New Hires, Promotions, Partners
Olivia Kelley, Marquette 2009, and Craig Stevenson, U.W. 2006, have been promoted to partner at DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C. and its affiliate DeWitt Mackall Crounse & Moore S.C.
Kelley, with the metro-Milwaukee office, practices in litigation, business, real estate, tax, and e-discovery. She works with clients to address their legal obligations and avoid potential issues in preserving and handling electronic information. Stevenson, with the Madison office, practices in creditors’ rights, business bankruptcy, business, and litigation. He represents debtors and creditors in all chapters of bankruptcy, foreclosures, receiverships, workouts, and state and federal litigation.
Three lawyers have been elected shareholders at Godfrey & Kahn SC, Milwaukee:
Andrea Cataldo, Marquette 2007 cum laude, is with the corporate law and emerging companies practice groups and focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, and venture capital equity.
Krisstina Ebner, Marquette 2007 magna cum laude, is with the corporate law practice group and focuses on mergers, acquisitions, and other business combinations.
Annie Eiden, Minnesota 2008 magna cum laude, is with the labor and employment and litigation practice groups and focuses on employment litigation. She also counsels employers with respect to discipline and termination decisions, reductions in force, employment policies, employment and separation agreements, and wage and hour issues.
Jennifer O. Hemmer, Marquette 2013 cum laude, has been named a partner at Hostak, Henzl & Bichler S.C., Racine, and continues to focus on family law, including divorce, adoption and paternity actions, estate planning, guardianship and probate, and real estate matters, including condominium law, and residential and commercial landlord-tenant and transactional representation.
Brandon Glanz, Florida State 2009, and Krista Pezewski, Hamline 2010, have been elected shareholders at HKM Professional Association, Saint Paul, Minn. Glanz is a member of the civil litigation group, practicing in toxic torts, employment litigation, and general civil litigation defense. He has handled complex wrongful death and personal injury actions involving asbestos exposures; employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation cases; defamation actions; breaches of noncompete agreements; and defense of ADA Title III lawsuits.
Pezewski, also with the civil litigation group, focuses in product liability defense, commercial litigation, transportation litigation, insurance related litigation, and appeals. She has handled claims including wrongful death, catastrophic personal injury claims, warranty disputes, contract claims, claims for lost profit or business income, issues of insurance coverage, and other general litigation matters through trial and any appeals.
Ryan Ogren, St. Thomas 2014, has joined Probst Law Offices S.C., Wauwatosa, as an associate focusing on family law, juvenile law, and adoptions.
Sally Piefer, Marquette 1994, has been promoted to equity partner at Lindner & Marsack S.C., Milwaukee, and continues to focus in employment law matters, with special emphasis in employment litigation, employment counseling and compliance issues, and employee/supervisor training. She represents and defends employers in employment discrimination, wage and hour, FMLA, ADA, OSHA, and unemployment compensation claims and drafts, advises clients, and litigates claims involving noncompetition, nonsolicitation, confidentiality, and duty of loyalty issues.
John B. Stadler, U.W. 1988, is now an adjunct professor at Marian University’s School of Nursing and Health Professions in Fond du Lac.
Tina Syring, Hamline 1994, has joined Cozen O’Connor as a member in its Minneapolis office and national labor and employment department and focuses on social media issues, executive terminations, allegations of harassment or discrimination, wage and hour strategies, whistleblower complaints, and long-term succession planning, helps prepare employers for wage-and-hour audits on wage and hour matters, and has extensive experience in drafting and negotiating executive compensation agreements for publicly traded and private companies. She previously was a partner in Barnes & Thornburg LLP’s Minneapolis office.
Michael Wieber, Northwestern 1994 with honors, has joined Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee, as of counsel with the labor and employment practice group’s employee benefits team. He focuses on tax and fiduciary aspects of 401(k) plans, pension plans, employee stock ownership plans, executive deferred-compensation arrangements, and flexible spending plans and has significant experience in ERISA fiduciary law, including investment advisory and management services, and in mergers and acquisition. He previously was with BMO Financial Group.
Mergers, Relocations, New Offices
Twenty-two lawyers and all the staff formerly of Peterson, Johnson & Murray S.C. and three lawyers and the staff formerly of Levine & Bazelon S.C. have joined von Briesen & Roper s.c. For 35 years Peterson, Johnson & Murray S.C. dedicated its practice to supporting businesses, corporations, and industries in matters of significant litigation, arbitration, mediation, and dispute resolution. Levine & Bazelon S.C. was founded 35 years ago and focused on real estate law with an emphasis on condominium and community association law. Peterson, Johnson & Murray S.C. and Levine & Bazelon S.C. ceased operations effective Dec. 31, 2017.
Appointments, Elections
Steve Slawinski, Marquette 1986, a partner with O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C., Milwaukee, has been elected to the board of Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, a trade association representing nearly 900 contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, manufacturers, and construction-related professionals.
The Wisconsin Association for Justice has elected the following officers and board members: president – Heath P. Straka, U.W. 2000, Gingras, Cates & Wachs, Madison; president-elect – Edward E. Robinson, U.W. 1995, Cannon & Dunphy SC, Brookfield; vice president – Beverly Wickstrom, U.W. 1983, Gingras, Cates & Wachs, Eau Claire; secretary – Jay S. Urban, Marquette 1992, Urban & Taylor SC, Milwaukee; treasurer – Kristin M. Cafferty, Marquette 1994, Habush Habush & Rottier SC, Racine.
