Meet Our Top 2020 Authors: 3 Articles Worth Another Look

Here are the Communications Committee’s annual top 2020 articles, recognizing writing excellence by Wisconsin Lawyer authors. The top article receives the Hon. Charles Dunn Author Award.

Best of the Best: Social Media Meets Government Actors

Article: “Social Media, the First Amendment, and Government Actors” (Jan. 2020)

Award: Hon. Charles Dunn Author Award

Authors: Christa Westerberg & Aaron Dumas

Judges’ comments: This article on the use of social media by governmental entities could not be more timely. The authors’ explanation of the legal issues at play, and their helpful practical guidelines for accounts that may be considered a public forum, are a great resource for citizens and government officials alike.

Westerberg, U.W. 2002, and Dumas, U.W. 2015, practice with Pines Bach LLP in Madison. Westerberg is a partner focusing on open government law, environmental and land use law, and civil litigation and appeals.

Dumas is an associate in the firm’s civil litigation practice group, frequently handling matters involving state and local government actors and policy. They represented the plaintiff in One Wisconsin Now v. Kremer.

Two Articles Deserving Special Commendation

Article: “Removal to Federal Court by Home-State Defendants” (Jan. 2020)

Award: Special Commendation

Author: Allison W. Reimann

Judges’ comments: While removal to federal court based on diversity of citizenship is not something every Wisconsin lawyer thinks about on a daily basis, this article lays out the reasons why it is a topic with which we should all be familiar. The author’s carefully crafted analysis of what is going on in various federal jurisdictions, and the overview of relevant Wisconsin case law, make this article a valuable resource.

Reimann, Pennsylvania 2009, is an associate attorney at Godfrey & Kahn, Madison, practicing in the areas of civil litigation, government investigations, and antitrust.

Article: “Marsy’s Law: Changes for Crime Victims?” (Sept. 2020)

Award: Special Commendation

Authors: Rebecca M. Donaldson, Amanda R.R. Mayer, Megan E. Robson, Andrea K. Rufo, Rachel E. Sattler & Patrick Nicholas Barker Shirley

Judges’ comments: Ratification of the Marsy’s Law amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution highlighted the tension between victims’ and defendants’ rights. The authors of this article explore this in a measured yet meaningful analysis that highlights how the new law might have made fewer changes and left more unresolved issues than the amendment’s proponents promised and its opponents feared.

Donaldson, Harvard 2016, is a staff attorney on the Crime Victims’ Rights Project with Legal Action of Wisconsin Inc., Milwaukee.

Mayer, Marquette 2012, is the Civil Unit Lead Attorney and a part of the Crime Victims’ Rights Project with Wisconsin Judicare Inc., Wausau.

Robson, Michigan State 2019, is a staff attorney on the Victims’ Rights Project at Wisconsin Judicare Inc., Wausau.

Rufo, Emory 2005, is project director and supervisor for Legal Action of Wisconsin Inc.’s Crime Victims’ Rights Project in Racine.

Sattler, U.W. 2008, is with the Crime Victims’ Rights Project at Legal Action of Wisconsin Inc., Madison.

Shirley, U.W. 2018, is a staff attorney on the Crime Victims’ Rights Project with Legal Action of Wisconsin Inc., Madison.

New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Amanda K. Gennerman, Univ. of Denver 2003, has joined Pines Bach LLP as a partner and leads the firm’s new immigration law practice. Previously she was with Gennerman Law Group, Madison, which she founded in 2004. Her practice focuses exclusively on immigration law, including family-based petitions (adjustment of status applications and consular processing and removal of conditions), humanitarian petitions (VAWA self-petitions, nonimmigrant visa petitions, asylum applications, TPS, and DACA), naturalization applications, removal defense, and the immigration consequences of criminal convictions.

Matthew Krueger, Minnesota 2006, has joined Foley & Lardner LLP’s government enforcement defense and investigations practice group as a partner in the Milwaukee and Washington, D.C., offices. Krueger is a former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin with an extensive background in prosecuting health-care fraud and other governmental enforcement matters, the primary focus of his practice.

Judy O’Connell, Marquette 1986, has joined Burbach & Stansbury S.C., Milwaukee. She continues to focus on divorce, child custody and placement, child support, property division, paternity, and family law mediation.

Pamela M. Ploor, Harvard 1993, has joined Stafford Rosenbaum LLP as a partner and is based in the Milwaukee office. Her practice focuses on labor and employment law, litigation, and business law, and she presents and writes frequently on employment law topics.

Todd Podell, Marquette 1993, has been promoted to senior vice president, chief procurement and facilities operations officer for Discover Financial Services, headquartered in Riverwoods, Ill. He is responsible for global procurement and sourcing, supplier contract legal transactions, enterprise security and intelligence, and facilities operations.

Nicolas A. Rydell, Minnesota 2017, has joined Palmersheim Dettmann S.C., Middleton. He concentrates primarily on business litigation matters. He previously clerked for the Hon. Rachel A. Graham at the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and for the Hon. Caroline H. Lennon at the Minnesota First Judicial District.

