Author to Receive Wisconsin Lawyer Award for Primer on Drug Treatment Courts
Thomas J. Walsh, Hamline 1992, is the 2016 recipient of the Hon. Charles Dunn Author Award, presented annually by the State Bar Communications Committee.
Walsh is being honored for his thought-provoking article, “In the Crosshairs: Heroin’s Impact on Wisconsin’s Criminal Justice System” (Jan. 2016).
In selecting the article, the committee said, “Judge Thomas Walsh’s article on drug treatment courts is everything a Wisconsin Lawyer article should be. It is timely, thought-provoking, interesting, well researched, and informative. Written from the unique perspective of a circuit judge presiding in a treatment court, the article takes the reader deep inside the intersection of an epidemic of heroin abuse and its devastating effect on Wisconsin’s criminal justice system.
“The article well describes an epidemic of heroin abuse in Wisconsin, the history of treatment courts, and how his own treatment court in Brown County functions. This easy to understand and comprehensive article on drug treatment courts is a model example of excellence in writing for the Wisconsin Lawyer.”
Walsh is a Brown County Circuit Court judge.
The Dunn award, named after Wisconsin’s first chief justice, recognizes writing excellence in Wisconsin Lawyer articles.
Certificates of Commendation
The Communications Committee also awarded certificates of commendation to the following authors:
Sharon D. Nelson and John W. Simek for their article “What’s Behind Your Firewall? Know Your Cyber Risks” (Oct. 2016), a fine primer on protecting digital data. This exceptional article is an invaluable educational tool for attorneys. Protecting data is absolutely essential to the competent practice of law. The authors concisely spell out why lawyers fail to properly protect data, set forth the current standards of best practices for securing data, and suggest ways to stop cyber-attacks before they begin.
Attorney Nelson is president and Simek is vice president of Sensei Enterprises Inc., a legal technology, information security, and digital forensics firm based in Fairfax, Va.
Laura Lavey, Marquette 2010, and Chad Baruch, Minnesota 1991, for their article “E-filing: How to Craft Effective Motions and Briefs in the Digital Era” (Nov. 2016), which offers a fine roadmap to the filing of electronic briefs.
As the profession transfers from paper to digital briefs, ensuring the court gets the most out of your e-brief, through effective formatting, is essential to effective advocacy. The authors clearly and concisely explain why stylistically there is a significant difference between paper and e-briefs. They provide excellent examples of how attorneys can use formatting to craft effective e-briefs that will best assist the court.
Lavey is a litigation associate with O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C., Milwaukee, where she focuses on representing clients in the prosecution and defense of civil litigation matters, primarily in the areas of commercial and business litigation.
Baruch is a partner with Johnston Tobey Baruch, Dallas, Texas, where he focuses on civil and criminal appeals. He is admitted to practice in Wisconsin and Texas and is board certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Elizabeth T Russell, Pace 1986, for “Representing Creatives – In Life and After” (May 2016), a fascinating introduction to art law. In a clear and concise fashion, focusing on copyright, she describes why estate planners and family law lawyers must be aware of their client’s intellectual property rights. Her distillation of the intersection of copyright law and estate planning and family law is a model of brevity and clarity. She touches on client intake, identification of intellectual property, and how to account for it in estate planning and family law. This well-written and informative article is an excellent educational tool for lawyers and the public.
Russell is a solo practitioner in Middleton. Her primary practice areas are copyright, trademark, and arts law. She is a past chair of the State Bar Sports and Entertainment Law Section and is admitted to practice in New York, Connecticut, and Wisconsin.
Amy E. Casey for “Speaking Up: The First Amendment and Wisconsin’s Public Educators” (April 2016), which is an excellent account of the First Amendment rights of public school teachers both in and out of the classroom. It is a clear and concise account of teacher free speech rights in the past and present and offers suggestions for the future. Her distillation of complex law on teacher free speech is a model of brevity and clarity. It is an excellent educational tool for lawyers and the public.
Casey is a Wisconsin public school teacher and education blogger. Her interest in education law is a pragmatic one, concerned with how it directly affects public school teachers and other public employees. Casey is the first nonlawyer to receive a commendation for excellence in writing for Wisconsin Lawyer.
To contribute to Wisconsin Lawyer, contact managing editor Karlé Lester, klester@wisbar.org, (608) 250-6127; and see the writing guidelines.
New Hires, Promotions, Partners
Andrew R. Brehm, U.W. 2015 cum laude, has joined the Milwaukee office of Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary P.C. as an associate focusing on civil litigation. Previously he served as a judicial clerk for the Hon. Rebecca F. Dallet and the Hon. Christopher R. Foley of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court.
Joshua P. Grube, Marquette 2003, and William F. Springer, John Marshall 2011, have become shareholders inBrennan Steil S.C., Janesville. Grube concentrates in criminal law, labor law, and civil litigation. Springer concentrates in real estate, business transactions, banking, and landlord-tenant law.
David J. Espin, Marquette 2008, has joined Petrie + Pettit, Milwaukee, and focuses on business law, with an emphasis on business formation, corporate transactions, business bankruptcy, and commercial workouts.
Ryan J. Harrington, Marquette 1995, has joined Halling & Cayo SC, Milwaukee, and continues to focus on criminal defense, personal injury, bankruptcy, and traffic matters and domestic abuse and harassment injunctions.
