Wisconsin Lawyer
Vol. 84, No. 5, May 2011
In the News
New Hires, Promotions, Partners
Michael D. Aiken,
Marquette 2006, has joined McCoy & Hofbauer S.C., Waukesha, as an
associate and focuses on insurance defense, personal injury, and
commercial
litigation.
Chad G. Bartell, U.W. 2004, has joined Springs Window
Fashions LLC, Middleton, as associate general counsel. He previously was
with Michael Best & Friedrich LLP.
Rebecca DeMarb, U.W.
1997, has rejoined Murphy Desmond S.C., Madison and Janesville, in the
creditors’ rights, business bankruptcy, and commercial litigation
practice group.
Jerilyn Dietz, U.W. 2004, has become Calumet County
District Attorney. She previously was an assistant district attorney in
Manitowoc County.
P. Scott Hassett,
Rutgers 1980, has rejoined Lawton & Cates S.C., Madison, and focuses
on litigation, with an emphasis on environmental and employment matters.
He previously was secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources.
Ryan M. Holmes,
Northern Illinois 2003, has been elected a partner at Lewis, Overbeck
& Furman LLP, Chicago, and continues to focus on trust and estate,
corporate, tax, and real estate matters.
Laurna A. Jozwiak, Marquette 2009 cum laude, has
joined Fox, O’Neill & Shannon S.C., Milwaukee, as an associate
and practices in family law, litigation, and corporate law.
Daniel F. Miller, U.W. 1985, has joined Hall, Render,
Killian, Heath & Lyman as a shareholder in the Milwaukee office. He
previously was with Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C. He focuses on
health-care reimbursement, compliance, and litigation matters.
Jessica Ozalp, U.W.
2011, has joined Axley Brynelson LLP, Madison, as an associate in the
litigation group.
Antonio M. Trillo, U.W. 2007, has joined the civil
division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of
Wisconsin as an assistant U.S. attorney. He formerly was an associate
with Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Milwaukee.
Amy E. Wesner, U.W.
2008 cum laude, LL.M. (taxation) New York Univ., has joined the
Kintzinger Law Firm, Dubuque, Iowa, and focuses on tax, business
transactions, and trusts and estates.
Kate A. Wilkinson, U.W. 1998, has joined C&K
Market Inc. as corporate counsel and director of human resources and is
based in Brookings, Oregon.
Mergers, Relocations, New Offices
Scott D. Soldon, Northwestern 1978 cum laude, has
opened Soldon Law Firm, 3541 N. Summit Ave., Shorewood,
focusing on employment and labor law, employee benefits, ERISA, and
employment litigation matters. Kyle A. McCoy, Case
Western Reserve 2008, has joined the firm.
Appointments, Elections
The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers-Wisconsin Chapter has
elected the following officers: president – Anthony J.
Menting, Marquette 1993, Stafford Rosenbaum LLP, Madison; vice
president – David B. Karp, Marquette 1982, Karp
Law Offices S.C., Milwaukee; treasurer – Dennis H.
Milbrath, New England 1979, Levy & Levy S.C., Cedarburg;
and secretary – Thomas J. Walsh, Hamline 1992,
Walsh & Walsh S.C., De Pere.
Christopher P.
Banaszak, Marquette 1994 cum laude, has been named chair of
the labor and employment practice at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. He
is with the firm’s Milwaukee office.
Peter C. Christianson, U.W. 1977, has been appointed
to the UW-Madison Athletic Board. He is a member of the government
relations practice group in the Madison office of Dewitt Ross &
Stevens s.c.
Erik R. Guenther, U.W. 2002, has been selected as
deputy country director for Belize by the American Bar Association Rule
of Law Initiative. He is with Hurley, Burish & Stanton S.C.,
Madison, and focuses on criminal defense and constitutional law.
Chad E. Novak, Marquette 2006, has been reelected to
the Hennepin County Bar Association board. He is assistant vice
president and underwriting and agency counsel for Old Republic National
Title Insurance Co., Minneapolis.
