Colby Merlound Lessmann

Attorney at Law

10+ Years of Experience

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Attorney Colby M. Lessmann was born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa, and is a graduate of Sioux City North High School. Colby graduated from the University of South Dakota School of Business (B.S., 1996) and School of Law (J.D., 1999). During his law school education, he published a casenote in the South Dakota Law Review (1998) and was both the Managing Editor and the Production Editor for Volume 44 of the South Dakota Law Review (1998-1999). After graduating from Law School, Colby clerked for Justice Robert Amundson of the South Dakota Supreme Court in Pierre, South Dakota. In August 2000, upon completion of his clerkship, Colby returned to practice law in Sioux City, Iowa, where he practices in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota in the areas of General Litigation, Estate Planning, Wills, Trusts, Probate, Landlord Tenant Law, Collections, and Personal Injury, including but not limited to, car accidents, wrongful death, slips and falls, and dog bites.

Colby is a member of the State Bar Associations for Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. He is a member of the Probate Section for the Iowa Bar Association, the Woodbury County (Iowa) and Dakota County (Nebraska) Bar Associations, as well as a member of the Iowa Trust and Estate Council and the Iowa Association for Justice (formerly Iowa Trial Lawyers Association). He is also licensed to practice in the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Iowa, the District of Nebraska, the District of South Dakota, the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, the United States Court of Federal Claims, and the United States Supreme Court.

Estate Planning
Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
Probate
Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
Elder Law
Landlord Tenant
Evictions, Housing Discrimination, Landlord Rights, Rent Control, Tenants’ Rights
Collections
Personal Injury
Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death
Real Estate Law
Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums, Easements, Eminent Domain, Homeowners Association, Land Use & Zoning, Mortgages, Neighbor Disputes, Residential Real Estate, Water Law
Video Conferencing Zoom RingCentral
Fees
  • Free Consultation
  • Credit Cards Accepted
  • Contingent Fees
Iowa
Supreme Court of Iowa
Since 2000
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Languages

  • English:
    Spoken, Written

Managing Partner
Tigges, Bottaro, & Lessmann, LLP
2023 –

Current

Managing Partner
Vriezelaar, Tigges, Edgington, Bottaro, Boden & Lessmann, L.L.P.
2010 –

2022

Associate
Munger, Reinschmidt, & Denne, L.L.P.
2000 –

2010

Clerk
South Dakota Supreme Court
1999 –

2000

University of South Dakota School of Law
J.D. (1999)
1996


1999

University of South Dakota School of Law Logo
University of South Dakota
B.S. (1996) | Business Administration
1994


1996

University of South Dakota Logo
Best Lawyer in America for Trusts and Estates
BEST LAWYERS
2025
Clients’ Choice Award
Avvo
2024
AV Preeminent
Matindale-Hubbell
2024
The Best Lawyers in America for Trusts and Estates
Best Lawyers
2024
Best Law Firms – Trusts & Estates Law (Metropolitan Tier 2)
Best Lawyers
2023

AV Preeminent
Martindale-Hubbell
2023
Clients’ Choice Award
Avvo
2023
Best Law Firms – Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs (Metropolitan Tier 2)
Best Lawyers
2023
Top-Listed City Awards (Total Lawyers in Sioux City: 5 lawyers)
Best Lawyers
2023
Client Champion – Gold
Martindale-Hubbell
2022
Best Law Firm – Trusts & Estates Law (Metropolitan Tier 2)
Best Lawyers
2022
Top-Listed City Awards (Total Lawyers in Sioux City: 4 lawyers)
Best Lawyers
2022
AV Preeminent
Martindale-Hubbell
2022
AV Preeminent
Martindale-Hubbell
2021
AV Preeminent®: The highest peer rating standard. This is given to attorneys who are ranked at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards by their peers. https://www.martindale.com/ratings-and-reviews/
Best Law Firm – Trusts & Estates Law (Metropolitan Tier 3)
Best Lawyers
2021
Accredited Estate Planner (AEP) Designation
National Association of Estate Planners & Councils
2020
Best Law Firm – Trusts & Estates Law (Metropolitan Tier 3)
Best Lawyers
2020
Client Champion – Silver
Martindale-Hubbell
2020
Distinguished Attorney
Martindale-Hubbell
2020
Clients’ Choice Award
Avvo
2019

Nebraska State Bar

&nbsp# 22298

Member
Current
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Iowa State Bar

Member
Current
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South Dakota State Bar

Member
Current
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Iowa Trust & Estate Council

Member
Current
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Iowa Association for Justice (formerly Iowa Trial Lawyers Association)

Member
Current
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Iowa State Bar Association – Probate Section Committee

Member
Current
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Woodbury County, Iowa Bar Association

Member
Current
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Siouxland Estate Planning Counsel

Member
2020 –
Current
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Articles & Publications
Challenging a Will aka Will Contest
Firm bLAWg
August, 2021
Common Estate Planning Questions
Firm bLAWg
December, 2020
Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples and Common Law Spouses
Firm bLAWg
June, 2020
Third Party Bad Faith Refusals to Settle in Nielsen v. Boos
South Dakota Law Review
1998
Websites & Blogs

Website
Blog
bLAWg

Tigges, Bottaro & Lessmann, LLP
613 Pierce Street
Sioux City, IA 51101
US
Telephone: (712) 252-3226
Fax: (712) 252-4873
Monday: 8 AM – 5 PM
Tuesday: 8 AM – 5 PM
Wednesday: 8 AM – 5 PM (Today)
Thursday: 8 AM – 5 PM
Friday: 8 AM – 5 PM
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed