Lori Chesser elected president of Dentons Davis Brown

Des Moines, IA, February 2025 – Dentons Davis Brown is pleased to announce that immigration shareholder Lori Chesser was elected by her peers to serve as President of the firm.

John Pietila, who served as President for the past six years, will transition to the role of Business Division Chair while continuing his full-time law practice. Under John’s leadership, the firm successfully combined with Dentons, expanded its representation of key clients, and navigated the challenges of an unprecedented pandemic. He will remain focused on mergers and acquisitions and general corporate representation, with an emphasis on telecommunications and agribusiness.

“Over the past six years, we’ve embraced the imperative to grow and evolve to better meet the needs of our people, our clients, and the communities we serve. Looking back, I’m proud of all we accomplished together,” Pietila said.

“John is a hard act to follow,” said Chesser, “He led our firm for six years through some challenging and exciting times. Just one example of his leadership: he was instrumental in our combination with Dentons, which we accomplished during the pandemic. And on top of that, he is an excellent lawyer.”

Dentons Davis Brown’s new president, Lori Chesser, has been with the firm since she was a summer associate in 1988. She first served on the Board from 2004-2006 and has served as Vice President for the last two years. Chesser will continue to practice during her tenure as President.

With a background in finance, Chesser began her career in corporate law before identifying a growing need for immigration services in Iowa. Over the last 30 years, she has built and led a nationally recognized immigration law practice, representing clients ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies across industries such as healthcare, IT, insurance, higher education, and agribusiness.

Beyond her practice, Chesser has played a key role in immigration law and policy. She co-founded the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Iowa/Nebraska Chapter, serving as its first Chair. She has held numerous leadership positions within AILA, chairing national committees and working directly with government agencies to advocate for meaningful immigration reform. Lori’s community involvement extends to serving as Chair of organizations such as Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Des Moines and Nexus Executive Women’s Alliance. She is currently a Board member of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Central Iowa’s chamber of commerce.

Pietila said, “Looking ahead, I’m confident we will benefit from Lori’s strengths as a leader and her energy for the role. Our firm is unique, and our continued growth will be driven by our commitment to delivering results for our clients, locally and globally.”

Dentons Davis Brown also welcomes new leadership to its Board of Directors. Intellectual Property shareholder and patent attorney Matt Warner-Blankenship joins the Board, while Real Estate associate Kate Simon was appointed to serve as the Associate and Special Counsel Representative to the Board. They join Tara Hall (Vice President), Matt Laughlin (Secretary), and Sarah Franklin (who also serves as Co-General Counsel).

Additionally, the firm also congratulates three lawyers on their promotion to shareholder: Katie Gral, Kailey Blazek Naranjo, and Logan Kraus.

About Dentons Davis Brown PC
Dentons Davis Brown is a full-service Iowa law firm providing uniquely global and deeply local legal solutions to help clients grow, protect, operate, and finance their businesses and lives. Founded in 1929, the firm operates three offices in Iowa and is part of Dentons, the world’s largest law firm with a presence in over 80 countries. Our polycentric, purpose-driven approach emphasizes inclusion, diversity, equity, and sustainability, ensuring we focus on what matters most to clients. Learn more at www.dentons.com/Iowa.