CONCENTRATION
Sharon Malheiro is a senior shareholder and current president of the board of directors at the Davis Brown Law Firm. As a member of the firm’s Litigation Division, she practices in the area of employment law, including employment discrimination litigation, EEO/AA, and corporate employment policies and practices. She also practices in the area of media and communications law, including open records and open meetings litigation as well as defamation defense actions.
Sharon is an advocate for civil rights issues relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community. She was appointed by the Iowa Supreme Court to serve as a member of the Iowa Supreme Court’s Task Force on Gender and Racial Bias in the Judicial System. After the completion of the Task Force’s report, she was asked to serve as a member of the Iowa Supreme Court’s Monitoring Committee, which was charged with the duty to ensure that the recommendations made by the Task Force were implemented. In addition, she provides pro bono legal counsel for the Aids Project of Central Iowa, and is one of the cooperating attorneys for Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund.
Sharon is admitted to practice in Iowa, the United States District Courts of the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa and the Eighth Circuit.
REPRESENTATIVE ENGAGEMENTS
- Sak v. City of Auriela, United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, succeeded in obtaining a preliminary injunction against the City of Auriela prohibiting them from banning a service dog for a disabled man from living within the city limits.
- Gartner v. Iowa Department of Public Health, the Iowa District Court for Polk County, co-counsel with Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund obtained a court order requiring the state's Department of Public Health to issue a birth certificate for a child born to a married same-sex couple, listing both spouses as parents in reliance on their marriage and the spousal presumption of parentage it creates. On Appeal.
- Buntemeyer v. Iowa Department of Public Health, the Iowa District Court for Polk County, co-counsel with Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, seeking a court order requiring the state’s Department of Public Health to issue a death certificate for a stillborn child of a married same-sex couple, listing both spouses as parents in reliance on their marriage and the spousal presumption of parentage it creates. Pending.
- Varnum v. Brien, the Iowa District Court for Polk County and Iowa Supreme Court, expert witness for Plaintiff’s in landmark case declaring Iowa Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional.
- Alons v. Iowa District Court, Iowa Supreme Court, co-counsel with Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, upheld a district court decision dissolving the civil union of a same-sex couple who received a civil union in Vermont.
- Mackie v. US Manufacturing, Inc., United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, summary judgment for employer in sexual harassment case.
- Iowa Protection and Advocacy, Inc. v. Gerard of Iowa, United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, preliminary injunction allow Iowa Protection and Advocacy access to a psychiatric medical facility for children to undertake a death investigation regarding the illegal use of restraints.
- Young v. Titan Tire, Inc., United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, jury verdict for employer in a sexual and race discrimination case.
- Mitchell v. Iowa Protection and Advocacy, Inc., United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, summary judgment for employer in a retaliation claim.
- Brummett v. Taylor, United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, judgment notwithstanding the verdict in a defamation case in favor of the defendant. Upheld on appeal to the Eighth Circuit Appeals Court.
- Buss v. Titan Tire, Inc., United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, verdict for employer in an age discrimination case.
- Kooyman v. Firstar Bank, United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, summary judgment for employer in a disability discrimination case.
- Maxwell v. Fisher Controls, Inc., United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, summary judgment for employer in a race discrimination case.
- Rivas v. Titan Wheel International, United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, summary judgment for employer in a race discrimination case.
- Viles v. Iowa State Daily Publications Board, Iowa District Court for Story County, summary judgment for defendant on claim of defamation.
- Pearson v. Titan Tire, Inc., Iowa District Court for Polk County, ruling for employer in case of age discrimination.
- Steigel v. Holmes Murphy and Associates, Inc., Iowa District Court for Polk County, verdict for employer in breach of contract case. Upheld on appeal.
- Christensen v. Wright Tree Service, Inc., Iowa District Court for Polk County, summary judgment for employer in case of age discrimination.
- Hawkeye Communication, Inc. v. Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, Iowa District Court for Montgomery County, received a ruling finding that the county violated Iowa’s open meetings statute. Upheld on appeal.
- Des Moines Register v. Central Iowa Employment Training, Iowa District Court for Polk County, receiving a ruling that defendant governmental board did not violate Iowa’s open meetings statute.
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION
- AV Preeminent™ rated by Martindale-Hubbell. An AV certification mark is a significant rating accomplishment - a testament to the fact that a lawyer's peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence. A lawyer must be admitted to the bar for 10 years or more to receive an AV rating.
