Andrew W. Bribriesco

Partner

Andrew was born and raised in Bettendorf, Iowa.

After graduating from Bettendorf High School, Andrew attended the University of Chicago where he majored in Law, Letters, & Society. Andrew made the dean’s list every year. He participated in varsity wrestling for four years and earned NCAA Scholar All-American Honors. His senior year, Andrew was the recipient of the Mary Jean Mulvaney Award. This Award is given to the senior varsity athlete at the University of Chicago with the highest overall GPA.

Andrew attended the University of Iowa School of Law. In law school, Andrew was an editor for the Journal of Gender, Race and Justice, a member and officer of the Latino Law Student Association, and a research assistant for Professor Barbara Schwartz. Andrew spent two years of law school working with Professor Schwartz in the legal clinic, helping immigrants obtain asylum, permanent residency, and citizenship. In his final year of law school, Andrew was the recipient of the William E. Riley Scholarship, which was awarded by the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Advisory Committee. As part of his scholarship responsibilities, Andrew worked with Professor John Whiston and gave a presentation at the Forty-Eighth Annual Workers’ Compensation Symposium. Andrew graduated from law school with distinction.

Since being admitted to the bar in 2010 (Iowa) and 2011 (Illinois), Andrew has dedicated the majority of his practice to representing injured workers. Andrew regularly gives CLE presentations about workers’ compensation law. He has presented before the Iowa Association of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers (IAWC), Iowa Association of Justice (IAJ), and Iowa HELP Legal Aid. In 2014, Andrew was elected by members of IAJ to serve as a member of the IAJ’s Workers’ Compensation Core Group, which consists of only 12 attorneys state wide. In 2017, Andrew was also elected to be a board member of the Iowa Association of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers and currently serves as the Treasurer for that organization. Since 2011, Andrew has also been a co-author of the workers’ compensation chapter in the Methods of Practice, a volume in the Iowa Practice Series.

Andrew serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Iowa – Department of Latino/a/x Studies where he teaches a course entitled: “Latinas/os/x and the Law.” Andrew volunteers with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and was the legal advisor for Iowa LULAC for 7 years. Among one of his accomplishments in that capacity, Andrew authored an Amicus Brief in the Chavez v MS Technology LLC, 972 N.W.2d 662 (Iowa 2022). Andrew is also on the board to three non-profit organizations: Iowans for Immigrant Freedom; Cedar Valley Montessori School; and Fuerzas Culturales Ballet Folklorico de Cedar Rapids.

Outside of work, Andrew loves being with his wife (Jasmine), daughter (Paloma), and son (Camilo). Favorite family activities include traveling, going to parks (especially state and national parks), and cheering on the Iowa Wrestling team.

Andrew is bilingual.
Areas of Specialty Include

  • Representing Injured Workers in Iowa and Illinois
  • Representing Workers who have been denied Unemployment Benefits
  • Representing Workers who have experienced Wage Theft

Notable Cases

  • Tripp v. Scott Emergency Commun. Ctr, 977 N.W.2d 459 (2022) – concluding that first responders can recover workers’ compensation benefits for PTSD for traumatic events that occur in the line of duty.
  • Amicus Brief Chavez v MS Technology LLC, 972 N.W.2d 662 (Iowa 2022) – arguing that the interpretation of the statute would have disparate impact on Latino workers in Iowa.
  • Ortiz v. Loyd Roling Constr., 928 N.W.2d 651 (Iowa 2019) – holding that serving a judicial review petition by email on opposing counsel satisfies the jurisdictional service requirements of the Iowa Administrative Act.