Wisconsin Lawyer
Vol. 80, No. 11,  November 2007

Place an announcement in In the News

• For the Good: Robert Hagness satisfies his ‘social worker within’ by helping pro se litigants access the justice system

New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Lisa A. Baiocchi, Marquette 2006, has joined Wessels & Pautsch P.C., a management-side labor and employment law firm, in its Milwaukee office.

Peter W. Bruce, Chicago 1970, has joined the Milwaukee office of Davis & Kuelthau s.c. and will focus on community service and pro bono work. He previously was chief insurance officer with Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.

Krista K. Buchholz, U.W. 2005 cum laude, has joined Leib & Katt LLC, Milwaukee, as an associate and focuses in medical malpractice, general business, and civil rights litigation.

Berman	Smith

Aliah M. Berman, Marquette 2007, and Rebecca L. Smith, U.W. 2007, have joined DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C. Berman focuses on litigation in the Metro Milwaukee office. Smith focuses on real estate, business, and family law in the Madison office.

John C. Ekman, U.W. 1997, has joined Lindquist & Vennum, Minneapolis, as a partner in the commercial litigation practice group. He previously was a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division.

Krisstina L. Ebner, Marquette 2007 magna cum laude, has joined the Milwaukee office of Godfrey & Kahn S.C. in the business practice group and focuses on mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters. P. Duncan Moss, U.W. 2007, has joined the environmental and energy practice group in the firm's Madison office.

Bartos	Boeckman	Zapotocny

Kris Bartos, U.W. 2007, Anissa Boeckman, Marquette 2007, and Emily Zapotocny, U.W. 2006 cum laude, have joined Jeffrey Leavell S.C., Milwaukee, as associates.

Mitchell J. Metropulos, U.W. 1986, has been appointed to the Outagamie County Circuit Court by Gov. Jim Doyle. He previously was a prosecutor in Chippewa, Outagamie, and Winnebago counties.

Kreblin

Chad A. Kreblin, Denver 2001, has been promoted to shareholder at Hupy and Abraham S.C. and continues to focus on plaintiffs' personal injury litigation in the Milwaukee and Madison offices.

Three attorneys have joined the law department at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., Milwaukee, all as assistant general counsel and assistant secretary. M. Christine Cowles, Marquette 1980, is on the insurance and distribution team. She previously was with Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee. Chad E. Fickett, U.W. 2000, and Sarah E. Schott, Duke 2000, are on the investment products and services team. Fickett previously was with AIG SunAmerica, Los Angeles. Schott previously was with B.C. Ziegler & Co., Milwaukee.

Olson

Thomas M. Olson, U.W. 1971, has joined David F. Grams & Associates S.C., Madison, and focuses on estate planning, business law, probate, family law, personal injury matters, and appeals.

Smiltneek

Molly J. Smiltneek, Marquette 2007 magna cum laude, has joined Grzeca Law Group S.C., Milwaukee, as an associate.

Phillip C. Theesfeld, U.W. 1993, has been made a partner with Yost & Baill LLP. He is managing partner of the Milwaukee office and focuses on subrogation and litigation.

Steven J. Thomas, Marquette 1992, has been promoted to senior vice president and assistant general counsel for Kohl's Department Stores, Menomonee Falls.

Frank H. LoCoco, U.W. 1986 cum laude, Rhonda M. Matthews, Suffolk 2002 cum laude, and Lia E. Moeser, U.W. 2007, have joined the Milwaukee office of Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C. LoCoco and Matthews are with the litigation team in the Milwaukee office. Matthews previously was an assistant district attorney in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Moeser is with the corporate practice.

Siler

Mark W. Siler, North Carolina 2004, has joined Weiss Berzowski Brady LLP, Milwaukee, as an associate and focuses on tax controversies, tax and business planning, real estate transactions, and civil litigation.

Kate A. Wilkinson, U.W. 1998, has joined Gartland, Nelson, McCleery, Wade & Walloch P.C., Eugene, Ore., and continues to focus on litigation.

