New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Matthew J. Ackmann, Marquette 2016, has joined the Milwaukee office of Hawks Quindel S.C. as an associate and concentrates on family law matters.

Christopher J. Behrens, U.W. 2010, has been promoted to shareholder at Bascom, Budish & Ceman S.C., Wauwatosa, and continues to concentrate in worker’s compensation defense, duty disability, and employment law.

Joseph Birdsall, Marquette 2013, has joined Lindner & Marsack S.C., Milwaukee, as an associate, concentrating on worker’s compensation issues. He previously worked for another Milwaukee-based law firm.

Melissa S. Blair, Marquette 2004, has joined Sorrentino Burkert Risch Kalter LLC, Waukesha, as an associate, focusing on business litigation and banking and creditors’ rights.

Mitchell J. Stock, Marquette 2012, has joined Boyle Fredrickson S.C., Milwaukee, and focuses on preparing and prosecuting patent applications in the mechanical arts as well as developing patent portfolio strategies, conducting intellectual property evaluations, and performing due diligence reviews. Scott W. Kanalakis, Santa Clara 2003, has been promoted to shareholder. His practice is focused on patent prosecution, opinion drafting, and other pre-litigation matters.

Lara V. Carlson, U.W. 2016, has joined the Madison office of Hawks Quindel S.C. as an associate, focusing on wage and hour, employment, and employee benefits litigation.

Kevin J. Clark, Marquette 2016 cum laude, has joined Cramer, Multhauf & Hammes LLP, Waukesha, as an associate. His practice focuses on civil litigation, including family, municipal, and land use and development law.

Timothy J. Feldhausen, George Washington 2001, and Ryan M. Spott, Marquette 2016,have joined the Corporate and Litigation teams at Davis & Kuelthau s.c.Feldhausen is a senior attorney on the corporate team in Green Bay, practicing in asset and stock purchase transactions, business formation, commercial finance, corporate governance, franchising and dealership issues, licensing, mergers and acquisitions, and structuring and negotiation of shareholder and operating agreements. He previously practiced with another Wisconsin law firm, ran a boutique firm, and also practiced in Washington, D.C., and in Maryland. Spott is an associate in the Milwaukee office, focusing on appellate, commercial, employment, and municipal matters and on real estate transactions.

Abigail Gilman, Vermont 2011, has joined Murphy Johnson & Trampe S.C., Racine. Her primary focus is in all areas of family law.

Steven McGaver, Marquette 2006, and Erin Strohbehn, Marquette 2006, have been promoted to partner at Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP, Milwaukee.

Barbara S. Hughes, U.W. 1986, has joined Christenson Johnson LLC, Fitchburg, as an of counsel attorney, and continues to focus on special needs planning, elder law, estate planning, and trust and estate administration.

Rodney W. Carter, Marquette 1990, and Samantha C. Skenandore, Denver 2005, have joined Husch Blackwell LLP.Carter is a partner in the Milwaukee office, where he is a member of the Real Estate Practice Group. Skenandore is with the Madison office, where she is a member of the Corporate & Finance Practice Group and the Indian Law Team.

Andrew Maier, Marquette 2001, has been appointed an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, working in the Green Bay branch office. He is the primary Indian country prosecutor for the Eastern District. He was previously an assistant district attorney for Outagamie County and Milwaukee County.

Tammi Tram Huynh, Northwestern 2014 cum laude, has joined Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. with the health care practice. Previously she was a judicial law clerk to the Hon. JoAnne Kloppenburg at the Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

Christopher “Chal” R. Little, Marquette 2016 cum laude, has joined Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C., Milwaukee, as an associate.

Debby Krukowski, Marquette 1996, and Jonathan Sacks, Rutgers 2013, have joined Mallery & Zimmerman S.C., Milwaukee. Krukowski, a shareholder, represents employers before the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s Equal Rights Division and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in employment matters, including Title VII, the ADA, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the FMLA, sexual harassment, and general employment discrimination law. Sacks, an associate, concentrates his practice on commercial and other civil litigation. Most recently, he was a litigation associate with DuBois, Sheehan, Hamilton, Levin & Weissman, Camden, New Jersey.

