About Harley C.
Harley C. Erbe earned a law degree from Drake University Law School in 1999 after completing undergraduate studies in political science at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 1996. His education combined classroom training with early exposure to courtroom procedure and practice. He arrived in Iowa prepared to try cases and to build a practice around litigation.
He began his career as an associate at Walker Law Office in 1999. Three years later he joined Nelson, Erbe & Webster as a partner, shifting into a role that included case development and trial preparation. In 2005 he opened Erbe Law Office. Running his own firm allowed him to take direct responsibility for litigation strategy and client relations while overseeing a small team.
Erbe is admitted to practice in Iowa and in federal courts across the region. His admitted jurisdictions include the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa and appeals before the Eighth and Ninth Circuits. That federal access has shaped the kinds of matters he accepts and the procedural complexity he navigates for clients.
Professional associations form a steady part of his calendar. He holds membership in the American Inns of Court and is listed with the American Academy of Trial Lawyers and the National Trial Lawyers Association. He is also active in the Iowa State Bar Association and counts membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates among his affiliations. He is a fellow of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Litigation Counsel of America, and he appears on the Great Plains Super Lawyers listings.
Those connections reflect a practice steeped in courtroom work. Colleagues describe him as methodical at trial and attentive to the details that matter in dispositive motions and jury presentations. He tends to select cases that will test legal theories and factual narratives in open court. Preparation is thorough; he balances written advocacy with witness preparation and trial logistics.
Erbe Law Office serves as his base for client work and filings. The firm handles matters that arise in state and federal dockets across Iowa and in appeals where circuit admission is required. He continues to take cases that lead to contested hearings and trials. He currently focuses his practice on civil trial litigation and federal practice.
