Sullivan and Ward

What Sullivan and Ward does

Sullivan & Ward, P.C. is a privately held Iowa professional corporation law firm founded in 1935 (originally as Wisdom, Sullivan & Golden) and headquartered at 6601 Westown Parkway, Suite 200, West Des Moines. It operates a single-office practice with approximately 11-50 total personnel and 7+ licensed attorneys, organized into nine interconnected practice areas: Public Utilities Law (its anchor), Litigation, Corporate & Business Law, Environmental & OSHA, Employment Law, Mediation/ADR, Estate Planning & Probate, Real Estate Law, and Closely Held Business Services. The firm maintains no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is attorney-led and supported by traditional back-office systems.

The firm's revenue model is a single professional-services stream of billed legal engagements to clients including rural electric cooperatives, generation and transmission cooperatives, municipal utilities, telecommunications providers, renewable energy producers, closely held businesses, and individuals. Engagement pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, consistent with billable-hour and matter-fee structures typical of law firms. Distribution runs through direct attorney-client relationships, referrals from existing clients and the professional community, and a documented co-counsel arrangement with national law firms that route Iowa-specific matters to the firm.

Sullivan & Ward's competitive position is anchored by long-tenured institutional relationships with cooperative associations and Iowa regulatory bodies, attorney bench depth including a former Iowa Supreme Court Justice (Michael J. Streit) and a 50-year Iowa practitioner (Louis Hockenberg), and nearly nine decades of continuous operation. The firm has no external shareholders, no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and no documented M&A activity; ownership sits with its licensed attorney-shareholders under P.C. governance.

Name

Sullivan and Ward

Legal name

Sullivan & Ward, P.C.

Website

https://sullivan-ward.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sullivan & Ward, P.C. is a privately held Iowa law firm founded in 1935, headquartered in West Des Moines, providing nine practice areas with public utility regulation serving as its anchor specialty. It serves rural electric cooperatives, utilities, closely held businesses, and individuals across Iowa and nationally through co-counsel arrangements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trust & Estate Tax Planning & Compliance (FSAEAKAE), Estate Administration & Probate Services (FSAAANAE)

Keywords

• Legal services
• Public utility law
• Estate planning
• Commercial litigation
• Regulatory compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

West Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Legal Services: Professional legal services billed to clients including individuals, businesses, and cooperative associations. Services span litigation, corporate law, public utility regulation, estate planning, real estate, employment law, environmental law, and mediation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Sullivan & Ward, P.C. is an Iowa law firm that delivers comprehensive legal services across ten practice areas, including public utilities law, litigation, corporate and business law, environmental and OSHA law, employment law, mediation, estate planning and probate, real estate law, and closely held business services. The firm primarily represents rural electric cooperatives, generation and transmission cooperatives, municipal utilities, telecommunications providers, as well as businesses, individuals, and families throughout Iowa and nationwide. Its core offerings combine regulatory representation (notably before the Iowa Utilities Commission), courtroom advocacy in state and federal courts, and transactional/advisory counsel for business and personal matters.

