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Scott Alan Michels

DUI and DWI Attorney at West Des Moines, IA

4.9   36 reviews
  • Licensed for 16 years
    State IA
    Acquired 2007
    Status
    Active No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

About Scott

Learn Scott’s areas of practice.

5
Practice areas
  1. DUI and DWI
    45%

    16 years

  2. Criminal defense
    35%

    16 years

  3. Workers compensation
    10%

    13 years

  4. Administrative law
    5%
    Challenging suspension and revocation of driver's licenses for habitual violator, serious violations, and driving probation violations.

    16 years

  5. Personal injury
    5%

    10 years

SHUT UP. WISE UP. LAWYER UP.

I originally became interested in law while interning with the Waterloo police department during my time as a student at Upper Iowa University.  During that time I originally wanted to be a prosecutor.  However, while attending Drake University School of Law, I worked for a criminal defense attorney and realized that I like the challenge of defending individuals charged with crimes.  

 

Outside of the office, I enjoy lifting weights and compete as a bodybuilder.  I coach youth and high school club wrestling in Bondurant.  I also like to camp, fish and hunt.

Awards

Client's Choice 2022,2021,2019
Client's Choice
2022 2021 2019

Photos and videos

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Contact Scott

Gourley, Rehkemper & Lindholm, PLC
440 Fairway Dr.
Suite 210
West Des Moines, IA, 50266
Gourley, Rehkemper & Lindholm, PLC
520 South Pierce Avenue
Suite 209
Mason City, IA, 50401
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Reviews

