John Pietila, President

John is a business lawyer focusing on Corporate matters and Mergers and Acquisitions. He helps clients protect their businesses by managing risks and grow by capitalizing on opportunities associated with innovative business strategies and evolving regulatory frameworks. John frequently serves as outside general counsel and helps boards of directors across multiple sectors, including telecommunications and agribusiness, advising clients on ongoing strategic, transactional, corporate, and regulatory matters. He is general counsel for the Iowa Communications Alliance and is the current Chair of the Legal Committee for NTCA - The Rural Broadband Association. John has served as President of Dentons Davis Brown since 2019.

Lori Chesser, Vice President

Lori is a preeminent Immigration lawyer and advocate. Lori assists employers, business owners, and individuals as they navigate the complex U.S. immigration system. Her clients range from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies in sectors including healthcare, IT, insurance, agriculture, chemical, higher education, churches, and other non-profit entities. In addition to employers and their employees, she also represents entrepreneurs starting businesses in the U.S. and individuals sponsoring family members or wanting to naturalize. Lori also serves as Immigration Department Chair and served as Vice President 2004-2006.

Matt Laughlin, Secretary

Matt works primarily in the financial services sector, across all aspects of commercial and agricultural loan enforcement and creditor/debtor relationships. He represents commercial creditors, including local, regional, and national banks and other financial institutions. He assists clients with general real estate transactions including purchases, closings, easement agreements, and compliance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Truth in Lending Act. Matt also has a robust practice in complex business, commercial, and real estate litigation and appeals. He advises clients in landlord/tenant disputes, flood and condemnation litigation, mechanic’s liens, construction law, RICO, contract disputes, and other business and real estate litigation. In addition to serving as Secretary on the Board, Matt is also a member of the firm’s Space Planning and Finance Committees.

Tara Hall, Member

Tara has a general litigation practice including creditor’s rights, commercial litigation, business litigation, employment and labor relations, and appeals. Her practice includes work in several sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, real estate, and construction. Tara leads the commercial litigation team representing the United States’ second-largest multistate home healthcare provider and recently resolved for her client one of Iowa’s largest and most complex construction lawsuits in Iowa. She enjoys counseling and navigating clients through the often-complicated litigation process and identifying solutions to help them reach their goals. In addition to serving on the Board, Tara is a Dentons Litigation National Practice Co-Chair and a member of the preeminent Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers.

Sarah Franklin, Member

Sarah helps businesses with complex business and real estate litigation. She has a broad range of clients including insurance companies, banks and financial institutions, commercial property owners, individual property owners, product designers and manufacturers, and employers. Sarah has successfully first-chaired bench and jury trials before the district court, the Iowa Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of Iowa, and the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals. Her more recent matters include real estate developers in disputes, business owners in partnership disputes, and insurance companies in bad faith coverage denials. In addition to her seat on the Board, Sarah is Co-General Counsel for Dentons Davis Brown.