New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Three attorneys have joined the Milwaukee office of Borgelt, Powell, Peterson & Frauen S.C., Milwaukee. Matthew L. Granitz, Marquette 2006, focuses on automobile liability, civil litigation, general negligence litigation, municipal law, personal injury claims, and subrogation and statutory liens. Abigail T. Hodgdon, Marquette 2020, focuses on automobile liability, civil litigation, municipal law, and subrogation and statutory liens. Michael J. Wirth, Marquette 1999, focuses on bad-faith-claim counseling and litigation, first-party property insurance issues, and insurance coverage analysis and litigation.

Stuart J. Check, Marquette 2015, has been elected shareholder in Kravit, Hovel & Krawczyk s.c., Milwaukee. He focuses on commercial litigation, securities litigation, white-collar crime, and appellate practice.

Three attorneys have joined Godfrey & Kahn S.C., Madison. Peter L. Albrecht, Washington Univ.-St. Louis 1986, is with the labor and employment practice group. He previously was with Albrecht Backer Labor & Employment S.C., Milwaukee, and is a coauthor of Wisconsin Employment Law and Hiring and Firing in Wisconsin, both published by the State Bar of Wisconsin. Alison V. Andrew, U.W. 2018, and Emily K. Fons, Univ. of California, Hastings 2015, have joined the firm’s corporate and mergers & acquisitions team. Andrew previously practiced with Mayer Brown LLP, Chicago. Fons previously practiced with Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee.

Joshua S. Greenberg, Marquette 2020, has joined Barton Legal S.C., Milwaukee, as an associate focusing on commercial litigation

Cecilia C. Kress, U.W. 2017 cum laude, has joined the Madison office of DeWitt LLP as an associate and is a member of the business and real estate practice groups. She has experience in matters including stock and asset acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, joint ventures, reorganizations, ongoing corporate governance, and debt and equity financings.

Tyler T. Manley, U.W. 2020, has joined Brennan Steil S.C., Janesville, as an associate. He concentrates in general business, real estate, estate planning, and landlord-tenant law.

Michael P. May, U.W. 1979, has joined Boardman Clark, Madison, as senior counsel. May served 16 years as Madison city attorney, the second-longest tenure in the city’s history. He provides legal services and strategic guidance to municipal and local government clients.

Scott Reigle, Washington Univ.-St. Louis 2012, has joined Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C., Milwaukee, and focuses on complex commercial and insurance coverage litigation and general business litigation. He previously practiced in California.

Margaret R. Spring, Marquette 2020, has joined Nelson, Krueger & Millenbach LLC, Wauwatosa, as an associate and concentrates on family law.

Three attorneys have joined Stafford Rosenbaum LLP, Madison. Douglas M. Poland, Loyola-Chicago 1994 summa cum laude, is a partner. He focuses on litigation, appeals, and alternative dispute resolution and co-chairs the firm’s new election and political law practice group. He previously worked with Rathje Woodward in Madison, Godfrey & Kahn S.C. in Madison, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago.

Pahoua Thao, Northern Illinois-DeKalb 2014, is a senior associate, focusing on litigation and municipal matters. She previously worked with other private practices in Wisconsin. Clementine Uwabera, Florida State 2014, is a senior associate, focusing on litigation matters. She previously worked in Florida law firms and the Office of the Public Defender for Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit.

Mergers, Relocations, New Offices

Derek Hawkins, Marquette 2013, has opened YouFirm Consulting. He coaches attorneys on task automation, client management, social-media marketing, and personal branding. He also is trademark corporate counsel at Harley Davidson.

von Briesen & Roper s.c. has opened new office space at 55 Jewelers Park Drive, Suite 400, Neenah. von Briesen is the first tenant in Commercial Horizons’ redevelopment of the property into a modern multitenant building.

Appointments, Elections

Halle Hatch, Mitchell Hamline 2019, was elected Pierce County district attorney in August. She is special prosecutor for Bayfield County.

Marc Johannsen, Minnesota 1989, has been reelected president of Lommen Abdo, Minneapolis. Cameron Kelly, William Mitchell 2003, LL.M. (estate planning) John Marshall 2018, has been elected to the firm’s board, on which Brent Johnson, William Mitchell 1994, also serves.

Johannsen practices in family law. Johnson, also chair of the finance committee, focuses on business law matters and commercial and residential real estate. Kelly, also on the board’s finance and business development/marketing committees, assists clients with comprehensive estate planning, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health-care directives, and living wills. Johnson and Kelly practice from the firm’s Hudson office.

