New Hires, Promotions, Partners
Griselda Aldrete, Marquette 2017, has joined Madison-based Alliant Energy as director of stakeholder engagement. She previously was the CEO of Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee and executive director of the Milwaukee Police and Fire Commission.
Amy Harriman, U.W. 2020, and Emilia Janisch, Penn State 2020, have joined the Madison office of Axley. Harriman is with the business practice group and focuses on corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, securities, real estate, construction, employment, and government relations. Janisch is with the litigation practice group and represents clients in areas including commercial, employment, intellectual property, personal injury, and municipal matters.
Kate Campbell, Univ. of Southern California 2008, has joined Godfrey & Kahn S.C., Milwaukee, with the data privacy & cybersecurity and technology & digital business practice groups. She counsels clients on compliance with state, federal, and international privacy laws and assists with establishing data privacy programs, information security programs, information handling, and data breach prevention, response, and remediation. Campbell previously practiced in the litigation departments of firms in Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Jeffrey A. Conen, Chicago-Kent 1985, has joined Hansen Reynolds LLC as a partner in the Milwaukee office. His practice concentrates on mediations, arbitration, trial and jury consulting, and general civil litigation. He previously was a judge on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court for 23 years.
Christian A. Jenkins, U.W. 1995, managing partner of Minnillo & Jenkins Co. LPA, Cincinnati, Ohio, has been elected to a six-year term as a trial court judge on the Hamilton County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas.
Matthew Kurudza, Marquette 2014, has joined Lindner & Marsack S.C., Milwaukee, as an associate on the worker’s compensation defense team. He previously represented major corporations, small businesses, insurance companies, and self-insured employers.
Laura E. Pedersen, Marquette 2020, has joined Strang, Patteson, Renning, Lewis & Lacy s.c. in the Madison office. She represents public- and private-sector clients in school and higher education law and labor and employment law and provides support for the firm’s other practice areas.
Peter Silver, Marquette 1987, has been promoted to partner with Hennessy & Roach P.C., Milwaukee. He represents employers, insurance carriers, and third-party administrators defending worker’s compensation claims.
Adam Stephens, U.W. 1999, has joined the City Attorney’s Office in Fort Collins, Colo., focusing on litigation, risk management, police services, and marijuana licensing. He previously led the Neighborhood Revitalization and Ordinance Enforcement section of the Milwaukee City Attorney’s Office for five years and served as a community prosecutor and civil rights litigator before that.
Mergers, Relocations, New Offices
Dale M. Krause, Thomas M. Cooley 1985, has opened a satellite office of Krause Financial Services in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Krause Financial Services, headquartered in Wisconsin, partners with elder law attorneys nationwide to help senior clients by offering Medicaid-compliant annuities and long-term care insurance.
Appointments, Elections
Alexander “Alec” Fraser, New York Univ. 1994, has been named co-managing partner of the Milwaukee office of Michael Best. Fraser continues to lead the firm’s national derivatives and LIBOR transition teams, which serve more than 90 national, regional, and community banks, and represents corporate clients and banks on commercial lending matters and corporate finance.
Authors, Speakers
The Lawyer Chronicles, a book of poetry by Thomas J. Erickson, Marquette 1985, was published by Kelsay Press in October.
Kathleen McDonough, Chicago-Kent 1994, has authored Badger State: A Wisconsin Memoir (Henschel House 2020). She is with Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP, Chicago.
Staff from the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office recently provided trial-skills training to attorneys in the country of Georgia. Training was provided by SPD training director Gina Pruski, U.W. 1992, and SPD attorneys Guy Cardamone, Univ. of Cincinnati 2012, Eric Heywood, U.W. 2010, Richard Jones, Marquette 1989, and Ashley Morse, U.W. 2009.
Marilyn Townsend, Potomac 1979, recently presented on “Employees’ Rights and Employers’ Legitimate Expectations in the Age of the Pandemic.” She operates Marilyn Townsend Law Office, Madison, and her practice emphasizes labor and employment issues on behalf of employees.
Awards, Degrees, Honors
The Wisconsin Association for Justice has named Christopher J. MacGillis, Marquette 2008, as Outstanding Young Trial Lawyer of 2020. He is a founder and partner at MacGillis Wiemer LLC, Wauwatosa, and focuses on personal injury matters, including representing first responders and police and firefighters’ unions.
Timothy S. Trecek, Marquette 1993, has been named Robert L. Habush Trial Lawyer of the Year. He leads the Milwaukee and West Bend offices and is the corporate secretary at Habush Habush & Rottier S.C. He previously won the award in 2011 and is one of only two individuals to have been honored twice. Trecek handles all types of personal injury cases, including auto accidents, nursing home abuse, electrical accidents, premises liability cases, and others, and has special emphasis and expertise in complex product liability cases.
Roxanne Kunda, a paralegal at Gingras, Thomsen & Wachs LLP, was named Paralegal of the Year. Since 2010, she has used her expertise exclusively on behalf of injured plaintiffs.
Pro Bono, Public Service
Hupy and Abraham S.C., a personal-injury firm, and firm president Michael F. Hupy, Marquette 1972, recently donated to Milwaukee Crime Stoppers. Hupy also is president of the nonprofit organization, which, since its creation in October 2019, has assisted in gathering information that has led to 27 arrests and has paid more than $6,500 in rewards.
In Memoriam
James A. Kohlstedt, Indiana Univ. McKinney 1976, Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., June 1, 1949 – Oct. 10, 2020.
William L. Seymour, U.W. 1953, Oconomowoc, April 3, 1928 – Nov. 5, 2020.
Thomas R. Timken, U.W. 1961, Eagle River, Sept. 10, 1932 – May 23, 2020.
Jon R. Wilsnack, William Mitchell 1981, Markesan, March 20, 1955 – Nov. 1, 2020.
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! Email announcements to: MembersOnly@wisbar.org. Notices about State Bar members in good standing are printed as space is available, and subject to editing. Writing guidelines are available here. Questions? Email us or call (608) 250-6139.
Photo placement: Submit a professional-quality photo. If the photo is used, the State Bar will issue an invoice ($35 each). Group photos are not accepted. High-resolution electronic photos are preferred.
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.
Ineligible announcements: Talks, speeches (unless they are of national stature), honors from other publications, and political announcements are not accepted.
