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    Wisconsin Lawyer
    December 01, 2000

    Wisconsin Lawyer December 2000: In the News

    In the News


    New Hires, Promotions, Partners

    Ralph Cagle, U.W. 1974, has joined Hurley, Burish & Milliken S.C., Madison, as of counsel. He practices and consults on lawyer professional responsibility and mediates in tort, business, and professional disputes.

    Kevin J. Collins, U.W. 1997, has been named corporate counsel for Schwarz Pharma Inc., Mequon, in charge of legal affairs for the company's North American affiliate. He formerly worked for Aurora Health Care and a Green Bay law firm.

    Timothy J. Ziolkowski, Marquette 1993, has joined the intellectual property practice group at Cook & Franke S.C., as a shareholder. He previously was with Boyle Fredrickson Ziolkowski S.C., and has a background in mechanics and engineering. He focuses his practice in preparing, prosecuting, and defending patents.

    J. Mark Wilkinson, Tulsa 1998, has joined the firm as an associate in the intellectual property practice group, where he focuses in prosecuting patents. Wilkinson previously was with Boyle Fredrickson Ziolkowski.

    The following were elected partners in Davis & Kuelthau S.C., Milwaukee: Daniel J. Borowski, U.W. 1990, Susan G. Schellinger, Marquette 1993, and Everett E. Wood, U.W. 1992, practice civil and commercial litigation in the litigation section. Wood also handles construction matters, and Schellinger practices in bankruptcy law.

    Steven R. Glaser, Marquette 1993, joins the business and corporate law section, practicing in mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, limited liability companies, contract law, business and tax planning, and real estate.

    Gregory B. Ladewski, Michigan 1990, and Nancy L. Pirkey, Valparaiso 1993, are new shareholders in the labor and employment section practicing in collective bargaining, contract negotiations, grievance and arbitration, employment discrimination, and school law. Pirkey also practices in sexual harassment, family and medical leave laws, employee discipline and discharge, personnel policies, and employee handbooks.

    Katherine Miles Duren, Suffolk 1986, has joined the U.W.-Madison Division of Continuing Studies as assistant dean. She previously was the director of continuing legal education seminars for the State Bar of Wisconsin.

    Nicholas E. Fairweather, Case Western Reserve 2000, has become an associate in Cullen, Weston, Pines & Bach, Madison.

    Jeffrey K. Fields, Marquette 1997, has become an associate at Wynn Law Office, Brown Deer, a residential landlord tenant law and commercial and retail collections firm.

    The following have joined Godfrey & Kahn S.C., in the Milwaukee office: Lecia D. Gordner, Iowa 2000, in the tax department; Michelle D. Hugghis, Illinois 2000, June S. Santiago, Marquette 2000, and Geoffrey R. Schiveley, Vanderbilt 2000, in corporate; Michelle M. Nelson, U.W. 2000, in securities; Marnie A. Struss, U.W. 2000, in real estate; and Alicia L. Vander Pas, U.W. 2000, in estate planning.
    Ross J. Nova, Arizona 2000, joins the Green Bay office practicing in litigation and labor and employment.

    Kenneth A. Iwinski, Marquette 1992 magna cum laude, has been promoted to vice president-legal/assistant secretary of Northland Cranberries Inc., Wisconsin Rapids. He joined the company in 1998 as assistant general counsel. He previously was a senior associate with Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C., Milwaukee.

    John Skilton, U.W. 1969, and David Harth, U.W. 1979, have joined Heller Ehrman, Washington, D.C., as shareholders practicing in patent litigation. They also will support a new office of the firm in Madison. Skilton is a former president of the State Bar of Wisconsin and focuses his practice in biotech patent litigation. Harth previously was with Foley & Lardner's litigation department and practices in complex scientific and technical litigation.

    Gregory J. Heller, Marquette 1995, has been named assistant team counsel to the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, and Atlanta Thrashers, and counsel to Turner Sports. Heller was previously an associate with Horwood, Marcus & Berk, Chicago.

    Gregory J. Cook, Marquette 1976, a shareholder in Kasdorf, Lewis & Swietlik S.C., has relocated to the firm's Green Bay office. Daniel R. Peters, Tulsa 2000, has joined the firm's Wausau office as an associate.