- The Best Lawyers in America, Labor and Employment Law, 2011; Employment Law - Management, Litigation - Labor & Employment, 2012
- Chambers USA, Labor & Employment, Iowa Ranked Band 2, 2011
- Iowa Super Lawyers, Employment and Labor, 2007
- Great Plains Super Lawyers, Employment and Labor, 2009 & 2011
- Business Record "Women of Influence" Award, 2010
- Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Distinguished Civic Leadership Award, 2010
- Methodist Federation for Social Action, 2009
- Matthew Shepard Scholarship Leadership Award, 2009
- Friends of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission's Leadership Award, 2009
- Central Iowa Activist Awards: Human & Civil Rights, 2006
- Young Women’s Resource Center "Woman of Vision" Award for work on the LGBT Civil Rights movement in Iowa, 2002
MEMBERSHIP
Sharon is member of the board of directors of Employee and Family Resources and serves on the Drake University Law School Board of Counselors. She has served on the board of directors of the Family Futures Network, a day care for homeless children; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa; and the Polk County Women Attorneys. She was a member of the 1998-1999 class of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute.
OF NOTE
Prior to entering the private practice of law, Sharon clerked for the Honorable Louis A. Lavorato, Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court.
COMMUNITY
She currently is the chair of One Iowa, a state wide organization seeking full equality for a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Iowa. She is former president of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Community Center of Central Iowa. She was a charter member of Lambda Beta Nu, Des Moines’ first lesbian breakfast club.
PERSONAL
Sharon lives with her spouse Sue Ackerman and their two Lhasa Apso puppies, Martini and Rossi.
Resources
Sharon Malheiro receives 2nd annual Central Iowa Society of Human Resources Management (CISHRM) Individual Diversity Award
10/28/2010 - Davis Brown attorney Sharon Malheiro will be honored on Tuesday, November 7 at the CISHRM annual ...Sharon Malheiro Featured in DSM Magazine
10/27/2010 - Davis Brown attorney and board president Sharon Malheiro was featured in ...Sharon Malheiro Featured in Des Moines Woman Magazine
10/03/2010 - Sharon Malheiro was featured with other local college and university alumni in the October 2010 ...The Davis Brown Law Firm Congratulates Sharon Malheiro for 20 Years of Service
07/30/2010 - Sharon Malheiro is a senior shareholder of the Davis Brown Law Firm. Sharon practices in ...Sharon Malheiro Named to Business Record's Women of Influence
07/22/2010 - Davis Brown Law Firm attorney Sharon K. Malheiro was named one of the eight Women of Influence ...Sharon Malheiro Receives Distinguished Civic Leadership Award
04/08/2010 - Davis Brown attorney Sharon K. Malheiro was the recipient of the Greater Des Moines Leadership ...Sharon Malheiro Featured in Des Moines Register Leadership Series
03/07/2010 - Davis Brown attorney Sharon Malheiro was featured in Lynn Hicks' Iowans on Leadership series ...Sharon Malheiro Receives Civil Rights Award
10/01/2009 - Davis Brown attorney Sharon Malheiro will receive the 2009 individual Friends of Iowa Civil ...Sharon K. Malheiro to receive an award at the Methodist Federation for Social Action's 2009 Awards Night
06/04/2009 - Davis Brown attorney Sharon K. Malheiro is receiving an award on Saturday, June 6, 2009 at the ...Sharon Malheiro to be honored at 2009 Matthew Shepard Scholarship Awards Dinner
05/19/2009 - Davis Brown Law Firm attorney Sharon Malheiro and Lambda Legal Senior Staff attorney Camilla ...Sharon Malheiro Guest Column in Des Moines Register About Marriage Equality
05/18/2009 - Davis Brown attorney Sharon Malheiro wrote a guest column for The Des Moines ...Legal Issues Update: Iowa Marriage Equality Act
04/15/2009 - Even though Iowa has marriage equality as of Thursday, April 2, 2009, it is recommended for LGBT ...Sharon Malheiro Quoted in Washington Post Regarding the Iowa Supreme Court's Decision on Marriage Equality
04/15/2009 - Davis Brown attorney Sharon Malheiro was quoted in an article in the April 15 edition of The ...Sharon Malheiro Presented at the Iowa's Mosaic Diversity Conference 2008
10/20/2008 - Sharon Malheiro presented at the Iowa's Mosaic DiversityConference 2008 on Monday, October ...Rebuild Iowa
07/17/2008 - Rebuild Iowa and Monitor Those Out-Of-State Companies By Sharon K. Malheiro The Iowa ...Straight Talk About LGBT Issues in the Workplace
06/10/2008 - Do you know about LGBT discrimination, the change to Iowa's Civil Rights Act or whether the law ...The Iowa Smokefree Air Act: What Employers Need To Know
06/10/2008 - On July 1, 2008 the Smokefree Air Act goes into effect statewide. This handout will provide ...FLMA Amendment For Family Members In Armed Forces
02/19/2008 - On January 28, 2008 President Bush signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal ...Attorney Sharon Malheiro awarded the 2006 Central Iowa Activist Award for Human & Civil Rights
10/11/2006 - 2006 Central Iowa Activist Awards: Human & Civil Rights By Beth Dalbey ...
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