Spotlight Member Firm: Goosmann Law Firm
Headquartered: Sioux City, IA
Offices in: Sioux Falls, SD | Spencer, IA | Nebraska
Goosmann Law Firm is a full-service business law firm with locations in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The firm has done over two billion dollars in deals and have a combined total of over 450 trials in state and federal courts.
1. When was the firm founded and who are the firm’s founders?
When Jeana Goosmann founded Goosmann Law Firm in 2009, she knew she was taking a big risk. “Like a lot of entrepreneurs, it was a difficult decision because my current situation was a good one and a safe one,” she said. “I just knew I wanted more.” She focused her firm around business law and positioned herself as The CEO’s Attorney, providing full-service legal and business advice to local and regional business owners. Her growing firm now practices in an array of practices areas including agricultural law, banking law and finance, bankruptcy law, business law, construction law, cyber law, employment law, divorce and family law, gestational surrogacy law, health law, mergers and acquisitions, real estate law, telecom law, litigation, arbitration and mediation, and estate planning.
“If it matters to the client, it matters to me,” adds Goosmann. “My favorite part of representing women-owned businesses is that I have a unique understanding of how to navigate the role, its benefits, and its opportunities.”
2. Who are the firm’s current leaders and how would you describe the firm’s culture and personality?
Jeana Goosmann, CEO & Managing Partner, started the firm from the ground up in May of 2009. Since then, the Goosmann team has grown to 24 professionals. Anthony Osborn, Emilee Boyle Gehling, and Marie Ruettgers are partners who lead the firm’s attorneys and legal matters. Christie Finnegan is the firm’s Executive Director and oversees the development, growth, and leadership responsibility of the firm. The Firm’s culture centers around our mission – worth it. The Goosmann team values life, family, then business. Our clients’ experience matters. We work with integrity, passion, professionalism, and grit while having fun and building careers worth having and lives worth living. We celebrate hard work, success, and life’s moments both big and small. As a designated Blue Zones Worksite by Healthways, we understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance. We mentor, train and coach team members to reach their personal and professional life goals. The Goosmann team enjoys the benefits of a high-energy, fast-paced, family-friendly environment that encourages and rewards excellence, high achievement, innovation, and professional development.
3. What makes Goosmann Law Firm team so special?
We don’t just respond to your legal needs, we anticipate them. Whether you’re a small company or a large corporation we provide our “big city” style with hometown service. At Goosmann Law Firm we understand the pace of business and there is never a legal issue too big to conquer. Our legal team brings a progressive, collaborative approach to the table with our strategic thinking. With our dedicated team of attorneys, Goosmann Law has more than 100 years of combined legal experience with a rich history that fills our historic downtown Sioux City, Iowa law firm location. We are also located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Omaha, Nebraska.
4. What are the firm’s significant areas of practice?
The Goosmann Law Firm is a full-service business law firm with practice areas that include but are not limited to agricultural, banking, finance, debtor, creditor, bankruptcy, business, construction, cyber, employment, divorce, family, gestational surrogacy, health, mergers & acquisitions, rapid response emergency contact, real estate, telecom, litigation, arbitration, mediation, wills, trusts, estate planning, and probate law.
5. How did your firm become interested/involved in NAMWOLF? When and why did you join?
Prior to becoming a member of NAMWOLF in 2015, Jeana Goosmann, CEO & Managing Partner heard of NAMWOLF from a current law firm member at an ABA conference. After hearing so many positive reviews Jeana knew NAMWOLF’s mission and values lined up with the firm’s core values and knew it was an organization she wanted the firm to be a part of. The firm then began the process of becoming a certified Women-Owned Business by the WBENC and then a Law Firm member of NAMWOLF. The firm officially became a member of NAMWOLF in summer of 2015.
6. Why is diversity important to your firm?
As a woman-owned firm, diversity is a core value of the Goosmann Law Firm that stands along our mission – worth it. We value diversity among our team and our communities to enrich the lives of our professionals, clients, and cities. Diversity creates a happier and healthier work environment which then reflects the work we do for our clients and their overall experience. Diversity is not only a value of the firm’s but a part of our lives and how we do business. Our clients are worth it, our team is worth it, and our communities are worth it.
7. What has been your involvement with NAMWOLF? For how long?
The Goosmann Law Firm joined NAMWOLF in 2015 and has been involved in multiple areas of the organization over the last 2 years. This includes NAMWOLF Practice Area Committees such as the Trials PAC, Labor and Employment PAC, Transactional PAC, Financial Services Litigation PAC, and the Marketing Best Practices Committee. The firm has also presented and participated in NAMWOLF CLE’s and pitch exercises at NAMWOLF’s Annual and Business Meetings.
8. What is your commitment to community service?
The Goosmann Law Firm has always been committed to helping enrich the lives of people in our community from monetary donations to giving our time and resources to those in need. Community impact is a constant goal of the firm. Over the past 7 years we have volunteered and donated to numerous organizations throughout the Midwest. In 2016, we were thankful for a great year and wanted to give back. We donated both time and resources to over 25 charities in our community. During the holiday season, the entire team and their spouses had so much fun playing Santa’s elves and fulfilling wish lists for the kids at the Crittenton Center, a local emergency shelter for children. The team and their spouses packed on a charter bus for the firm’s holiday party and went to Walmart to purchase toys, sleds, bikes, coats, dolls, trucks, trains and even some flaming hot cheetos! (Yes, that was a wish list item) They stuffed the bus after their Walmart trip and headed to the Crittenton Emergency Center Shelter & Youth Development to have a pizza party with the kids while passing out gifts and spreading some holiday cheer. “Best holiday party ever” was the feedback.