4.9 / 5.0
  36 customer reviews
5 Star
 
97%
4 Star
 
0%
3 Star
 
0%
2 Star
 
0%
1 Star
 
3%
Client's Choice 2022
Client's Choice
Client's Choice is an Avvo award granted to attorneys with a significant number of client reviews over 4 stars in a given year.
Posted by anonymous | April 2, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
SOR Removal
Very pleased with Scott. He let me know what to expect, moved quickly, and kept me informed throughout the process. And, he took time to talk through scenarios and returned my calls when I had questions.
Posted by anonymous | September 16, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Hard working and honest attourney
Scott is well worth his money! He kept me informed and updated at all times. He is well versed in Iowa's OWI laws. Great personality and we'll respected with his peers. I highly recommend Scott for anybody looking for a defense attorney!!!!!!!
Posted by William | September 19, 2023
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Sexoffender Registry Removel
Scott did an excellent job of explaining what needed to be done for removal, and the steps that needed to be taken. I have nothing to say except admiration for his ability.
Posted by anonymous | May 2, 2023
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Better Call Scott
Was very thorough when explaining a situation, often cracked jokes while doing. Got my charges completely dropped before the state could even bring in a 2nd witness. Great guy, great lawyer. Would I want him again? No, nobody “wants” a lawyer. But if I needed him I would choose him again.
Posted by Logan | February 6, 2023
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Scott and Emily
I got pulled over and at risk of losing my cdl, and job. With the help of Scott and Emily I got to keep everything. They are both very helpful and knowledgeable and I would recommend them if you ever need a good dui lawyer.
Posted by Jordan | December 12, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Trustworthy, Committed, and Knowledgeable Attorney
Scott assisted me with an issue regarding an improper denial of a weapons permit. He was extremely knowledgeable and helpful - I would have never expected the level of commitment to solving my minor issue that I received. What I presumed might take two or three months to deal with was taken care of in only a couple weeks with his expertise. Had I decided to use a different attorney, I am not sure I would have had the same outcome. Scott is an extremely skilled attorney and very easy to speak with and understand - I would have no hesitation trusting him with any legal matters in the future. It was extremely to work with both Scott and his firm, making the process as simple as possible.
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Posted by Ryan | October 20, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
OWI defended
Scott was a big help and was awesome the whole time. He and his team were always there to answer questions and help explain the whole process from start to finish. He did an amazing job going through all of the videos and being very careful not to miss anything. Very professional and helpful and I was pleased with the results!
Posted by Mark | October 10, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Honest and knowledgeable
I had made a bad decision in 1999. I ended up on the SOR. Going 20 years believing it was a life sentence. After a conversation with Scott. He walked me through the process. He was very open and honest about each step. I highly recommend him to anyone who finds themselves in a situation like mine.
Posted by Mark | August 26, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
A Great Lawyer in Time of Need
This was one of the best decisions I made was picking Scott during a desperate time. He was caring, spent time listening and went beyond what I was hoping to represent my case. He represented me well and I was always happy with everything done for me.
Posted by anonymous | July 18, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent representation
Scott represented me with a corporate criminal defense case. I was terrified interacting with corporate attorneys, however he immediately eased my fears and represented me fairly and offered excellent communication throughout the entire process. I truly do not know what I would have done without him and I am eternally grateful. He helped me settle in a fair and rapid fashion , and saved me a lot of unnecessary grief.
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Posted by anonymous | May 8, 2022
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Incredibly grateful for his expertise. Positive experience!
After calling several law firms and not receiving help, I reached Scott at GRL Law. From the first conversation, he reviewed the alleged OWI/single car accident. He discussed his services and fees, and advised me how to proceed. My wife and I were impressed with the attention to detail and the quick follow-up once we had submitted our client information and fees. He strategically made several moves to help me retain my CDL during the legal proceedings. He was instrumental in reviewing all the of the reports, tests, and videos to make sure my rights were not violated. In the end, the OWI infraction did NOT stand, I never lost my license, and I retained my CDL and earning capacity. Lesser charges were substituted for the OWI once Scott handled my case. The financial impact to my family and the burden of having an OWI was greatly reduced considering the outcome of my case. I would not hesitate to recommend Scott Michels. He and his assistant, Emily, were always timely and detailed with the communications to me. I was more than impressed. A grateful client.....
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Posted by anonymous | December 30, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Scott Michels is a great!!
Scott was terrific! He did his research anf worked hard to get us a favorable outcome.
Posted by anonymous | December 27, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Removal from SOR
Scott went above and beyond helping me to be removed from the SOR. Being female it is a little bit trickier and not as clear cut. He made sure to gather all the necessary information needed to make my case a winning case and that’s exactly what it was! I was removed!
Posted by Kyle | December 27, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
DUI Case
Scott Micheals was the lawyer that I hired for my case. I appreciated the updates throughout the case, always letting me now what the situation was and how he recommends how it should proceed. Pretty impressed by the way everything was handled with him looking over the videos presented and figuring out the best wag to go forward. Very knowledgeable with cases like mine and wouldn’t think twice about recommended him to someone else in my situation. Even though the case didn’t go exactly my way I am pleased with the amount of effort put in to it.
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Posted by anonymous | November 16, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Scott Michaels a great for representation!!
Scott Michaels was very helpful with my case. He was extremely understanding, thorough, and concise. I had no trouble doing everything I was supposed to, and I felt confident that he was going help me to achieve a better outcome. I never had much for doubt because I was comfortable in the fact that he knew who we were working with and what we could use to help me to minimize the situation as much as possible. He looked over my tapes and reviewed them with me over the phone and I felt like I could trust that he was finding everything there is to back up our claim.
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Posted by Andy | October 26, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Top notch attorney and human being!
I thought for years to get myself out of the situation that had destroyed my life… Not only did Scott and my situation with care and grace but also reached out to me to tell me he be able to help me without me even knowing! Excellent attorney recommend him in a heartbeat
Posted by Ken | October 4, 2021
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent attorney
Scott handled my case extremely well. He walked me through every step of the process and there were no surprises along the way. He's an excellent attorney and was prepared for everything that came up. I would not hesitate to hire him in the future.
Posted by Gary | January 13, 2020
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
First Time DWI
This being my first time charged with a DWI, I wasn’t sure whether to fight it or not. Started doing some research and found that with the “right” attorney, you’re crazy if you don’t fight it. Scott is definitely that “right” attorney. He and his law firm specialize in this sort of thing. Right from the initial free consultation Scott helps to put you at ease and gives you an understanding of what you can reasonably expect from your case. He is straight forward and direct, without a lot of unnecessary BS just so you’ll hire his services. If hired, Scott and his assistant Emily will do their utmost to take care of your case and provide you with the best possible outcome. With their expertise, Scott was able to get my DWI and Driving W/O Headlights reduced to a mere Public Intox with a $65 fine (the lowest amount for that offense). I would highly recommend Scott and his staff as they can definitely make a difference in an unfortunate situation.
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Posted by Lisa | December 16, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Very Thankful
Working with Scott and his team has been great. He handled everything professionally and quickly, and kept me informed during the whole case. I am beyond pleased with the outcome of all his diligent hard work. I would not hesitate to hire him again, and I will be sure to refer him to anyone needing legal help!
Posted by anonymous | October 15, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Car Accident
Scott was very helpful, kept me informed throughout the process, and acted fast. He made the process a lot less stressful and was very easy to work with.
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Cost