Eric M. Markisen, U.W. 2016, has joined Bell, Moore & Richter S.C., Madison, as an associate and concentrates in litigation, worker’s compensation, and labor and employment.

Allison A. Markoski, Marquette 2010, has become assistant parliamentarian of the U.S. Senate in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for U.W.-Madison.

Bethany C. McCurdy, Marquette 1999, has joined the labor and employment practice group at Petrie + Stocking, Milwaukee. She advises and represents employers in most aspects of the employer-employee relationship.

Justin M. Mertz, Marquette 2008, has joined Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Milwaukee, in the transactional practice group, with an emphasis on business bankruptcy, corporate law, commercial loan negotiation, and real estate.

Five associates, all with the Milwaukee office, have been promoted to the firm’s partnership. Luis I. Arroyo, U.W. 1998, is a member of the labor and employment relations group, representing employers in a range of matters, particularly employee defection and recruitment. Michelle Wagner Ebben, Case Western Reserve 2009, is a member of the transactional group, providing strategic counsel and representation on construction, real estate, and project development matters. Denise Greathouse, Marquette 2005, practices in the labor and employment relations group and represents management clients on a full range of matters. Molly S. Lawson, George Mason 2010, practices in the intellectual property group and is experienced in United States and international patent protection, as well as drafting agreements and contracts. Adam E. Witkov, U.W. 2009, is a member of the litigation group and advocates for clients in complex commercial and financial services litigation.

Trent Nelson, Marquette 2006 cum laude, has joined Kummer, Lambert, Fox & Glandt LLP, Manitowoc, as a partner, counseling individuals and businesses in general corporate, real estate, estate planning, and contract law. He previously worked with a large Wisconsin-based firm and has extensive in-house experience.

Andrew J. Parrish, U.W. 2008, has joined Wheeler, Van Sickle & Anderson S.C., Madison, as an associate, focusing on securities, regulatory law, civil litigation, and general business matters. He previously was an enforcement attorney for the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Securities.

Elizabeth K. Bronson, Marquette 2012, and John P. Pinzl, U.W. 2015, have joined Peterson, Johnson & Murray S.C. Bronson, with the Milwaukee office, previously worked for Hoglund, Chwailkowski & Mrozik. Pinzl, with the Madison office, previously was with Davczyk & Varline, Wausau.

Sally Piefer, Marquette 1994, has joined Milwaukee-based Lindner & Marsack S.C. as a partner. She represents employers in all types of matters, including employment discrimination, noncompetition, trade secret misappropriation, employee theft, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour issues, ADA and accommodation issues, and FMLA and OSHA matters. She previously was a shareholder with Waukesha-based The Schroeder Group S.C.

Kyra Plier, Marquette 2014, has joined the Madison office of Hupy and Abraham S.C., a personal injury law firm.

Christopher L. Rexroat, U.W. 1993, has joined Falk Legal Group, Milwaukee, as a partner with the commercial litigation and business advisory practice, with an emphasis in financial services, insurance, and business insolvency. He previously was senior corporate counsel for an international professional financial services firm, and before that, a partner at a large law firm in Chicago.

Daniel Simandl, Marquette 2016, has joined Simandl Law Group S.C., Waukesha, as an associate. His primary focus is employee benefits and labor and employment counseling.

The June Members Only section correctly announced that Paul Stenzel has joined Hansen & Hildebrand S.C. in an of counsel capacity. However, we incorrectly stated that he was “previously a part-time deputy family court commissioner in Racine County.” In fact, Stenzel never stopped working as a deputy family court commissioner and continues to work in that position. The Wisconsin Lawyer regrets the error.

Timothy Sugar, Hamline 2007, has joined Neider & Boucher S.C., Madison, and concentrates his practice on trust and estate planning, probate, trust administration, and fiduciary law. He recently became a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor. 

Walker J.J. Stutzman, Western New England 2012, has joined Weld Riley S.C., Eau Claire. He previously practiced in the Milwaukee area for a boutique worker’s compensation defense firm.

Kyle J. Thelen, Marquette 2016 with honors, has joined Herrling Clark Law Firm Ltd., Appleton, and focuses primarily on business transactions and business litigation.

