Mike's Experience

Member, Iowa State Bar Association and Dickinson County Bar Association.  ISBA Criminal Law Section Member.  ISBA Family Law Section Member.  

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Designed and implemented cooperative Legal Studies Program between ILCC and Buena Vista University.  Courses taught: Legal Reasoning, Constitutional Law, Legal Ethics, and Administrative Law, Criminal Law and Procedure, Constitutional Law, Intro To Law, Criminal Justice, Research and Writing, Torts and Litigation,  Domestic Relations, Business Law, and American National Government.

 

 

General consulting, research and writing services provided to attorneys in the area of appellate practice, preparation of discovery materials, motions, and legal memoranda. Civil and criminal case investigation which included conducting witness interviews, tax returns, legal memoranda and accident investigation.

 

 

 

Developed and coordinated a small claims system for collection of delinquent charge accounts. Also performed general credit investigation and represented the company in small claims court.

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Legislative Intern

Honorable James Middleswart

House of Representatives

Iowa Statehouse

Des Moines, Iowa 50309

Spring semester 1977

Student Attorney

Story County Legal Aid

Iowa State Univ. Campus

Ames, Iowa 50019

Spring semester 1980 EDUCATION

 

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Presenter, Lawyers Chautauqua continuing legal education seminar, Okoboji, Iowa:  Appellate Oral Argument - criminal case, June 2002. 

 

Certified Instructor, American Academy of ADR Attorneys, August 2000.

 

Chief Contract Negotiator,  Iowa Lakes Community College Education Association, 1993 - 2000.

 

Elected to Board of Directors, American Mock Trial Association, 1994 - 2008. 

 

National Publicity Director,  American Mock Trial Association, 1996 - 2000.

 

Chairman, Committee on Two-Year Schools,  American Mock Trial Association, 1995 -2002.

 

Volunteer judge for Iowa high school mock trial tournaments as well as collegiate regional and national mock trial tournaments, 1983 - 2014.   American Mock Trial Association Regional Tournament Outside Observer and Tabulation Chair, 1997 - 2005.

 

Speaker, American Association for Paralegal Education, North Central Regional Conference: Teaching Critical Thinking, 1996.

 

Speaker, American Association for Paralegal Education Annual Conference: Litigation Preparation, 1988.

Co-chairman, American Association for Paralegal Education, Midwest Regional Conference, 1995.

 

Member, Family Law Syllabus Task Force, American Association For Paralegal Education, 1993.

 

Member, National Policy and Planning Committee, American Association for Paralegal Education, 1992-1995.

 

Member, Educational Committee, American Association For Paralegal Education, 1990-1991.

 

Elected to Board of Directors, Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum, 1997 -  2003.  Appointed 

treasurer, 1999.  Served as Board President and CEO, 2000 - 2002.

 

Candidate, Iowa House of Representatives, District 77, 1984.

 

Worked with Professor James Cleary, Drake University Law School, on Post Conviction Relief cases and on investigation of the 1981 riot at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison, Iowa, 1982-1983.

 

AWARDS

 

Recipient of the Congressman Neil Smith Award recognizing outstanding and exemplary contributions to law-related education in America, May 1999.

 

Accepted Phoenix Award on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum, September 1999. The Award was conferred by the International Association of Amusement Parks for extraordinary efforts in saving historic Arnold’s Park Amusement Park from destruction.

 

Award of Merit for outstanding contribution to Iowa Lakes Community College, conferred by the college president at commencement exercises, spring 1992.

 

Coach and Coordinator for the Spirit Lake High School Mock Trial Program.  Four time regional champions.  Qualified for state tournament 2009 - 2014.  Team received the Anthony Critelli Award for professional conduct and decorum at the state tournament in 2013.

 

Coach and Coordinator for the Mock Trial Program at Buena Vista University.  Midwest Regional Mock Trial Champions, 1999.  Third Place, 1999 National Intercollegiate Mock Trial Tournament. 

 

Coach and Coordinator for the Mock Trial Program at Iowa Lakes Community College.  Midwest Regional Champions 1994.  National Jr. College Champions - 1991, 1993 and 1994.  Third Place, 1992 National Tournament.  Seventh Place, 1998 National Tournament.

 

Coach and Coordinator for the Mock Trial Program at Des Moines Area Community College.  National Jr. College Champions, 1989.

 

Recipient of Drake University Law School’s Student Bar Association Presidential Award, 1982.

 

Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America. 

 

PUBLICATIONS AND COPYRIGHTS

 

M. Johnson, Torts and Litigation, copyright 1992, (Private Educational Publication)

 

M. Johnson, Domestic Relations, copyright 1991. (Private Educational Publication)

 

M. Johnson, Introduction To Law, copyright 1990. (Private Educational Publication)

 

Remington and Johnson, Some Practical Thoughts on Teaching Critical Thinking 

(Paralegal Educator June 1996).

 

Iowa Paralegal Competency Examination, copyright 1995.

 

Book review  for West Publishing Company -  McCord, Criminal Law (1994). 

 

Book review  for Little Brown and Company - Author unknown, Family Law For The Paralegal (1994).

 

Book review  for West Publishing Company - Blanchard, Litigation and Trial Practice for the Legal Assistant (1990). 

 

Book review  for Prentice Hall - Calvi, American Law and Legal Systems (1989).