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  • September 18, 2018

    Realizing Their Dreams: Welcome to 69 New Wisconsin Lawyers

    They come from across the U.S. and the world – and are ready to start the next step in their lives. The State Bar welcomes 69 new Wisconsin lawyers.

    Shannon Green

    The oath

    Sixty-nine new lawyers took the Attorney’s Oath in two ceremonies on Sept. 17, 2018.

    Visit the State Bar’s Facebook page for more photos from the ceremony and reception.

    Sept. 18, 2018 – Only after all six of her children were finished with college and – in one case, law school for Benjamin – did Roxanne Lutgen of Wausau pursue her own dream of becoming a lawyer. “I went to school after everybody else did,” she said.

    Shannon Green is communications writer for the State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison. She can be reached by email or by phone at (608) 250-6135.

    She earned her degree in Mitchell Hamline School of Law’s hybrid J.D. program – which allowed her to take classes and study most of the time while working full time. It took the complete support of her husband, Tim, who handled day-to-day tasks for the three years she was in school. “This was a fantastic program,” Roxanne said.

    Benjamin graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2009 and practices in Brookfield. “I’m the oldest of six children. My parents both supported us to realize our dreams. It was very special to see her realize her own dream today,” Benjamin said.

    Already a certified public accountant, Lutgen is vice president of finance and CFO with Northcentral Technical College in Wausau. She will expand the work she does in her current position – and wants to do pro bono work with Judicare. “I look forward to seeing what I can do for my community.”

    Does Benjamin have advice for his mother as a more experienced attorney? “I’m still learning from her,” he said. “But I may have a little bit of advice for her, too.”

    Roxanne Lutgen

    Roxanne Lutgen points to her name on the list of new attorneys.

    Roxanne Lutgen is one of sixty-nine new lawyers who took the Attorney’s Oath on Sept. 17, 2018, before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, listened to words of wisdom from their new colleagues, and signed the Attorney’s Roll. They were 60 who passed the bar exam, joined by lawyers from other states joining via reciprocity, and five graduates of the U.W. Law School.

    Of those taking the bar exam, 65 percent passed; 69 percent of those taking it for a first time passed the exam, said Jaqueline Rothstein, director of the Board of Bar Examiners.

    And all have a reason to celebrate the beginning of a new stage in their lives.

    The ceremony

    Friends and family stand in the back of a full house to watch the 10 a.m. admissions ceremony.

    Visit the State Bar’s Facebook page for more photos from the ceremony and reception.

    New Wisconsin Lawyers

    There’s Ahmad Murrar of Milwaukee, who graduated in May from Georgetown University Law School. His mother, Hannah Murrar, was proud to watch him take the oath and become a lawyer. He wanted to become lawyer since high school. “He’s quiet, so everybody said, ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ He never changed his mind,” she said.

    Ahmad studied about 13 hours a day for two months for the bar exam – and passed it on his first attempt. In October, he starts his position in Milwaukee with Foley and Lardner – where he had worked as a law clerk while a student.

    “He worked hard, until he achieved want he wanted to do,” Hannah said.

    John Shaft and Grant Shaft

    John Shaft smiles as his father, Grant Shaft, an attorney in Minnesota and North Dakota, acts as movant for him. “He is the fourth generation of lawyers in our family,” Grant said.

    Tatiana Shirasaki is a lawyer again after 20 years. Before coming to the U.S., she practiced in Brazil. She has one more step to go before all is done: She will complete her LLM-SJD next year. Having passed the bar exam, she is now a Wisconsin lawyer, and ultimately hopes to practice in immigration law. “I’m looking forward to it,” she said.

    Lauren Zenk discovered she wanted to be a lawyer when taking a political science class in college. “A friend said, ‘Let’s try this out,’” said her mother, Kelly Zenk. And she was hooked. Lauren obtained her law degree from the University of Minnesota, and will practice in corporate litigation with Quarles and Brady in Milwaukee.

    Tatiana Shirasaki

    Tatiana Shirasaki, third from left, surrounded by family and friends at the reception.

    U.W. Law School graduate Bethesda Zewdie’s two friends, Sarjo Barrow and Tanya Salman – both practicing in Madison – stood up as movants for her.

    Zewdie’s experience growing up in Ethiopia – she emigrated at age 16 – was a reason to become a lawyer. “I grew up with the law not being helpful to people,” she said. “Having moved here, and knowing what I can do as a lawyer, it was important to me.”