Nerino J. Petro Jr.,
Northern Illinois 1988, has been appointed to the ABA TECHSHOW planning
board. He is advisor to Practice411™, the State Bar’s Law
Office Management Assistance Program.
Bradley W. Raaths, Marquette 1999, has been appointed
president and managing partner of Dewitt Ross & Stevens s.c. He
focuses on business-law matters in the Madison office.
Peter Young,
Marquette 2009, has been named 2011 co-chair of the Wisconsin
Association for Justice new lawyers section. He is an associate with
Habush Habush & Rottier S.C. and works out of the Rhinelander,
Wausau, and Stevens Point offices.
Authors, Speakers
Dennis Boyer, West Virginia 1978, edited the policy
discussion report “Helping Out: Humanitarian Policy for Global
Security,” which may be downloaded for free at
www.interactivityfoundation.org. He is a fellow for the Interactivity
Foundation, the goal of which is to engage citizens in public policy
exploration and development, and lives in Dodgeville.
Miriam “Jodie” Rohrer, U.W. 1977, was a
presenter at a week-long training session for new prosecutors sponsored
by the National District Attorneys Association in Columbia, S.C., in
February. She is a Dane County assistant district attorney.
Awards, Degrees, Honors
The Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association honored attorneys and
judges at a ceremony in April in Milwaukee. Nathan A.
Fishbach, Villanova 1977, received the Judge Myron L. Gordon
Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a shareholder with Whyte Hirschboeck
Dudek S.C., Milwaukee, and focuses on complex civil litigation and
white-collar-criminal cases. The Hon. Susan V. Kelley,
Catholic Univ. 1979, received the Judge Dale E. Ihlenfeldt Bankruptcy
Award. She is a judge with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District
of Wisconsin. L. William Staudenmaier, Marquette 1961,
received the Judge John W. Reynolds Community Building Award. He retired
as a shareholder and is of counsel for Cook & Franke S.C.,
Milwaukee. Thomas G. Wilmouth, Notre Dame 1987,
received the Judge Robert W. Warren Public Service Award. He is
associate federal defender with the U.S. District Court, Central
District of Illinois, Springfield.
C. Frederick (Fred) Geilfuss II, U.W. 1979, has been
named recipient of the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee’s Fran
Swigart Board Leadership Award, in recognition of the hundreds of hours
that he devotes each year to nonprofit board leadership activities in
the Milwaukee area. He is a member of the health-care industry team at
Foley & Lardner LLP and is cochair of the health care industry team
transactions work group.
Daniel Miske, DePaul 1985, has been inducted into the
College of Community Association Lawyers. He is with the Milwaukee
office of Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C. and concentrates his practice in
condominium law, collections, and business litigation.
Robert H. Duffy, Marquette 1984, and Eric J.
Van Vugt, Marquette 1976, have been named 2011 BTI
Client Service All-Stars. Both attorneys are with the Milwaukee office
of
Quarles & Brady LLP. Duffy represents employers in labor and
employment matters. Van Vugt concentrates on complex commercial
litigation.
Retirements
The Hon. Harold Froehlich, U.W. 1962, has retired from
the Outagamie County Circuit Court after nearly 30 years on the bench.
He also served in the Wisconsin Assembly and in the U.S. House of
Representatives.
Mark Thibodeau, Marquette 1977, has retired as Adams
County District Attorney. He held the post for 33 years after serving as
Adams County corporation counsel for 12 years.
In Memoriam
Catherine B. Cleary, U.W. 1943, Milwaukee, Dec. 19,
1916 – Dec. 4, 2010.
David P. Hanaway, U.W. 1968, Green Bay, Jan. 1, 1943
– Nov. 28, 2010.
Lawrence D. Hughes, Marquette 1953, McLean, Va., May
27, 1929 – Jan. 31, 2011.
Oscar B. Latin, U.W. 1951, Ormond Beach, Fla., March
9, 1923 – March 26, 2011.
