Meet the Managing Attorney
 JoAnn Barten is an attorney licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of the State of Iowa. She is also admitted to practice to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa.
She is a 1994 graduate of Iowa State University with a bachelor of science in agriculture business and a 1997 graduate of Saint Louis University School of Law with a juris doctorate ("J.D."). While attending Saint Louis University, she was a legal research and writing teaching assistant for Professor Dana Underwood. Along with her J.D., JoAnn received a certificate in labor and employment law from Saint Louis University School of Law.
After graduation, JoAnn worked as a law clerk with Missouri Court of Appeals. She reviewed and evaluated trial records on direct appeal, researched, wrote and edited proposed appellate civil and criminal opinions and evaluated oral arguments for the Honorable Kent Karohl, now since retired. During this time, JoAnn's mother living in Iowa was diagnosed and treated for cancer and JoAnn decided to return to Iowa to be near her family.
After returning to Iowa, JoAnn began working in private practice in 1998 and joined a general practice private law firm in 1999. In private practice, JoAnn was assigned the task of establishing and developing the immigration practice for the firm. She was able to build a substantial immigration practice and applied for and received the practicing primarily designation in immigration law from the Iowa State Bar Association in 2001.
JoAnn was the Chair of the Iowa Nebraska Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association during 2004-2005. Keeping up to date with the latest news and law changes is very important to Barten Law Office, P.C. JoAnn has been a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association since 1999 and she has completed significantly more than the required Continuing Legal Education credit requirements each year. In 2005, JoAnn opened Barten Law Office, P.C. in Ames, Iowa and continues her work in private law practice.
Along with her immigration practice, JoAnn often speaks on various legal topics. Some of the topics are as follows.
Employers' Council, Immigration Facts for Employers, May 3, 2001
Public Access Channel, Visas, October 15, 2001
Iowa Valley Leadership, Immigration Myths, February 12, 2002
Chamber of Commerce, Effects of 9/11 on Immigration, February 15, 2002
Immigration Legal Service Council, Family Immigration, Removal and Waivers, November 2001 & 2003
Cultural Diversity in the Classroom, Continuing Education For Teachers, Immigration Issues Facing Children in Your Classroom, March 2003 & 2004
American Immigration Lawyers Association, Annual Conference, Immigration Law Practice for New Practioners, Salt Lake City, Utah, June 2005
Iowa Criminal Defense Lawyers Conference, The Immigration Impact of Crimes for Non-citizens, November 2005
American Immigration Lawyers Association, Iowa Nebraska Chapter, Removal Clinic, Master Calendar Hearings, November 2005
In addition to her professional pursuits, JoAnn enjoys spending time with her family and she is an enthusiastic cyclist and member of Team Buttice, headquartered in Ames, Iowa. She has cycled the ride across Iowa, RAGBRAI, with the team for the last 6 years.
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