    Robert J. Heinrich, Minnesota 1998 cum laude, has joined Mayer, Brown & Platt, Chicago, as an associate practicing in finance and banking law. He previously was law clerk for Hon. S. Martin Teel, Jr., in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia.

    Laura M. Katers, U.W. 2000, has joined Julian, Musial, Friedrich & Lunder S.C., Madison and Mt. Horeb, as an associate in the Mt. Horeb office focusing on family law, estate planning, and small business transactions. Katers was editor-in-chief of Wisconsin Law Review.

    Catherine M. Kelly, U.W. 1996, has joined Steinhart & Falconer LLP, San Francisco, as a corporate associate, emphasizing financings, mergers and acquisitions, licensing, and working with emerging growth companies.

    Kip Kobussen, Hamline 1987, has been promoted to chief legal counsel with General Casualty Insurance Companies. He has been with the company since 1989; first as an associate claims attorney, then associate counsel, assistant general counsel, and assistant vice president.

    Thomas McDonald, Marquette 1995, has been promoted to senior product developer for KeyCite at West Group in Eagan, Minn., overseeing design, development, and implementation of features for KeyCite on Westlaw.com.

    Bruce M. O'Brien, U.W. 1983, has joined Higgs, Fletcher & Mack LLP, San Diego, as a partner and member of the taxation, estate planning, and business transactions practice groups. He has an LL.M. taxation from the University of San Diego and focuses on tax controversies, partnerships, LLCs, business planning, estate planning, and probate. He formerly was with Shaw & O'Brien LLP, San Diego.

    Kimberly Petersen, Yale 1996, has joined Godfrey & Kahn, in the estate planning practice group in the Milwaukee office.

    Catherine A. Ritterbusch, Marquette 2000 cum laude, has joined Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C., Milwaukee, practicing in civil litigation, and environmental and municipal law.

    Brian P. Rohde, Marquette 1995, has joined WorldCom Inc.'s Washington, D.C. office as an associate focusing on real estate and network infrastructure matters.

    Michael Aldana, Michigan 1990, and Mitchell S. Moser, Northwestern 1991, have been promoted to partners in Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee. Aldana practices in labor and employment law, including hiring and terminating employees, employment discrimination, wrongful discharge and noncompete claims, contract negotiations, and contract administration and arbitrations. Moser is in the litigation group, representing automotive, materials handling, recreational vehicle, and chemical manufacturers in product liability litigation.
    James D. Friedman,
    Notre Dame, 1972, a partner in the firm, has been appointed to serve on the Preliminary Review Committee of the Lawyer Regulation System.

    Thomas M. Santarelli, William Mitchell 2000, has joined Madrigrano, Zievers, Aiello, Marry & Dowse S.C., Kenosha, as an associate primarily practicing in business matters.

    Jon M. Schoeffel, U.W. 1971 cum laude, has joined Knuteson, Powers & Wheeler S.C., Racine. He formerly was with the Racine office of von Briesen, Purtell & Roper S.C.

    Diana N. Sedlacek, U.W. 2000, has joined Grooskopf & Black LLC, Eau Claire, as an associate, focusing on family and criminal law.

    John A. Skolas, U.W. 1977, has joined ValiGen Inc., as chief financial officer. ValiGen is a European/American life sciences company integrating functional genomics, population genomics, and gene repair, with operations in Newtown, Penn., San Diego, and Berlin.

    Traci L. Tadwalt, Texas 2000, has joined Bell, Gierhart & Moore S.C., Madison, as an associate, focusing on litigation.

    John C. Vitek, Nebraska 1985, has joined Wille, Gregory & Lundeen, Milwaukee, as a partner continuing in taxation, corporate, and real estate law, including tax planning and business transactions.

