Angel West is a shareholder at Maynard Cooper & Gale (Maynard) and serves as the managing partner for the Des Moines office. She is an experienced class action trial lawyer. Most recently, in November 2020, she scored a defense verdict for her client in a high stakes ERISA class action trial, in which class members were asserting various ERISA claims relating to a fixed income insurance product offered to 401(k) plans across the country. Angel’s recent trial success earned her media recognition on April 16, 2021 in The AmLaw Litigation Daily section relating to litigators of the week. See the link for details: https://www.law.com/litigationdaily/2021/04/16/a-two-week-mega-dose-of-litigator-of-the-week-runners-up-and-shout-outs/.
Angel’s broad background of litigation experience crosses several industries and practice areas. Her extensive litigation experience and her “all in” approach has served her clients well over the years. Her practice has increasingly focused on financial services litigation and class actions, including ERISA class actions and FINRA arbitrations.
Angel has been recognized in Benchmark Litigation’s Top 250 Women in Litigation since 2012. She also has been recognized in Great Plains Super Lawyers in Civil Litigation Defense and Products Liability Defense.
Representative Engagements:
- Represented a banking client in a putative class action involving overdraft fees in Iowa District Court. Secured early dismissal.
- Representing client in multiple putative class actions asserting FLSA claims in the Southern District of Texas and the District of Minnesota.
- Lead trial counsel representing a service provider and investment manager in a multi-million dollar ERISA class action in the Southern District of Iowa. Secured defense verdict.
- Represented service provider and investment manager in an ERISA class action in the Southern District of Iowa. Secured ruling denying class certification, resulting in plaintiffs voluntarily dismissing the case.
- Secured early dismissal for a service provider of 401(k) plans in an ERISA class action on a motion to dismiss in the Southern District of Iowa for a service provider of 401(k) plans.
- Represented a health care insurance provider in a putative class action, asserting Affordable Care Act and ERISA violations. Secured summary judgment.
- Represented an investment manager and asset management company in an Investment Company Act, Section 36(b) excessive management fee litigation. Secured a voluntary dismissal.
- Represented a health data/ medical records management company in a putative class action in Iowa District Court.
- Represented a Fortune 500 agriculture and construction equipment manufacturing company in a variety of product liability cases, ranging from lawn mower back-over cases, tire explosions, skid-steer fires, wrongful death, and traumatic brain-injury cases.
- Represented a finanical institution in the defense of a bank overdraft fee class action.
- Represented auto manufacturing company in class actions relating to alleged air bag defects and alleged parasitic draw defect.
Updated July 2022