Christine V. Hamiel, South Dakota 2007, Patrick C. Henneger, Marquette 2002, William O. Jackson, St. Louis Univ. 2009, and Thomas W. Moniz, Marquette 2009 cum laude,have been promoted to shareholder at von Briesen & Roper s.c. Hamiel, with the Milwaukee office, chairs the school law section. Henneger concentrates in labor and employment law in the Milwaukee office. Jackson, with the Milwaukee office, focuses on health care matters. Moniz concentrates in business and estate planning in the Oshkosh office.

J. Mark Wilkinson, Tulsa 1998, has joined the Kroger Co., Cincinnati, as senior attorney for intellectual property. He was previously senior legal counsel for Tempur Sealy International Inc.

Mergers, Relocations, New Offices

The Hon. James Bolgert, U.W. 1979, has opened a mediation practice in Sheboygan. He previously was a circuit court judge and retired on July 31 after 22 years on the bench.

Steven R. Glaser, Marquette 1993, has relocated Glaser Business Law LLC to 2222 N. Mayfair Road, Suite 230, Wauwatosa. He continues to focus on business and corporate law and mid-market mergers and acquisitions.

Arthur K. Thexton, U.W. 1977, has opened Thexton Law Offices, 6229 W. Lloyd Street, Wauwatosa, concentrating in defense of professional licensing cases. He was formerly of counsel to Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP and before that was a prosecutor for 24 years at the Wisconsin Department of Safety & Professional Services.

von Briesen & Roper s.c. has opened offices in Appleton and Green Bay and added attorneys Frank W. Kowalkowski, Marquette 1992 magna cum laude, Benjamin D. LaFrombois, Chicago-Kent 1996,and William S. Woodward, Marquette 1989,as shareholders. LaFrombois will practice out of the downtown Appleton location at 100 W. Lawrence Street. Kowalkowski and Woodward will practice out of the downtown Green Bay location at 414 E. Walnut Street. Kowalkowski focuses on commercial and residential real estate matters and also has an Indian law practice. LaFrombois focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, commercial finance, commercial real estate development, and business succession planning. Woodward is general counsel for business clients in a wide range of corporate and business matters.

Appointments, Elections

John Behling, U.W. 2000, has been reelected vice president of the U.W. System Board of Regents. He is a shareholder and vice president with Weld Riley S.C., Eau Claire, focusing on regulatory, environmental, zoning, permitting, and public relations matters. 

Steven P. Bogart, U.W. 1984, a shareholder with Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Milwaukee, has been elected to the Milwaukee Bar Association’s board.Bogart counsels and represents clients in commercial litigation, including insurance coverage and class action defense.

The Hon. David L. Borowski, Marquette 1991, has been selected to join the Joint Legislative Council’s Study Committee on Reducing Recidivism and Removing Impediments to Ex-Offender Employment. Judge Borowski continues to serve as the presiding judge in the Civil/Probate Division of Milwaukee County Circuit Court.

Laura A. Brenner, Univ. of California Hastings 1991, a shareholder with Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Milwaukee, has been elected to the board of the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association. She is with the litigation practice and chair of the firm’s product distribution and franchise team, a cross-disciplinary group comprised of both corporate and litigation attorneys.

Andrea M. Davenport, U.W. 2014 magna cum laude, has been appointed to the board of Legal Action of Wisconsin. She is with the litigation practice in the Milwaukee office of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.

Seth E. Dizard, Marquette 1997, of O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C., Milwaukee, has joined the National Association of Federal Equity Receivers as an associate member. He is head of the firm’s banking and creditors’ rights practice group.

Peter M. Garson, Marquette 1988, has been elected to the executive committee ofDeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C., Madison and metro Milwaukee, and its affiliate DeWitt Mackall Crounse & Moore S.C. Current committee members William E. McCardell, Marquette 1981, Michele L. Perreault, U.W. 2003, and Timothy L. Stewart, U.W. 1997, were elected to serve additional three-year terms. Garson’s practice areas include business start-ups, mergers and acquisitions, business succession planning, real estate acquisition and development, estate and trust planning, and business and tax planning.

