They taught me that by having empathy and perspective I could find common ground and grow as an individual by learning from others. Growing up, my parents stressed the importance of family and community. During my time in law school, I served on the Drake Law Review Editorial Board and was voted by my peers to be one of ten students inducted into membership in The Order of the Barristers national honor society. After graduating from Iowa, this passion led me back home to attend Drake University Law School, where I received my J.D. Growing up, I had a passion for justice and advocating for those who weren’t able to do so for themselves. Having grown up in the metro area, the only time I strayed from my roots was to cheer for the Hawkeyes while attending The University of Iowa where I received my B.B.A. I will offer you support and sound advice, and I will be there to celebrate your successes.ĭes Moines is, and always has been, my home. I want you to know I will sit with you and listen. During that time, I helped those who were hurting, gave advice from a place of true compassion and celebrated the successes clients who became the best version of themselves while striving to overcome their hardships. I worked in law firms while obtaining my undergraduate and graduate education. My dedication to the legal profession is nearly a decade old and my commitment to helping others has been lifelong. I was admitted to practice law in Iowa in 2017. I graduated from Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids with an associate of arts degree and a paralegal certificate, then from the University of Iowa in Iowa City with my bachelor of science in political science, then from Drake University Law School in Des Moines with my juris doctorate. While I no longer live in Cedar Rapids, you can usually find me there at our family cabin, or with my dad who, after 27 years, still enthusiastically obliges when I ask him to teach me his talent - playing guitar. My niece has become the centerpiece of our blended family and has shifted my focus toward more family-oriented activities and gatherings in my free time. On Christmas Day 2015, I gained my proudest title to date: Aunt. I also thought I’d forever be an only child until my mother remarried and I became the youngest sister to two older sisters and an older brother (we decided from the beginning there are no “steps” in our family). I thought I would live forever in Northeast Iowa until life brought me to Des Moines for law school in 2013. Toeing the line with the best women marathon runners in the United States was an experience I will always cherish. My proudest running accomplishment to date is having qualified for and competed in the 2012 Olympic Marathon Team Trials. I have competed in more than seven marathons and hold a personal best time of 2:44:06 for the 26.2-mile distance. Although I would like to say that I “just run for fun,” the truth is I am extremely competitive and love pushing myself to new personal bests. Outside of my family and work, my other true love is running. I reside in Des Moines with my husband TJ, son Theo, daughters Drew and Frankie and dog, Murphy. I am a certified family law mediator and parenting coordinator and am an adjunct professor at Drake University. I am extremely passionate about helping families transition peacefully and launching them successfully post-divorce. We use innovative legal techniques, such as collaborative law, mediation, and negotiation, so we can help you dissolve your marriage with respect and dignity - with courtroom resolution only as a last resort. Tollakson Law is committed to reclaiming the practice of law as a healing profession. I was admitted to practice law in Iowa in 2009, and embarked on a career dedicated to helping families in transition/crisis. I received my bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Spanish from the University of Iowa and my law degree from Drake University Law School. I grew up in West Des Moines, Iowa, having graduated from Valley High School.
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