Carleton

Jennifer Nutt Carleton, U.W. 1996 cum laude, has joined Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck as of counsel. Carleton will work in the gaming law group in the firm's Las Vegas office.

Mergers, Relocations, New Offices

Brewer	Cahill

Brewer & Cahill LLP has merged with Schober Schober & Mitchell S.C., the name by which the merged firms will be known. Curtis Brewer, U.W. 1962, and Terence P. Cahill, Marquette 1972, will practice in the firm's office at 1227 Corporate Dr., Suite 2000, Oconomowoc.

Steven G. Danielson, U.W. 1975, has opened Danielson Law Offices LLC, 3430 Oakwood Mall Dr., Eau Claire, and focuses on personal injury litigation, insurance disputes, mediation, and arbitration. He previously was president of Danielson, Guettinger, Richie & Manydeeds S.C., Eau Claire.

Jennifer Weirick Koeppl, Hamline 1997, has opened Koeppl Law Offices, 477 S. Nicolet Rd., Suite 9, Appleton, and focuses on estate planning, elder law, probate, and real estate.

Appointments, Elections

Bablitch

Steve Bablitch, U.W. 1979, has been elected chair of the board of trustees of the Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin. He is a partner with Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee.

The Calumet County Bar Association has elected the following officers: president _ Gordon E. Stillings, Neenah; vice president _ George W. Twohig, Chilton; and secretary/treasurer _ James R. Ungrodt, Kiel.

Daniels

John W. Daniels Jr., Harvard 1974, has been named chair of Quarles & Brady LLP. He is a partner in the Milwaukee office and focuses on real estate.

Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin has elected the following officers: president _ James J. Mathie, Waukesha; president-elect _ Robert J. Lauer, Milwaukee; and secretary/treasurer _ Catherine M. Rottier, Madison.

Erik Guenther, U.W. 2002, is serving as defense mentor in the Afghanistan Justice Sector Support Program, which focuses on improving the country's criminal justice system. He is on leave from Hurley, Burish & Stanton S.C., Madison.

Anne E. Ross, Stanford 1981, has been appointed managing partner of the Madison office of Foley & Lardner LLP., where she focuses on business law matters. She also was named a "Woman of Distinction" by the Madison YWCA.

Podell

Richard Podell, U.W. 1969, has been elected secretary of the ABA Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities. He is president of the family law firm Richard J. Podell & Associates, Milwaukee.

The Walworth County Bar Association has elected the following officers: president _ Christopher A. Duesing, Lake Geneva; vice president _ Jeffrey L. Hahn, Delavan; and secretary/treasurer _ John W. Peterson, Delavan.

Retirements

Webster

Jim Webster, U.W. 1961, has retired from Solheim Billing & Grimmer S.C., Madison, after 46 years of practice.

Authors, Speakers

Loeb

Harlan A. Loeb, Minnesota 1991 cum laude, presented a program in New York City on enterprise risk management in employment law class-action litigation. He is a managing director with FD International, Chicago.

Brett Armstrong, U.W. 1996, with Trident Contract Management LLC, Madison, is an additional coauthor of The Wisconsin Business Advisor: General Business Issues (State Bar of Wisconsin CLE Books 2007). His name was omitted from the list of authors included in the October 2007 "In the News."

In Memoriam

George A. Bowman Jr., Marquette 1943, Vernon Hills, Ill., Dec. 1, 1917 - July 28, 2006.

Earle L. Christ, Marquette 1948, Largo, Fla., Aug. 8, 1915 - June 28, 2007.

Mark Edward Colbert, U.W. 1987, Waunakee, July 5, 1961 _ July 8, 2007.

Raymond A. Huevler, Marquette 1946, Milwaukee, Feb. 18, 1919 - Aug. 10, 2007.

Larry D. Lieberman, Stanford 1984, Mequon, Aug. 12, 1959 _ Aug. 14, 2007.

Dan B. Martin, U.W. 1981, Madison, June 21, 1951 _ July 26, 2007.

Mari E. Nahn, U.W. 1982, Madison, Nov. 1, 1957 _ April 4, 2007.

Wisconsin Lawyer