

Empowering you to navigate life’s most difficult moments with clarity and confidence.
Our Mission
People come to us when they’re feeling lost. They are getting divorced and they’re afraid of losing their children or their livelihood. They’ve been injured and don’t know how they will pay the bills. They’ve been charged with a crime, and their reputation and freedom hang in the balance. Their business is facing a threat that keeps them up at night.
We help people find their way. We’ve been down these roads before and walked with many clients on their way to a better future. We start by understanding what matters most for our client and their family. Then we set the path one step at a time.
Our Approach
We are traditionalists in certain ways. And intentionally modern in others.
We are, in many ways, lawyers from generations past. We strive to know our clients as people, understand what they need, and solve their problems. We go where we need to go. We have counseled our clients at their kitchen table, at their workplace, in church basements, and in jails. We meet our clients where they are and where they feel comfortable. But we also thrive in the place where our clients often feel the most uncomfortable—a courthouse. From high-stakes hearings and jury trials inside a courtroom, to negotiations on the courthouse steps, we excel when it matters most.
We also leverage technology. We have a system where clients can meet us with one click. We do as much online as possible to save you time and money. We won’t schedule a meeting or lengthy phone call when a text message can get the job done. When it comes to telling your story and making your case to opposing counsel or to a mediator, judge, or jury, we utilize videos, pictures, and digital recreations that are persuasive to a modern audience.
Our Fees
Every client and legal problem is unique. Many of our clients have never hired a lawyer before. At the outset, we have a discussion with our client about how to pay for our services. Personal injury cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means the lawyer is only paid if the client gets money as a result of the case. Criminal defense cases and family law cases are typically handled on a flat fee or hourly basis. The right arrangement for you will depend on the complexity of the case, the likelihood of going to trial, and several other factors that will be unique to your situation. We are committed to having an honest discussion about fees before we are hired.
Our Team

- Email: david@fautschtursi.com
- Phone: (515) 317-7483
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Legal Education: University of Michigan, Juris Doctor, cum laude, 2011
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Graduate: University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy, Masters in Public Policy, 2011; Pace University, Masters in Teaching, 2007
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Undergraduate: Loras College, Bachelor of Arts, maxima cum laude, 2005
Standing shoulder to shoulder with people during the most difficult times of their lives is a privilege and responsibility that drives David. David started his career representing the federal government and wealthy corporations which gave him valuable experience but disconnected him from the kind of legal work that motivates him. David handles trials and appeals for people who have been accused of a crime, injured by another’s negligence, are facing an existential threat to their business, or are going through a divorce. These practice areas have a common thread: people who need counsel to get through life’s most trying circumstances.
David was born and raised in Dubuque, Iowa, and graduated from Loras College in Dubuque. Before attending law school, David taught math in the South Bronx through Teach for America. While in law school at the University of Michigan, David was the Book Review Editor for the Michigan Law Review, the Executive Articles Editor for the Michigan Journal of International Law, and the Chairman of the Campbell Moot Court Board. After law school, he joined the United States Department of Justice as a Trial Attorney through the Honors Program and was named the Rookie of the Year for the Civil Division. Before founding Fautsch Tursi, David maintained a litigation practice at the international law firm Hogan Lovells and as a partner at The Weinhardt Law Firm.

- Email: elisabeth@fautschtursi.com
- Phone: (515) 317-7482
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Legal Education: University of Iowa, Juris Doctor, high distinction, 2015
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Undergraduate: Luther College, Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, 2011
Elisabeth is a fixer and a counselor. As a fixer, Elisabeth works to find the most effective solution to a legal problem. Sometimes the solution requires shrewd negotiation, other times it requires trial skills. Sometimes the solution requires a delicate touch, other times it requires an aggressive approach. Elisabeth has a demonstrated history of knowing when and how to deploy the right approach to achieve the best solution for her clients. Perhaps more important than fixing problems is guiding and counseling the individual facing the problem. Elisabeth embraces the traditional legal title of “attorney and counselor at law” because she is passionate about helping people. Elisabeth is honored to serve people at the most difficult times of their lives, and is committed to using simple, direct, and pragmatic strategies.
Elisabeth was born and raised in Ottumwa, Iowa, and she graduated with honors and Phi Beta Kappa from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. While in law school at the University of Iowa, Elisabeth was actively involved in the Iowa Law Review, serving as a Contributing Editor and publishing “Establishing Principled Interpretation Standards in Iowa’s Cruel and Unusual Punishment Jurisprudence,” 100 IOWA L. REV. 323 (2014), which has since been cited in appellate opinions in Iowa and elsewhere. After law school, Elisabeth served as a law clerk for Chief Judge John A. Jarvey of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. She then served as an Assistant Polk County Attorney in Des Moines, Iowa where she managed a docket of over 1,000 criminal cases and tried dozens of cases to judges and juries. After her time as a prosecutor, Elisabeth joined The Weinhardt Law Firm where she practiced complex civil litigation and white-collar criminal defense. Elisabeth served as a partner of that firm prior to founding Fautsch Tursi.