New lawyers are sworn in.
May 21, 2009 – On May 18, 151 Marquette Law School graduates were admitted to practice in five ceremonies. The new lawyers were welcomed to the profession by Wisconsin Supreme Court justices Ann Walsh Bradley, N. Patrick Crooks, David T. Prosser, Patience Roggensack, Annette Ziegler, and Michael J. Gableman, Marquette Law School Dean Joseph D. Kearney, State Bar President Diane Diel, and Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners Vice Chair James L. Huston.
Justice Bradley recalled the late Marquette Law School Dean Howard Eisenberg in her comments at the 10:30 swearing in ceremony, “It is important to remember those beacons of light in our lives who have preceded us. I think our success in life in no small part is because we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. For many lawyers in this state the late Dean Howard Eisenberg was a beacon to them shedding light along their way. Howard was a compassionate man with a brilliant mind,” said Bradley.
“On his 30th anniversary of his admission ceremony he reflected on what it takes to be a good lawyer and after describing his professional experiences he emphasized the importance of character, ‘character in our profession means honesty, judgment, and courage,’” Bradley recalled.
Focusing her comments on courage and using the dean’s words, Bradley said, “Dean Eisenberg wrote, ‘a lawyer must be courageous, a lawyer must have the guts to tell the people things they don’t want to hear, make decisions that will upset people take positions that are unpopular and assert claims and positions before a hostile tribunal.’ So what does it mean today to be people of courage in your legal careers?
New lawyers line up waiting for the ceremony to begin in the Supreme Court Hearing Room.
“I think courage is a mindset,” said Bradley. “It is an approach to life. For those in the legal profession it can mean many things. It can mean when you are putting together a deal for clients and there’s a wink and a nod to do something under the table, you say ‘no I have the courage that I will be an aggressive advocate but I will not shade the truth.’ It can mean that you have the courage to embrace unpopular causes to stand up for the victims, for the poor and the powerless. It can mean that you have the courage to join in the public debate when an independent judiciary is being threatened to make sure that your voice, voices that know about the importance of the rule of law and the role of courts, are not silent. Courage means standing tall and having your voice heard.”
Bradley recalled Dean Eisenberg’s 1999 speech, What's a Nice Jewish Boy Like Me Doing in a Place Like This?. “In that address Dean Eisenberg also spoke of courage, and he said there’s a great need in our society for people who have the courage to say: ‘the emperor is naked and not only is he naked he is also not very honest … Some things are considered politically correct which are morally wrong or intellectually foolish … Neither Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, nor St. Ignatius was politically correct ...None of those men was an apologist for the status quo … It is necessary and essential to take moral stands and stick to them in the face of those who favor political convenience or relative truth or a least common denominator code of ethics.’
“Dean Eisenberg was right. I think courage is the price that life exacts for being at peace with yourself,” she said. “It requires you to know who you are as a person and what you value. In my experience it is also a defining virtue of all truly great lawyers. Please remember that your license to practice law is an instrument for doing justice. My challenge to you and Dean Eisenberg’s challenge as you embark upon your careers in the law that you also be people of courage.” Paraphrasing Dean Eisenberg’s oft quoted words, Bradley concluded. “I urge you to do good work and work to do good.”
Families and new members enjoy a welcome event sponsored by the State Bar.
The State Bar welcomes the following attorneys.
In moving the admission of his daughter, Christina Anne Katt, Michigan attorney Craig Lubben, said, “I have seen her grow in knowledge and wisdom from preschool through her graduation yesterday from the Marquette Law School. She has learned along the way that a good lawyer never stops learning. She is the third generation of our family to become a lawyer. Her grandfather and I have tried to teach her that it is a great privilege to be a lawyer and that the commitment to justice is why it’s so important. Because you have that commitment you never let the desire to win overcome your commitment to truth in dealing with your client, your opposing counsel, or the court. Christina understands this, and that’s why I know she will be a great lawyer. I thank the court for the privilege of making this motion.”
