May 6, 2026 – Judge Michael Zell describes lawyering as a craft – “a combination of technical skill and emotional intelligence.”

It is a perspective shaped by years as a solo practitioner, prosecutor, public defender, and now a circuit court judge for the Portage County Circuit Court.

Judge Zell is the recipient of the State Bar of Wisconsin Bench and Bar Committee's Judge of the Year Award. The award recognizes an outstanding circuit court judge who has improved the judicial system during the past year through leadership in advancing the quality of justice, judicial education, or innovative programs.

The Bench and Bar Committee said Judge Zell is a natural leader. He is an outstanding circuit court judge who strives to do the "right thing" no matter the personal cost.

Judge Zell said he invites those around him to share the award, including “the excellent mentors I’ve had: (retired) Judge Thomas Flugaur and Wood County Judge Nicholas Brazeau; my partner judges: Judge Patricia Baker and Judge Louis Molepske; the court staff who make us look good every day and are so good at helping our citizens, the Branch 1 staff, my judicial assistant and court reporter, the lawyers who argue the cases, and the people who come into the courthouse every day for our help,” he said.

“We are better together than we are alone. I hope to continue collaborating with everyone to make the legal system better for the people it serves,” said Judge Zell.

A ‘Meandering Path’ with Purpose

Judge Zell describes his childhood as an “average American childhood.” His parents were a police officer and a customer service representative. Growing up in Slinger, he loved playing hockey in high school. He chose computer science as his major when he began college at U.W. Washington County. “After my first history class, I was hooked,” he said. He transferred to U.W.-Milwaukee (UWM), graduating with majors in history and philosophy. Next, he earned his master’s degree in philosophy from UWM.

“Although I really enjoyed teaching, I didn’t see myself researching and writing academic papers for the rest of my life.” And that led him to law school at the University of Wisconsin Law School.​

“I thought I would be a prosecutor,” said Judge Zell. “I was fascinated by the prisoner assistance program at the time, called LAIP.”

The program gave him his first mentors – attorneys John Pray and Meg Gaines. “I learned, most importantly, that the legal system is about people. Although the law is important, it is also vital to understand the person in order to find the best solution to the problem.”

As a new lawyer, “I never expected nor planned to be a judge,” he admits. “I would describe the path as meandering.”

He first took up defense work in Racine, as an assistant public defender for three years. “My first supervisor was Jennifer Bias, who is now the Wisconsin State Public Defender. Jennifer and other experienced attorneys in that office taught me not just how to litigate, but also how to embrace the ambiguity and uncertainty surrounding the people involved in our cases.”

Judge Zell and his family, from left: Judge Zell; Abe; Auggie; Judge Zell’s wife, Jennifer; and Elliott.

In Milwaukee in 2002, he founded Zell Law Office LLC, where for 13 years, he “was content as a solo practitioner doing a combination of criminal trials, appeals, divorces, and bankruptcy,” he said. “I enjoyed the combination of interesting legal work and the interesting people issues. My only goal was to be a great lawyer by mastering the craft.”

In 2015, “although I really enjoyed solo practice” a variety of pressures led him to accept employment as an assistant district attorney in Wood County, he said. There he worked with District Attorney Craig Lambert. “We became friends, but he was also a great mentor,” Judge Zell said. “Craig is an excellent trial lawyer, and watching him prepare and litigate cases in the courtroom taught me more about trial work than anyone else.”

After six years as a prosecutor, “I knew the attorney shortage in the region was worsening and I really missed having client interaction. In 2021, I went back to the public defender’s office, and took on a caseload of very serious felony matters.”

In 2022, discussions with Judge Thomas Flugaur and Judge Zell’s wife, Jennifer, convinced him to apply for a judicial appointment. “Thankfully, Governor Evers agreed I would be a good judge and appointed me to the position” in Portage County. “I ran a year later without an opponent,” he said.

“I am grateful to have had all these opportunities,” said Judge Zell. “I learned a lot from each of them, and don’t think I could have made it to the place I am today without them.”

Lessons from Practice: ‘Always Something New to Learn’

On being a solo attorney: “Solo practice is great because you get to choose which 80 hours a week you work,” he said. “That is a joke of course! But it is true that as a solo lawyer you are running a business that happens to be about the law. You need accounting and billing systems, technology that works every day, marketing to find clients, insurance, research materials, and many other things. And you must do it all yourself. It is really hard work and requires a lot of hours. Though it can be lucrative, that is not true for every solo.”