    Zewdie works in immigration law, personal injury, and consumer protection with Lawton and Cates in Madison.

    Bethesda Zewdie signs the book

    Bethesda Zewdie signs the Supreme Court Roll book – a final step in becoming a Wisconsin lawyer.

    Visit the State Bar’s Facebook page for more photos from the ceremony and reception.

    Raquel Garcia Posada is from California, but chose to attend U.W. Law School. “It’s has a great program,” she said. She took the bar exam in California in July, where she still awaits the results. “They said the pass rate was 27 percent,” she said.

    She wanted to be an attorney since she was 17 years old. “I read a lot about it, and thought that it will be a good way to use my influence to help others.”

    She aims to practice in international law, especially human rights. “I want to use my education to empower others,” she said.

    Brian Dollhopf of Milwaukee went to law school at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. “He is the eighth person in our family to get a degree from that school,” said his mother, Louise Damiano of Green Bay. He will practice in business litigation with Foley and Lardner.

    Dollhopf’s ambitions to become a lawyer started with an introduction to law class in high school. “After that, his course was set and he never wavered,” Damiano said. “He did is research. He said, ‘I know this is not going to be like the television show Law and Order.’”

    Welcome to These New Wisconsin Lawyers

    Via Bar Exam

    John R. Abendroth Elburn, Illinois

    Patrick Anderl, Milwaukee  

    Peter Anderson, Fort Atkinson

    Andrew Auderieth, Hudson,  

    Joseph Bauer, Chippewa Falls

    Mary N. Beall, Madison

    Veronica Canton, Buffalo Grove, Illinois

    Theresa Anne Carey, Viroqua  

    Thomas Chmielnik, Milwaukee  

    Colleen Cullen, Milwaukee  

    Evan J. Dahl, Oshkosh

    Jon Derenne, Milwaukee  

    Brian Kenneth Dollhopf, Milwaukee  

    Alexander Dunn, Milwaukee  

    Travis S. Gaetz, Elk Mound

    Biswajit Ghose, Mequon

    Tanner Gille, Janesville  

    Benjamin Gillig, Chicago

    Heba Hazzaa, Brookfield  

    Katherine A. Headley, Woodstock, Illinois

    Daniel J. Hood, Gurnee, Illinois

    Ashley Hornung, Milwaukee  

    Corey R. Hoze, Milwaukee  

    Kourtney Imig, Elcho  

    Timothy Michael Johnson, Chicago

    Matthew Douglas Jones, Kenosha  

    Kourtney Lynn Klassa, Shell Lake  

    Emma Lawton, Wausau  

    Kelsey Ann Leopold, Milwaukee  

    Roxanne Marie Lutgen, Wausau  

    Hannah Lutz, Milwaukee  

    Marissa Adriana Rodriguez, San Antonio

    John Shaft, Madison

    Tatiana Tamae Soares Shirasaki, Mayville  

    Tiffany Ann Biedermann, Appleton

    Katherine Mayer, Manitowoc  

    Anne Claire McDonald, Oshkosh  

    Kathleen Ann McStay, Oak Brook, Illinois

    Helaina D. Metcalf, Milwaukee  

    Ahmad Khalid Murrar, Milwaukee  

    Kyle Olsen, Madison

    Samuel J. Olson, Oconomowoc  

    David Palay, Madison

    Nicholas Paul, Chicago

    Aude Sylvanna Peden, Madison

    Trevor J. Peterson, Wausau  

    Elizabeth M. Pierson, Milwaukee  

    Emrah Polat, Schofield  

    Morgan Rae, Grand Chute  

    Ryan Riffle, Milwaukee  

    Christopher T. Ruska, Grafton  

    Joseph M. Ruth, Port Washington  

    Amanda Marion Marie Schamens, Milwaukee  

    Andrew T. Stoker, Oconomowoc  

    Chris Terris, Milwaukee  

    Erika M. Tribuzi, Madison

    Sarah Watson, Madison

    Saralinda R. Watts, Baraboo  

    Evan James York, New Berlin  

    Lauren N. Zenk, Milwaukee  

    Via Foreign License

    Alec Hillbo , Madison

    Renagh O’Leary, Madison

    Timothy Poodiack, Milwaukee

    Michael Stimson, Middleton  

    Via U.W. Diploma

    Sara A. Heyn, Castle Rock, Colorado

    Raquel Garcia Posada, Los Angeles

    Mary Katherine Salutz, Madison

    Bethesda Zewdie, Madison

    Natalie Sophia Zibolski, Madison


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