Laubenthal, Robert J.

Current Employment Position(s)

Partner

Year Joined Organization: 1965

Lawyer Overview

Admitted to bar: 1965, Iowa; 1989, Nebraska. Education: State College of Iowa, B.A., 1961; University of Iowa, J.D., with distinction, 1965. Mr. Laubenthal is the senior member of the Firm. His trial experience includes insurance defense, personal injury, worker compensation, product liability, civil rights issues, business torts, property damage and crop insurance cases. He serves as the general counsel for Iowa Western Community College. He represents a number of public bodies in addition to private clients. Member: Federation of Insurance Corporate Counsel, Litigation Section of the American Bar Association, Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers, Iowa Defense Counsel Association, Iowa Association of Workers' Compensation Lawyers. President: Pottawattamie County Bar Association, 1982 - 1983. Mr. Laubenthal is past President of the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce, 1979 - 1980, and past President of the Salvation Army Advisory Board and the Council Bluffs YMCA Board of Directors. Mr. Laubenthal has more than 45 years personal injury, insurance defense experience including property damage and crop insurance and more than 200 trials.  He has participated in over 100 arbitrations and mediations and is available as an arbitrator and mediator.

Areas of Practice

• Litigation
• General

Representative Clients

• American Growers, Inc.
• Silverstone Group
• Allied Insurance
• Allstate Insurance
• Farm Bureau Insurance
• Iowa Western Community College
• Peoples National Bank

Representative Cases

• East Broadway v. Taco Bell Corp, 542 N.W. 2d 816 (Iowa 1996)
• Allied Mutual Ins Co v. Costello, 557 N.W. 2d 284 (Iowa 1996)
• Holst v. Countryside Ent., Inc., 14 F. 3d 1319 (8th Circuit 1994)

West Practice Categories

Litigation & Appeals, Personal Injury, Tax

Bar Admissions

• Iowa, 1965
• Nebraska, 1989

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Federation of Insurance Corporate Counsel (Member)
• Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers (Member)
• Iowa Defense Counsel Association (Member)
• Iowa Association of Workers' Compensation Lawyers (Member)
• Pottawattamie County Bar Association, 1982 - 1983 (President)

Classes and Seminars

• Nebraska Claims Professionals Seminars, Smith Peterson Law Firm, 1994 - 1995

Pro Bono Activities

• Legal Services to low income households, 1965 - 2000

Past Employment Positions

• Iowa Western Community College, General Counsel
• Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce, Past President, 1979 - 1980
• Salvation Army Advisory Board, Past President
• The Council Bluffs YMCA, Board of Director
• The Council Bluffs Noon Rotary, Member

Education

• University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa, 1965
  J.D.
  Honors: With Distinction
• State College of Iowa, 1961
  B.A.

References

• Peoples National Bank
• Silverstone Group
• Cutler Funeral Homes
• Heartland Properties
• Agro National LLC
• Iowa Western Community College

Accepts Credit Cards

Address

35 Main Place
Suite 300
P.O. Box 249
Council Bluffs, IA 51502-0249

Phones

(712) 328-1833

Faxes

(712) 328-8320

Emails

Contact Us

Websites

http://www.smithpeterson.com