Vol. 75, No. 6, June
2002
In the News
New Hires, Promotions, Partners
Elizabeth Feyrer Bagley, Hamline 1997, has joined
the Law Offices of Phillips & Gemignani, Waukesha, as an associate,
continuing to practice family law. She previously was associated with
Harris, Nelson & Zaeske LLP.
John P. Bovich, U.W. 1990, has been named a partner
of Crosby, Heafey, Roach & May, San Francisco. Bovich concentrates
in intellectual property and product liability litigation.
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| Wettersten |
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Fillbach
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Nancy C. Wettersten, U.W. 1986, and Trisha
A. Fillbach, Hamline 2000, have joined DeWitt Ross &
Stevens S.C., Madison, practicing in family law, juvenile law, and
criminal defense. Wettersten has practiced in Dane County for more than
15 years. She has a special interest in serving as guardian ad litem for
children and has taught classes in this area and in family law generally
for the State Bar and the University of Wisconsin. She is chair of the
Office of Lawyer Regulation's District 9 Investigative Committee, of
which she has been a member since 1995. Fillbach previously was clerk
for the Hon. Debra A. Jacobson, Third Judicial District, Rochester,
Minn. Wettersten and Fillbach are members of the Collaborative Family
Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc.
Park M. Drescher, St. Louis University 1988, has
joined Bank One, Appleton, as a trust advisor. He previously was in
private practice in Appleton.
Jason M. Fey, William Mitchell 2001, has joined
Heywood & Cari S.C., Hudson, as an associate, practicing family law,
real estate law, and estate planning.
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| Dodd |
Kelly M. Dodd, Marquette 2000, has joined Petrie
& Stocking S.C., Milwaukee, as a shareholder, continuing her
practice in family law, commercial litigation, and real estate.
James Friedman, U.W. 1992 with honors, Tim
McCoy, Hamline 1992 cum laude, and Mark Witt,
Michigan 1994 cum laude, have been promoted to shareholder by Godfrey
& Kahn S.C. Friedman is a member of the litigation practice group in
the Madison office (LaFollette Godfrey & Kahn). McCoy is a member of
the corporate team in the Green Bay office. Witt is a member of the
corporate team in the Milwaukee office.
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| Garson |
Peter M. Garson, Marquette 1998, has joined the
business practice group in the Madison office of von Briesen & Roper
s.c., practicing in business formation; merger, acquisition, and
reorganization transactions for acquiring and disposing companies;
business succession planning; real estate acquisition and development;
estate and trust planning; business and tax planning; and taxpayer
representation on compliance, audit, and collection matters.
Joseph S. Heino, Marquette 1982, has joined Davis
& Kuelthau s.c., Milwaukee, as a shareholder in the business and
corporate law section. Heino will focus on intellectual property law
including: patent, trademark and service mark searches; infringement
study, assessment and enforcement; programs for trade secret protection;
negotiation and drafting of publishing contracts; and software and
intellectual property licensing agreements. Prior to joining Davis &
Kuelthau, s.c., he was with Knutson and Heino, S.C.
Thomas C. Hofbauer, Loyola Univ.-Chicago 1987, has
joined Bode, Carroll, McCoy & Mihal S.C., Waukesha, as a
shareholder, continuing his practice in insurance defense, business
litigation, commercial litigation, and product liability.
Melvyn L. Hoffman, Southwestern University 1977, has
been admitted to practice in Minnesota. Hoffman, a partner in Hoffman,
Pittman & Associates, La Crosse, and a Chapter 7 panel trustee,
focuses on bankruptcy, debtor/creditor relations, and collections.
Scott T. Kowalski, John Marshall 1995, has been
promoted to senior manager at RSM McGladrey Inc., Madison, responsible
for coordinating the firm's practice development activities and
expanding its consulting services practice. Kowalski previously was
president of The Prairie Group, a multidisciplinary consulting
company.
Michael Lueder, Indiana 1987 cum laude, has joined
Foley & Lardner as a partner in the litigation department,
practicing in labor and employment, general litigation, and bankruptcy.
Lueder previously was chief litigation counsel for U.S. Bancorp. Before
1999, he was with Taft, Stettinius & Hollister, where he headed the
litigation and labor/employment practices in the firm's Cleveland
office.
