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Brandon R. Underwood
Senior Associate
Email: bunderwood@fredlaw.com
Office: 515.242.8920
Assistant: Olivia Lucas, 515.242.8947

Overview
Brandon is an experienced trial and appellate lawyer. He serves owners, developers, and contractors on public and private construction projects to resolve disputes in mediation, arbitration and litigation. His experience includes mechanic’s liens, bid protests, defects, delays, negligence and DBE compliance.
Brandon also represents employers and individuals in employment litigation involving sex discrimination, age discrimination, race discrimination, ADA violations and tortious interference. He has drafted and enforced non-compete and trade secret agreements in state and federal courts.
Brandon regularly presents and writes on construction and employment law, including contributing to the Iowa Employment Law Blog.
Before joining Fredrikson, Brandon worked as a law clerk to the Honorable Stephanie M. Rose of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa and to the Honorable Justice Bruce B. Zager of the Iowa Supreme Court.
Articles & Presentations
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
- Presenter, “Construction Law: Advanced Issues and Answers,” National Business Institute, June 2020
- Author, “Iowa Supreme Court to Hear Appeal over Drug-Testing Notice Requirement,” Iowa Employment Law Blog, May 20, 2020
- Author, “Iowa Supreme Court Grants Further Review in Important Drug-Testing Case,” Iowa Employment Law Blog, April 3, 2020
- Presenter, “Delays and Other Problems on Construction Projects,” Iowa State Bar Association, March 2020
- Author, “Iowa Supreme Court Rejects Wrongful-Discharge Claim for Violations of Workplace-Drug-Testing Statute,” Iowa Employment Law Blog, December 20, 2019
- Co-presenter, “What To Do When Your Secrets Are Compromised by a Key Employee,” Iowa Biotechnology Association, October 2019
- Author, “Iowa Supreme Court to Address whether Wrongful-Discharge Claim Supplements Remedy in Workplace-Drug-Testing Statute,” Iowa Employment Law Blog, October 14, 2019
- Author, “Iowa Supreme Court 2018-2019 Term in Review: Labor and Employment Edition (Part II),” Iowa Employment Law Blog, August 20, 2019
- Author, “Iowa Supreme Court 2018-2019 Term in Review: Labor and Employment Edition (Part I),” Iowa Employment Law Blog, August 1, 2019
- Author, “Despite Most Headlines, U.S. Supreme Court Decision On Title VII Exhaustion Requirements Likely to Have Limited Application,” Iowa Employment Law Blog, June 5, 2019
- Co-presenter, “Construction Law Boot Camp,” National Business Institute, June 2019
- Author, “Eighth Circuit Jurisdictional Ruling Offers a Lesson in Drafting Arbitration Agreements,” Iowa Employment Law Blog, May 31, 2019
- Author, “Court Finds Employer’s Inquiry about Health Conditions of New Employees Absorbed in Merger Complies with ADA,” Iowa Employment Law Blog, January 4, 2019
- Presenter, “Troubleshooting Construction Project Legal Issues,” National Business Institute, December 2017
- Note, “Tread Lightly: Third-Party Retaliation Claims after Thompson v. North American Stainless,” 38 J. Corp. L. 464
Honors & Education
EDUCATION
- University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., 2013, with high distinction
- University of Iowa, B.A., 2010
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Iowa, 2013
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 2016
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, 2016
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 2017
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 2019
- United States Supreme Court, 2020
HONORS
- Best Lawyers®: Ones to Watch in America, Construction Law, Labor and Employment Law – Management, 2021
- Great Plains Super Lawyers, Rising Star—Business Litigation, 2018-present
- Administrative Editor, Journal of Corporation Law, Volume 38; Writer, Volume 37
- Outstanding Student Writer Award, Journal of Corporation Law, Volume 37
Professional Activities
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
- Council Member, Construction Law Section Council, Iowa State Bar Association, 2017-2020
- Member, Iowa State Bar Association
- Member, Polk County Bar Association
- Associated General Contractors of Iowa Leadership Academy, 2017-2018
- Associate, Blackstone Inn of Court, 2017-2018
- Ankeny Young Professionals
- Law Clerk, Honorable Stephanie M. Rose, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 2014-2016
- Law Clerk, Honorable Justice Bruce B. Zager, Iowa Supreme Court, 2013-2014
COMMUNITY
- Board of Directors, Spina Bifida Association of Iowa, 2017-2020