Daniel James Anderson

Dan was born and raised outside of a small town in Southeast Iowa.  He attended college at the University of Iowa and was involved in the University’s Mock Trial program which won two national championships.  Dan left Iowa City briefly when he accepted a position working in the House of Commons in London.  He later returned to complete his degree in political science in 2003. 

After graduating from college, Dan attended law school at Drake University in Des Moines.  While in law school, Dan continued with competitions in oral advocacy, excelling against other law students from around the country in competitions organized by the American College of Trial Lawyers.  He was a member of the Law Review and received several honors awarded by the law school faculty.  In addition to classes and competitions, Dan volunteered as a student attorney at the Neal and Bea Smith Law Center.  There, he had the opportunity to represent individuals who needed legal services free of charge.  Dan received his J.D. degree with high honors in 2006.

After law school, Dan took a job working at a large firm in Des Moines.  There, he practiced in litigation and workers’ compensation.  After marrying his wife and Cedar Rapids native Emily in 2008, Dan accepted a position at Wertz & Dake in Cedar Rapids, where he practices primarily in workers’ compensation. 

“One of the best things about my job at Wertz & Dake is that I can focus exclusively on workers’ compensation.  I think this gives us an edge and helps us better serve our clients because you learn the best, most effective ways to handle workers’ compensation claims.” 

In addition to working with workers’ compensation clients, Dan is primarily responsible for the firm’s appellate work, continuing the firm’s long tradition of advancing the rights of injured workers though precedent-setting judicial decisions from the Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

In his free time, Dan enjoys spending time with his family, boating and tailgating at Hawkeye football games.  He is a member of the Linn County Bar Association, Polk County Bar Association, Iowa Bar Association, and the Iowa Association for Justice.  He frequently delivers presentations to other Iowa attorneys on workers’ compensation matters.