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March 01, 2011

In the News

New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Scott Baumbach, Marquette 2000, has become deputy secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Madison. He previously was with Michael Best & Friedrich LLP.

Peter J. Carman, Catholic Univ. of America 2001, has joined the Green Bay office of Hennessy & Roach P.C. as a senior associate and focuses on general liability matters, including insurance defense and professional liability litigation.

Brad L.F. Hoeschen, Marquette 2001 cum laude, has joined Chernov, Stern & Krings S.C., Milwaukee, as a shareholder. Jordana E. Thomadsen, Michigan 2000 magna cum laude, also has joined the firm. Both concentrate in real estate, litigation, and administrative law.

Marilyn M. Carroll, Marquette 1992 cum laude, Alec Dobson, U.W. 2006, and Jennifer Kopp, Marquette 2001 summa cum laude, have joined Davis & Kuelthau s.c. in the Brookfield office. Carroll is a shareholder, Dobson is an associate, and Kopp is a senior associate, all focusing on health-care litigation.

Gabriel S. Gross, U.W. 2001, has been elected a partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, Redwood Shores, Calif., and continues to focus on intellectual property matters with an emphasis on patent litigation.

Jon G. Mason, Marquette 1972, has been appointed as court commissioner for the Kenosha County criminal intake court.

Kate McChrystal, Marquette 2010, has joined Gagne & O’Halloran LLC, Milwaukee, and focuses on family law.

Erik H. Monson, Ohio State 1998, has been elected a shareholder at Coyne, Schultz, Becker & Bauer S.C., Madison, and continues to practice civil litigation with a focus on insurance defense and professional liability defense.

Mitchell J. Musial, Creighton 2002, LL.M. (Georgetown), has been elected a shareholder at Menn Law, Appleton. He is a member of the business practice group and focuses on banking and financial institution issues, tax controversies, and business law.

Johanna M. Novak, U.W. 2000, has been elected a shareholder at Foster Swift Collins & Smith P.C., Marquette, Mich., and continues to focus on health law, health insurance, and employee benefits matters.

Joseph A. McCarthy, U.W. 1993, and William F. Sulton, U.W. 2008, have joined Peterson, Johnson & Murray S.C. McCarthy is with the Madison office and previously was with Capitol Insurances Cos. Sulton is with the Milwaukee office.

Katherine A. Proctor, Boston Univ. 2009, has joined the Madison office of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. in the health care practice. She previously worked at the Boston University Schools of Law and Public Health.

Raymond P. Taffora, U.W. 1986, has rejoined the Madison office of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP as a partner and heads the firm’s government and regulatory law practice. He previously was Wisconsin deputy attorney general.

Bryan M. Becker, Marquette 1998, and James J. Wawrzyn, Marquette 2006 magna cum laude, have joined von Briesen & Roper s.c. Becker is a shareholder in the banking, bankruptcy, business restructuring, and real estate practice group. Wawrzyn is with the business practice group. He previously was with Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Minneapolis.

James A. Walrath, Michigan 1968, has joined Zetley Law Offices S.C., Milwaukee, as of counsel. He previously had his own firm and also was Wisconsin’s Federal Defender.

Jeffrey S. Ward, Illinois 1984, has been promoted to partner in the Madison office of Merchant & Gould PC. He concentrates in patent litigation relating to the pharmaceutical, chemical, and mechanical arts.

Maureen A. Wegleitner, Hamline 2002, has joined Eckberg, Lammers, Briggs, Wolff & Vierling PLLP as an associate and practices in the Hudson office. She focuses on estate planning, bankruptcy, and real estate law.

MaiVue Xiong, U.W. 2010, has joined Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci S.C., Eau Claire, and focuses on business law.

Mergers, Relocations, New Offices

Quarles & Brady LLP has opened a representative office in Shanghai, China. Among the attorneys affiliated with the office is Tina Chan, Marquette 2006, who practices in general corporate services, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial contracting, with an emphasis on China law and technology law.

Appointments, Elections

William Evenson, Marquette 1978, CPA, has been elected to the executive committee of Hawkins, Ash, Baptie & Co. LLP. He is a partner in the De Pere office.

John P. McConnell, Yale 1989, has been selected as a resident fellow for the spring semester at Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, in the John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Mary Turke, U.W. 1996, has been named managing partner of the Madison office of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP. She continues to focus on commercial litigation and dispute resolution.

Authors, Speakers

Alex Flynn, Marquette 1984, was a visiting professor of criminal law at the University of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski in Poland in the autumn semester of 2010, under the auspices of the Center for International Legal Studies. He practices in Milwaukee.

Coleen C. Higgins, U.W. 1980, presented “Piracy on the High Seas” at the United Nations Association, USA, Dane County Chapter meeting in May 2010. She is a partner at Bakken, Higgins & Taylor LLP, Madison.

Mike Koehler, U.W. 2000, testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs, at a hearing on the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He is an assistant professor of business law at Butler University, Indianapolis.

Authors of the recently revised Real Estate Transactions System (State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE 5th ed. 2011) are Bruce Block, Boston Univ. 1979, Lucas Roe, U.W. 2008, Michael H. Simpson, U.W. 1975, and Carolyn Sullivan, U.W. 1991, all with Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. Block, Roe, and Simpson are with the Milwaukee office, and Sullivan is with the Waukesha office.

Carlton D. Stansbury, Iowa 1990 with distinction, presented “Minimizing the Impact of Divorce on Special Needs Children: Importance of Maintaining Evidence-Based Treatment,” to the 2011 National CLE Conference in Colorado in January. He practices family law and is a shareholder with Burbach & Stansbury S.C., Milwaukee.

Awards, Degrees, Honors

Dean R. Dietrich, Marquette 1977, received the first-ever Advocate of the Year award from United Way of Marathon County, in honor of his years of service, leadership, and passion for advancing services to families with young children. He chairs the employment, labor, and benefits practice group at Ruder Ware LLSC, Wausau.

Jessica J. King, Thomas Jefferson 2001, was a finalist for the 2010 ABA Young Lawyers Division National Outstanding Young Lawyer award. She is the sole shareholder of Compass Law S.C., Oshkosh, and is a Chapter 7 panel trustee for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. She has contributed extensively to the profession (through the State Bar, the ABA, and county bar associations) and her community (as deputy mayor of Oshkosh and in other roles).

Gottlieb John Marmet, U.W. 2004, has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He is a member of the litigation and risk management practice group and the technology law section in the Milwaukee office of von Briesen & Roper s.c.

Jeffrey A. Pitman, Marquette 1990, has been admitted to practice law in Iowa. He is with Pitman, Kyle, Sicula & Dentice S.C., Milwaukee, and concentrates on representing victims of nursing home abuse and neglect. He also is admitted to practice law in Illinois.

Ann Smith, Northwestern 1984, has been elected a fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. She focuses on bankruptcy, commercial litigation, commercial transactions, and constitutional litigation with the Madison office of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP and chairs the firm’s ethics committee.

Pro Bono, Public Service

Law Professionals United held Kids Fun Fiesta: Magic South of the Border at La Casa de Esperanza in January. The organization’s members are Waukesha-area attorneys and judges from Arenz, Molter, Macy & Riffle S.C.; Blommer Peterman S.C.; Bucher Law Group; Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet; Buting & Williams; McCoy & Hofbauer; Michael Best & Friedrich LLP; Schott Bublitz Engel; The Schroeder Group S.C., Attorneys at Law; the Waukesha County District Attorneys Office; and the Waukesha County Circuit Court. The group joins with United Way of Waukesha County to support local charities through volunteerism.