Andrew B. Howie

Andrew B. Howie is a shareholder with the firm of Shindler, Anderson, Goplerud & Weese P.C. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, in 1993, and his J.D. with distinction from the University of Iowa in 1996. He is licensed to practice in Iowa (1996), the Northern and Southern Districts of the U.S. District Court of Iowa (1996), Eighth Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals (1996), and the U.S. Supreme Court (1999). After graduating from law school in 1996, he served as a clerk for the Iowa District Court in Burlington for a year. Mr. Howie has practiced in Polk County since 1997.

He primarily practices in appellate law, having appeared in over 200 rulings from Federal and Iowa’s appellate courts, and hundreds of family law cases in trial court. He has been a member of the Iowa State Bar Association’s Family and Juvenile Law Section since 2002, having served as its Chair (2009–10), Vice-chair (2008–09), and chair of its Forms and Practice subcommittee (2004–08, 2010–present). He has been a member of Iowa State Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Committee since 2004 and served as its Chair from 2012 to 2013.

He was inducted into the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers as a Fellow in 2019. He also became a Fellow with the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in 2015. In 2019, the National Board of Trial Advocacy board-certified him as a Trial Advocate in Family Law.

He authored the Iowa State Bar Association’s “Family Law Manual”, published in 2008, 2012, and 2018, which is primary tool for judges and attorneys throughout Iowa.

Bar Admissions

• Iowa, 1996
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Iowa, 1996
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Iowa, 1996
• U.S. Court of Appeals 8th Circuit, 1998
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1999

Education

• University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa
  • J.D.—1996
  • Honors: With Distinction
  • Honors: Moot Court Board
• Wartburg College, Waverly, IA
  • B.A.—1993
  • Major: Political Science

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Iowa Supreme Court Family Law Case Processing Task Force, Steering Committee
• Iowa State Bar Association, Family Law Section, Past-Chair, Past-Vice chair, Member
• Iowa State Bar Association, Appellate Practice Committee, Past-Chair, Member
• Iowa State Bar Association, Jury Instructions Committee, Member
• Iowa State Bar Association, Member
• Polk County Bar Association, Member
• Polk County Bar Association, Family Law Section, Member
• American Bar Association, Member
• Iowa Association for Justice, Member
• American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, Fellow
• American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Fellow
• Board Certified Advocate in Family Law, National Board of Trial Advocacy

Published Works

• Family Law Manual, published by the Iowa State Bar Association

Representative Cases

• In re Marriage of Pazhoor, 971 N.W.2d 530 (Iowa 2022)
• Estate of Cawiezell v. Coronelli, 958 N.W.2d 842, 844 (Iowa 2021)
• Ruden v. Peach, 904 N.W.2d 410 (Iowa Ct. App. 2017)
• Hensch v. Mysak, 902 N.W.2d 822 (Iowa Ct. App. 2017)
• Christy v. Lenz, 878 N.W.2d 461 (Iowa Ct. App. 2016)
• In re Marriage of Sisson, 843 N.W.2d 866 (Iowa 2014)

Shindler, Anderson, Goplerud & Weese

Our family law attorneys handle divorce, child support and child custody cases of clients in Des Moines and throughout the Midwest. Divorce issues can be emotionally and financially devastating for families. While some matters are resolved amicably and quickly, many divorce and child custody cases are highly contested. When facing this type of adversity, you need a clearheaded, compassionate and experienced attorney to stand up for you. Our attorneys have been helping clients resolve family law disputes for more than 50 years. Our attorneys have seen virtually every aspect of divorce and family law from all sides, and will bring that experience to your case.

Our Attorneys are dedicated to protecting your family, your assets and your future. We provide attentive, full service representation for all aspects of family law, including the practice areas of:

• Divorce and legal separation
• Child custody and visitation
• Child Support, enforcement of orders for parents who are owed back child support
• Spousal support (alimony)
• Modification of child custody or support orders
• Division of marital property
• Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements

Our family law practice also includes actions for post-decree enforcement and modification. If your circumstances have undergone significant change since your decree was issued, you can request a modification from the court. If you are not receiving proper payments for support or alimony, you may petition the court for and order of enforcement.