Tom Duff is a Des Moines personal injury lawyer with more than three decades of courtroom experience representing injured Iowans and employees treated unfairly at work. Born and raised in Des Moines, he has built a respected statewide practice grounded in results and personal attention.
Tom was born and raised in Des Moines, attended Dowling High School, and studied English at the University of Iowa. He earned his law degree with honors from Drake University Law School in 1988 and has spent his career serving clients across Polk, Story, Dallas, Warren, Linn, Johnson, Woodbury, and Dubuque Counties.
His practice focuses on personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful death, employment law, and mediation. Whether the case involves a car accident, workplace discrimination, or a catastrophic injury, Tom brings the same steady preparation and straightforward guidance to every client.
Tom began his legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable J. Calvitt Clarke, Jr. of the United States District Court in Norfolk, Virginia. He then practiced civil defense at Vandeventer, Black, Meredith & Martin before returning home to Iowa in 1993 to represent plaintiffs at Roxanne Conlin & Associates. He founded the Duff Law Firm in 2003.
He has argued cases before the Iowa Supreme Court, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and federal district courts across Iowa and Nebraska. Notable decisions include Hedlund v. State of Iowa, Sanon v. City of Pella, and Madison v. IBP, Inc.
Tom holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell (2014 to 2023) and served as President of the Iowa Association for Justice from 2009 to 2010. He received the 2012 Key Person Award and the 2011 Roxanne Conlin Public Justice Award for his work improving access to care for deaf and hard-of-hearing patients.
He is a certified mediator and arbitrator, serving on the FINRA Dispute Resolution Board of Arbitrators, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission mediation panel, and the American Arbitration Association. He has published articles in the Des Moines Register and Drake Law Review and speaks regularly on personal injury, employment law, and trial practice.
Tom has two children. Jim practices with the firm, and Emily is a Grand View graduate working as an educator. Outside the office, Tom enjoys biking, working out, traveling, and reading.
If you have been injured or mistreated at work, you deserve an attorney who knows Iowa courts and will fight for the outcome you deserve. Call Duff Law Firm to speak with Tom about your case and next steps.