New Hires, Promotions, Partners
Dillon J. Ambrose, Marquette 2002 cum laude, has been promoted to shareholder at Davis & Kuelthau s.c., Milwaukee, and continues to focus on litigation, including construction, contract, employment, and property matters.
Eric R. Hunt, Duke 2014, and Jeremy R. Lange, U.W. 2010 cum laude, have joined the litigation practice group in the Madison office of Axley Brynelson LLP. Lange previously was a staff attorney for the Dane County Circuit Court.
Molly Berkery, U.W. 2011, has joined The Law Firm of Conway, Olejniczak & Jerry S.C., Green Bay, and is with the healthcare team. She previously was a postdoctoral legal fellow at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta.
Abigail M. Brand, U.W. 2014, has joined Carney Thorpe LLC, Janesville, and focuses on litigation, personal injury law, insurance defense, and worker’s compensation matters.
Lacey L. Coonen, Marquette 2011, has joined the Portage County Corporation Counsel office, Stevens Point, as assistant corporation counsel.
Renee L. Dehn, John Marshall 2004 magna cum laude, has joined Bosshard|Parke Ltd., La Crosse, and focuses on criminal and civil litigation. She previously was an assistant states attorney in Winnebago County, Ill.
Timothy C. Drewa, U.W. 2013, has joined O’Melia, Schiek & McEldowney S.C., Rhinelander, as an associate and focuses on criminal defense and civil litigation.
Lorenzo T. Edwards Jr., U.W. 2012, has joined the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee in the Guardian ad Litem Family Court Division.
Michelle Jensen Goodwin, U.W. 1997, has been named executive director of the Wisconsin Children’s Trust Fund, Madison. She previously was with the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Erin E. Rome, U.W. 2013 magna cum laude, and Ryan A. Shervey, U.W. 2013 magna cum laude, have joined Haley Palmersheim S.C., Middleton. Rome focuses on business litigation, business law, and appellate practice. Shervey focuses on business law, estate planning, and real estate.
Michael A. LoCoco, Southern Methodist 2014, has joined the Milwaukee office of Peterson, Johnson & Murray S.C.
Joseph J. Sarmiento IV, DePaul 2007 magna cum laude, and Henry J. Weiner, U.W. 2014 cum laude, have joined Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C., Milwaukee. Sarmiento focuses on insurance coverage, business and corporate disputes, and appellate matters. Weiner focuses on business law matters.
Douglas A. Pessefall, John Marshall 2002, has joined the Milwaukee office of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. as a shareholder in the tax practice. He also is with the firm’s litigation and business law practice areas.
Six attorneys have been promoted to partner at Quarles & Brady LLP. In the Milwaukee office: Noleta Jansen, U.W. 2003, is with the estate, trust and wealth preservation practice group and the fiduciary, trust and probate litigation group. Adrienne Olson, Marquette 2003, and Matthew Vogel, Chicago 2007, are with the business law practice group. John Schaak, Marquette 2003, is with the litigation and dispute resolution practice group. Johanna Wilbert, U.W. 2006, is with the commercial litigation practice group. In the Chicago office: Eric Ledbetter, UCLA 2006, is with the labor and employment practice group.
Amy J. Smith, Marquette 2014, has joined J Peterman Legal Group Ltd., Brookfield, as an associate practicing in mortgage default services.
Emily Dudak Taylor, Tulane 2005, has been promoted to partner at the Law Center S.C. (formerly the Law Center for Children & Families), Madison, and continues to focus on immigration law and LGBT issues, including adoption, assisted reproductive technology, parentage, guardianship, contracts, and estate and tax planning.
Meghan M. Teigen, DePaul 2007, has joined WisPACT Inc., Madison, as trust advisor. She previously was with the Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources Inc., Madison.
Mergers, Relocations, New Offices
The Law Center for Children & Families, Madison, and Winter Law Office, Oregon, have merged and now are known as The Law Center S.C.
Blommer Peterman S.C. is now operating as J Peterman Legal Group Ltd., Brookfield, with additional offices in Illinois and Indiana. James M. Peterman, Marquette 1986, is senior partner in the firm, which continues to focus on mortgage default services and estate planning.
Appointments, Elections
William Katt, Marquette 1979, has been named chair of the aviation and aerospace practice at Wilson Elser. He is with the firm’s Milwaukee office.
Matthew R. McClean, Marquette 2002, has been named chair of the litigation team at Davis & Kuelthau s.c. He is with the Milwaukee office and focuses on construction litigation, commercial contracts, real property claims, and intellectual property matters.
