AV Preeminent®-rated medical malpractice and personal injury attorney with more than 35 years of experience representing families harmed by negligent doctors, hospitals, and corporations — across Iowa, Minnesota, and nationwide.
J. Russell “Russ” Hixson is a medical malpractice and personal injury attorney with more than 37 years of experience representing seriously injured individuals and their families. As President and founding partner of Hixson & Brown, P.C. in West Des Moines, Russ has built a career around a singular mission: holding negligent doctors, hospitals, and corporations accountable for the harm they cause.
Russ graduated With Distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1989. He went on to work at two prominent Midwest firms before founding Hixson & Brown — bringing with him deep roots in the legal community and a reputation for relentless preparation and courtroom tenacity.
His practice focuses on medical negligence and personal injury — cases that require not only legal expertise but a thorough understanding of medicine, causation, and the long-term consequences of serious injury. He has a deep conviction for helping individuals and families who are suffering financially, emotionally, and physically from the effects of injuries caused by the negligence of others.
Russ’s approach is straightforward: every case is prepared as if it will go to trial — because that preparation is what drives results for his clients.
University of Iowa College of Law
J.D., With Distinction — 1989
University of Iowa
B.A., Accounting — 1986
Hixson & Brown, P.C.
President & Founding Partner — 2001 to Present
Dickenson Law Firm
Partner — 1994 to 2001
Gamble & Davis, P.C.
Partner — 1989 to 1994
Polk County Bar Association
Member, 1989 to Present
Iowa State Bar Association
Member, 1989 to Present
Iowa Association for Justice
Member, 1989 to Present
American Association for Justice
Member, 1989 to Present
American Bar Association
Member, Present
Providence Christian School
Chairman of the Board, 2020 to Present
Norwalk Christian Academy
Chairman of the Board, 2 years
Norwalk Christian Academy
Board Member, 5 years
Iowa Trial Lawyers Association Board of Governors
Board Member, 3 years
Iowa Association for Justice Annual Convention — 2017
“Medical Malpractice Tort Reform in Iowa — What You Need to Know”
Iowa Association for Justice Annual Convention — 2015
“Iowa’s New Candor Law”
Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating for both legal ability and professional ethics
Recognized among the nation's top medical malpractice trial lawyers
Dedicated exclusively to personal injury and medical malpractice since 1989
Contingency fee representation — you owe nothing unless we recover for you
Russ Hixson was born and raised in Des Moines and has spent his entire career fighting for people who have been seriously harmed through no fault of their own. After graduating from Hoover High School in 1981, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from the University of Iowa in 1986, then went on to earn his Juris Doctor With Distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law in 1989.
Following law school, Russ joined Gamble & Davis, P.C., where he developed his foundation in civil litigation as a partner from 1989 to 1994. He then became a partner at the Dickenson Law Firm from 1994 to 2001, further sharpening his trial skills in complex personal injury and malpractice cases. In 2001, Russ founded Hixson & Brown, P.C. with a clear purpose: to give seriously injured clients the sophisticated legal representation they deserve.
Today, Russ focuses his practice on medical malpractice and catastrophic personal injury — cases that require not only legal expertise but a thorough understanding of medicine, causation, and the long-term consequences of serious injury. He handles cases across Iowa, Minnesota, and nationwide through co-counsel arrangements, and has been involved in some of the most significant malpractice verdicts in the region, including a landmark $19.8 million verdict against Mayo Clinic in November 2025.
Beyond the courtroom, Russ is deeply committed to his community. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Providence Christian School and is an active member of the Iowa Association for Justice, American Association for Justice, Iowa State Bar Association, and the Polk County Bar Association. He has also served on the Iowa Trial Lawyers Association Board of Governors and presented at Iowa Association for Justice annual conventions on medical malpractice tort reform and candor law reform.
For individuals and families devastated by medical negligence or serious injury — wherever they are — Russ Hixson offers what matters most: experience, commitment, and results.
The information on this website is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. You should consult a qualified attorney regarding your specific situation.
Contacting Hixson & Brown, P.C. by phone, email, or contact form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Such a relationship is only established through a signed engagement letter.
Please do not send confidential or sensitive information until an attorney-client relationship has been formally established. Information sent prior may not be protected by attorney-client privilege.
Every case is different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case.
Questions? Call (515) 222-2620