Chris Noyes, U.W. 1984, has been named president of the Wisconsin board of trustees for the Nature Conservancy. He is a shareholder at Godfrey & Kahn S.C., Milwaukee, and represents public and private companies in mergers and acquisitions, senior debt financing, and public and private equity and debt transactions. He also is a director of several private companies and provides legal, strategic, and corporate governance advice to businesses and their managers and boards.

Attorneys recently elected or appointed to Wisconsin circuit courts include the following: Hon. Brett Blomme, Missouri 2009, Hon. Jack L. Dávila, Marquette 2011, and Hon. Rebecca Kiefer, Marquette 2003, all Milwaukee County Circuit Court; Hon. Benjamin J. Lane, U.W. 2010, Chippewa County Circuit Court; Hon. Jack Arthur Melvin III, Marquette 1999, Waukesha County Circuit Court; Hon. Jane K. Sequin, Marquette 1988, Marinette County Circuit Court; and Hon. David Conway, Marquette 2009, and Hon. Nia Trammell, U.W. 1998, both Dane County Circuit Court.

Authors, Speakers

Joseph Spence, Washburn 1989, has authored his 10th inspirational poetry book, titled Sincerely Speaking Spiritually. Spence also received a Noble Peace Personality Award lifetime achievement certificate from the World Parliament for Peace, India, and the Nobel Prize in Literature from the World Literary Forum for Peace and Human Rights, Bhutan.

Authors of the recently revised Wisconsin Governmental Claims and Immunities Handbook (State Bar of Wis. 4th ed. 2020) are the following: Corey F. Finkelmeyer, U.W. 1999, Wisconsin Department of Justice, Madison; Samuel C. Hall Jr., Marquette 2005, Crivello Carlson S.C., Milwaukee; Timothy M. Johnson, Marquette 2007, Crivello Carlson S.C., Eau Claire; Jennifer Sloan Lattis, U.W. 1989, U.W. System Administration, Madison; MaryNell Regan, Marquette 1994, Milwaukee; David G. Ress, Marquette 2011, Bell, Moore & Richter, Madison; and John M. Vandlik, Chicago-Kent 1986, U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of General Counsel, Milwaukee.

Awards, Degrees, Honors

Winners of the Wisconsin Association for African American Lawyers’ 2020 awards are the following: Attorney of the Year: T.R. Williams, U.W. 2013, deputy outreach director, Office of Governor Tony Evers; VelanDale Scholarship Award: Brittani M. Miller, U.W. Law School, and Liliana Anderson, Marquette Law School; Hon. Charles N. Clevert, Jr. Scholarship Award: Gabrielle Tielman-Fenelus, U.W. Law School; and Hon. Maxine A. White Book Scholarship: Mason Higgins, U.W. Law School.

In Memoriam

Gunar John Blumberg, Rutgers 1964, Chicago, May 21, 1937 – April 5, 2020.

Jerry A. Fine, U.W. 1963, Milwaukee, Oct. 9, 1935 – Aug. 10, 2019.

James R. Hebbe, U.W. 1961, Appleton, July 18, 1930 – May 27, 2020.

Emily Kraemer, Marquette 2019, De Pere, Jan. 28, 1994 – Aug. 16, 2020.

David T. Magnuson, William Mitchell 1971, Stillwater, Minn., Dec. 9, 1941 – Dec. 25, 2019.

John C. Murphy, U.W. 1959, Madison, April 17, 1932 – Aug. 18, 2020.

Robert J. Oliver, Northwestern 1956, Rockford, Ill., March 11, 1932 – March 29, 2020.

Thomas J. Parins Jr., Thomas M. Cooley 1992, De Pere, June 3, 1964 – Aug. 14, 2020.

Michael J. Riebe, Marquette 1967, Grafton, July 27, 1942 – July 14, 2020.

Patricia Zeeh Risser, U.W. 1985, Milwaukee, July 10, 1950 – July 29, 2020.

John M. Schellpfeffer, Northern Illinois 1992, Merrill, May 23, 1964 – Aug. 7, 2020.

Thomas A. Stafslien, U.W. 1991, Encinitas, Cal., May 27, 1959 – Jan. 16, 2020.

Donald H. West, Maryland 1975, Wauwatosa, March 9, 1947 – Feb. 28, 2020.

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.