    Von Briesen, Purtell & Roper S.C., Milwaukee, has promoted the following attorneys to principal associates: In the health care practice group - Kalisa B. Barratt, Vermont 1994, practicing in medical staff, corporate compliance, risk management, Medicare reimbursement, fraud and abuse, and Stark; Lisa M. Gingerich, California Western 1994, advising clients on corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, integrated delivery systems, antitrust, hospital affiliations, and mergers and acquisitions; Leslye A. Hermann, Chicago 1992, focusing in health care requirements, Medicare compliance, corporate compliance programs, compliance audits, and disclosure obligations; Amanda S. Layden, Marquette 1995, practicing in corporations, partnerships, LLCs, integrated delivery systems, fraud and abuse, hospital affiliations, and mergers and acquisitions.

    Maureen A. Hegarty, Marquette 1995, in the litigation group, focusing on commercial litigation; Linda S. Isnard, Marquette 1988, in the litigation and school law groups, focusing on general civil litigation and appeals in both state and federal courts; Susan E. Lovern, Iowa 1995, in employment and business litigation and appellate law, representing employers in both state and federal litigation involving age, disability, race and other discrimination claims, family and medical leave issues, and various tort claims. She also works in contract, lease, warranty, fraud, and other commercial disputes. Robin L. Van Harpen, Minnesota 1995, practices in labor, employment, school and education law representing public and private employers in open records claims, wage and hour claims, discrimination and sexual harassment suits, and labor relations.

    Elizabeth L. Walker, Hamline 2000, has joined her father at Walker Law Office, Cobb, as a general practice associate.

    Rosemary R. Elbert, Marquette 1961, has been named deputy director and civil unit director of Wisconsin Judicare Inc., Wausau.

    Diane L. Meulemans, U.W. 2000, has joined the organization's civil unit as a staff attorney and will participate in Judicare's Native American Elders Outreach Project. She also will handle general poverty law casework, community outreach, and education.

    Ellyn K. Fuchsteiner, Vermont 1999 cum laude, has joined the organization's Indian law unit as a staff attorney. She'll also participate in the Native American Elders Outreach Project.

    Mergers, Relocations, New Associations

    John A. Birdsall, U.W. 1989, has established Birdsall Law Offices S.C., 222 E. Mason St., Milwaukee. He will continue practicing in criminal defense and small business litigation.

    Susan L. Frank, U.W. 1992, has established Susan L. Frank Attorney at Law. She will continue practicing in employment, professional negligence, personal injury, and consumer and business torts at 123 E. Main St., Ste. 201, Madison. Frank previously lived and practiced in Oregon.

    Mark Fremgen, John Marshall 1990, has opened Fremgen Law Offices at 136 Jackson St., Oshkosh, a full-service law firm primarily focusing in criminal defense, family/divorce law, and personal injury litigation.

    Michelle Fitzgerald, Marquette 2000, has opened Legal Horizons LLC, 7412 W. State St., Wauwatosa, a full-service reference business offering law-related services.

    Todd J. Friedbacher, Harvard 1994, has opened the Geneva office of Powell, Goldstein, Frazer & Murphy LLP, practicing before the World Trade Organization.

    George Vernon, Chicago 1975, has opened the Law Offices of George Vernon, Monroe, and will continue practicing in general civil and commercial litigation with an emphasis on product liability. Previously, his office was in Chicago.

    James A. Wynn, Jr., Marquette 1979, has been elected to the American Law Institute. He is a North Carolina Court of Appeals Judge.

    Nelson, Dries, Connell & Kramer S.C., Brookfield, has changed its name to Nelson, Connell & Kramer S.C. James A. Bottoni, Marquette 2000, has joined the firm.

    Pamela Pepper, Cornell 1989, has formed Pamela Pepper Attorney at Law S.C., 731 N. Jackson St., Suite 800, Milwaukee. Pepper will continue practicing in state and federal criminal defense, including appellate work.

    Thomas & Bonnabeau P.A., has relocated to 5402 Parkdale Dr., Suite 101, Minneapolis, Minn., continuing its focus in computer and information technology law.

    Appointments, Elections

    The Association for Women Lawyers has elected the following officers: president - Lesli Hosford McLinden; president-elect - Gwendolyn G. Connolly; secretary - Catherine M.P. Hertzberg; and treasurer - Mary L. Richards, all of Milwaukee.

    The Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin has elected these officers: president - William R. Wick, Manitowoc; president-elect - Patrick W. Brennan, Milwaukee; and secretary/treasurer - Wayne L. Maffei, Baraboo.