New board members are Emily Lonergan, Marquette 2011, Peterson, Berk & Cross SC, Appleton; Patrick O’Neill, U.W. 1992, Hausman-McNally SC, Milwaukee; Brian Hodgkiss, Hamline 1998, Sigman, Janssen, Stack, Sewall & Pitz, Appleton; Paul M. Gagliardi, Thomas Jefferson 2012, Gagliardi Law LLP, Salem; Michelle Hockers, Marquette 2015, Murphy & Prachthauser SC, Milwaukee; Brad Yanke, Anderson, O’Brien, Marquette 2011, Bertz, Skrenes & Golla LLP, Stevens Point; Luke Kingree, Marquette 2007, Hawks Quindel SC, Madison; and Brian Laule, Minnesota 2006, Bye, Goff & Rohde, River Falls.
Women’s Caucus: chair – Jacqueline Nuckels, Marquette 2004, Jacobs Injury Law SC, Milwaukee; and vice chair – Kristen S. Scheuerman, Marquette 2010, Herrling Clark Law Firm Ltd., Appleton.
New Lawyers Section: chair – Patrick Bomhack, U.W. 2014, Sperling Law Offices LLC, Milwaukee; and vice chair – Melissa Fischer, Marquette 2015, Groth Law Firm SC, Wauwatosa.
Authors, Speakers
Ronald Hofer, Marquette 1981, the NJC Distinguished Professor at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nev., recently presented a two-day writing program for the lawyers of the World Trade Organization at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Awards, Degrees, Honors
Douglas Hoffer, Marquette 2010, was named the 2017 Brad D. Bailey Assistant City/County Attorney of the Year by the International Municipal Lawyers Association. This award recognizes excellence in the practice of law, outstanding service to the public, an exemplary reputation in the legal community, and the highest ethical standards. Hoffer is assistant city attorney for Eau Claire.
Max Neuhaus, Hamline 2008, has been named to the Wisconsin Pro Bono Honor Society by the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission for the second time in two years. He is with Rodli Beskar Neuhaus Murray & Pletcher SC, River Falls.
Isaac J. Roang, Georgetown 2007, received the 2017 Next Generation UPAF Leadership Award, sponsored by We Energies Foundation. The award spotlights one community leader within Next Generation UPAF who cultivates, encourages, and promotes the performing arts in southeastern Wisconsin. Roang is a partner and member of the real estate practice group with Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee, and represents clients in complex real estate transactions, including tax credit transactions, acquisitions and dispositions of real estate holdings, and mergers and acquisitions.
Four lawyers have been honored by the Wisconsin Association for Justice. Tim Andringa, Marquette 1990, and Al Foeckler, Marquette 1998, share the 2017 Robert L. Habush Trial Lawyer of the Year honor. Andringa is a shareholder at Cramer, Multhauf & Hammes LLP, Waukesha, and focuses exclusively on personal injury and complex commercial litigation. Foeckler is a shareholder at Cannon & Dunphy S.C., Brookfield.
Brian F. Laule, Minnesota 2006, was named the Outstanding Young Trial Lawyer of 2017. He is a shareholder at Bye, Goff & Rohde Ltd., River Falls, and practices exclusively in the area of personal injury litigation and trials.
Christine Bremer Muggli, Loyola-Chicago 1978, received the WAJ President’s Award, presented to an individual or team that embodies the WAJ’s mission of service. She is chief shareholder of Bremer & Trollop Law Offices S.C., Wausau.
Retirements
Hon. John J. DiMotto, U.W. 1974, will retire in February from the Milwaukee County Circuit Court after 27 years on the bench.
Hon. Jeffrey Kremers, U.W. 1975, will retire in July from the Milwaukee County Circuit Court.
In Memoriam
Irvin B. Charne, U.W. 1949, Milwaukee, Aug. 29, 1922 – Jan. 10, 2018.
Kevin Lee Ferguson, Marquette 1996, Stoughton, Sept. 23, 1959 – Oct. 2, 2015.
Joseph E. Fieschko, U.W. 1949, Lebanon, Pa., Dec. 16, 1919 – Dec. 26, 1917.
Heidi Marie Hida, Marquette 1987, Milwaukee, Dec. 30, 1936 – Oct. 14, 2017.
Ronald J. Jaskolski, Marquette 1967, New Berlin, Nov. 11, 2017.
Marygold S. Melli, U.W. 1950, Madison, 1926 – Jan. 6, 2018.
Philip J. Rosenkranz, U.W. 1981, New Berlin, Dec. 13, 2017.
Joseph J. Shutkin, U.W. 1952, Mequon, Jan. 26, 1925 – Dec. 24, 2017.
Charles Swanson, U.W. 1973, Racine, Nov. 4, 2017.
Richard A. Van Deuren, Harvard 1954, Milwaukee & North Palm Beach, Fla., Dec. 17, 2017.
Jessica J. Zerbst, U.W. 2001, Madison, July 27, 1976 – Dec. 3, 2017.
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.
