Lead lawyer who fought to legalize gay marriage in Iowa visits KC

A garden-full of local attorneys gathered at a Ward Parkway home last night to meet and mingle with the guy who graces the latest cover of American Lawyer magazine.

Dennis Johnson, a now-retired attorney from Des Moines, shot to national prominence in April when the Iowa Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. Johnson was the lead lawyer on the case, which left the nation scratching its head at the progressive stance of the conservative, corn-fed state.

Invited to Missouri by KC LEGAL, the metro’s gay, lesbian and allied lawyers’ group, Johnson gave local attorneys the inside scoop on the lawsuit.