BW INSIGHTS

Estate Planning With Pets

By Robert D. Hodges & Katheryn J. Thorson | 08.04.2022

Who will care for your pet after you die? Can you appoint a guardian for your pet? Who will pay for your pet’s care? If you have a pet, these are questions you may have thought about. Fortunately, you can develop a plan for your pets in your estate plan. In Iowa, pets are treated as property under the law. This means that you cannot leave money... Read More

The EPA's Rule Withdrawal Impact on Environmental Due Diligence

By Ellen M. Hames & Karen L. Karr | 07.12.2022

Since our last post, “New ASTM Standard for Commercial Real Estate Phase I Environmental Site Assessments”, the Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) withdrew its direct final rule to adopt the new ASTM E1527-21 standard for the EPA’s “All Appropriate Inquiry” rules. The “All Appropriate Inquiry” rules provide a framework under which a... Read More

Will v. Trust: What's the Difference and Which One is Right for You?

By Robert D. Hodges & Katheryn J. Thorson | 07.06.2022

You have probably heard of wills and trusts in the estate planning context, but what is the difference between the two? Both a will and a trust are used to distribute your assets upon your death. Both allow you to name beneficiaries to receive your assets and a fiduciary to control the distribution of your assets. However, there are some key... Read More

BrownWinick Attorneys Successfully Represent New Fashion Pork and BWT Holdings before the Iowa Supreme Court

By Jen E. Lindberg & James L. Pray | 06.30.2022

In a major development for the agricultural industry in Iowa, the Iowa Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal of a nuisance case and reversed a previous Supreme Court decision on constitutional grounds. BrownWinick attorneys James White, Jen Lindberg, and Jim Pray successfully represented New Fashion Pork and BWT Holdings before the Iowa Supreme... Read More

Who Should I Name as Guardian for my Minor Children?

By Robert D. Hodges & Katheryn J. Thorson | 06.17.2022

Naming a legal guardian is often the most important estate planning decision for people with minor children. When you become a parent, it is a good idea to have a will in place so you can name a legal guardian for your children if anything were to happen to you. Here are seven things to consider when choosing who to name as your children’s... Read More

New ASTM Standard for Commercial Real Estate Phase I Environmental Site Assessments

By Karen L. Karr & Ellen M. Hames | 05.17.2022

On November 1, 2021, the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) International released its revised standards for conducting an environmental site assessment of a parcel of commercial real estate. The new standard updates the previous standard released in 2013. Now referred to as ASTM E1527-21, the ASTM standard is widely used to satisfy... Read More

One Step Closer to Hemp Production in Iowa

By Joe Leo & Christopher R. Sackett | 10.31.2019

Today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its interim final rule for nationwide legal hemp production. This is an important step toward hemp production in Iowa. Hemp production took a hiatus in the U.S. when, in the 1970s, it was classified as controlled substance. That all changed in the 2018 Farm Bill which legalized... Read More