On prosecutors: “Prosecutors have a very important job. We rely on them to protect the community and help victims of crimes. Prosecutors have a high caseload, and a lot of jury trials. Most prosecutors have mastered the rules of evidence and are very capable trial attorneys.”

On being a public defender: “Their job is also very important: They must protect the rights of individual defendants, and by doing that, they protect the rights of everyone. While public defenders are usually good trial attorneys, their real skill is their ability to talk to difficult people about difficult topics. I say that I can talk to anyone about anything – a skill I learned as a public defender.”

Judge Zell relaxes with his 4-year-old terrier mix, Zoey.

Day 1: 930 Cases

“On my first day (on the Portage County bench) our clerk of courts told me that she reassigned all the Branch 1 cases to me, and there were about 930,” he said.

“As a lawyer it is fine to come up with a creative argument and give it a shot. But the judge has to answer the questions and make a decision, during what seems like a rapid-fire session.” On any particular day that can mean a criminal suppression hearing and a placement hearing for a divorce in the morning, and small claims, probate, and civil cases in the afternoon.

“I was not prepared to answer all the objections and arguments I used to make. Thankfully I had a broad experience, but it takes time to feel comfortable in all areas of the law. When I started, other judges told me it would take three or four years to feel comfortable. I feel fairly confident now, but I still call my mentor judges on a regular basis for advice and discussion about unusual issues. With this role, there is always something new to learn.”

His advice to lawyers appearing before him? “Be prepared by knowing the case and talking to your client in advance, be respectful to each other and of the court’s limited time, talk about the case before the hearing, and if you can agree on some things, you should do that. Be creative and find solutions. Your clients do not understand how to resolve the conflict between them, but as professionals, we should lead them to those solutions. So many family cases, some involving children, are full of acrimony, but lawyers could have reduced the conflict.”

Also: “Work hard but take care of yourself. At my investiture Justice Ann Walsh Bradley gave me this advice, and I did not know what to think about it. But I’ve come to appreciate this as very valuable advice – we are better lawyers if we are grounded and happy ourselves.”

Court Rules Make an Impact

Not long after taking the bench, Judge Zell recognized the need to modernize the local court rules for Portage County. His work led to a comprehensive rewrite of the rules, which took effect Jan. 6, 2025.

“When I started as a judge there was a significant problem with the OWI blood-draw warrant process, as the technology was outdated and did not function as needed for after-hours warrant calls. I led a workgroup made up of lawyers, law enforcement officers, and IT professionals to change the process and obtain new technology that would function for us,” he said.

It was also obvious to him that the local court rules had become outdated. “Many of the actual processes in the courthouse did not accurately reflect the written rules,” he said.

He gathered a group of lawyers, clerks, judges, commissioners, and others to modernize and upgrade the rules to both match and improve court processes. This was “an extraordinary undertaking,” one observer noted.

The new rules included guidance on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the courtrooms, which aim to balance the efficiency of using AI with attorneys’ ethical obligations. Zell also advanced changes to the small claims rules, requiring plaintiffs to provide notice to defendants in debt collection cases, preventing hidden judgments.

The rule changes introduced a number of significant changes, including changes to the criminal intake system aimed at keeping pending cases with the same judge, to streamline proceedings.

Another change was to clarify the summary judgment process for commercial collections, to help protect unrepresented defendants.

Lessons on the Craft of Lawyering

“I really enjoy the craft of lawyering,” Judge Zell said, “which is a combination of technical skill and emotional intelligence.”

“There are daily opportunities to master the law, the rules of evidence, the facts of each case, the personality and psychological dynamics of strange and bizarre situations, and the art of persuasion. This leads to an incredibly interesting, if occasionally stressful, daily adventure.”

“Many of the people we encounter in the justice system lead lives very different from ours. It can be challenging to understand their perspective. Their values can be impacted by their lived experiences involving poverty, trauma, and other challenging issues. This is an important lesson on the path to working within the court system,” he said.

“There are endless opportunities for attorneys and judges to make positive change,” he said. “If you just observe and be available to notice what’s around you, you can see things that can change and could be better. I see them every day.”

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