Wisconsin Lawyer
Vol. 84, No. 6, June 2011

New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Shannon L.K. Berens, U.W. 2005, has been promoted to assistant general counsel at Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Co., Wausau. She previously was corporate counsel.

Three attorneys have been promoted to shareholder at Boyle Fredrickson S.C., Milwaukee. Kirk Deheck, Marquette 2003, focuses on the preparation and prosecution of patent and trademark applications. Michael Griggs, U.W. 2003, practices in all areas of intellectual property law, including litigation. Eric Lalor, Marquette 2003, concentrates in strategic intellectual property portfolio development.

Beth Cox, U.W. 1998 cum laude, was reelected as municipal judge for the town and village of Oregon.

Chris K. Gawart, Indiana-Bloomington 1987, has joined Northwestern Mutual as assistant general counsel and assistant secretary on the corporate team. He previously was with Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee.

Nathaniel (Nate) Cade Jr., Michigan 1996, and Matthew T. Fricker, Notre Dame 1991, have joined Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP, Milwaukee, as litigation partners. Bethany C. McCurdy, Marquette 1999, has been promoted to partner in the employment group.

Jeremy Geisel, Marquette 2007, has joined Walden, Schuster & Vaklyes S.C., Waukesha, as an associate, focusing in business and corporate law, real estate, estate planning, and personal bankruptcy.

Anne Barry Hanneman, Marquette 1989, has joined Simandl & Prentice S.C., Waukesha, as a shareholder and focuses on employer-side employment law matters.

Rhonda Martinson, U.W. 1989, has joined AEquitas: The Prosecutors’ Resource on Violence Against Women as an attorney advisor. She formerly was with the Battered Women’s Justice Project, Minneapolis.

Todd E. Palmer, St. Louis Univ. 1992, has joined Michael Best & Friedrich LLP as a partner in the Madison office. He leads the environmental law group within the energy and sustainability industry team.

Donald J. Straka, Creighton 1987, has joined Walentine O’Toole McQuilan & Gordon, Omaha, as a partner and focuses on corporate and banking law.

Mary Lee Ratzel, Marquette 1981, has joined von Briesen & Roper s.c., Milwaukee, as a shareholder in the health care and litigation and risk management practice groups. Meghan C. O’Connor, Marquette 2010 cum laude, has joined the health care practice group as an associate.

The Hon. James Wynn, Marquette 1979, has become a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He previously was on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Mergers, Relocations, New Offices

Shayna W. Borakove, New England 2005, and Peter C. Osman, U.W. 2009, have formed Borakove | Osman LLC, 8383 Greenway Blvd., Suite 110, Middleton. The firm focuses on estate planning, business continuation, elder planning, and estate administration.

Shannon Corallo, U.W. 1998, has formed The Law Office of Shannon Corallo LLC, 222 E. Erie St., Suite 210, Milwaukee, focusing on family law and mediation.

Michael R. Burton, Texas 1989, and Shepard A. Davis, Michigan 1989, have relocated Burton & Davis LLP to 316 N. Milwaukee St., Suite 325, Milwaukee.  

Constangy, Brooks & Smith LLP, a national labor and employment law firm, has opened a Madison office, headed by Mark P. Tilkens, Marquette 2002 magna cum laude. Also with the firm are partners Daniel D. Barker, U.W. 1996, and Elizabeth Erickson Pevehouse, Ohio State 2000 summa cum laude; associate Tony H. McGrath, U.W. 2005 magna cum laude; and Michael H. Auen, U.W. 1975 magna cum laude, who is of counsel. Tilkens, Barker, Pevehouse, and McGrath previously were with Melli Law S.C., Madison. Auen retired from Foley & Lardner LLP.

Dempsey, Williamson, Kelly & Hertel LLP, Oshkosh, is now known as Dempsey Law Firm LLP.

Guyette & Poehlmann S.C. has relocated to 735 N. Water St., Suite 512, Milwaukee.