    Dennis D. Costello, Marquette 1967, was elected to a second term on the board of directors of Wisconsin Trial Judges Association. He is a reserve judge and corporation counsel for Walworth County.

    Hannah C. Dugan, U.W. 1987, has been appointed to the Wisconsin Judicial Commission for a three-year term by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The commission investigates and prosecutes complaints against judges, enforcing high standards of judicial conduct both on and off the bench.

    Joseph M. Fasi IIJoseph M. Fasi II, Stetson 1983, has been appointed chair of the Medical Liability Committee of the Defense Research Institute, the nation's largest association of civil litigation defense lawyers. Fasi is a partner in Peterson, Johnson & Murray, Milwaukee, focusing on medical malpractice, trial work, and entertainment law.

    Seymour Gimbel, U.W. 1955, has been appointed court commissioner by Milwaukee Juvenile Court Judge Michael J. Dwyer. Gimbel practices law at Seymour Gimbel Law Office, Milwaukee.

    Daniel W. Hildebrand, U.W. 1964, has been appointed to serve a three-year term on the American Bar Association's standing committee on ethics and professional responsibility and the association's commission on public financing of judicial campaigns.

    The Juneau County Bar Association has elected these officers: president - Rebecca Richards-Bria; and secretary/treasurer - Thomas J. McNally.

    Cynthia A. Van Bogaert, U.W. 1982, has been elected national president of the Worldwide Employee Benefits Network, a nonprofit association that provides educational meetings, publications, and networking opportunities for employee benefits professionals. Van Bogaert is with Boardman, Suhr, Curry & Field LLP, Madison.

    The Walworth County Bar Association has elected the following officers: president - Victoria A. Oleniczak, East Troy; president-elect - Theodore N. Johnson, Elkhorn; and secretary/treasurer - Maureen D. Boyle, Elkhorn.

    The Wisconsin Association of Minority Lawyers has elected these officers: president - Tracy M. Johnson, Milwaukee; president-elect - Elaine E. Richards, Milwaukee; secretary - Maria S. Dixon, Wauwatosa; and treasurer - Sherman C. Mitchell, Milwaukee.

    The Wisconsin School Attorneys Association has elected the following officers: president - Robert W. Burns, Green Bay; vice president - Kirk D. Strang, Madison; and secretary - Ken Cole, Madison.

    The Wisconsin Supreme Court has appointed the following members of the Board of Administrative Oversight (BAO) that is created under the new Lawyer Regulation System. The 12-member BAO will monitor the fairness, effectiveness, and efficiency of the attorney regulation system and will propose substantive and procedural rules to the court. The BAO also will assess the perceptions of the integrity of the lawyer regulation system, and will inform and educate the public and the bar about the system's operation.

    Burneatta L. Bridge, U.W. 1982, is deputy attorney general, sits on the State Bar Board of Governors, and served on a BAPR district committee.

    Dennis R. Cimpl, Marquette 1975, is a Milwaukee County judicial court commissioner. He has served on the State Bar Board of Governors, the BAPR Study Committee, and a BAPR district committee.

    Claire A. Fowler, Hubertus, a nonlawyer member, owns Gemini Employee Leasing Inc., which she founded in 1981. Fowler serves on numerous professional boards and committees.

    Krista L. Ginger, Madison, a nonlawyer member, is executive assistant to State Public Defender.

    John W. Holzhuter, Marquette 1983, is a partner in Consigny, Andrews, Hemming & Grant, Janesville.

    T. James Kennedy, Kenosha, a nonlawyer member, owns and manages Senior Citizen Services.

    W. H. Levit Jr., Harvard 1967, is a partner and chair of the International Practice Group at Godfrey & Kahn, Milwaukee. Levit previously was a criminal defense attorney, has served on a BAPR district committee, and is former chair of the State Bar's Committee on Resolution of Fee Disputes.

    Truman Q. McNulty, Marquette 1948, a partner in Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek, Milwaukee, is a former State Bar President and State Bar and the ABA board member. He has served on numerous State Bar and ABA professional discipline and ethics committees, and on the editorial board that produced the Lawyers Manual on Professional Conduct.