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| Kelsey |
Margaret C. (Peggy) Kelsey, Georgetown 1989 magna
cum laude, has been appointed senior counsel and assistant secretary at
Modine Manufacturing Co., Racine. Kelsey formerly was a partner in the
Milwaukee office of Quarles & Brady LLP.
John D. Finerty Jr., Marquette 1992, and
Charles B. Palmer, Marquette 1990, have joined the
Waukesha office of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP as partners. Finerty
is a trial lawyer, focusing on complex litigation in federal and state
courts and before administrative agencies. Palmer focuses on Equal
Employment Opportunity law, labor relations, labor contract negotiation,
wage and hour law, restrictive covenants and trade secrets, independent
contractor and employment contracts, worker's compensation, and OSHA
laws and regulations. Both attorneys previously were with Palmer &
Finerty S.C.
Michael Best & Friedrich LLP has hired the following associates
in the Milwaukee office: Luis I. Arroyo, U.W. 1998, in
the labor and employment law practice area and the education law focus
group, where his work includes counseling K-12 school districts,
colleges, and universities on student/faculty discipline, open
records/meetings law, student and faculty disability accommodation
issues, general policy development, and drafting student and staff
handbooks; Elizabeth M. Drew, U.W. 1999 cum laude, in
the employment relations law practice area, focusing on employment
discrimination, OFCCP compliance, and noncompete litigation;
William T. Kryger, Marquette 1999, in the intellectual
property law practice area; and Douglas A. Pessefall,
John Marshall 2002 cum laude, in the tax law practice group.
Lynne M. Mueller, U.W. 1988, has joined the
Milwaukee office of Litchfield Cavo as a partner, focusing in insurance
coverage and defense litigation, creditors' rights, bankruptcy, and
commercial litigation. Mueller previously was associated with Cook &
Franke S.C., Milwaukee.
Norman C. Nelson, Illinois 1984, has joined the
Michael Ablan Law Firm, La Crosse. Nelson has done trial work in
Wisconsin since 1995, concentrating on criminal and civil litigation,
municipal matters, and financial institution work, and before that
practiced in Chicago for 10 years.
Sean O'Flaherty, Fordham 1998, has been promoted to
partner at Parke O'Flaherty Ltd., La Crosse, concentrating on business,
banking, and real estate law, and civil litigation.
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| Purtell |
Dennis J. Purtell, Minnesota 1965, has joined Whyte
Hirschboeck Dudek S.C., Milwaukee, as a shareholder, serving health care
and not-for-profit organizations. He previously was with von Briesen,
Purtell & Roper S.C.
Shanti A. Ariker, Virginia 1995, Enrique T.
Breceda, U.W. 2000 cum laude, Peter J.
Manghera, U.W. 1994 cum laude, and Brant T.
Maurer, Chicago-Kent College of Law 2001, have joined Reinhart
Boerner Van Deuren s.c. as associates. Ariker and Breceda are with the
litigation department in the Milwaukee office, Manghera is with the
intellectual property department in the Madison office, and Maurer is
with the intellectual property department in the Milwaukee office.
Nicholas (Chip) Retson, Marquette 1972, has been
named deputy general counsel for the Defense Contract Management Agency
(DCMA), Alexandria, Va., focusing on acquisition law, dispute
resolution, and the provision of leadership and professional development
for other DCMA attorneys throughout the U.S. and overseas. Retson has
experience in government contracting, international logistics,
construction, ethics, fiscal issues, personnel, and environmental law.
He retired as a colonel in March 2001 after more than 28 years of active
duty. He is treasurer of the State Bar's Nonresident Lawyers
Division.
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| Shaul |
Kimberly Shaul, U.W. 1989, has been named director
of life/health compliance for American Family Life Insurance Company and
Health Division, Madison, responsible for monitoring internal health and
life insurance operations, field force practices and training to assure
state and federal regulatory compliance, and corporate standards and
ethical codes. She previously was assistant general counsel with the
company.
James Wendland, Marquette 1974, has been appointed
an administrative law judge with the Office of Hearings and Appeals,
Social Security Administration, Fort Worth, Texas. He previously
practiced employment law in Milwaukee and was Dunn County Circuit Court
judge from 1985 to 1997.
