Overview

Bridget is a leading litigator whose practice focuses on employment law. Bridget regularly drafts and litigates restrictive covenants, including noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements.

Bridget represents employers of all sizes in various state and federal courts and administrative agencies. She drafts and counsels employers in human resources policies and procedures, employment discrimination, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), wage & hour, National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) issues and union avoidance. She also assists employers with employment-related immigration issues.

Services

Experience

  • Klossner v. Impact MHC Management, LLC, No. 23-134 (Sup Ct. 2023). US Supreme Court denied plaintiff’s petition for writ of certiorari, thus leaving in place the Eighth Circuit’s decision (64 F.4th 349) in this case arising under the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988. The Eighth Circuit held that the district court erred in ordering the landlord to accept plaintiff's housing choice voucher, reasoning that while the statute requires a landlord to make reasonable accommodations that directly ameliorate the handicap of a tenant, that duty does not extend to accommodating a tenant's lack of income by accepting a government housing voucher the landlord would otherwise not accept from a low-income tenant.
  • Paskert v. Kemna-ASA Auto Plaza Inc., 2020 WL 7132262 (Sup. Ct. 2020). US Supreme Court denied plaintiff’s petition for writ of certiorari, thus leaving in place the Eighth’s Circuit decision (950 F.3d 535) affirming summary judgment in favor of the employer on claims of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation.
  • Haskenhoff v. Homeland Energy Solutions, Case No. LACV003210 (Iowa District Court for Chickasaw County) (2019). Joined trial team for two-week retrial of sexual harassment suit on remand from Iowa Supreme Court. The jury found, upon admission of liability for an underlying hostile work environment, that an ethanol plant’s officers had not constructively discharged a complaining lab manager.

Credentials

Education

  • University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., 1998, with high distinction
  • Central College, B.A., 1995, magna cum laude

Admissions

  • Illinois, 1998
  • Iowa, 2002
  • Nebraska, 2016
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 2002
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 1998 (Trial Bar 2015)
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 2002
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, 2002
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, 2016
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 2020

Recognition

  • Fellow, Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers
  • Lawyer of the Year in Des Moines for Employment Law-Management, Best Lawyers, 2022-2024
  • Best Lawyers in America, Immigration Law, 2010-2024; Employment Law-Management, 2013-2024; Labor Law-Management, 2013-2024; Litigation-Labor and Employment, 2013-2024
  • Great Plains Super Lawyers, Employment & Labor, 2016-2023
  • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Iowa—Labor & Employment, 2008-present
  • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, Iowa—Labor & Employment: Immigration, 2010-2013, 2015-2021
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated
  • Lawyer of the Year in Des Moines for Labor Law-Management, Best Lawyers, 2019
  • Great Plains Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2013
  • Central College Alumni Award for Personal, Civic and Professional Integrity and Accomplishment, 2012
  • Participant/Honoree, American Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section Leadership Development Program, 2011
  • Young Lawyers Division Award of Merit Recipient, Iowa State Bar Association, 2011
  • 40 Under 40, Des Moines Business Record, 2009

Civic & Professional

Professional Activities

  • Iowa State Bar Association, Member, Ways and Means Committee, 2022-present
  • ABA Labor & Employment Section’s Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee, Management Co-Chair, FMLA Subcommittee, December 2021-Present (previously Committee Fellow 2008-2009, Committee member 2010-present)
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, Merit Selection Panel, 2020-2021
  • Polk County Bar Association, Past-President, Board of Directors, (previously President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary and Director)
  • Iowa State Bar Association Board of Governors, District 5C Representative, 2017-2023
  • Iowa State Bar Association, Member, Annual Meeting Committee, 2011-present
  • Iowa State Bar Association, Council Member, Section of Labor & Employment, 2004-present
  • Iowa State Bar Association, Vice Chair, Continuing Legal Education Committee, 2006-2010
  • Iowa State Bar Association, President, Young Lawyers Division, 2007-2008
  • Iowa State Bar Association, District 5C Representative to Executive Council, Young Lawyers Division, 2003-2005
  • Iowa State Bar Association, Professional Development Committee Co-Chair, Young Lawyers Division, 2004-2005
  • Iowa State Bar Association, Volunteer Mock Trial Judge
  • American Bar Association, Member, Labor and Employment Law Section
  • American Bar Association, Vice Chair, Young Lawyers Division Labor and Employment Law Committee, 2008-2009
  • American Bar Association, Member, Litigation Section
  • Iowa Supreme Court Grievance Commission, Member, 2006-2018
  • Iowa Legal Aid Central Iowa Regional Office Advisory Council, 2014-present
  • Litigation Counsel of America™, Charter Fellow
  • Blackstone Inn of Court, Master of the Bench
  • Polk County Women Attorneys, Member
  • Iowa Law Review, Managing Editor, 1997-1998

Community

  • Polk County Volunteer Lawyers Project, Volunteer Lawyer
  • The Nutcracker Production, Ballet Des Moines, Volunteer
  • Ballet Des Moines, Board of Directors, President, 2022-present; Board Member, 2014-present
  • Girls Rock!DSM Board of Directors, Secretary, 2014-2021
  • Woodland Creek Reserve Homeowners Association, Secretary, 2014-present

News & Insights

Legal Updates

Publications & Presentations

Co-Presenter, State and Federal Updates, Fredrikson & Byron's Iowa Employment Law Seminar, October 28, 2022