Kerry (Burchill) Murphy, U.W. 2007, is a founding member of Lasky Murphy LLC, a women-owned, boutique law firm in New Orleans. Her practice focuses on business and commercial litigation. She also handles business formation and contract matters. Previously, she was with Jones Swanson Huddell & Garrison LLC, New Orleans, and a law clerk to the Hon. Susie Morgan in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Timothy A. Nettesheim, McGeorge 1981, has joinedthe Waukesha office of von Briesen & Roper s.c.as a shareholder and leads the firm’s new Capital Markets Section, which assists businesses and their owners in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, valuation, capital raises, and other commercial and business matters.
Eric S. Teske, Marquette 2008, has joined Welcenbach Law Offices, Milwaukee, as an associate. He focuses on estate and probate litigation and planning as well as consumer and civil litigation including car accidents, truck accidents, slip and falls, and other serious personal injury matters.
Christopher K. Triska, John Marshall 2004, has been promoted to shareholder in the Chicago office of Segal McCambridge Singer & Mahoney Ltd. and continues to concentrate on defending companies in catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims involving products, commercial and residential construction, premises, automobiles, commercial trucking, and contractors. He also works on insurance subrogation claims and asbestos and talcum powder litigation.
Ryan Truesdale, Marquette 2013, has become an associate with Hupy and Abraham SC, Milwaukee, and is a member of the nursing home abuse and neglect division.
Kiel Zillmer, Marquette 2016 cum laude, has joined the Milwaukee office of Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman.He counsels clients on a variety of health-care issues, including hospital-physician arrangements and transactions, fraud and abuse, physician compensation, and health-care valuation.
Mergers, Relocations, New Offices
DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C., and its Minneapolis affiliate DeWitt Mackall Crounse & Moore S.C., have combined with Waukesha-based The Schroeder Group S.C., Attorneys at Law. The Schroeder Group attorneys and staff will begin practicing and serving the firm’s clients as members of DeWitt Ross & Stevens.
All attorneys and staff from Simandl Law Group S.C. have joined von Briesen & Roper s.c. Simandl Law Group has a statewide practice focusing on the representation of public and private employers in labor and employment, employee benefits, and human resources matters. Partnering with employers, Simandl Law Group has developed HR Law Solutions, which helps employers maximize operational efficiency, minimize transactional costs, and obtain excellent results. von Briesen & Roper also has opened a central Waukesha office, located at 20975 Swenson Dr., Suite 400.
Appointments, Elections
Avery L. Goodrich Jr., Toledo, 1989, has been appointed interim president of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin, which supports the growth and sustainability of African American-owned businesses throughout the state. His practice, Goodrich Law, Mequon, focuses on criminal defense and employment law.
Melissa Jackson Holloway, U.W. 1996 with honors, has been elected to a three-year term as a member-at-large on the board of the National Association of College and University Attorneys. She is deputy general counsel with Ball State University, Muncie, Ind.
Randy S. Nelson, Marquette 1977, has been appointed to the business planning committee of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel for 2017-18. The committee focuses on planning techniques for owners of closely-held businesses. Nelson is a shareholder in the Milwaukee office of von Briesen & Roper s.c., focusing on estate planning, family business planning, tax planning, trust administration, and probate. He is a certified public accountant and an adjunct professor at Marquette University Law School.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has appointed Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Jason A. Rossell, U.W. 2001, as chief judge of the Second Judicial Administrative District, replacing current Chief Judge Allan P. “Pat” Torhorst, Racine County Circuit Court, who is retiring. The Second District encompasses Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties in Southeastern Wisconsin.
Ron Tusler, Marquette 2010, a Wisconsin state representative, has been appointed to the Uniform Law Commission, a federal commission where states convene annually to propose model laws such as the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). Tusler’s specific role will be to promote appropriate model laws in the Wisconsin State Assembly. Tusler practices personal injury and real estate law at Tusler Law LLC, Appleton.
Awards, Degrees, Honors
Kirk D. Strang, U.W. 1985, has received the 2017 WASDA Award of Special Recognition for Service to Wisconsin from the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators. He is with Strang, Patteson, Renning, Lewis & Lacy s.c., Madison.
In Memoriam
David P. Baumgardner, Appalachian 2007, Viroqua, March 21, 1963 – Feb. 19, 2017.
Carl Hoeppner, Harvard 1949, Plymouth, Feb. 1, 1925 – May 24, 2016.
Thomas Keidatz, U.W. 1973, De Pere, June 24, 1948 – Feb. 1, 2017.
Sara H. Quirt Sann, Valparaiso 1999, Wausau, Sept. 15, 1973 – March 22, 2017.
Carl R. Schwartz, Harvard 1978, Whitefish Bay, June 13, 1953 – Oct. 26, 2016.
Paul E. Sicula, U.W. 1964, Whitefish Bay, 1939 – March 17, 2017.
Donald R. Stroud, Michigan 1941, Madison, March 1, 1917 – June 12, 2013.
Bruce William Wilson, Drake 1996, Madison, March 23, 1959 – Feb. 19, 2017.
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.
Photo placement: Submit a professional-quality photo. If the photo is used, the State Bar will issue an invoice ($30 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. Email to: MembersOnly@wisbar.org. Include your State Bar membership number.