Julie A. Zavoral, U.W. 1994, has joined Nilles &
Nilles S.C., Milwaukee, as an associate in intellectual property law,
concentrating in patent prosecution, licensing, and patent portfolio
management. Zavoral previously was corporate patent counsel for
Quad/Graphics Inc., Sussex. She also has an M.S. in electrical
engineering, with a focus on integrated circuit design and
fabrication.
Mergers, Relocations, New Associations
Jerome Block, U.W. 1956, Joel
Seymour, Marquette 1969, Bruce Chudacoff,
Harvard 1969, Harvey Samson, U.W. 1973, and
Larry Liebzeit, U.W. 1976, have formed Block,
Seymour, Chudacoff, Samson & Liebzeit S.C., 512 W. College
Ave., Appleton. The attorneys combined their previous firms, Block,
Seymour & Samson S.C. and Chudacoff & Liebzeit LLP.
Pamela McAvoy, Drake 1992, has joined the firm as an
associate. Legal services offered by the new firm include family law,
personal injury, bankruptcy, civil litigation, appellate practice,
corporate law and business transactions, real estate, probate, estate
planning, criminal law, traffic, guardianships, and adoption.
P.J. Boylan, Marquette 1982, has established a
practice providing dispute resolution services, including mediation and
arbitration. She previously was senior legal counsel for technology
development and transfer with the U.W. System and U.W.-Milwaukee after
being director of legal affairs at UWM. In addition to higher education,
she has expertise in contracts, employment, and intellectual property,
and also serves as a public arbitrator for the National Association of
Securities Dealers and the New York Stock Exchange.
Lori S. Eshleman, Marquette 2000, has joined
David F. Traver, U.W. 1992, in his Social Security law
practice in Milwaukee. Eshleman will continue to practice employment law
with Brenda Lewison, U.W. 1995, at the Law Office of
Brenda Lewison, Milwaukee. She previously was a respiratory therapist
and an intern with Legal Action of Wisconsin, representing clients
before the Social Security Administration.
Lisa M. Gehrke, Marquette 1990, has opened
Gehrke & Associates S.C., 123 N. 86th St.,
Wauwatosa, concentrating in intellectual property and regulatory law.
Gehrke previously was a shareholder at Nilles & Nilles S.C.,
Milwaukee.
Michael Gendlin, Marquette 1968, has changed the
name of his firm to Gendlin & Liverman S.C.,
reflecting partner and new shareholder Andrew R.
Liverman, Valparaiso 1992.
Hutchison & Benson S.C. has relocated to the
Midway Office Centre, 1025 S. Moorland Rd., Suite 500, Brookfield.
Scott J. Hutchison, Marquette 1990, and Scott
M. Benson, Marquette 1991, continue to practice in real estate
and family law.
Nikola P. Kostich, U.W. 1970, Robert
LeBell, Iowa 1973, John Dobroski, U.W. 1973,
and Jeffrey Morgan, Hamline 1996, have opened
Kostich, LeBell, Dobroski & Morgan LLP, 735 W.
Wisconsin Ave., Suite 800, Milwaukee, a general practice concentrating
on civil and criminal litigation, business law, and international law.
Aleks Kostich, Marquette 2001, has joined the firm as
an associate, practicing in criminal defense and international law.
Alan A. Panek, Hamline 1983, Susan C.
Schill, Marquette 1991, and Timothy S. Gebert,
Detroit College of Law 1995, have established Panek Schill &
Gebert LLP, 110 E. Grand Ave., Suite 130, Wisconsin Rapids.
Panek practices business law, estate planning and probate, credit union
law, and real estate. Schill is a general practitioner emphasizing
family law. Gebert, also a general practitioner, emphasizes civil and
criminal litigation.
Fellows, Piper & Schmidt has changed its name to Piper
& Schmidt. The firm is located in Milwaukee.
Richard J. (Rick) Schroeder, Hamline 1992 cum laude,
has moved his law office, Schroeder & Mandel, to
111 Third Ave. S., Suite 110, Minneapolis. The firm continues to
represent people who have been injured in motorcycle and car crashes as
well as personal and work-related injury victims.
Ronald S. Stadler, U.W. 1989, and Kelly L.
