New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Mark Bender, U.W. 2015, has joined the Madison office of Godfrey & Kahn S.C. with the regulatory and energy law practice groups. Bender advises clients about interactions with local, state, and federal government with a focus on energy and regulatory issues. He has experience as a chief advisor at the Public Service Commission and in senior staff roles in the State Assembly and State Senate.

Vincent J. Falcone, U.W. 2019, has joined the Madison office of von Briesen & Roper s.c. As a member of the business practice group, Falcone focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate law, and real estate law and assists clients in all phases of drafting, negotiation, due diligence, and financing of business transactions, including real estate acquisitions and sales.

Hon. Mary E. Triggiano, U.W. 1988, chief judge for the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, has been named director of Marquette University Law School’s Andrew Center for Restorative Justice. Triggiano continues the work of the inaugural director, the Hon. Janine P. Geske, Marquette 1975, former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice and Marquette trustee, who continues to serve in an advisory role.

Before joining the bench, Triggiano worked with Legal Action of Wisconsin for 10 years as director of the Volunteer Lawyers Project and was in private practice at Reinhart, Boerner, Van Deuren s.c.

Zak Wroblewski, Marquette 2022, has joined Milwaukee-based Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP with the litigation team. Previously, he represented clients in criminal and civil legal matters at a small firm in Milwaukee. Until recently, Wroblewski worked as the Bernie Brewer mascot for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Marti Wronski, U.W. 1997 with honors, has been named chief operating officer (COO) of the Milwaukee Brewers. Wronski is the first woman to hold the position of COO for the Brewers and is the only woman holding the COO title for a Major League Baseball club. Previously, Wronski was general counsel and senior vice president – administration. She continues to oversee the legal, information technology and human resources departments and, as general counsel, all the organization’s legal affairs, governmental relations and compliance and has assumed responsibility for the business analytics and strategy team. Wronski also is an adjunct professor at Marquette University, for the law school and the MBA program.

Lauren Zenk, Georgia State 2022, has joined Elder Law Center of Wisconsin, Brookfield, and handles estate planning, tax planning, and asset protection planning.

Mergers, Relocations, New Offices

Nowlan Law LLP has opened an office at 604 Pleasant St., Suite 120, Beloit. The firm’s practice areas include banking and financial institutions law, civil litigation, corporate and business law, divorce and family law, municipal and school law, personal-injury law, real estate matters, and trusts and estates.

Appointments, Elections

Richard Rados, U.W. 1989, is serving on the Lassen County (Cal.) Civil Grand Jury for July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023, and was appointed by the Lassen County Superior Court’s presiding judge to be the grand jury’s foreperson. Rados retired from the full-time practice of law in March 2022.

John Schulze, Marquette 2004, has been appointed chair of the board of the Villa of Saint Francis, an assisted-living center in South Milwaukee. Schulze is director of legal and government affairs for Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, Madison.

Authors, Speakers

Mark T. Johnson, U.W. 2008, and Kendall Karon authored “Who’s Next When the Patient Can’t Consent?”, published in the Winter 2022 issue of the Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting. The article describes various decision-making options in providing informed consent for a patient with diminished or no capacity. Johnson is a partner at Johnson Teigen LLC in Fitchburg. Karon is a second-year student at the U.W. Law School and clerked at Johnson Teigen LLC as part of the State Bar Diversity Clerkship Program.

Authors of the recently revised Wisconsin Juvenile Law Handbook (State Bar of Wis. 5th ed. 2022) are the following: Katie York, Golden Gate 2006, Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office (SPD) appellate division, Madison; Alaina Fahley, Marquette 2013, Wisconsin SPD, Appleton; Jessica Fehrenbach, Wisconsin SPD, Merrill; Eileen Fredericks, U.W. 2005, and Matthew W. Giesfeldt, U.W. 2012, Wisconsin SPD trial division, Madison; Imani Hollie, Loyola Chicago 2020, Wisconsin SPD, Green Bay; Faun Moses, U.W. 2010, Wisconsin SPD, Janesville; Elisabeth Stockbridge, U.W. 2009, Wisconsin SPD, Shawano; and Jacob Van Kerkvoorde, Loyola Chicago 2011, Wisconsin SPD, Juneau.

John D. Neal, U.W. 1973, and Joseph P. Danas Jr., Valparaiso 1975, authored the recently revised Worker’s Compensation Handbook (State Bar of Wis. 10th ed. 2022). Neal practices with Stafford, Neal and Soule SC, Madison. Danas practices with Borgelt, Powell, Peterson & Frauen SC, Milwaukee.

Awards, Degrees, Honors

Mark L. Thomsen, Marquette 1987 cum laude, has been named the Robert L. Habush Trial Lawyer of the Year and was recognized with the award at the Wisconsin Association for Justice 2022 Presidents’ Dinner & Reception in Milwaukee in December. Thomsen is a partner with Gingras Thomsen & Wachs LLP in the Milwaukee office and focuses on personal injury, civil rights, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, and legal malpractice claims in state and federal courts.

Dana J. Wachs, Valparaiso 1985, has been appointed to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), a national association of experienced trial lawyers and judges. ABOTA is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the civil jury trial right provided by the Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. ABOTA membership is by invitation only. Wachs is a partner with Gingras Thomsen & Wachs LLP in the Eau Claire office, and his practice areas include civil rights, legal malpractice, medical malpractice, wrongful death, defective product, and personal injury law.

Retirements

Michael C. Williams, California Western 1979, has retired after 32 years as chief deputy of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Before his position as chief deputy, Williams was a staff attorney with the United States Trustee’s Office, an estate administrator with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, an attorney with Farm House Foods Corp., an associate with Whyte Hirschboeck S.C., and a law clerk to the Hon. Howard W. Hilgendorf.

In Memoriam

Patricia Jean Arnold, Hamline 1985, Stevens Point, Aug. 12, 1960 – Jan. 24, 2022.

Marc Milavitz, Univ. of Colorado 1990, Boulder, Colo., Oct. 1, 1957 – July 31, 2022.

Gordon K. Miller, U.W. 1974, Brookfield, Oct. 17, 1949 – Dec. 4, 2022.

Gary R. Schmaus, Marquette 1977, Germantown, June 27, 1952 – Aug. 5, 2022.

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.

» Cite this article: 96 Wis. Law. 52-53 (January 2023).