Stafford Rosenbuam LLP has
relocated its Milwaukee office to the High Pointe Office Center, 1200 N. Mayfair Rd.

Appointments, Elections

Carla Andres, Villanova 1989, has been named to the Central States Advisory Board of the American Bankruptcy Institute. She is with the Green Bay office of Godfrey & Kahn S.C. and is coleader of the business, finance, and restructuring practice group.

Linda E. Benfield, Chicago 1985, has been named managing partner of the Milwaukee office of Foley & Lardner LLP. She focuses on environmental law.

The Hon. Ann Walsh Bradley, U.W. 1976, has been selected to serve on the board of the International Judicial Academy. She sits on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Thomas M. Domer, U.W. 1983, has been elected to the board of the College of Worker’s Compensation Lawyers. He represents injured workers at Domer Law S.C., Milwaukee, and teaches a worker’s compensation course at Marquette Law School.

John Schulze Jr., Marquette 2004, was elected secretary of the Landmark Credit Union board. He is with American Transmission Co., Waukesha.

John Barry Stutt, U.W. 1974, was elected president of the Racine Kenosha Estate Planning Council. He is with John Barry Stutt S.C., Racine.

Tom Heneghan, DePaul 1989, and Jeff McIntyre, Northwestern 1994, have been named coleaders of the intellectual property litigation team at Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C. Both are with the Madison office. Barbara J. Zabawa, U.W. 2001, has been named leader of the firm’s health care law team. She practices health law and business litigation in the Madison office.

Wayne W. Wilson, U.W. 1973, has been elected president of the Madison Estate Planning Council. He is senior partner and founder of Wilson Law Group LLC, Madison and Evansville, which focuses on estate and business planning.

Authors, Speakers

The following attorneys contributed to the 2011 edition of Annual Survey of Wisconsin Law (State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE 2011): Administrative Law: Jordan J. Hemaidan, U.W. 1996, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Madison; Business and Securities Law: Alexander T. (Sandie) Pendleton, Minnesota 1987, and William E. Fischer, Marquette 2003, Kohner, Mann & Kailas S.C., Milwaukee; Civil Procedure: Paul Bargren, U.W. 1994, and Katherine D. Spitz, Notre Dame 2007, Foley & Lardner LLP, Milwaukee; Constitutional Law: Joseph A. Ranney, Yale 1978, DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C., Madison; Creditor/Debtor Law: Nancy B. Johnson, U.W. 1994, Brennan Steil S.C., Janesville, Edward A. Corcoran, U.W. 1981, Neider & Boucher S.C., Madison, and Eliza Reyes, John Marshall 1997, von Briesen & Roper, s.c., Madison; Criminal Law: Patrick J. Schott, Marquette 1988, U.W. 2006, Schott, Bublitz & Engel s.c., Brookfield; Environmental Law: Linda H. Bochert, U.W. 1974, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Madison, and Michelle M. Wagner, Case Western Reserve 2009, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Milwaukee; Ethics and Professional Responsibility: Timothy J. Pierce, U.W. 1992, State Bar of Wisconsin, and Jane Appleby, Marquette 2004, Aurora Health Care Inc., Milwaukee; Evidence: Dean P. Laing, Marquette 1983, and Patrick G. McBride, Marquette 1995, O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C., Milwaukee; Family Law: Patricia M. Heim, Marquette 1974, and Jennifer N. Brown, DePaul 2006, O’Flaherty Heim Egan & Birnbaum Ltd., La Crosse; Health Law: Alyce C. Katayama, Maryland 1974, and Andrew Monfre, Marquette 2009, Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee, and Sarah E. Coyne, U.W. 1995, Quarles & Brady LLP, Madison; Insurance Law: Erik J. Pless, U.W. 1993, Everson, Whitney, Everson & Brehm, Green Bay; Intellectual Property Law: Carl R. Schwartz, Harvard 1978, Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee; Juvenile Law: Anton Jamieson, U.W. 1997, Dane County Family Court Commissioner’s Office, Madison; Municipal Law: Christopher B. Hughes, Indiana-Bloomington 1993, S. Bryan Kleinmaier, U.W. 2000, and Elizabeth H. Shea, U.W. 2008, Stafford Rosenbaum LLP, Madison; Probate and Estate Planning: Brian R. Mudd, U.W. 1971, Nelson & Schmeling, Green Bay; Real Property: Daniel W. Gentges, Syracuse 1988, and Rebecca Mitich, Marquette 2009, Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C., Milwaukee; School Law: Joanne Harmon Curry, U.W. 2001, Richard F. Verstegen, U.W. 1997, and Nicole Thibodeau, Marquette 2006, Lathrop & Clark LLP, Madison; Tax Law: Maureen A. McGinnity, U.W. 1982, Carl D. Fortner, U.W. 1986, Daniel M. Hess, U.W. 1992, Zhu (Julie) Lee, Northwestern 1998, and Jason J. Kohout, Harvard 2007, Foley & Lardner LLP, Milwaukee; Trade Regulation: Joseph P. Wright, U.W. 1988, Stafford Rosenbaum LLP, Madison; Torts: Andrew Hebl, Michigan State 2008, Amanda J. Kaiser, U.W. 1984, and Catherine M. Rottier, U.W. 1986, Boardman, Suhr, Curry & Field LLP, Madison; Unemployment Insurance Law: Marilyn Townsend, Potomac 1979, Marilyn Townsend Law Office, Madison; and Worker’s Compensation:
J. Patrick Condon, Marquette 1980, Borgelt, Powell, Peterson & Frauen S.C., Milwaukee.