Kevin J.T. Terry, Marquette 2011, has been elected to the board of the Wisconsin School Attorneys Association. He is with the Wausau office of Ruder Ware LLSC and focuses on representing public- and private-sector employers.
Gretchen Cleveland, U.W. 2009, and Eric Lenzen, Washington Univ. 2005, have been named leaders of the agribusiness team at Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C. Cleveland, with the Madison office, focuses on transactional services. Lenzen, with the Milwaukee office, also co-leads the firm’s corporate and finance practice group.
Authors, Speakers
Thomas A. Bailey, Marquette 1967, and Laura Lau, Marquette 1988, authored the recently revised Family Law Casenotes and Quotes (State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE® 4th ed. 2014). Bailey is retired from law practice. Lau is a Waukesha County court commissioner.
Awards, Degrees, Honors
Robert J. Domol, DePaul 2004, has been honored by the National Top Trial Lawyers Association as one of the Top Trial Lawyers Top 40 under 40 and also as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Wisconsin. He is with the Appleton office of Hupy and Abraham S.C.
Noleta Jansen, U.W. 2003 cum laude, has been named a Five Star Estate Planning Attorney by Five Star Professional. She is a partner and member of the estate, trust and wealth preservation practice group in the Milwaukee office of Quarles & Brady LLP.
Michael Best & Friedrich LLP is the winner of the 2014 Pro Bono Publico Award from the Milwaukee Bar Association. Michael Best attorneys volunteer their services to several community organizations and legal clinics and agencies.
Jacob A. Sonneborn, U.W. 2000 cum laude, received the 2014 State of Alaska Attorney General’s Award for Pro Bono service. He is with Ashburn & Mason P.C., Anchorage.
Judith Sperling-Newton, U.W. 1981, received a 2014 Allies for Justice Award from the National LGBT Bar Association. She is a founding partner of The Law Center S.C., Madison (formerly the Law Center for Children & Families).
Rebecca M. Webster, U.W. 2003, earned a Ph.D. in public policy and administration from Walden University. She is a senior staff attorney with the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, Oneida.
In Memoriam
Hon. Robert F. Curtin, U.W. 1948, Sauk City, Oct. 9, 1920 – June 1, 2014.
Carolyn M. Happel, Marquette 2013, Sussex, July 1, 1968 – June 10, 2014.
Avery B. Kessler, U.W. 1957, Muskego, Jan. 9, 1931 – July 7, 2014.
Jeffrey D. Knickmeier, Boston Univ. 1978, McFarland, Aug. 30, 1954 – Oct. 1, 2014.
Edward R. Knight, U.W. 1941, Margate City, N.J., Oct. 5, 1917 – April 12, 2014.
Carl Krueger, U.W. 1962, Watertown, May 21, 1933 – Oct. 9, 2014.
Robert J. Philipp, U.W. 1975, Milwaukee, June 6, 1948 – Aug. 15, 2014.
William D. McKeown, Catholic Univ. 1973, Pewaukee, March 22, 1949 – July 7, 2014.
Joseph L. Polito, Illinois 1973, Rockford, Ill., Dec. 22, 1945 – May 5, 2014.
Daniel L. Shneidman, U.W. 1959, Milwaukee, April 13, 1932 – Oct. 23, 2014.
Richard J. Steinberg, Marquette 1958, Brookfield, Feb. 18, 1932 – Nov. 3, 2014.
Christian G. Steinmetz, U.W. 1982, Milwaukee, April 1, 1956 – Oct. 7, 2014.
Thomas N. Tuttle, Yale 1953, Milwaukee, Feb. 2, 1928 – Sept. 11, 2014.
Thomas O. Wakeman, U.W. 1974, Johnson Creek, May 18, 1945 – Sept. 20, 2014.
Richard C. Weil, U.W. 1960, Howey in the Hills, Fla., Sept. 18, 1932 – Sept. 3, 2013.
Richard T. Winter, U.W. 1962, Antigo, Aug. 21, 1934 – Oct. 12, 2014.
Mary A. Wolfe, Marquette 1987, Fond du Lac, Jan. 30, 1961 – Sept. 11, 2014.
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. Talks, speeches (unless they are of national stature), honors from other publications, and political announcements are not accepted. Notices about State Bar members in good standing are printed as space is available, and at no cost, must be submitted in writing, and may be edited. Questions: (608) 250-6139.
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