Ross Johnson Succeeds Michael Giudicessi as Leader of FaegreBD's Des Moines Office

On July 1, 2017, Faegre Baker Daniels partner Ross Johnson succeeded Michael Giudicessi as leader of the firm’s Des Moines office – a role Giudicessi held since 2013.

Leaders of each of the firm’s 14 offices are tasked with overseeing office-specific operations work, guiding FaegreBD’s local community initiatives and serving as a representative of the firm in the community. During his tenure, Giudicessi encouraged growth, leadership and community engagement across the firm’s more than 35 Des Moines-based attorneys.

Johnson, a partner in the firm’s product liability and environmental group, serves as senior partner of the twelve-lawyer Des Moines agribusiness litigation team. He is a member of the steering committee of the firm’s national food and agriculture industry team and is head of the firm’s crop nutrient/fertilizer agribusiness industry segment. He has been with FaegreBD for 17 years and has served as the firm’s hiring partner for the Des Moines office for the last 10 years. Johnson regularly represents national and local clients in agribusiness, product liability, class action, toxic tort, personal injury, insurance, general commercial and other matters in Iowa and numerous other states around the country.

Giudicessi, a partner in the firm’s labor and employment group, serves as senior partner of the five-lawyer Des Moines employment litigation team. He counsels businesses and represents them in court on employment and commercial issues. Additionally, for 35 years, Giudicessi has handled a wide range of content issues for communications and media clients. His experience extends to pre-publication review and counseling, libel and privacy defense, and access litigation.