Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C. is delighted to announce that Grace Bogart and Rachel Soderstrum have joined the firm as Associate Attorneys. Both women began their legal careers at Dickinson Law as summer clerks in 2019.
Grace is a 2020 Juris Doctor graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law and holds a B.A. in political science (summa cum laude) from Iowa State University.
As a member of the firm’s Banking, Start-Up, and Real Estate Groups, she will be assisting businesses, creative professionals, and innovators to achieve their objectives and protect their brands. Her practice will focus on real estate and business transactions, wealth management, corporate law, intellectual property, privacy matters, and cybersecurity.
“Dickinson Law is exactly what I was looking for in a firm to kick off my legal career,” Grace said. “The firm is forward-thinking and innovative, and the staff and attorneys are beyond exceptional—both personally and professionally.”
While obtaining her law degree, Grace was a published student writer and editor for the Journal of Corporation Law, one of the nation’s top corporate law periodicals. Her passion for legal writing and publication also led her to explore emerging communication channels. Grace wrote, produced, and hosted a podcast while in law school, and now co-hosts Dickinson Law’s firm podcast, Beyond Juris, which will launch this fall.
“I am proud and eager to use my legal knowledge and communication skills to contribute to the thought leadership and entrepreneurial ecosystem in Des Moines,” she added. “Although I spent much of my childhood in Michigan, my family has been in Des Moines since 1912 when my great-grandfather emigrated from Norway at 18 years old. It is an honor to work with businesses to ensure the Midwest remains a prosperous place to call home for generations to come.”
Outside the office, Grace is an avid runner and enjoys traveling, painting, and spending time with her dog George.
Rachel is a recent Juris Doctor graduate (highest honors) of Drake University Law School and holds a B.A. in social work (summa cum laude) from the University of Northern Iowa.
Her practice at Dickinson Law will focus primarily in the areas of Employment, General Civil Litigation, and Family Law, by providing solutions for businesses and individuals.
“I am so excited to hit the ground running and begin my practice as an Associate Attorney with Dickinson,” Rachel said. “During my time as a Summer Associate with the firm in 2019 I gained exposure to many different areas of law and am looking forward to continuing to expand upon that knowledge as I assist clients with their legal problems.”
Prior to attending law school, Rachel worked in the field of social work where she gained a passion for advocating for individuals. She soon found that she wanted to pursue that advocacy role on a broader scale by pursuing her law degree.
“As an Iowa native, having the opportunity to give back to the community through my work as an attorney is something I am especially looking forward to,” she said.
While obtaining her legal training, Rachel gained collective experience in the areas of insurance defense, general litigation, and an assortment of family law matters. Among her roles, she has served as a Student Attorney at the Drake University’s Children’s Rights Clinic where she represented children involved in Juvenile Court proceedings in Polk County. She also competed on the National Moot Court team for the region for two years, where her team won first place at the regional competition and later went on to tie for third place at Nationals during the 2019-2020 season.
Growing up in her native town of Adel, Rachel developed a love for the outdoors, and enjoys biking, hiking, and running.