Mark Weinhardt, a Greater Des Moines attorney who has carved a reputation as one of the state’s premier white-collar crime litigators while at Belin McCormick P.C., is starting a boutique firm with three other Belin lawyers.

“I’ve had the ambition to have my own law firm literally since law school,” Weinhardt said.

Weinhardt & Logan P.C. will focus on business lawsuits and white-collar criminal defense work, areas of expertise held by partners Holly Logan, Will Ortman and Danielle Shelton.

As with Weinhardt, Logan and Ortman have been shareholders at Belin McCormick. Shelton has been “of counsel” with the firm and will have the same role at Weinhardt & Logan.

The new firm expects to be up and running by the end of August at the moment, Weinhardt and partners are looking for office space. Until then, members of the new firm will continue to practice at Belin McCormick.

Steve Zumbach of Belin McCormick said both sides are having an amicable parting.
Creation of the new firm removes an area of potential conflict experienced by Belin McCormick and other large law firms in Greater Des Moines in which they can have clients on the opposite sides of a legal dispute.

“I have had the opportunity to work with some remarkable people during my career, and there is always disappointment when they leave, but this creates opportunities for both firms; it will open up new revenue sources,” Zumbach said.

Belin McCormick will continue to include business litigation in its practice.

Weinhardt, who has been with Belin McCormick since 1991, said the two practices will complement each other.

Weinhardt has been front and center in highly public and controversial cases. He won acquittal for Sholom Rubashkin on charges of violating state child labor laws that were filed after federal immigration agents raided the Rubashkin family’s Agriprocessors kosher meatpacking plant in Postville.

Weinhardt is appealing Rubashkin’s conviction on federal charges related to an investigation and raid at the operation.