About Joel Hjelmaas

Joel was born in Mason City and raised in North Iowa. After graduating from the University of Iowa College of Law, Joel was a Judicial Clerk for Justice James Andreasen of the Iowa Supreme Court and then worked as an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, DC. Joel and his wife returned to Iowa to raise their family, and he was a corporate attorney and business leader with Farm Bureau, Principal Financial, and Wells Fargo. Prior to attending law school, he served as an Army officer, including a three-year tour of duty in Europe. Joel served again after law school as a Judge Advocate in the Army Reserve, including a deployment in support of Operation Joint Endeavor. Joel was also an Adjunct Professor at Drake University Law School. He and his wife Rachele live in Johnston where they raised four sons.

Joel’s practice focuses on estate planning, business planning, elder law, probate, and trust administration. Joel also represents beneficiaries in disputes involving probate and trust matters. Joel is licensed in Iowa.

Education

Juris Doctor

• Graduating with distinction
• University of Iowa College of Law

While in law school, Joel was a Managing Editor for the Iowa Law Review.

Army officer

• ROTC

Bachelor of Science

• Truman State University

Professional Affiliations

Iowa State Bar Association; WealthCounsel; ElderCounsel.

Joel is a board member with CISEN, whose main goal is to provide education and resources to the community aimed at helping seniors thrive.