About Craig
Craig Nierman is a attorney specializing in insurance law, personal injury, and alternative dispute resolution. He is a member of the Iowa State Bar and has been practicing law since 1999. Craig earned his Juris Doctor with high distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1999 and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Davis, obtained in 1990. In 2025, Craig established Nierman ADR, a national commercial mediation and arbitration practice based in Iowa City. He also serves as the President of the American Academy of ADR Attorneys and is a Board Certified Mediator.
Additionally, Craig is an active member of the American Bar Association, participating in sections such as Business Law, Dispute Resolution, Health Law, Litigation, and Tort, Trial, and Insurance Practice. Before founding Nierman ADR, Craig was a partner at Phelan Tucker Law LLP in Iowa City, where he focused on insurance cases, including first-party claims, third-party claims, and subrogation. He also handled commercial torts, contract disputes, and healthcare-related cases. Craig has experience in both jury and bench trials, arbitrations, and appeals. In addition to his legal practice, Craig has contributed to legal education as an adjunct professor at the University of Iowa College of Law, teaching courses in insurance law and arbitration.
He has published multiple articles on psychological aspects of mediation and insurance arbitration, reflecting his commitment to advancing the field of alternative dispute resolution. Craig is recognized for his ability to connect with clients and parties, quickly identifying key issues and guiding cases to resolution. His credibility, established through helping both plaintiffs and defendants, enables him to connect in all rooms. Clients feel heard as he listens to their story and perspective. He is also a member of the Eighth Circuit Bar Association and the Iowa State Bar Association, where he has served as Chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section.
Craig has been inducted into the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals and the Order of the Coif. Craig resides in Iowa City, Iowa, with his family. He values time with his family and friends, learning new things, and adventuring, especially kayaking.
