Edward J. (E.J.) Gallagher, III was born in Washington, D.C. on October 16, 1949. He graduated as class valedictorian from Columbus High School in 1967.  He graduated summa cum laude in 1971 from the College of St. Thomas in 1971 where he obtained degrees in political science and history.  He also served as President of the student government at St. Thomas.  Mr. Gallagher received his law degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.  In law school he was active in the law school student government and served as Dean of the law school chapter of the Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity.  He was also a member and editor for the American Criminal Law Review during which he co-authored an article on wire tapping law.

Mr. Gallagher was admitted to the practice of law in Iowa in 1974.  From 1974 to May 1975 he worked as a staff attorney for a Federal Commission to review Federal and state wiretapping laws.  He has been in the private practice of law in Waterloo, Iowa with this firm since May of 1975.  In addition to admission to practice in Iowa, Mr. Gallagher in admitted to practice before the Federal Courts in the Northern and Southern District of Iowa, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals.  He has also been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.  His practice is concentrated in the areas of personal injury, employment law, family law and social security disability.

Mr. Gallagher is a member of the Black Hawk County, Iowa State and American Bar Association.  He has served as an officer of the county bar and on state wide committees and boards for the Iowa State Bar Association ( Young Lawyers Section, Judicial Administration . Bench Bar and Litigation).  He has also been an active member of the Iowa Association for Justice and served on its board and as its president from 2001 to 2202.  He received the outstanding Key Person Award from that organization in 1986 and was honored as its outstanding member in 1992.  He has also been an active member of the American Association for Justice (formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America) and has served as a State Delegate and the chair of a Litigation Group relating to Aquatic Injuries for that organization.  He has spoken at continuing legal education seminars in Iowa and other states on topics that included personal injury litigation, appellate case summaries, social security law, dissolution of marriage and social security practice.  Mr. Gallagher has been a member of the Iowa Academy of Trial Lawyers since 1984.

Mr. Gallagher has been active in civic and community organizations.  He is a member of the Waterloo Downtown Rotary and Waterloo Elks Lodge.  He is a member of St. Edward’s Catholic Church and has served on its Parish Council and Social Concerns committee.  He has been a board member and board President of the Peoples Community Health Clinic in Waterloo, the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa and the Black Hawk Bremer League of Women Voters.  He also is a member of the Sierra Club and has served on the local chapter and state boards. Mr, Gallagher has also been active as a volunteer for the Boy Scouts of America and serves on the Board of the Winnebago Council Boy Scouts of America. He is also a board member of the Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra.  His outside interests include travel and reading, music, downhill and cross country skiing, bicycling and kayaking.