Danny Saiz

Danny spent 18 months in the Republic of South Africa during the Apartheid era. He learned to speak Afrikaans to better communicate with the Afrikaaner population. He visited the Soweto "location" where only a few years earlier the white police force massacred black students who were protesting police violence. Officially, 176 people were killed, but some put the number closer to 700.

Later, he served 4 years of active duty in the U.S. Army Infantry. He first trained at Harmony Church, Fort Benning, Georgia. Immediately after, he became jump qualified after attending the U.S. Army Airborne School at Fort Benning. He spent his enlistment in the Berlin Brigade during the Cold War when there was a "wall" around the free part of West Berlin.

Danny then attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and graduated in 1990 with distinction. Following that, Danny enrolled as 1 of 36 students accepted into accelerated Juris Doctorate program at the University of Iowa College of Law, a top-25 law school. During law school, Danny served as president of Phi Alpha Delta. He renewed the inactive charter and established a police ride-a-long opportunity for law students. He briefly clerked for Professor Baldus, a renowned national expert regarding the death penalty. Danny then clerked for Dr. Eric Anderson, researching hundreds of "material breach" contracts cases. Danny worked in the Bankruptcy Clinic for the In-House Studies program. He was also active in the Moot Court competitions and once finished as a finalist.

About a year into his law studies, Danny was activated by the United States Army to serve in the Gulf War crisis. He resigned from his new position on the Iowa Law Review and served as an Intelligence Officer in Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. After his military obligation, Danny returned to his studies at The University of Iowa and graduated on time with the non-accelerated class of 1993.

Following his graduation, with Distinction, in 1993 Danny worked for several insurance companies, including State Farm; The Zurich Co.; and Lloyd's of London. For 16 years he handled many types of auto and trucking claims, including fatalities. He was promoted to claims specialist, claims supervisor, and claims vice-president. While in the insurance industry he earned the following designations, Associate in Claims (AIC) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC).

Danny opened the doors to The Saiz Law Firm in 2009 and moved to the present location at 1601 Main Street in the fall of 2010. The office is in a house that was built in 1912. It has the original tiger oak wood trim that Danny and his family lovingly restored. Although the office is located in a house, Danny does not live there.

Early Army Career

In 1983 Danny enlisted in the United States Army. He completed his infantry and airborne training in Fort Benning, Georgia. He then deployed to Berlin, Germany.

Danny earned a number of commendations and awards, including the Parachutist Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, and Expert Marksmanship Badges (M-16; .45-caliber pistol; 81 mm mortar). He earned two Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, and the Good Conduct Medal. Danny was also the Honor Graduate of the U.S. Army Primary Leadership Development Course, the Berlin Brigade Soldier of the Quarter, and competed for U.S. Army Europe Soldier of the Year.

Danny trained with soldiers from other countries, including Great Britain and France. Near the end of his deployment, he successfully led a squad through the French Commando School in Berlin, thereby earning the coveted French Commando Badge.

Many political events involving the U.S. Armed forces occurred during Danny's assignment in the Berlin Brigade. Among them: the March 1985 ill-fated Military Liaison Mission of Major Arthur Nicholson where East German soldiers shot and killed Major Nicholson; the April 5, 1986 bombing of the popular GI discotheque La Belle, (which was a decisive factor in the bombing of Tripoli); and, President Ronald Reagan's visit to celebrate the 750th founding of Berlin. Danny was in the crowd before the Brandenburg Gate, the famous symbol of peace, on 12 June 1987. He celebrated with a shout and a pumped fist when he personally heard President Reagan say, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."