Kirk has practiced law for more than 29 years in Iowa and Nebraska. He married his wife Ellen in 1984 and together they have been raising six children adult down to elementary. The Goettsch family is engaged in the community. Kirk served for many years as a volunteer baseball and softball coach for Keystone Little League, as lawyer-coach for an area high school mock trial team, and the family has volunteered at various community service events and community service organizations. Kirk served as a deacon in his church for about 11 years and is currently leading a ministry group and the youth group within the church. Ellen and the kids have served in the church’s music ministry, Sunday School, and nursery program. Kirk loves golf but seldom has time to play and is an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan.
Licensures
- State of Iowa
- State of Nebraska
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
- United States District Court for the District of Nebraska
- United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit
- United States Tax Court
Bar Memberships:
- Iowa Bar Association
- Nebraska Bar Association
Education:
Kirk received his Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Iowa State University in 1982. While at ISU, Kirk was the recipient of the L.N. Hazel University Service Award, the I.S.U. Agriculture Service Award, and was selected by his peers and the faculty as the Outstanding ISU Animal Science Freshmen and the Outstanding ISU Animal Science Senior. Thereafter, he attended Drake University Law School where he received his Juris Doctorate in 1985. While at Drake, Kirk was a founding member and first president of the Drake Student Agricultural Law Association.
Representative cases:
- Home Instead, Inc. v. Florance, et al., 721 F.3d 494 (8th Cir. 2013)
- Glass Lake LLC v. Hofer, Memorandum Opinion (Neb. Ct. App. 2010)
- In re Western Iowa Limestone, 538 F.3d 858 (8th Cir. 2008)
- In re Conservatorship of Trobough, Unpublished Memorandum Decision (Neb. 2006)
- McDermott v. Keenan, 13 Neb. App. 710, 700 N.W.2d 645 (2005)
- Deering v. State, (Iowa Ct. App. 1999) (Conviction obtained by Kirk was affirmed on appeal and defendant’s application for post-conviction relief was denied.)
- State v. Kirchner, 600 N.W.2d 330 (Iowa Ct. App. 1999) (Kirk tried Class A felony case to a jury and the convictions were upheld on appeal.)
- State v. Peterson, 532 N.W.2d 813 (Iowa Ct. App. 1995)
- State v. Peters, 525 N.W.2d 854 (Iowa 1994)
- In re Marriage of Hornung, 480 N.W.2d 91 (Iowa Ct. App. 1991)
- CHR Equipment Financing, Inc. v. C&K Transport, Inc., 448 N.W.2d 693 (Iowa Ct. App. 1989)
Litigation
About 45% of Kirk’s practice is devoted to litigation.