profile headshot of Christopher R. Sackett

Specialties

A business client exploring a key acquisition recently introduced me at a meeting as his “long-time friend, business advisor and lawyer, in that order.” He said I knew his business as well as any member of his management team, and the M&A process far better; and if anyone could get the deal done, I could. He then informed the seller that I would be leading all discussions and negotiations. That's how I want to be viewed and the role I want to play for all of my clients - a key member of the business and advisory team who also happens to be a capable and practical lawyer who understands the need to get the deal done.

My Approach

Some lawyers like to overcomplicate things. I don't. You don't hire me and my team to provide complicated memos and analysis. We're here to provide answers and creative solutions - so that you can stay focused on running and growing your business. Often, the simplest approach, or the path of least resistance/complexity is the best one. In a nutshell - “It doesn't have to be so hard.” And even when it is hard - it's our job to simplify and make it easier for our clients to succeed.

I'm (1) YOUR (2) business (3) attorney - serving 3 roles and in that specific order.  That means I work with you and your company to achieve your business objectives. I list specialties below, but I truly strive to specialize in your company - because every company is different. I want to be your “General Counsel”. To do that effectively, I need to understand your business and industry, your culture and people, and your goals and challenges. Then, I need to tailor my team and legal approach to fit.

It's all about your business, so I always try and remember one thing - the law is generally either a tool or a challenge in accomplishing your business objectives. It is never the objective itself.

More About Me

I've served on the BrownWinick Executive Committee for 18 years, and as the firm's Managing Partner from 2007 through 2022. I'm also on the Board of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, a member of the Greater Des Moines Partnership's International Trade Council, and I serve on the Community Advisory Board for Lincoln Savings Bank.  I've served as an expert panelist for VentureNet Iowa, a strategic advisor to the Iowa Economic Development Authority on the structure and operation of angel investor tax credit programs, and I have twice been appointed to the Iowa Department of Revenue Innovation Fund Tax Credit Advisory Panel.

I've been recognized by Chambers USA® as a leading practitioner in Iowa in corporate/mergers and acquisitions, Best Lawyers® for business organizations, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions and venture capital law, and Super Lawyers® for business organization, corporate law and mergers and acquisitions.

I graduated magna cum laude from Central College in 1989, and with distinction from the University of Iowa Law School in 1993.

My Specialties

  • Business/Transactional and Corporate
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Venture Capital and Private Equity
  • Corporate Finance and Securities
  • Manufacturing and Supply Chain
  • Dealer/Distributor/Franchise
  • Real Estate and Real Estate Development
  • Construction
  • Energy and Infrastructure

One Step Closer to Hemp Production in Iowa

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...
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BrownWinick Attorneys Named to 2024 Best Lawyers® List

08-17-2023 BrownWinick is pleased to announce that 33 lawyers have been included in the 2024 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. BrownWinick would like to congratulate the following attorneys named to the 2024 The Best Lawyers...
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Chambers USA 2023 Guide Recognizes Eight BrownWinick Attorneys and Four Practice Areas

06-1-2023 BrownWinick is proud to announce the recognition of several of its attorneys in the prestigious Chambers USA 2023 guide. Chambers USA is an esteemed legal directory that evaluates and ranks attorneys and law firms based on their legal expertise, professional achievements, and client feedback. The rankings and accolades received in Corporate/M&A,...
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2023 Great Plains Super Lawyers and Great Plains Rising Stars Feature BrownWinick Attorneys

06-1-2023 BrownWinick is excited to announce the following attorneys were selected for inclusion in the Great Plains Super Lawyers directory for 2023. The Great Plains Super Lawyers and Rising Stars listings include the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska.  Nine BrownWinick attorneys were selected for inclusion in the 2023 Great Plains...
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BrownWinick Law Firm Attorneys Featured in 2021 Great Plains Super Lawyers and Great Plains Rising Stars

08-20-2021 BrownWinick is excited to announce the following attorneys were selected for inclusion in the Great Plains Super Lawyers directory for 2021. Seven BrownWinick attorneys were selected for inclusion in the 2021 Great Plains Super Lawyers online listing: William Brown - Tax Michael Dee – Business Litigation Thomas Johnson – Business/Corporate James...
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Chambers USA 2021 Recognizes BrownWinick Attorneys and Practices

05-25-2021 BrownWinick, a preeminent business law firm with offices in Des Moines and Pella, has once again been ranked among leading law firms in the exclusive Chambers USA 2021 Guide. The Chambers USA 2021 Guide is compiled through a research-based review that evaluates the multiple practice areas of hundreds of law firms through investigative research and...
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BrownWinick Managing Partner Chris Sackett Signs CEO Commitment to Racial Equity in DSM

09-30-2020 BrownWinick is proud to announce that Chris Sackett, Managing Partner of BrownWinick, has recently signed the CEO Commitment to Racial Equity in DSM. This initiative is led by the Greater Des Moines Partnership's Inclusion Council in collaboration with the Directors Council as well as Capital Crossroads leadership. The initiative calls on CEOs and...
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BrownWinick Attorneys Named to 2021 Best Lawyers in America List

08-21-2020 BrownWinick is pleased to announce that 26 lawyers have been included in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers® has published their list for more than three decades, earning the respect of the...
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Hemp Fields of Opportunities

10-21-2019 There’s a lot of hype around hemp these days. Hemp products, including CBD, or cannabidiol, seem to be all over the market. Indeed, uses for hemp seem endless. The hemp plant can be used for anything from paper to therapeutic oils to rope and have even been considered for food products. Legislation was previously passed allowing physicians to...
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BrownWinick Attorneys Named to 2020 Best Lawyers List

08-15-2019 BrownWinick is pleased to announce that 24 lawyers have been included in the 2020 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers® has published their list for more than three decades, earning the respect of the...
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BrownWinick Attorneys Featured in 2019 Great Plains Super Lawyers and Great Plains Rising Stars

07-11-2019 Eleven BrownWinick attorneys were selected for inclusion in the 2019 Great Plains Super Lawyers online listing: William Brown – Tax Elizabeth Coonan – Employment and Labor Michael Dee – Business Litigation Alice Helle – Employee Benefits Thomas Johnson – Business/Corporate Ann Holden Kendell – Employment and Labor James Pray – Environmental Brian...
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Assistant

Paige Dixson

515-242-2419

Undergraduate

Central College

B.A., magna cum laude, 1989

Legal

University of Iowa College of Law

J.D., with distinction, 1993

Admitted

Wisconsin, 1993

Iowa, 1994

 

Memberships & Associations

  • Iowa State Bar Association
    Member; Sections on: Agricultural Law; Business Law; Intellectual Property Law; Real Estate and Title Law; Trade Regulation; International Law
  • American Bar Association
    Member; Business Law Section
  • Central College
    Member of National Advisory Council
  • State Bar of Wisconsin
    Member
  • Association of Business and Industry 
    Member; Board of Directors; District Director
  • Greater Des Moines Partnership 
    Member, International Trade Council
  • Iowa Department of Revenue Innovation Fund Tax Credit
    Advisory Panel