Christopher
Krimmer, U.W. 1997 cum laude, spoke to the Family Law Council of Community Property States in New Orleans in April, about the characterization, valuation, and division of employment-related benefits in Wisconsin family dissolution proceedings. He is a senior associate with Balisle & Roberson S.C., Madison, and an adjunct professor at Marquette University Law School.

Awards, Degrees, Honors

The Hon. Paul B. Higginbotham, U.W. 1985, received the 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Heritage Award at a ceremony at the state capitol in January. He sits on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

Sara Lewis, Marquette 1999, received a Visionary Voice Award from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center in honor of her work as a Milwaukee County assistant district attorney.

Gregory Monday, U.W. 1993, has been admitted as a fellow to the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is a partner in the Madison office of Foley & Lardner LLP.

Wade Newell, U.W. 1996, received the Voices of Courage Award from the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault in honor of his work as a Chippewa County assistant district attorney.

von Briesen & Roper s.c. is a nominee for the 2011 International Legal Technology Association’s Emerging Technology Champion award. The project that resulted in the nomination is an open-source intranet called vBDash.

Pro Bono, Public Service

Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek has made a lead gift to Marquette University Law School to create a new student-development fund. The gift is in honor of Nathan Fishbach, Villanova 1977, who recently received the Judge Myron L. Gordon Lifetime Achievement Award from the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association.

Retirements

The Hon. Patrick M. Brady, U.W. 1974, has retired from the Marathon County Circuit Court, on which he served for 12 years.

In Memoriam

Donna M. Gilligan Arendt, Hofstra 1975, Kenosha, Aug. 11, 1949 – Dec. 17, 2010.

Norman E. Decker, U.W. 1956, Glendale, Cal., July 11, 1930 – April 19, 2011.

Larry A. Haukom, U.W. 1966, Camp Douglas, Aug. 28, 1940 – March 19, 2011.

Lloyd W. Herrold, Harvard 1952, Ann Arbor, Mich., April 27, 1925 – Aug. 1, 2010.

Kenneth T. McCormick Jr., U.W. 1958, New Berlin, March 23, 1933 – Apr. 19, 2011.

Harold Stein, Marquette 1952, Milwaukee, March 15, 1926 – May 9, 2011.

Ray E. Wachs, Marquette 1938, Eau Claire, Feb. 18, 1913 – April 13, 2011.