Product overview

Sullivan & Ward, P.C. is a law firm offering a comprehensive suite of legal services organized as distinct practice areas. The firm operates as a single, integrated legal practice rather than a modular software platform. Core service lines include Public Utilities Law (representing rural electric cooperatives and utility organizations), Litigation (state and federal court representation), Corporate & Business Law, Environmental Law & OSHA, Employment Law, Mediation/Alternative Dispute Resolution, Estate Planning & Probate, Real Estate Law, and Closely Held Business Services. The practice areas function as interconnected service lines, with attorneys often cross-practicing across multiple areas to serve clients in business, utilities, and individual legal needs throughout Iowa and nationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Utilities Law Services Legal representation for rural electric cooperatives, generation and transmission cooperatives, municipal utilities, telecommunications providers, and other utility organizations throughout Iowa and across the country, covering regulatory compliance, governance, operations, contracts, and infrastructure development.
• Litigation Services Representation in a wide range of litigation matters in state and federal courts, including commercial disputes, employment matters, contract claims, real estate conflicts, personal injury cases, and regulatory proceedings.
• Corporate & Business Law Legal counsel for businesses of all sizes covering business formation, contracts, mergers and acquisitions, employment issues, tax planning, governance, and succession planning.
• Environmental Law & OSHA Legal counsel on environmental compliance requirements, OSHA regulations, permitting issues, enforcement actions, and related litigation for commercial and industrial clients.
• Employment Law Employment law counsel including policies, employee handbooks, workplace investigations, hiring/termination decisions, employment agreements, and compliance with federal and state employment laws including ADA, FMLA, Title VII, and ADEA.
• Mediation / Alternative Dispute Resolution Mediation services facilitated by experienced attorneys to resolve business disputes, employment issues, contract disagreements, personal injury claims, and environmental matters more efficiently than traditional litigation.
• Estate Planning & Probate Estate planning services including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, probate, guardianship, and conservatorship matters for individuals, families, and business owners.
• Real Estate Law Legal assistance for residential, commercial, agricultural, and development-related real estate matters including purchase and sale agreements, title issues, leasing, financing transactions, land development, zoning, and easements. Also offers For Sale By Owner (FSBO) services.
• Closely Held Business Services Practical legal counsel for entrepreneurs, family-owned businesses, and closely held companies covering business formation, governance, contracts, regulatory compliance, ownership transitions, and succession planning.
• Tax & Business Planning Legal counsel for tax planning and business planning matters, supporting clients in both corporate and closely held business contexts.

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• National Law Firms (Co-Counsel Relationships)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe firm routinely acts as co-counsel to national law firms when their clients are involved in litigation, administrative or business transactions within the state of Iowa. This arrangement provides national firms with local Iowa expertise and provides Sullivan & Ward with access to larger matters.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nyemaster Goode, P.C. Long-standing Iowa-based full-service law firm headquartered in Des Moines with comparable practice breadth including litigation, corporate, employment, and utility-related work. It is the closest direct peer in market, scale, and geographic focus.
• Davis Brown Law Firm: Des Moines-headquartered Iowa law firm with a comparable full-service practice mix including business transactions, litigation, employment, and regulated industries. Direct competitor for Iowa enterprise and cooperative clients.
• Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, P.C. Cedar Rapids-based Iowa firm with broad business, litigation, employment, and estate planning practices. Comparable mid-size Iowa firm competing for similar closely held business and individual clients.
• BrownWinick Law Firm: Des Moines-based Iowa firm with similar practice areas including business law, real estate, employment, and estate planning. Direct competitor for closely held businesses and individual clients in the Iowa market.
• Belin McCormick, P.C. Des Moines-based Iowa law firm with comparable full-service practice including business transactions, litigation, and estate planning. Direct peer competing for Iowa-based closely held businesses and families.
• Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. Minneapolis-based Midwest firm with strong utility regulation, corporate, litigation, and employment practices. Comparable in practice mix and regional scope, often serving as co-counsel or alternative on Midwest matters.
• Koley Jessen P.C., L.L.O. Omaha-based Midwest firm with comparable business, employment, litigation, and real estate practices. Similar mid-market positioning serving closely held businesses across the Midwest.
• Baird Holm LLP: Omaha-based Midwest law firm with comparable full-service practice including utility regulation, corporate, litigation, and real estate. Direct peer for Iowa and regional enterprise clients, particularly in regulated industries.
• Whitfield & Eddy, P.L.C. Des Moines-based Iowa firm with broad practice areas including business, litigation, employment, and estate planning. Comparable mid-size Iowa competitor serving similar closely held and individual clients.

Broad incumbents

• Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP: Large national/Midwest law firm with significant Iowa presence through its Faegre Baker Daniels lineage. Comparable in utility regulation, litigation, and corporate practices but at materially larger scale; competes for the same enterprise clients on larger matters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sullivan-&-ward-p-c-
• Facebookfacebook.com/sullivanwardpc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sullivan and Ward