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer

Contact for Details

Resume

AVVO RATING 8.8 (Excellent)

Work Experience

  • Junior Partner
  • Gourley, Rehkemper & Lindholm PLC
  • 2007 - Present

Education

  • Drake University
  • JD - Juris Doctor
  • 2007
  • Upper Iowa University
  • BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • 2003

Legal Cases

  • State v. M.S.
  • Removed from registry
  • State v. D.S.
  • Removed from registry
  • State v. Smith
  • Dismissed
View all legal cases

Associations

  • National College of DUI Defense
  • Member
  • 2016 - Present
  • DUI Defense Lawyers Association
  • Member
  • 2014 - Present
  • Iowa Association for Justice
  • Member
  • 2009 - Present
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys
  • Member
  • 2008 - Present
  • Iowa Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • Member
  • 2007 - Present
  • Iowa State Bar Association
  • Member
  • 2007 - Present
  • Polk County Bar Association
  • Member
  • 2007 - Present
View all associations

Languages Spoken

  • English

Honors and Awards

  • Summer Session
  • National College of DUI Defense
  • 2016
  • Top 40 Under 40
  • National Trial Lawyers
  • 2014
  • NHTSA Field Sobriety Test Certification
  • NHTSA/IACP
  • 2009
  • Young Alumni Award
  • Upper Iowa University
  • 2009
  • Constitutional Law and Civil Rights Certificate
  • Drake University School of Law
  • 2007
  • Litigation and Dispute Resolution Certificate
  • Drake University School of Law
  • 2007
View all awards

Speaking Engagements

  • Drinking and Driving Informational Meeting
  • Know Your Rights
  • 2014
  • Annual Seminar on Iowa Criminal Law and Procedure
  • Sex Offender Registry Modification
  • 2014

Attorney endorsements

Received (6)
Given (3)
Endorse Scott
Sex crime Attorney | Feb 17
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Scott knows the law and knows the right steps for clients. When I recently consulted Scott on a case, he cited the code section and talked about how to practically apply the law. In addition, he didn't take money from a client when he did not think he could do some good. That makes him a good lawyer and a good guy."
Criminal defense Attorney | Apr 10
Relationship: Supervised lawyer
"A leader in his field. Scott's relentless defense and representation of his clients has set him apart from other attorneys. He truly cares about each person he represents and does whatever is necessary to ensure that justice is achieved. Scott doesn't give up or take the easy way out. He is tenacious, presses on, does it right and makes sure that his people are taken care of. Scott cares. Scott fights. Scott's clients win."
Unknown Attorney | Aug 30
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"I have had the opportunity to work as opposing counsel to Scott on numerous occasions. Scott and his colleagues are solid advocates in the court room who come prepared with knowledge and experience on criminal law matters."
Criminal defense Attorney | Sep 10
Relationship: Supervised lawyer
"I have known Scott for going on 10 years now and his knowledge of the law, preparation, and desire to win are attributes that continue to put him as one of the top criminal defense attorneys in Iowa."
DUI and DWI Attorney | Jan 07
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Quality lawyer with high ethical standards. Does excellent work for his clients! Highly recommended."
DUI and DWI Attorney | Jul 28
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I attended a specialized, three-day training in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing with Scott last August in Denver, Colorado. He stood out among many experienced DUI trial attorneys for his ability to quickly grasp and apply the techniques involved in the administration and scoring of these tests. I know he possesses the critical insight and advanced knowledge necessary to defend someone against the State's claim that they are "under the influence" due to the results of the SFSTs. If you or someone you know is charged with OWI in Iowa, you should be represented by a skilled attorney like Scott who can create reasonable doubt by critically cross-examining the arresting officer. His training in this area sets him apart from others."
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