office expansion project, including the addition of a conference room and new office spaces for attorneys and staff.

May 1, 2009

March 27, 2009

Attorney Art Hedberg resigned his position on the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Advisory Committee after a long history serving as a member and past president of that organization. Attorney Nate Boulton was nominated and elected to replace him on the committee.

March 26, 2009

Attorney Nate Boulton participated in a televised forum on labor and employment law issues at Drake University. The panel of four experts discussed various legislative proposals relating to employment law and labor law in Iowa. The forum was hosted by IowaPolitics.com.

September 16, 2008

Attorney Nate Boulton had an essay on the need for better protection of injured workers under Iowa’s workers’ compensation laws published in the Des Moines Register.