Authors to receive Wisconsin Lawyer award
Joseph W. Boucher,
U.W. 1978 cum laude, and Nathan J. Dosch, Marquette
2004, M.S. taxation, are the 2010 recipients of the Hon. Charles Dunn
Author Award, presented annually by the State Bar Communications
Committee.
Boucher and Dosch are being honored for their article “E-Legacy:
Who Inherits Your Digital Assets?” (Dec. 2010). In selecting the
article, the Dunn award subcommittee said, “This article provides
an insight into a new and emerging area of the law that could have a
huge impact for estate planning lawyers and their clients. The article
explores the issues that are unique to electronic assets, and points out
how current property, contract, and probate laws do not adequately
address ‘digital assets.’ Finally, the authors provide
suggestions on questions lawyers should consider when working with their
clients and how to address these issues under current law.”
Boucher is a CPA and a shareholder in Neider & Boucher S.C.,
Madison, where he practices in business law, with an emphasis in
emerging companies. He chaired the State Bar committee that originally
drafted Wisconsin’s limited liability company (LLC) law and
coauthored LLCs and LLPs: A Wisconsin Handbook, published by
State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLETM. Dosch is a tax
private-wealth-services manager with Grant Thornton LLP, Milwaukee,
where he assists individuals and business owners with tax, estate, and
succession planning issues. He previously practiced with Neider &
Boucher S.C.
The Dunn award, named after Wisconsin’s first chief justice,
recognizes writing excellence in Wisconsin Lawyer articles. The
award will be presented at the Member Recognition and Networking
Celebration, held in conjunction with the State Bar PINNACLE Real Estate
and Business Law Institute, June 9, 6 – 7 p.m., at the Kalahari
Resort in Wisconsin Dells.
Attorneys Erich C. Straub and Davorin J.
Odrcic received certificates of commendation for addressing a
timely, important, and emerging legal issue for Wisconsin lawyers in
their article “Duty to Advise Noncitizens” (Aug. 2010). The
article provides a succinct but thorough summary of the issue, practical
advice, and key issues lawyers need to address when working with their
clients. The authors practice immigration law at Erich C. Straub
Immigration Atty LLC, Milwaukee.
For information about writing for Wisconsin Lawyer, visit www.wisbar.org/wl/guidelines.
O’Melia, Schiek & McEldowney
Celebrates 100 Years
John O’Melia Jr. announces the
100th anniversary of the Rhinelander law firm of O’Melia, Schiek
& McEldowney.
A.J. O’Melia opened the law firm in 1911 following his
graduation that year in the first Marquette Law School class of
graduates, of which he was one of 14 students. In the 1920s, A.J. became
partners with Walter Kaye, forming O’Melia & Kaye. Several
attorneys worked with the firm over the years, including three of
A.J.’s sons, John, Donald, and Richard. During their careers, both
A.J. and Donald served as State Bar president – the only
father/son combination. Richard eventually left the firm for Washington,
D.C., and served on the Civil Aeronautics Board.
The third generation was represented in 1968, 1979, and 1986 when
Michael, John Jr., and Patrick joined the firm. Michael and Patrick
later served as circuit court judges – Michael in Phoenix, Ariz.,
and Patrick in Oneida County, where he continues to serve.
Todd R. McEldowney joined the firm in 1980. In 1984, the firm became
known as O’Melia & McEldowney S.C. In 1989, the firm merged
with Melby & Schiek to form what is now known as O’Melia,
Schiek & McEldowney S.C.
In 2006, the firm merged with Mouw, Krueger & Smith. Current firm
members include father and son John and Mike Schiek, John O’Melia
Jr., Todd McEldowney, Jeffrey Jackomino, Andrew Smith, and Lawrence
Wiesneske.
Today, the firm continues as a general practice law firm, providing
services in personal injury, family law, insurance defense, criminal and
traffic law, real estate, corporate law, and estate and elder law.
Wisconsin Lawyer