    James W. Mohr Jr., Harvard 1972, is founder, managing partner, and president of Mohr & Anderson in Hartford. He is president of the Washington County Bar Association.

    Michael J. O'Neill, Mayville, a nonlawyer member, is a mechanical engineer with John Deere in Horicon. He is a past member of the Mayville Police and Fire Commission and the Mayville School Board.

    Ann Ustad Smith, Northwestern 1984, is a partner with Michael Best & Friedrich, Madison, and is a member of the firm's ethics committee. A past member of a BAPR district committee, Smith also represented BAPR on open records issues in 1999.

    Deborah M. Smith, U.W. 1980, is legal counsel for the State Public Defender's Office. Smith helped to start the Dane County Drug Treatment Court, and has served on a variety of courthouse committees and the State Bar's BAPR Study Committee.

    The Wisconsin Supreme Court has appointed the following members of the Preliminary Review Committee (PRC) of the Lawyer Regulation System. The PRC will review attorney misconduct or medical incapacity investigation results and determine whether to proceed in the matters. Michael S. Ariens, Marquette 1982, Saint Marys University School of Law, San Antonio, Texas; Wayne A. Arnold, U.W. 1974, State Public Defender's Office, Rice Lake; Thomas W. Bertz, Marquette 1962, Anderson, Shannon, O'Brien, Rice & Bertz , Stevens Point; John R. Dawson, Duke 1970, Foley & Lardner, Milwaukee; Karri L. Fritz-Klaus, Marquette 1983, The Law Office of Fritz-Klaus, Milwaukee; Rev. Steven K. Gjerde, nonlawyer member, Spencer; Dr. M. Tambura Omoiele, nonlawyer member, Madison; James D. Wickhem, Marquette 1975, Meier, Wickhem, Lyons & Schulz SC, Janesville; James D. Friedman, Notre Dame 1972, Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee; Joan Greendeer-Lee, nonlawyer member, Tomah; Bernard T. McCartan, Marquette 1976, American Family Mutual Insurance, Madison; Frank D. Remington, U.W. 1984, Wisconsin Department of Justice, Madison.

    Authors, Speakers

    Joseph A. Pickart, Iowa 1990, and Kristina E. Somers, Boston College 1995, have co-authored the Wisconsin Chapter of the ABA Property Tax Deskbook, 2000 Edition, published annually by the American Bar Association. The book describes the statutory, regulatory, and judicial framework of the property tax in the 50 states and District of Columbia.
    Pickart and Somers are with Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, Milwaukee, and practice primarily state and local tax law, emphasizing contested tax matters. They are also contributing authors to The Complete Guide to Wisconsin Sales and Use Taxes, published annually by Michael Best & Friedrich.

    Ken DriggsKen Driggs, Mercer 1980, U.W. LL.M. 1991, has published Evil Among Us: The Texas Mormon Missionary Murders (Signature Books, 2000), about the 1974 murders of two Latter Day Saints missionaries outside Austin, Texas. This is his first book.

    Driggs is a public defender in Atlanta, focusing on the defense of death penalty cases.

    Richard PodellRichard Podell, U.W. 1969, was interviewed on CNN's "Burden of Proof" program about a British high court ruling authorizing doctors to separate a pair of Siamese twins despite their parents' objections. Podell recently shared his expertise on international family law at the Belfast Conference for Family Lawyers of Northern Ireland, Ireland, and England. Podell is president of Richard J. Podell & Associates, Milwaukee.

    Katherine L. Charlton, a partner in Shneidman, Myers, Dowling, Blumenfield, Ehlke, Hawks & Domer, Milwaukee and Madison, received the Association for Women Lawyers' Annual Pro Bono Award. In addition to her practice in employment and family law, Charlton frequently represents pro se clients and is a volunteer participant in a family law pro se clinic in Milwaukee County. Charlton received the same award from the Association for Women Lawyers in 1995.

    Howard Eisenberg, U.W. 1971, is the first recipient of the Defender Award for contributions to professionalism in criminal practice. Eisenberg is Dean of Marquette Law School, where he's been since 1995. He is Wisconsin's first state public defender and wrote the current public defender statutes.

