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    Wisconsin Lawyer
    October 01, 2016

    Meet Our Contributors

    Become a contributor! Are you working on an interesting case? Have a practice tip to share? There are several ways to contribute to Wisconsin Lawyer. To discuss a topic idea, contact Managing Editor Karlé Lester at (800) 444-9404, ext. 6127, or email klester@wisbar.org. Check out our writing and submission guidelines.

    What is your favorite aspect of Wisconsin?

    Bill BrousseauBill Brousseau, Secure Global Solutions, Mequon

    My favorite aspect of Wisconsin is that it is the birthplace of the modern hacker. The first hacking group ever officially recognized by the FBI was known as “414,” centered in the Milwaukee area. More recently, the largest malware site in the world, generating more than 80 percent of all malware, was being run out of Wisconsin.

    Wisconsin has generated some of the most famous, and infamous, cybersecurity experts in the world. Ethical hackers, like me, are always looking forward to predict the next hack, and the Wisconsin community has been invaluable over the years in shaping how we protect data today.


    What is your greatest professional accomplishment to date?

    Without question, my greatest professional accomplishment was serving as the president of the Virginia State Bar several years ago. Someone should have told me it was like having a second job. Someone else should have reminded me that you can drive six-and-a-half hours from one part of Virginia to another.

    My coauthor/husband and I saw just about every highway and byway in Virginia as I spoke to every bar association, civic group, and law school that invited me. Thank heavens we carry our offices in our laptops. And our laptops sure got some splendid views.

    Best year ever, but I sure was tired when it was over!


    What is your most memorable trip?

    Aviva Meridian KaiserAviva Meridian Kaiser, State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison

    In December 2015, I accompanied my 31-year-old son to Mumbai, India. He was presenting at an international art and design conference, and, knowing my fondness for Indian culture, asked me to go with him.

    The overwhelming beauty and chaos of Mumbai, with its population of more than 20 million, is unforgettable. I could go on forever about the warmth of its people, the brilliant colors of its textiles, its aromatic spices, its ornate temples and rituals, its history, and the sheer exhilaration (or terror) of a speeding auto rickshaw. I could also talk at length about its poverty and the overpowering sense of helplessness that I felt.

    But what made this trip most memorable was the opportunity I had to view Mumbai through the perceptions of my adult son. At the conference, I heard him speak passionately about the role of ethical design and sustainability. During our travels throughout Mumbai, we discussed poverty, leadership, and education. We visited two synagogues, one dating back to 1796 and the other to 1884, relishing the familiar within the foreign and prompting an examination of our own relationship to our faith.

    My memories of Mumbai are not only my own, but those infused with the insight, intellect, and knowledge of my son. How fortunate I am!


    What is the best or worst travel experience you’ve had on a business trip?

    John W. SimekJohn W. Simek, Sensei Enterprises Inc., Fairfax, Va.

    By far the worst travel experience I have ever had on a business trip was experiencing a touch-and-go landing in a Boeing 727 at LaGuardia airport in the 1980s.

    If you have ever flown into New York’s LaGuardia airport, you know that you approach from the water and part of the runway extends out like a dock into the water. We were coming in to land and just as the tires hit the runway, I heard the pitch change on the jet engines as they spooled back up. The pilot must have been an ex-Navy fighter jet pilot, because we pulled up at a steep climb and banked hard left. Needless to say, it was pretty quiet in the cabin. I’m sure some people forgot to breathe.

    After settling in at the assigned altitude, the pilot announced that a small aircraft was crossing the runway just as we were landing, so we had to abort. Thankfully, there was no accident. I was so grateful the man in the cockpit stayed cool under fire. The second landing attempt was much more uneventful.


    What is your favorite way to rejuvenate?

    Tison RhineTison Rhine, State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison

    My favorite way to rest and rejuvenate is actually plain old sleep. Because I have limited free time (I have a 10-month-old child), I often feel some internal pressure to maximize it by at least being awake (otherwise it disappears, right?). This means that I often “rest” by reading (mostly articles on my phone), watching TV, Tor playing video games. However, I rarely regret actually taking a nap or going to bed early. When you truly need rejuvenation, sleep is the best.

    Answering a completely different question: is there something I never leave home without? The answer is socks, because ewwww.

    ​​​​

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