About me
As a shareholder at Ahlers & Cooney Law Firm in Des Moines, Miriam provides comprehensive legal representation to school districts, area education agencies, colleges, and universities throughout the state of Iowa. She helps clients navigate the complex legal issues facing educational institutions in the 21st Century by combining legal expertise with practical experience to find solutions that are the right fit for each client and each situation.
Miriam has extensive experience representing clients in federal and state courts and agencies in litigation on a variety of matters, including Constitutional challenges, Title IX, IDEA/Section 504, employment and labor laws, and student rights. She values collaborative, results-oriented solutions to legal problems and has represented education clients in mediations and other forms of dispute resolution on a wide range of issues. Miriam regularly advises boards on compliance with open meetings and open records laws, as well as overall board governance. She also serves as an investigator for Title IX, harassment, discrimination, and other internal complaints for a variety of educational entities, private businesses, and non-profit organizations.
Miriam has been with the Ahlers Law Firm for her entire legal career, where she currently serves as the Firm’s Education Practice Area Leader. She has previously served as the chair of the Firm’s recruiting committee, bringing new attorneys into the Firm and actively contributing to the training and mentorship of our next generation of lawyers. Miriam is actively involved in her community, serving as President of the Polk County Women Attorneys in 2019 and chair of the Polk County Juvenile Drug Court board from 2022-2024.
Prior to law school, Miriam dedicated three years to teaching middle school on Chicago’s south side through Teach for America. Miriam continues her passion for teaching by presenting at numerous conferences, meetings, and staff trainings on education and employment-related topics.
