Thomas J. Duff

Drake University Law School
Des Moines, Iowa
J.D. with Honors - May 14, 1988

University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
B.A. English - May 18, 1985

Iowa Association for Justice
* President: 2009-2010
* Board of Governors/Officer: 2000-2008

2012 Key Person Award (IAJ): In recognition of dedicated and effective advocacy for the rights of injured Iowans during past sessions of the Iowa General Assembly

2011 Roxanne Conlin Public Justice Award (IAJ): In recognition of successful pursuit of litigation to improve the quality of, and access to, communications for deaf and hard-of-hearing patients
American Arbitration Association- Certified Arbitrator: May 2017 to present
AV Preeminent Rating- Martindale-Hubbell 2014-2023
Iowa Civil Rights Commission-Mediator: April 2013 to present
Iowa Grievance Commission: 2013-2021
NAACP Legal Redress Committee: 2010-2018

FINRA Dispute Resolution Board of Arbitrators: 2004 to present.
American Academy of ADR Attorneys (Certified Mediator 2001)
National Employment Lawyers Association (national/local): 2000 to present
Iowa State Bar Association: 1998 to present
American Association for Justice: 1994 to present
Polk County Bar Association: 1994 to present

Justice Suffers from Deep Budget Cuts, Des Moines Register (January 13, 2010).

Preventable Medical Mistakes Killing Us, Des Moines Register (September 28, 2009).

Will $250,000 Make a Person 'Whole'? Des Moines Business Record (April 5, 2004)

Note, The Tort Liability of Mall Owners for the Criminal Conduct of Third Parties, 36 Drake L. Rev. 755 (1986-87); reprinted in, 1989 Personal Injury Review 604 (1989).

Attorney, October 2003 to present
Duff Law Firm, P.L.C.
The Galleria
4090 Westown Parkway, Suite 102
West Des Moines, Iowa 50266
Civil practice in both trial and appellate courts practicing in personal injury, medical negligence, product liability, civil rights and employment law.

Attorney, November 1993 to September 2003
Roxanne Conlin & Associates, P.C.
Des Moines, Iowa 50309-3826
Civil practice in both trial and appellate courts practicing in personal injury and employment law.

Attorney, September 1989 to October 1993
Vandeventer, Black, Meredith & Martin
Norfolk, Virginia 23510
Civil practice in trial and appellate courts in personal injury and workers' compensation defense.

Law Clerk, August 1988 to August 1989
The Honorable J. Calvitt Clarke, Jr.
United States District Court
Norfolk, Virginia 23510
Duties included legal research and preparation of judicial opinions in the criminal and civil areas.

United States Supreme Court
Iowa Supreme Court
United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
United States District Court Southern/Northern Districts of Iowa
United States District Court for the District of Nebraska

Hedlund v. State of Iowa, 930 N.W.2d 707 (2019)

Sanon v. City of Pella, 865 N.W.2d 506 (Iowa 2015)

Ackelson v. Manley Toy Direct L.L.C, 832 N. W2d 678 (Iowa 2013) (Amicus Curiae)

Williams v. Herron, 687 F.2d 971 (8th Cir. 2012).

Buldhaupt v. City of Des Moines, 772 N.W.2d 269 (Table) (No. 08-1454) (Iowa Ct. App. July 22, 2009).

Madison v. IBP, Inc., 149 F.Supp.2d 730 (S.D. Iowa 1999), aff'd in part, rev'd in part and remanded, 257 F.3d 780 (8th Cir. 2001), cert. granted, 122 S.Ct. 2583 (2002), on remand, 330 F.3d 1051 (8th Cir. 2003).

Miller v. Woodharbor Molding & Millworks, 174 F.3d 948 (8th Cir. 1999), on remand, 80 F. Supp2d 1026 (N.D. Iowa 2000), aff'd, (8th Cir. 2001) (No. 00-2052).

Metro Machine Corp. v. Mizenko, 419 S.E.2d 632 (Va 1992).

Let the Case Speak of Itself; Using Video in Mediation & Settlement (IAJ) November 10, 2016

Whistleblower Litigation (Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers) February 2015

Governmental Immunity (Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers) February 2014

Pursuing Claims Against Governmental Entities: Lessons from the Trenches (IAJ) August 13,2013

Legislative Update (IAJ) April 23, 2010 and November 4, 2010.

Iowa Equal Pay Act (IAJ) 2010.

Sexual, Racial and Other Harassment in the Workplace (National Business Institute) October 27, 2008.

Winning Your First Civil Trial (NBI) December 20, 2006

Advanced Personal Injury Practice in Iowa (NBI) February 17, 2005

The Continuing Violation Doctrine in Iowa, (ITLA) April 30, 2004

Discovery in Employment Cases, (ITLA) April 25, 2003

Ethical Considerations in Employment Discrimination Cases (ITLA) June 7, 2002 and November 7, 2003

Success Against the Biomechanical Defense Expert (ITLA) August 24, 2001.

Compulsory Arbitration: NELA (local) March 30, 2001.

Personal Injury Settlements in Iowa: Practical Methods for Perfecting the Settlement of a Claim (National Business Institute) May 7, 1999 and August 23, 2002.