Stephanie
Techau

“Every case I complete makes me even more effective on the next one.”

Stephanie Techau still remembers her first job delivering newspapers in fourth grade. She also remembers the lessons learned from that job and from her many other early employers.

 

Her paper route taught her to be independent and reliable. Detasseling corn and waitressing throughout high school and college taught her to work hard and to respect others who do so. “Every job I’ve had has taught me something important,” she says. “The culmination of those early experiences formed my work ethic. That work ethic, combined with the small and large lessons from each case I have handled as a lawyer make me an effective attorney and mediator today.”

 

Representing employers and insurance carriers in workers’ compensation cases and employers, businesses, and insurers in civil matters still comprises a large part of Stephanie’s practice. She has a longstanding passion for investigating, analyzing, and understanding legal and medical issues to help her clients minimize their risks when navigating Iowa’s workers’ compensation or civil court systems.

 

Stephanie is also increasingly sought after as a mediator of workers’ compensation and civil cases. She enjoys successfully taking off her “advocate” hat when retained to serve as a neutral mediator and to help the opposing parties negotiate mutual agreements to resolve their disputes.

 

Stephanie has completed the intensive American Arbitration Association’s Mediator Training Course. Attorneys and parties that retain her for mediations value her neutrality, empathy, and efficiency.

 

Clients value that she actively listens and appreciates what they want to accomplish. “I respect my clients’ business decisions and work hard to achieve the results they desire, both for short-term and long-term,” she says.

The Best Lawyers in America®
2013–2025

 

The Best Lawyers in America®
Lawyer of the Year, Workers’ Compensation Law—Employers, Cedar Rapids, 2023, 2021, 2018, 2016, 2025

 

Martindale-Hubbell
AV® Preeminent

 

Great Plains Super Lawyers
Workers’ Compensation, 2013–2015

 

State Judicial Nominating Commission
Elected Attorney Representative District 5, 2001–2007

 

Supreme Court Board of Professional Ethics and Conduct
1996–2005

 

Iowa State Bar Association

  • Specialization Committee Workers’ Compensation Section Council
  • Workers’ Compensation Section Council
  • Bench-Bar Committee, Former Co-Chair
  • YLD Newsletter and Public Information Committee, FormerCo-Chair
  • YLD Justice For All Committee

 

Polk County Bar Association
Membership Committee, 1999–2002

 

Linn County Bar Association

 

Iowa Association of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

  • Annual Seminar, Co-Chair, 2001–2002
  • Board of Directors, 2002–2008

 

Iowa Defense Counsel Association

 

Iowa Women’s Leadership Conference 
Eastern Iowa Steering Committee, 2013–2014

 

Defense Research Institute

 

Lincoln Inn of Court
2008–2013

 

Blackstone Inn of Court
1995–2000

 

Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute

  • 1999–2000 
  • Class Program Coordinator, 2000–2001

“Iowa Code Section 85.39 Declaratory Order: What Does it Mean?”
Iowa Association of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Annual Meeting, October 21, 2010 (speaker)

 

“Proposed SEC Rule Will Regulate Indexed Annuities as Securities”
The Voice, Volume 7, Issue 46, November 19, 2009 (author)

 

“Establishing Causation: The Defendants Perspective”
Iowa State Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Seminar, April 6, 2007 (speaker)

 

“Avoiding and Defending Retaliation and ADA Claims During Workers’ Compensation Claims”
Nyemaster, Goode, West, Hansell & O’Brien P.C. Labor and Employment Seminar, October 14, 2005 (speaker)

 

“Return to Work after a Workers’ Compensation Injury”
Iowa Defense Counsel Association Workers’ Compensation Seminar, April 16, 2004 (speaker)

 

OVERVIEW

Stephanie Techau still remembers her first job delivering newspapers in fourth grade. She also remembers the lessons learned from that job and from her many other early employers.

 

Her paper route taught her to be independent and reliable. Detasseling corn and waitressing throughout high school and college taught her to work hard and to respect others who do so. “Every job I’ve had has taught me something important,” she says. “The culmination of those early experiences formed my work ethic. That work ethic, combined with the small and large lessons from each case I have handled as a lawyer make me an effective attorney and mediator today.”

 

Representing employers and insurance carriers in workers’ compensation cases and employers, businesses, and insurers in civil matters still comprises a large part of Stephanie’s practice. She has a longstanding passion for investigating, analyzing, and understanding legal and medical issues to help her clients minimize their risks when navigating Iowa’s workers’ compensation or civil court systems.

 

Stephanie is also increasingly sought after as a mediator of workers’ compensation and civil cases. She enjoys successfully taking off her “advocate” hat when retained to serve as a neutral mediator and to help the opposing parties negotiate mutual agreements to resolve their disputes.

 

Stephanie has completed the intensive American Arbitration Association’s Mediator Training Course. Attorneys and parties that retain her for mediations value her neutrality, empathy, and efficiency.

 

Clients value that she actively listens and appreciates what they want to accomplish. “I respect my clients’ business decisions and work hard to achieve the results they desire, both for short-term and long-term,” she says.

RECOGNITION

The Best Lawyers in America®
2013–2025

 

The Best Lawyers in America®
Lawyer of the Year, Workers’ Compensation Law—Employers, Cedar Rapids, 2023, 2021, 2018, 2016, 2025

 

Martindale-Hubbell
AV® Preeminent

 

Great Plains Super Lawyers
Workers’ Compensation, 2013–2015

 

State Judicial Nominating Commission
Elected Attorney Representative District 5, 2001–2007

 

Supreme Court Board of Professional Ethics and Conduct
1996–2005

 

PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS

Iowa State Bar Association

  • Specialization Committee Workers’ Compensation Section Council
  • Workers’ Compensation Section Council
  • Bench-Bar Committee, Former Co-Chair
  • YLD Newsletter and Public Information Committee, FormerCo-Chair
  • YLD Justice For All Committee

 

Polk County Bar Association
Membership Committee, 1999–2002

 

Linn County Bar Association

 

Iowa Association of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

  • Annual Seminar, Co-Chair, 2001–2002
  • Board of Directors, 2002–2008

 

Iowa Defense Counsel Association

 

Iowa Women’s Leadership Conference 
Eastern Iowa Steering Committee, 2013–2014

 

Defense Research Institute

 

Lincoln Inn of Court
2008–2013

 

Blackstone Inn of Court
1995–2000

 

Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute

  • 1999–2000 
  • Class Program Coordinator, 2000–2001

SPEECHES & PUBLICATIONS

“Iowa Code Section 85.39 Declaratory Order: What Does it Mean?”
Iowa Association of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Annual Meeting, October 21, 2010 (speaker)

 

“Proposed SEC Rule Will Regulate Indexed Annuities as Securities”
The Voice, Volume 7, Issue 46, November 19, 2009 (author)

 

“Establishing Causation: The Defendants Perspective”
Iowa State Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Seminar, April 6, 2007 (speaker)

 

“Avoiding and Defending Retaliation and ADA Claims During Workers’ Compensation Claims”
Nyemaster, Goode, West, Hansell & O’Brien P.C. Labor and Employment Seminar, October 14, 2005 (speaker)

 

“Return to Work after a Workers’ Compensation Injury”
Iowa Defense Counsel Association Workers’ Compensation Seminar, April 16, 2004 (speaker)