Employment Law-NonCompetes, 60th Annual Seminar for the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, February 24, 2022

Co-Presenter, Family and Medical Leave Act: Opinions, Outcomes and Oddities, ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee Meeting, February 18, 2022

Interviewed in “Iowa Business Report,” Totally Iowa Media, December 6, 2020

Co-Presenter, Remote Workers—Here to Stay?, Fredrikson & Byron’s Employment & Labor Law Webinar Series, November 12, 2020

Co-Presenter, Federal & State Updates From 2020, Fredrikson & Byron’s Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 27, 2020

Co-Presenter, The Evolving Workplace During COVID-19, hrsimple Webinar, June 30, 2020

Presenter, Expert Insight in the Wake of COVID-19 on Iowa’s Unemployment Compensation Policies, Iowa Association of Business & Industry Webinar, May 20, 2020

Co-Presenter, Your Return to Work Blueprint, Fredrikson & Byron Employment & Labor Webinar, May 8, 2020

Presenter, Handbook Hangups: Ensuring Your Policies are 100, Fredrikson & Byron’s Employment Law Seminar, Des Moines, IA, October 4, 2019

Co-Presenter, Investigating Complaints in Today’s Workplace, Fredrikson & Byron Event, May 23, 2019

Co-Presenter, A 360 View—Hiring and Work Visa Strategies for Foreign Nationals, Human Resources Association of North Iowa (HRANI) Employment Law Conference, November 13, 2018

Presenter, 2018 Employment Law Trends, Fredrikson & Byron’s Employment Law Seminar, West Des Moines, IA, September 27, 2018

Co-Presenter, Sexual Harassment: What Should Employers Do Now?, Fredrikson & Byron Employment & Labor Law Program, May 16, 2018

Trainer, Ensuring a Respectful Workplace, Fredrikson & Byron, April 2018

Instructor, Employment Privacy Claims, Central Iowa SHRM HR-Related Law Series, February 2018 (annually recurring)

Instructor, Understanding the FMLA, Central Iowa SHRM HR-Related Law Series, October 2017 (annually recurring)

Presenter, 2017 Employment Law Changes, Fredrikson & Byron’s Employment Law Seminar, West Des Moines, IA, September 27, 2017

Presenter, Interview Hiring Dos and Don’ts, Fredrikson & Byron’s Employment Law Seminar, West Des Moines, IA, September 27, 2017

Presenter, Representing Employers in Labor and Employment Issues, ISBA Bridge The Gap Seminar, September 14, 2017

Contributing Author, “The Fair Labor Standards Act,” ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law/Bloomberg BNA, 2014-present

Contributing Author, “The Family and Medical Leave Act,” ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law/Bloomberg BNA, 2013-present

Author, "Polk County Bar Association President's Message," December 2016-January 2017

Author, "Polk County Bar Association President's Message," October-November 2016

Presenter, The Evolving Status of Joint Employment, Fredrikson & Byron’s 32nd Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 26, 2016

Co-Presenter, EEOC Insights, Fredrikson & Byron’s 32nd Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 26, 2016

Presenter, 2016 Employment Law Developments, Fredrikson & Byron’s Employment Law Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, October 6, 2016

Co-Author, "Model Policies and Forms for Iowa Employers," American Chamber of Commerce Resources, 2016

Presenter, Employment Law: FLSA, Issues & Strategies for the Trial Lawyer, Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers Seminar, February 25-26, 2016

Instructor, 2016 Spring HR Law Series-Employment Privacy Claims, Central Iowa Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, February 8, 2016

Presenter, Federal Employment Law Developments, Polk County Bar Association Fall General Practice CLE, Des Moines, IA, November 20, 2015

Presenter, Employment Law for Business Lawyers, Business Law CLE sponsored by the University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, IA, November 13, 2015

Presenter, Curiouser and Curiouser! Employment Law Developments and Bonus Session: Immigration Compliance Update, Fredrikson & Byron’s Employment Law Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, September 24, 2015

Presenter, Legislative, Administrative, and Executive Employment Law Developments, Iowa State Bar Association Bridge the Gap Seminar, May 14, 2015

Presenter, Help Wanted: Understanding the HR Implications of a Growing Workforce, Fredrikson & Byron and Banker’s Trust Breakfast Series Part 3, Des Moines, Iowa, December 4, 2014

Presenter, Employment Law Update, Polk County Bar Association Fall CLE, November 21, 2014

Presenter, Fredrikson & Byron’s 30th Annual Employment & Labor Law Seminar, October 28, 2014

Presenter, New Legislative, Administrative and Executive Developments, Fredrikson & Byron’s Employment Law Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, October 7, 2014

Presenter, The Ins and Outs of Personnel Files, Fredrikson & Byron’s Employment Law Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, October 7, 2014

Co-Presenter, Documenting the M&A Deal, Fredrikson & Byron’s Bank and Finance Seminar: Key Developments that Every Banker Should Know, August 20, 2014

Presenter, Growing Pains: Compliance Strategies for Employers, July 10, 2014

Presenter, Immigration Law for Businesses, 2014 Bridge the Gap Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, May 8, 2014

Presenter, Privacy in the Workplace, Central Iowa Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, Training for HR Law Series, West Des Moines, Iowa, February 24, 2014

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