Mindi Giftos, Florida 2000,managing partner of the Madison office of Husch Blackwell LLP, has been elected to the board of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce. Giftos co-leads the data privacy, security & breach response team and is a member of the technology, manufacturing, and transportation group.

C. Michael Hausman, Marquette 1967, has been reelected municipal court judge for the city of Delafield, commencing his 33rd consecutive year as the elected municipal judge for Delafield. He recently retired from practice but still maintains an active role in ongoing appointments and assignments for arbitration, mediation, and Special Master roles.

Grant C. Killoran, Minnesota 1989, has been reelected by the State Bar Board of Governors to a two-year term as one of the State Bar’s five delegates to the American Bar Association House of Delegates. He is the chair of the litigation practice group at O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C., Milwaukee, and focuses on complex business and health care disputes.

Max Neuhaus, Hamline 2008, has been appointed to the editorial board of Wisconsin Lawyer. He is with Rodli, Beskar, Neuhaus, Murray & Pletcher S.C., River Falls.

Erica N. Reib, Marquette 2011, has been elected to the board of the State Bar’s Labor and Employment Section. She is a member of the employment law practice group with O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C., Milwaukee, and assists clients with matters including employment discrimination litigation, noncompetition and trade secret litigation, OSHA matters, wage and hour issues, NLRB and unfair labor practice matters, and employment policy and agreement drafting and review.

New officers and directors of the Milwaukee Bar Association are the following: president – Andrew J. Wronski, Minnesota 1994, Foley & Lardner LLP; president-elect – Shannon A. Allen, U.W. 1995, Fox, O’Neill & Shannon; vice president – Matthew R. Falk, U.W. 1994, Falk Legal Group; and directors – Steven P. Bogart, U.W. 1984, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.; Aaron T. Olejniczak, U.W. 2002, Andrus Intellectual Property Law; and Kimberly R. Walker, Marquette 1998, Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, all of Milwaukee.

Ryan J. Steffes, U.W. 2005, has been elected to the management committee of Weld Riley S.C., Eau Claire. He is with the civil litigation, insurance defense, and labor and employment sections.

Janet G. Stellpflug, Hamline 1986, with DeWitt Mackall Crounse & Moore S.C., Minneapolis, an affiliate of DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C., has joined the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance. Her practice is focused on complex construction litigation and products liability, and she regularly represents contractors, engineers, and manufacturers in all types of disputes.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has appointed circuit court judges from Marathon and Marinette counties as chief judges of their respective judicial administrative districts. The court also reappointed circuit court judges from Racine, Jefferson, and Wood counties to continue as chief judges in their districts.

The Hon. Gregory B. Huber, U.W. 1981, Marathon County Circuit Court, is the new chief judge of the Ninth Judicial Administrative District. The Hon. James A. Morrison, Minnesota 1973, Marinette County Circuit Court, is the new chief judge of the Eighth Judicial Administrative District.

Circuit court judges reappointed to two-year terms as judicial administrative district chief judges are the Hon. Allan P. “Pat” Torhorst, U.W. 1966, Racine County Circuit Court, District Two; the Hon. Randy R. Koschnick, Hamline 1985, Jefferson County Circuit Court, District Three; and the Hon. Gregory J. Potter, Gonzaga 1984, Wood County Circuit Court, District Six.

Authors, Speakers

William H. Levit, Jr., Harvard 1967, Levit ADR LLC, Milwaukee, participated in a program sponsored by the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution on “Fast Track and Baseball Arbitration for Commercial Disputes” and an ABA Arbitration Institute in which he co-chaired a program on International Arbitration.

Awards, Degrees, Honors

Lawrence Bechler, U.W. 1977, has been elected as a member of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation. His practice with Murphy Desmond S.C., Madison, emphasizes municipal law, probate, estate planning, property tax law, and litigation.

Gina Carter, Georgetown 1986, has received YWCA Madison’s 2016 Women of Distinction Leadership Award. Carter is a partner in the Madison office of Husch Blackwell LLP and a member of the technology, manufacturing, and transportation team.

The Hon. William Domina, U.W. 1985, Waukesha County Circuit Court judge, recently received the Distinguished Member Award for 2016 from the Waukesha County Bar Association and the President’s Award from U.W.-Eau Claire, the latter in recognition of outstanding professional and personal achievements and service to the university.