Centofanti, Marquette 1990 magna cum laude, have formed
Stadler & Centofanti LLC, Mequon, practicing in
personal injury, labor and employment law, and civil litigation. Stadler
previously was a partner at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, and
Centofanti previously was a shareholder at Aiken & Scoptur S.C.
Denise L. Stoker, U.W. 1997, has joined the
intellectual property practice group in the Appleton office of Godfrey
& Kahn S.C., counseling clients on patent, trademark, copyright,
trade secret, and other property and technology issues, including
licensing and litigation. Stoker previously was with the firm's
Milwaukee office and has also worked for the U.S. Department of
Agriculture Forest Service.
Appointments, Elections
James J. Casey, Dayton 1988, has been named editor
of the Research Management Review, the scholarly journal of the
National Council of University Research Administrators. Casey is
director of sponsored programs at Bradley University and project manager
of the Bradley Center for Agribusiness and Agrotechnologies, Peoria,
Ill.
Joseph M. Fasi II, Stetson 1983, has been elected to
the board of directors of the Defense Research Institute, a national
organization of attorneys devoted to the defense of civil litigation.
Fasi, who is with Peterson, Johnson, & Murray S.C., Milwaukee, is
board certified in civil trial law by the American Board of Trial
Advocacy.
Ralf Böer, U.W. 1974, will become chairman and
chief executive officer of Foley & Lardner in July, replacing
Michael W. Grebe, Michigan 1970. Before becoming chair
of the firm's business law department in April 2000, Böer headed
the firm's international practice. His practice areas include U.S. and
transnational mergers and acquisitions and international business
transactions. Grebe will become president and chief executive officer of
the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.
John (Jack) Laffey, Ohio State 1985, has been
appointed vice chair of the trucking law committee of the Defense
Research Institute, a national organization of attorneys devoted to the
defense of civil litigation. His practice centers on transportation and
catastrophic injury litigation defense in Wisconsin and nationally.
Paul V. Malloy, John Marshall 1985, has been
appointed by Gov. Scott McCallum to serve as circuit court judge for
Branch 1, Ozaukee County, filling the unexpired term of Walter
Swietlik, Marquette 1960. Malloy previously was a partner with
Housman & Feind LLP, Grafton.
Steven R. Sorenson, Marquette 1977, has been
nominated by Gov. Scott McCallum as a member of the Wisconsin Employment
Relations Commission and has been designated as chair of the agency,
replacing retiring chair James R. Meier, U.W. 1972.
Sorenson previously was in private practice in Ripon and Fond du Lac,
including serving as village attorney for Fairwater and town attorney
for Utica, Springvale, and Rosendale. He is a past president of the
State Bar.
The Washington County Bar Association has elected these officers:
president - Timothy J. Algiers, West Bend;
president-elect - Gary C. McGregor,Hartford; secretary
- Christine E. Ohlis, West Bend; and treasurer -
Maureen Murray Volk, West Bend.
The Wisconsin Hispanic Lawyers Association has elected the following
officers: president - Francisco
Araiza; president-elect - Ana M.
Berrios; secretary - Jennifer A. Ortiz; and
treasurer - David A. Westrup, all of Milwaukee.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has appointed Judge Gerald P.
Ptacek, Marquette 1974, as chief judge of the Second Judicial
Administrative District. He will assume his new administrative duties on
Aug. 1, 2002, replacing Chief Judge Barbara A. Kluka,
Marquette 1978, Kenosha County Circuit Court, who has served the maximum
number of terms. Ptacek will also continue to handle cases in Racine
County, where he has been on the bench since 1988. He has served on a
statewide committee to study videoconferencing in the courts, helped
oversee the court system's automation program, and worked on issues
related to legal representation for children (guardians ad litem).
Before becoming a judge, Ptacek served as Racine County district
attorney for eight years and worked for a short time in private
practice.
The court has reappointed the following current chief judges to new
terms: Chief Judge Michael J. Skwierawski,
Georgetown 1967, Milwaukee County Circuit Court, First Judicial
Administrative District; Chief Judge Kathryn W. Foster,
Marquette 1977, Waukesha County Circuit Court, Third Judicial
Administrative District; Chief Judge James Evenson,
U.W. 1973, Sauk County Circuit Court, Sixth Judicial Administrative
District; Chief Judge Joseph M. Troy, U.W. 1980,
Outagamie County Circuit Court, Eighth Judicial Administrative District;
and Chief Judge James B. Mohr, U.W. 1976, Vilas County
Circuit Court, Ninth Judicial Administrative District.
