Joseph A. Happe
CONCENTRATION
Joe Happe is a shareholder of the Davis Brown Law Firm and is co-chair of the firm’s Insurance Defense Department. His litigation practice is focused on construction litigation, professional negligence defense, fire causation and insurance law. He also has significant experience in products liability defense, personal injury defense, asbestos/mass tort litigation, and complex workers' compensation.
Joe has tried to verdict or arbitration decision many construction law cases, representing engineers and architects, general contractors, subcontractors and material providers in cases involving personal injuries, delay-related litigation and construction defects. He has advised clients on construction-related disputes including breach of contract, design or construction defects, differing site conditions, delays, and claims arising out of property damage, work site injuries or other related matters.
He offers extensive experience in auto and trucking liability cases, some involving catastrophic injuries, and serves on a national trucking company’s Rapid Response Team for trucking accident investigations.
In the area of fire-related litigation, Joe has handled many fire cases involving issues of cause and origin and complicated damages issues.
In addition, Joe has represented several large national manufacturers in mass tort litigation regarding the use of asbestos-related products in Iowa. He also has experience in latex cases and other products liability claims.
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
- AV® Preeminent™ rated by Martindale-Hubbell. The AV certification mark is a rating from a lawyer's peers ranking him or her at the highest level of professional excellence. A lawyer must be admitted to the bar for 10 years or more to receive an AV-rating.
REPRESENTATIVE ENGAGEMENTS
- Tried to verdict 92 jury trials, and numerous bench trials, involving a wide variety of insurance defense matters.
- Arbitrated construction cases before AAA Arbitration panels and privately retained arbitrators.
- Tried to completion more than 66 workers' compensation cases before the Iowa Division of Workers' Compensation.
- Defended bad faith cases, uninsured and underinsured automobile cases, coverage cases, excess exposure claims and extra-contractual liability matters on behalf of many insurers
- Trained as a mediator himself, Joe has been involved in numerous mediations of pre-litigation and litigated matters.
- Represented a large national retailer and local mall in all premises liability cases in the State of Iowa.
- Handled many high dollar death and injury cases for many national insurers
- Handled 19 appellate cases before the state's appellate courts.
- Retained by a national Workers’ Compensation insurer to act as counsel on compensability questions.
- Tried to completion the defense of one of the first cases involving the Iowa Consumer Fraud Act.
- Handled the defense of many professional negligence cases, including medical, real estate, construction and other licensed professionals.
COMMUNITY
Joe has been a member of the State Historical Society of Iowa Board of Trustees, was the Chair of the Iowa Historical Foundation Board of Directors and the Terrace Hill Society Board of Directors and has served on the Urbandale Action Council. He is currently on the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities and is a volunteer with the Youth Justice Initiative.
PERSONAL
Joe and his wife Betsy have four children and live in Urbandale, Iowa.
Memberships
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C. Edwin Moore American Inn of Court
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Council on Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
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Defense Research Institute (DRI)
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Iowa Association of Workers Compensation Attorneys
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Iowa Defense Counsel Association
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Iowa State Bar Association
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Polk County Bar Association
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Professional Liability Defense Federation
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Transportation Lawyers Association
Alma Maters
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Creighton University, 1982
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Creighton University School of Law, 1985
Bar Admissions
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Iowa, 1985
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Missouri, 1986
Articles