The United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties honored Jay Miller, Arizona 1974, Law Offices of Jay Miller, Whitefish Bay, as one of its Volunteers of the Year for his volunteer efforts at Legal Action of Wisconsin.

José A. Olivieri, Marquette 1981, received the 2016 Executive Leadership Award from the Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee (HPGM). Olivieri is founder of the immigration and international migration practice, leader of the higher education industry group, and former chair of the labor and employment relations practice group at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Milwaukee. He is president of the United Community Center’s board, chair of the board of Carroll University, a founding member and past president of the Wisconsin Hispanic Lawyers Association, past chair of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, past chair of the City of Milwaukee Library Foundation, a board member of the Equal Justice Campaign, and a past board member of Legal Action Wisconsin.

Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. shareholders John A. Herbers, Boston College 1982, and Wendy S. Rusch, U.W. 2000, have been named 2016 Five Star Estate Planning Attorneys by Five Star Professional. Herbers is a shareholder in the trusts and estate practice and a member of the tax and corporate law practices in Milwaukee. Rusch is a shareholder in the trusts and estates and corporate law practices in Waukesha.

Retirements

Gaines Law Offices S.C., Milwaukee, has closed, and Irving D. Gaines, U.W. 1947, and Jeffrey S. Gaines, Southwestern 1975, have retired.

In Memoriam

Gerald W. Abendroth, U.W. 1991, McDonough, Ga., Oct. 12, 1947 – Dec. 16, 2012.

Berwyn B. Braden, U.W. 1959, Madison, Jan. 10, 1928 – July 23, 2016.

Robert J. Cameron, U.W. 1964, Dallas, Tex., Nov. 9, 1936 – June 3, 2016.

Richard F. Cimpl, Marquette 1949, Hales Corners, Jan. 11, 1925 – June 16, 2016.

Donald B. Coulter, U.W. 1959, Wausau, March 18, 1931 – Dec. 31, 2015.

George M. DeBruin, U.W. 1954, Oconomowoc, May 18, 1929 – June 14, 2016.

Hon. Vivi L. Dilweg, Texas 1967, Green Bay, June 27, 1943 – May 5, 2016.

Robert W. Horn, U.W. 1946, Valders, Feb. 16, 1918 – Feb. 21, 2008.

Susan R. Maisa, Marquette 1982, Milwaukee, July 30, 1956 – May 14, 2016.

Allen H. McMurry, U.W. 1950, Lake Mills, June 27, 1924 – June 17, 2008.

Dennis J. McNally, Marquette 1971, Milwaukee, Dec. 23, 1941 – June 1, 2016.

Peter J. Reilly, Marquette 1972, Elm Grove, Dec. 16, 1945 – May 2, 2016.

William P. Reilly, Virginia 1963, Fort Myers, Fla., July 29, 1935 – Aug. 17, 2015.

Meredith J. Ross, U.W. 1990, Wautoma, May 1, 1955 – April 20, 2016.

Thomas A. Savignac, Marquette 1955, Wauwatosa, Sept. 20, 1928 – Sept. 11, 2015.

Gerald M. Stein, Marquette 1962, Thiensville, Dec. 4, 1937 – May 6, 2016.

Douglas K. Van De Water, U.W. 1959, Sheboygan, March 3, 1932 – Oct. 28, 2015.

Richard J. Ward, U.W. 1975, McFarland, Jan. 9, 1947 – June 9, 2016.

Daniel P. Westman, Chicago 1982, Great Falls, Va., June 6, 1956 – May 22, 2016.

How to Place your Announcement

If you have moved, become a partner or an associate, or received a promotion or an award, let us know. Talks, speeches (unless they are of national stature), honors from other publications, and political announcements are not accepted. Notices about State Bar members in good standing are printed as space is available, and at no cost, must be submitted in writing, and may be edited. Questions: (608) 250-6139.

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Deadline: The first of the month preceding publication. For example, to place an announcement in the May issue, it must be received before April 1. Email to: MembersOnly@wisbar.org. Include your State Bar membership number.