Authors, Speakers
Tina Burnside, U.W. 1996, has authored the novel
Have Mercy, in which an assistant district attorney is faced
with prosecuting for murder a 14-year-old girl with post-traumatic
stress disorder. Burnside works for the U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, Minneapolis.
Retirement
James B. Gunz, Arizona 1974, Neenah city
attorney/personnel director, retired after 26 years of service.
Awards, Degrees, Honors
Thomas J. Basting Sr., U.W. 1962, James D.
Friedman, Notre Dame 1972, Adrian P. Schoone,
Marquette 1959, and Thomas S. Sleik, Marquette 1971,
have been named Life Fellows of the American Bar Foundation (ABF). The
ABF is a research center for the empirical study of law, legal
institutions, and legal processes in society. The Fellows is an honorary
organization of practicing attorneys, judges, and law teachers whose
professional, public, and private careers have demonstrated outstanding
dedication to the welfare of their communities and to the highest
principles of the legal profession. Basting is with Brennan, Steil,
Basting & MacDougall S.C., Janesville; Friedman is with Quarles
& Brady LLP, Milwaukee; Schoone is with Schoone, Leuck, Kelley,
Pitts & Knurr, Racine; and Sleik is with Hale, Skemp, Hanson, Skemp,
& Sleik, La Crosse.
Albert F. Beck, Marquette 1942, celebrated 60 years
in practice with an open house. He is with Albert Beck Law Office,
Waukesha.
René Hernández, U.W. 1994, MBA Univ. of
Illinois-Chicago 2001, has been named to Minority MBA
magazine's "Top Ten Next Generation Minority Business Leaders" list,
which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding
leadership and vision in their careers and have served as role models
for other minority business professionals.
Theodore B. Hertel Jr., U.W. 1972, has received the
Robert L. Fish Award for his short story "My Bonnie Lies." The Mystery
Writers of America presents the award for best first short story by an
American author. Hertel is with Hertel Law Offices, Milwaukee.
Bruce A. Olson, Marquette 1981, has been named
TechnoLawyer of the Year by the TechnoLawyer Community, a national
organization of legal and information technology professionals. He was
honored for his work in the areas of trial technology and the creation
and adoption of paperless solutions for legal practices. He also has
been appointed vice chair of the ABA's Techshow 2003 board of directors
and will continue as litigation track leader. Olson, a shareholder in
the Green Bay office of Davis & Kuelthau S.C., has been recertified
as a civil trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy after
being originally certified in 1997.
Cherry A. Shaw, U.W. 1998, was honored as Gold Medal
Employee of the 4th Quarter and Employee of the Year, both in 2001, by
the Division of Medical Quality Assurance, Florida Department of Health.
Criteria for the award include: demonstrating a direct or indirect
positive impact on the health of Floridians; producing increased
productivity and revenues, and reduced costs; demonstrating a positive
attitude; providing a significant contribution toward work force
cohesiveness; and demonstrating the department's values of integrity,
accountability, professionalism, quality, and caring. Shaw, who
practices administrative and health regulatory law as senior attorney
and board counsel for the department of health in Tallahassee, is the
first attorney to receive these awards. She has also been elected
treasurer of the Florida Government Bar Association.
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| Whiting |
Timothy M. Whiting, U.W. 1994, was named one of the
top 40 lawyers under 40 to practice in Illinois. Whiting owns Whiting
Law Group Ltd., which practices personal injury and medical malpractice.
The firm has offices in Chicago, Ill. and Delavan, Wis.
In Memoriam
Colburn Cherney, Harvard 1942, Cary, N.C., Dec. 28,
1916 - Nov. 8, 2001.
Louis L. Croy, U.W. 1937, Manitowoc, Apr. 16, 1914 -
Dec. 24, 2001.
Robert C. Kelly, U.W. 1950, Madison, Nov. 8, 1924 -
July 31, 2001.
Wisconsin
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