Franklin J. Feilmeyer

Areas of practice

Frank Feilmeyer is in the general practice of law including but not limited to alternative dispute resolution, business law, corporate law, government, government contracts, municipal law, real estate, taxation, tax returns, wills, trusts, estate planning & probate law, and zoning, planning and land use.

Professional experience

Frank has been in the practice of law since 1991. He started his legal career as a Law Clerk for the Iowa Court of Appeals working with the Hon. Dick R. Schlegel from 1990 to 1991. In 1991, he moved to Ames and began practicing with a long-time Ames firm then known as Smith, Nutty, Sharp, Benson & Jahn, which had its roots in the Hirschburg & Reyonolds law firm. He has been a partner with the Pasley and Singer Law Firm since 2008. Frank has been the city attorney for Gilbert (since 1991), Huxley (1994-2006), Sheldahl (1991-2001, Slater (since 1994), and Zearing (since 1996). Frank was a bar-elected commissioner for the District 2B Judicial Nominating Commission from 2002 to 2008.

Frank is an active member of the Iowa State Bar Association. He is currently a member of the Iowa Title Standards Committee (since 2008) and a member of the Real Estate Section Council (since 2008). Frank serves as the Iowa State Bar Association stakeholder representative on the Electronic Services System Coordinating Committee, the managing body of the statewide Iowa Land Records internet land record system. He has been active in the Iowa State Bar Association's real estate section legislative subcommittee. Frank is an active member of the Iowa Municipal Attorneys Association, having served as president (2006-07), vice president (2005-06), secretary/treasurer (2004-05), and director (2003-04). He is also a member of the International Municipal Lawyers Association. Frank has served as president (2001-02), vice president (2000-01), and secretary/treasurer (1999-2000) of the Story County Bar Association.

Bar admissions

• Iowa Supreme Court, 1990
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Iowa, 1991
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Iowa, 1992
• U.S. Tax Court, 2003

Education

• University of Iowa, College of Law, Juris Doctor, 1990
  Managing Editor, Iowa Law Review, Vol. 75, 1989-1990
• University of Iowa, College of Liberal Arts, Bachelor of Arts in political science, with honors and Bachelor of Arts in economics, 1987
• Author, “A Rescission Approach to Vendor's Damages After Forfeiture of an Installment Real Estate Contract,” 74 Iowa Law Review, 901 (1989). Forfeiture is a remedy by which a seller can take back land and improvements sold on contract. Because of the nature of the remedy, the seller cannot claim damages above the contract payments retained. The note argues that certain types damages, particularly injury to the property, should be allowed.

Community involvement

• Rotary Club of Ames, Iowa — Member of the board of directors of the local affiliate of Rotary International, 2009-12, and Paul Harris Fellow
• Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa, Inc., Ames, Iowa — Member of the board of directors of a local affiliate of the international organization established to construct housing for low and moderate income families, 2001-05
• Heartland Senior Services Foundation, Inc., Ames, Iowa — Member of the board of directors of the foundation established to provide for the ongoing financial support of county-wide service agency for seniors, 2000-03
• City of Ames, Human Relations Commission — Human Relations Hearing Officer, 1992-98, responsible for factual determinations under city’s discrimination ordinance
• Ames Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Ames — Graduate of class IX, 1995-96; Coordinator of the “State and County Government” class session for Leadership Ames classes X 1996-97, XI 1997-98, and XII 1998-99, which included meetings with representatives of executive, legislative, and judicial offices of state and county government

Documents & forms

•  Income Tax Checklist 2010 — a checklist for compiling income and deduction information for preparation of 2010 income tax returns — form for collecting information to prepare a will, trust, power of attorney, or living will
•  Estate and Disability Information Form — form for collecting information to prepare a will, trust, power of attorney, or living will
•  What Cities Should Know about the FCC's "Shot Clock" Ruling, Cityscape (March 2010).  City zoning procedures should be reviewed in light of the FCC's ruling defining reasonable periods for municipal review of applications for wireless facilities.
•  Overview of Residential Real Estate Transactions in Iowa. This is a short overview of the steps involved in a residential real estate transaction in the Ames, Iowa area. The overview breaks the typical transaction into six basic phases and describes the common steps. The intent is to provide a basic familiarity with these steps and the terminology frequently used.
•  Internet Legal Resources for Municipal Attorneys. Presentation to the New City Attorney Institute on November 20, 2008. (Note: Large file--5MB.)
• Links to municipal resources.