New lawyers applaud family members for their support and encouragement immediately following swearing-in ceremony. From left Renee Metzler, Michael Menghini, and Lauren McCoy.
Justice Bradley congratulates Jennifer E. Markovich of Darien, Ill., after the swearing-in ceremony.
Madison attorney Kristin Kerschensteiner watches as her son Christopher D. Martin signs the Supreme Court Roll Book. Every lawyer admitted to practice in Wisconsin since the state was a territory has signed the roll.
- Kimberly Lea Ackmann, Rockton, Ill.
- Farheen M. Ansari, Milwaukee
- Alicia M. Augsburger, Milwaukee
- Jonathan Bret Aversano, Milwaukee
- Maura Buckley Battersby, Milwaukee
- John T. Bayer, Milwaukee
- Tiffany Beaty, Greenfield
- Karyn E. Behling, Milwaukee
- Emily Jane Bell, St. Francis
- Melissa B. Benko, Milwaukee
- Christina R. Benson, Milwaukee
- Joseph Bichanich, Waukesha
- Patrick Joseph Bodden, Milwaukee
- Stephen Patrick Boyett, Los Angeles, Calif.
- Daniel R. Broadwell, Milwaukee
- Meghan E. Busalacchi, Milwaukee
- Stefanie Carton, Elm Grove
- Brandon C. Casey, Milwaukee
- Elizabeth M. Champeau, Milwaukee
- Allison E. Cimpl-Wiemer, Milwaukee
- Matthew A. Clabots, Milwaukee
- David Daly Conway, Wisconsin Rapids
- Kevin David Croninger, Milwaukee
- Benjamin M. Crouse, Milwaukee
- Matthew D. Deering, Milwaukee
- Aryeh D. Derman, Chicago
- Carrie L. Devitt, Waukesha
- Benjamin H. DeYoung, Milwaukee
- Coral Didion, Milwaukee
- Brian P. Dimmer, Green Bay
- Joseph Adam Ditlow, Antrim, N.H.
- David Carder Dupee, Milwaukee
- Jay Einerson, Milwaukee
- Dennis J. Elverman, Milwaukee
- Adam J. Essman, Milwaukee
- Anna Elizabeth Finn, Waukegan, Ill.
- Staci M. Flinchbaugh, Milwaukee
- Nick Fowler, Milwaukee
- Jessica Anne Franklin, Milwaukee
- Jonathan William Fritz, Milwaukee
- Emily E. Furst, Milwaukee
- Shane Gale, Milwaukee
- C.A. Gassman, Milwaukee
- Sandra Jo Giernoth, Jackson
- Andrew Joel Golden, Milwaukee
- Evan C. Goyke, Madison
- Christopher J. Greatens, Green Bay
- Robert Gordon Greene, Milwaukee
- Timothy Gary Gruenisen, Milwaukee
- Jennifer L. Haaker, Germantown
- Nathan F. Haberman, Milwaukee
- Brad Hansen, Milwaukee
- Seth W. Harrop, Mazomanie
- Brian C. Hartley, Milwaukee
- Timothy Patrick Hayden, Addison, Ill.
- Vincent Heine, Hustisford
- Nicolas J. Heitman, Milwaukee
- Andrew David Hohenstein, Milwaukee
- Michael Edward Holsen, Waukesha
- Patrick W. Hughes, Greendale
- Robert Finn JensenMilwaukee
- Crystal Marie Johnson, Milwaukee
- Dale M. Johnson II, Shorewood
- Laurna Anne Jozwiak, Milwaukee
- Jill Erin Juedes, Milwaukee
- Christina Anne Katt, Milwaukee
- Anna M. Kees, Milwaukee
- Olivia Marie Kelley, New Berlin
- Alexis Lynne Kerkman, Milwaukee
- Christopher M. King, Milwaukee
- Nathan A. King, Milwaukee
- Evan E. Knupp, Madison
- Jonathan E. Kotilnek, Milwaukee
- Brianne E. Lannon, Pewaukee
- James M. Ledvina, Luxemburg
- Gretchen Leehr, Milwaukee
- Meredith Sarah Lewis, Milwaukee
- Sean M. Light, Farmington Hills, Mich.
