Oct. 15, 2025 – Those who know her say Madison attorney Mary C. Turke’s firm Turke & Steil LLP, in Madison, is a model for all small firms.

Her practice “exemplifies what solo and small-firm lawyers strive for: high-quality representation grounded in deep expertise, responsiveness, and a genuine commitment to client goals.”

Described as a “generous mentor and community leader,” Turke is the 2025 recipient of the John Lederer Distinguished Service Award from the State Bar of Wisconsin Solo, Small Firm & General Practice Section.

The Lederer Award recognizes individuals dedicated to enhancing the lives and practices of solo and small-firm attorneys in Wisconsin. The award is given annually to an individual, group, or organization that exhibits the leadership, spirit, and dedication of the late John Lederer of Oregon, Wisconsin.

“I am so surprised and honored to receive this award,” Turke said. “It means that my efforts to create a place where excellent legal work and client service coincide with a good workplace culture have been noticed – I started my firm for that purpose.”

“Mary embodies the mission and spirit of this award through her decades-long commitment to helping small-firm lawyers not only survive but thrive,” said Jody Cooper, who nominated Turke for the award.

Turke receives the award on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, at the Wisconsin Solo & Small Firm Practice Conference (WSSFC) in Wisconsin Dells. Find out more about the conference at wisbar.org/wssfc.

Practice in South-central Wisconsin

“Her practice reflects the best of what the Lederer Award honors: a lawyer committed to sharing her wisdom, leading with integrity and heart, and building a profession where all practitioners, regardless of size or setting, are supported and valued,” Cooper said.

“In all these roles, she has elevated the profile and professionalism of small-firm lawyers, advocating for smarter tools, better practices, and balanced lives.”

Turke is a partner at Turke & Steil, LLP, which has offices in Madison and Janesville, serving south-central Wisconsin. “We do most services businesses need (corporate, commercial, real estate, litigation, and employment) along with services for individuals (estate planning, probate, personal injury, family law, and income tax preparation),” Turke said.

At Turke & Steil, her practice involves business and corporate matters, including as outside general counsel, handling entity formation, buy-sell transactions, and commercial agreements. She litigates commercial disputes and cases involving trusts, trademarks, and non-compete agreements. She represents clients in NGFA (National Grain and Feed Association) arbitrations related to grain purchases and is an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.

Turke, U.W. 1996, began her career as a clerk for Judge Robert Martin in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District, before entering private practice at a large firm. After 20 years of practice at a larger regional firm with more than 200 attorneys – “I had a great experience there,” she said – Turke left for a smaller practice.

After starting her own small-firm practice, she realized that bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better with law firms. “I discovered this entire ecosystem of smaller firms that had smart, hard-working attorneys helping clients with sophisticated legal issues,” with the quality of lawyering just as good as at big firms.

Now, “as a small firm practitioner, I hope my work changes that perception of ‘bigger is better,’” she said. “Our rates are lower because we can afford to charge clients less – but that doesn't mean clients are paying for lower quality services; rather our clients are receiving good value.”

Turke’s Message: Excellent Workplace Culture = Small-firm Success

“Lawyers work really hard, many get burned out for reasons other than the actual legal work – the internal politics, the sharp elbows, the boys' clubs and the egos,” Turke said, speaking from her past experience.

She is committed to proving that it doesn't have to be that way, and speaks often on the importance of a positive and supporting workplace culture.

At the 2024 WSSFC, she spoke with the State Bar about the key ingredients for productivity, retention, and firm success for small firms. Her key takeaway, she said, is to “pay attention to your culture and it will pay back threefold.”

Paying attention to your culture includes investing “in our firm’s people, including training, mentoring, good benefits, and meaningful time off for attorneys and staff.”

Staying on top of technology is also key, she said. “Technology investments are key for small firms. We can be so much more efficient and therefore more profitable. Case in point, our firm is a paperless office, and we use tools like document automation to improve our workflow processes. Technology investments are expensive but worth it.”

For this commitment to workplace technology investment, Turke was honored in 2016 as a State Bar Legal Innovator.

That’s not all: With her firm, she is leading the way as a mentor for women attorneys.

“I am proud to be a small-firm owner who supports and promotes women in the law,” she said. “My management team (CFO, accounting manager, and firm manager) are all women. I love my male colleagues of course, but I hope more women aspire to firm ownership and know that if I can do this, so can they.”

A Motivation

Receiving the Lederer Award, she said, provides an opportunity to think about her efforts. “I am grateful for this opportunity to reflect on the journey getting here, including the hard work, the failures, and so many lessons learned.”

“This award motivates me to continue doing my best for my team, our clients, and colleagues in the solo and small firm legal community,” Turke said.

Celebrate with Mary Turke at WSSFC 2025

Turke will receive the award on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, at the Wisconsin Solo & Small Firm Conference (WSSFC) at the Kalahari Resort, Oct. 16-18, 2025, in Wisconsin Dells.

WSSFC is designed specifically to address the challenges that small firms and solo practice attorneys face and gives you the space to learn, network, and troubleshoot among peers. It’s where you get tips on what to do as your practice grows and is a great place to meet colleagues and expand your connections.

Registration is open – wisbar.org/wssfc for more information, or head to Wisbar’s Marketplace to register.