    The Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (WACDL) created the Defender Award in honor of the late William Coffey, Milwaukee, an association founder. WACDL is the only Wisconsin professional organization devoted solely to criminal law.

    Gregg Hagopian, U.W. 1987, Milwaukee assistant city attorney, has received the Most Valuable Member Award from the Wisconsin Association of Assessing Officers in appreciation of his initiative and contributions to governmental assessors throughout Wisconsin.

    John Halloran Heide, U.W. 1987, has become a board certified family law trial advocate through the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Heide is also a Brown County court commissioner and a shareholder with Everson, Whitney, Everson & Brehm S.C., Green Bay.

    Kevin M. Maroney, U.W. 1988, was given the U.S. Labor Department's Distinguished Career Service Award for sustained high quality and efficiency. Maroney is associate director of the department's office of congressional and intergovernmental affairs, working on legislation pertaining to pension and health benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) since 1993.

    Elyse Mollner StackhouseElyse Mollner Stackhouse, U.W. 1990, has earned her masters in business administration from the U.W.-Oshkosh. She is corporate counsel for Rice Management Inc., a multistate provider of skilled nursing services.

    Nancy K. Splain, U.W. 1977, has completed two years in the Ukraine as a liaison with the ABA's Central and East European Law Initiative, a program designed to strengthen legal reform efforts in the newly independent states of Eastern Europe. Splain worked with Ukrainian Supreme Court and lower court judges, attorneys, and bar associations. Among the projects she worked on were CLE seminars, a business law course, and freedom of expression issues. Splain resides in Phoenix.

    The following have been recognized by the State Public Defender's Office: Barbara Maier, Marquette 1976, and Owen Williams, Illinois 1970, received the Justice for All Award in recognition of their outstanding work in indigent defense.
    Dave Zerwick, U.W. 1978, Leslee Ruscitti, Northern Illinois 1985, and Laura Schwefel, U.W. 1995, received a Wisconsin Public Defender Award in recognition of their outstanding commitment and dedication to the State Public Defender mission and to the training of the Milwaukee Police Department.
    Brian Figy, Western New England College 1991, received the Rubin Society Award in recognition of dedicated service to his community.

    John E. Donahue, U.W. 1975, and Randy S. Nelson, Marquette 1977, have earned inclusion in the 2000-2001 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

    Donahue has been a partner of Weiss, Berzowski, Brady & Donahue LLP, Milwaukee and Delafield, since 1981 and focuses on employee benefits law, and Nelson has been a partner since 1984, focusing on estate planning, business succession planning, and tax planning.

    In Memoriam

    William H. Belter, U.W. 1949, Appleton, July 7, 1926 - Dec. 12, 1999.

    Danford J. Bubolz, U.W. 1949, Verona, May 23, 1920 - Oct. 19, 2000.

    Robert G. Gehrz, U.W. 1941, St. Paul, Minn., July 9, 1915 - Dec. 12, 1999.

    Howard C. Johnson, U.W. 1975, McFarland, Dec. 31, 1948 - Oct. 6, 2000.

    David Keyser, Marquette 1942, Milwaukee, Sept. 27, 1918 - Nov. 12, 1999.

    Eugene J. Koenen, U.W. 1952, Shorewood, Sept. 23, 1923 - Sept. 18, 2000.

    Edgar E. Lien, Valparaiso 1960, Madison, Aug. 3, 1936 - Oct. 28, 2000.

    Mary Hurth Raney, U.W. 1933, Glendale, Ariz., May 30, 1908 - Sept. 26, 2000.

    Stevens L. Riley, U.W. 1956, Eau Claire, Sept. 24, 1932 - Aug. 21, 2000.

    Erwin Seehafer, Valparaiso 1951, Augusta, Oct. 14, 1918 - March 31, 2000.

    Austin F. Smith, U.W. 1936, Manitowoc, Nov. 18, 1911 - Oct. 1, 2000.

    Arnold J. Wightman, U.W. 1953, Madison, Jan. 19, 1927 - July 19, 1999.

    Harold M. Wolfson, Marquette 1937, Los Angeles, Calif., Nov. 27, 1913 - May 17, 2000.


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