- Eric D. Lowenberg, Milwaukee
- Ari Bernard Lukoff, Milwaukee
- Amy Lynn MacArdy, Milwaukee
- Chris Macy, Milwaukee
- Jennifer E. Markovich, Darien, Ill.
- Christopher D. Martin, Milwaukee
- Brigid W. Massaro, Delafield
- Melissa McCord, Milwaukee
- Lauren Gabrielle McCoy, Milwaukee
- Michael Charles Menghini, Appleton
- Renee Metzler, Milwaukee
- Elizabeth Kerstin Miles, Milwaukee
- Jaclynn M. Miller, Milwaukee
- Travis James Miller, Whitefish Bay
- Rebecca Hopkins Mitich, Milwaukee
- Camille A. Monahan, Milwaukee
- Andrew Monfre, Milwaukee
- Thomas W. Moniz, Ripon
- Michael Patrick Moothart, Milwaukee
- Michelle Moran, Waukesha
- Alicia M. Nall, Baraboo
- Kirsten L. Navarrette, Milwaukee
- Daniel Craig Nedset, New Berlin
- Timothy M. Nichols, Milwaukee
- Jared Nusbaum, Pittsburgh
- Kelly Marie O’Connor, Indianapolis, Ind.
- Janelle Marie Oesterreich, Milwaukee
- Gregory Jay Pacelli, St. Charles, Ill.
- Nathan Petrashek, Milwaukee
- Will Pridemore, Milwaukee
- Kate Marie Radder, Milwaukee
- Katherine Rajala, Wauwatosa
- Alexis Quinn Rhoda, Milwaukee
- Kevin P. Rizzuto, Milwaukee
- Stephanie Joy Rogosienski, Mukwonago
- Stacie H. Rosenzweig, Milwaukee
- Kelly R. Rourke, Milwaukee
- Michael Ryan, Milwaukee
- Joanne L. Scher, Long Grove, Ill.
- Stacy J. Schlemmer, De Pere
- Lucas Lyle Schneider, Hilbert
- Brian Z. Schott, Milwaukee
- Kristin M. Schrank, Milwaukee
- Christopher R. Schultz, Milwaukee
- Jason Scoby, Milwaukee
- Mark C. Severino, Milwaukee
- Andy J. Shiffman, Memphis, Tenn.
- Kelley G. Shirk, Madison
- Randy P. Sitzberger, Milwaukee
- Ryan D. Skoraczewski, Gurnee, Ill.
- Chris Smessaert, Milwaukee
- Glenn William Soderstrom, Waukesha
- Lauren Stuckert, Milwaukee
- Ashley M. Thompson, Milwaukee
- Louis J. Thorson, Milwaukee
- Kati Elizabeth Tillema, Milwaukee
- Josh Torres, Milwaukee
- Emily K. Trigg, Milwaukee
- Claire E. Trimarco, Milwaukee
- Megan Elizabeth Troy, Wauwatosa
- Tonya Turchik, Oregon
- Michelle Maria Urka, Milwaukee
- Daniel Van Slett, Germantown
- Nicholas Manuel Vicente, Coconut Creek, Fla.
- Dmitriy A. Vinarov, Chicago,
- Gina Marie Vollmer, Wauwatosa
- Dustin F. Von Ruden, Melvina
- Colin J. Walsh, Granger, Ind.
- Stacy Ann Wieczorek, Green Bay
- Jennifer M. Wiers, Milwaukee
- Anne-Marie Elaine Woznicki, Sun Prairie
- Peter M. Young, Rhinelander
- Brian R. Zimmerman, Milwaukee
The U.W. Law School graduates will be sworn in on June 9.