Mergers, Relocations, New Offices

Gerbers Law S.C. has combined its practice with DeWitt LLP and now operates as DeWitt LLP in Green Bay. The attorneys with the former Gerbers Law focus primarily in commercial and business law, real estate, civil litigation, banking, probate, estate planning, and business succession planning.

Appointments, Elections

Alec Dobson, U.W. 2006, has been selected chair of the health care industry team atDavis|Kuelthau s.c., succeeding Marilyn M. Carroll, Marquette 1992. Dobson is a shareholder and a member of the litigation team focusing on health-care matters. He defends long-term care facilities, hospitals, physicians, and other health-care providers in litigation and regulatory matters. He also is an author of the “Depositions” chapter of the State Bar of Wisconsin book Wisconsin Discovery Law and Practice.

Ryan M. Wiesner, Marquette 2012 cum laude, has been selected co-chair of the firm’s insurance coverage practice team. He focuses on intellectual property litigation, commercial and business litigation, professional and governmental liability, civil rights disputes, and product liability litigation.

Susan G. Schellinger, Marquette 1993 magna cum laude,is co-chair of the team. Her practice focuses primarily on litigation, and she also has experience in insurance coverage litigation and construction law, lender liability, securities litigation, noncompetition agreements, and trade secrets cases.

Joseph Miotke, Marquette 1999 magna cum laude, has been reappointed to the Wisconsin State Public Defender Board by Gov. Tony Evers, with unanimous confirmation by the Wisconsin Senate. Miotke is a licensed patent attorney and serves as the co-chair of the intellectual property litigation group at DeWitt LLP, Brookfield. He has worked across a wide spectrum of patent, trade secret, copyright, and trademark matters involving technologies ranging from artificial intelligence and machine learning to energy production and hydraulic fracturing.

Marilyn Townsend was appointed by Gov. Tony Evers to be commissioner of the Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission. The Commission decides appeals from the decisions of administrative law judges in the areas of equal rights, unemployment compensation, and worker’s compensation. Townsend formerly was a solo practitioner whose practice focused on labor and employment law. Her successes included a unanimous decision from the Wisconsin Supreme Court in Operton v. LIRC, 2017 WI 46, 375 Wis. 2d 1, a case of first impression involving unemployment compensation law.

Nicholas Vivian, Hamline 2003, has been named Hudson city attorney by the Hudson City Council. Vivian is a managing shareholder and lead attorney for the municipal, banking and finance, business, and real estate groups at Eckberg Lammers P.C., Hudson.

Pro Bono, Public Service

The 2021 recipients of scholarships from Michael Best & Friedrich LLP are Samantha Contreras (Michael Best Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship) and Mason Higgins and Veronica Mantilla (Michael Best University of Wisconsin Law School Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship).

The UW-Madison Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship is a collaboration between Michael Best and the university that began in 2017 and is given out to a second-year law student at the institution. This is the inaugural year for the Michael Best Diversity & Inclusion Scholarship, open to students at any ABA-accredited law school in the country. This year’s recipient, Samantha Contreras, attends the University of Notre Dame Law School.

In Memoriam

E. John Buzza, Marquette 1969, Stevens Point, June 4, 1945 – March 17, 2021.

David J. Condon, U.W. 1956, Minocqua, Oct. 5, 1931 – Jan. 7, 2021.

Milton Gary Emmerson, Marquette 1976, Milwaukee, Jan. 16, 1945 – Feb. 19, 2021.

Elizabeth M. Estes, Marquette 1994, Milwaukee, May 23, 1966 – March 11, 2021.

Irving D. Gaines, U.W. 1947, Glendale, Oct. 14, 1923 – March 5, 2021.

H. Craig Haukaas, Univ. of Idaho 1987, Ashland, Sept. 27, 1962 – March 18, 2021.

Paul D. Kuglitsch, Marquette 2008, Milwaukee, Sept. 25, 1970 – March 23, 2021.

Neil J. McCarty, Harvard 1949, Kaukauna, Feb. 13, 1921 – Nov. 12, 2020.

Riyad E. Moe, U.W. 2018, Madison, Feb. 9, 1969 – Aug. 1, 2020.

Mary Mullarkey, Harvard 1968, Colo., Sept. 28, 1943 – March 31, 2021.

Edward Nager, U.W. 1955, Madison, July 22, 1927 – March 18, 2021.

Holly J. Newman, William Mitchell 1995, Minneapolis, Aug. 30, 1971 – Nov. 24, 2020.

C. Duane Patterson, U.W. 1959, Wausau, July 16, 1932 – Feb. 15, 2021.

Timothy C. Sweeney, South Dakota 1975, Madison, March 28, 1948 – Dec. 1, 2020.

Paul F. Wokwicz, Marquette 1957, Kenosha, April 2, 1933 – March 17, 2021.

William J. Wolske, Univ. of Arizona 1972, Kewaunee, June 2, 1947 – April 1, 2021.

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.