Justin LaVan is a shareholder of Beving, Swanson & Forrest, P.C. whose practice emphasizes civil trial practice, commercial litigation, and corporate and general business law.  Justin joined Beving, Swanson & Forrest, P.C. in 2009 and also serves as General Counsel for Schillinger Genetics, Inc., an International Seed Company with headquarters in West Des Moines, Iowa. 

BACKGROUND, EDUCATION AND ADMISSIONS TO PRACTICE

Justin grew up in a small town in Northwestern Iowa working for local farmers, his father who owned the meat locker in town, and for Dekalb at the seed corn research fields every summer for five years.  He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from Mankato State University (now Minnesota State University) in 1994, graduating Magna Cum Laude.  He earned his law degree from Drake University in 1998 graduating with Honors.  He served in the U.S. Army as a Military Intelligence Analyst in the Army Reserves from 1990 until 1998 when he was commissioned as a JAG Officer and served for over 4 years in the 3rd Corps Support Command, USAR.  He was in private practice as an attorney at LaMarca & Landry P.C. for eleven years handling a wide variety of civil litigation and business matters.

Justin is licensed in Iowa and Florida.  He is also licensed to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals (8th Circuit and 11th Circuit), and the United States District Court (Northern District of Iowa; Southern District of Iowa; Northern District of Florida; and Middle District of Florida); U.S. District Court, Nebraska and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Justin LaVan is a member of the Iowa Bar Association, Florida Bar Association, Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, and the Christian Legal Society.  He is married and has four daughters and two sons.

CIVIL TRIAL PRACTICE AND COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

Justin has experience in a wide variety of cases, arbitration hearings, and client matters for both plaintiffs and defendants involving complex business litigation, commercial torts, construction defects, personal injury and insurance coverage issues.  Representative types of cases include claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, business defamation or disparagement, fraud, misrepresentation, wrongful interference with contract or prospective business advantage, enforcement and avoidance of noncompetition covenants, privacy and publicity liability, trade secrets, and commercial lease agreements.

CORPORATE AND GENERAL BUSINESS LAW

Justin handles on a regular and ongoing basis corporate and general business law matters including: business organization, governance agreements, employee agreements, ownership transition planning, business contracts, license agreements, employee relations, non-compete agreements, guidance for officers, directors, and managers, stockholder relations, share or membership unit redemption, business acquisition and mergers, business sales, asset purchase agreements, business liens and debt collection, business litigation, shareholder derivative issues, foreign registration, business dissolution, and employee benefits.

As General Counsel, Justin is part of the Executive Team at Schillinger Genetics, Inc. and is responsible to negotiate, prepare, review, analyze and advise on transactions, business arrangements, joint ventures, partnerships, strategic alliances, proposals, and all contracts and agreements.  He manages the relationships with outside counsel including maintaining appropriate legal protection over Schillinger Genetics' Intellectual Property rights, patented seed varieties and unique seed germplasm.  Justin monitors corporate compliance with international, federal, state and local governmental and agency rules and regulations. He also provides assistance with employment and benefits policies in connection with the corporation's operations.  He provides commercial and general legal advice to sales and marketing teams and coordinates all the legal activities in support of Schillinger Genetics and its affiliated businesses.

HONORS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS/ COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

Justin authored Strategies to Avoid Enforcement of Arbitration Clauses which was published in The Trial Lawyer.

Justin was a major contributor to Iowa Pleading and Causes of Action (2000), published by the Iowa Association for Justice, authored by George LaMarca.

Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators (Board of Directors).

Crossroad Evangelical Free Church (Elder).