New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Grant A. Beardsley, Stetson 2012, has joined Royal Credit Union, Eau Claire, as corporate counsel.

John Paul (JP) Croake, Marquette 2013, has joined Husch Blackwell LLP as an associate in the Madison office. He is a member of the real estate, development, and construction industry group and advises businesses on formation, purchase agreements, contract disputes, employee classification, commercial arbitration, acquisitions, and financing.

William D. Gardner, Brooklyn 1997 cum laude, has joined von Briesen & Roper s.c. as a shareholder. He is with the banking and commercial finance section in the Milwaukee office, representing banks, nonbank lenders, and borrowers in loan originations, workouts, financial restructurings, and bankruptcies and advising on legislative, regulatory, and other developments affecting the financial services industry and uses for new technology, including blockchain.

Breanna Halyburton, St. Thomas 2019 cum laude, has joined O’Melia, Schiek & McEldowney S.C. as an associate in the Rhinelander office. She practices in criminal defense, divorce and family law, and civil litigation.

Heather M. Hunt, U.W. 1997, has joined Nodolf Flory LLP, Eau Claire, as a partner. She concentrates on business and corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, succession and transition planning, contract negotiations, corporate financing and compliance matters, banking and lending, and real estate transactions.

Christopher J. Johnson, Marquette 1989, has joined Galanis, Pollack, Jacobs & Johnson S.C., Milwaukee, as a shareholder. His experience includes counseling and defending clients in labor and employment matters, with a particular emphasis in health care, manufacturing, banking, retail, transportation, and service industries. He also represents clients in commercial and civil litigation, with an emphasis in business and insurance disputes.

Kristofor L. Hanson, Marquette 2005, Chelsie D. Springstead, Marquette 2008, and Melissa M. Stone, Marquette 2007, have become equity shareholders in Lindner & Marsack S.C., Milwaukee, effective Jan. 1, 2020. Hanson represents employers in labor and employment law matters with an emphasis on traditional labor law, collective bargaining, contract administration, and labor relations. Springstead focuses on worker’s compensation defense, employment defense, subrogation, and Medicare-related issues. Stone represents insurance carriers and self-insured employers, providing legal guidance and establishing action plans for case investigation and litigation through hearings and appeals.

Timothy J. McDermott, Nebraska 1975, has joined Florida- and Alabama-based Upchurch Watson White & Max as a mediator and arbitrator. He previously practiced with Akerman LLP, Jacksonville, Fla. His practice involves civil disputes, including commercial and business disputes, employment matters, real estate litigation, and product liability and personal injury matters.

Krista E. Miller, Marquette 2004, has joined the Office of Court Operations, Madison. She previously was an assistant corporation counsel in Columbia County.

JB Koenings, Marquette 2011, and Erica Reib, Marquette 2011, have been elected as shareholders of O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing, Milwaukee. Koenings focuses on business law matters, including form of entity selection and initial capitalization, private equity offerings, securities compliance and broker-dealer matters, mergers and acquisitions, contract preparation and negotiation, and software, technology, and IP matters. Reib, a member of the employment law practice group, focuses on employment discrimination litigation, noncompetition and trade secret litigation, wage and hour issues, NLRB and unfair labor practice matters, employment policy and agreement drafting and review, and unemployment compensation.

Christina E. Balistreri, U.W. 2012, Imran S. Kurter, John Marshall 2015, and Kellen O’Brien, Colorado 2014, have joined Probst Law Offices, Wauwatosa, focusing on family law. Balistreri has experience in a wide range of family law matters, plus criminal cases and municipal ordinance and traffic violations. Kurter brings courtroom experience in family law, criminal law, personal injury, civil and disability cases, and estate and probate matters. He previously operated Kurter Law Offices. O’Brien previously practiced family law, emphasizing divorce and postjudgment disputes, and also worked on business matters involving torts, construction, real estate, and consumer issues, with Madden Law Group S.C., West Bend.

Seven attorneys have joined Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Milwaukee. Lucas Baker, Marquette 2019 cum laude, is with the litigation practice. Brady Brown, Marquette 2019 summa cum laude, is with the corporate law practice. Brett Erdmann, Marquette 2019 summa cum laude, is with the trusts and estates practice. Brooklyn Kemp, Marquette 2019 magna cum laude, is with the real estate practice.

Daniel Murphy, Marquette 2016 cum laude, is with the litigation practice. Shannon Toole, U.W. 2019 cum laude, is with the labor and employment practice. Collin Weyers, U.W. 2019 magna cum laude, is with the corporate law practice.

Appointments, Elections

The Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin (CFLCW) installed Robert MacMillan Arthur, Marquette 2012 cum laude, as its 2020 chair at the annual meeting in November. He operates Arthur Law Office LLC, Milwaukee. Elisabeth Bach-Van Horn, Missouri 2007, was chosen as the 2021 chair. She is a member of the family law practice group of Pines Bach, Madison, and focuses on divorce and legal separation, child custody and placement, child support, maintenance, adoption, and guardian ad litem matters. The CFLCW, which advocates for the resolution of family disputes and divorce outside the court system, uses a team-based system to help couples create unique settlement agreements that strive to protect the interests of all family members.

Francis Deisinger, U.W. 1982, has been appointed to the state Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. Deisinger is a member of the litigation law practice at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Milwaukee, and is a past president of the State Bar of Wisconsin. Deisinger has represented a full spectrum of litigation plaintiffs, defendants, and petitioners. He also served as Reinhart’s corporate counsel and now focuses on fiduciary, trust, estate, and donor disputes and on professional liability matters involving lawyers or law firms.

Daniel Finerty, Marquette 1998, a shareholder with Lindner & Marsack S.C., Milwaukee, has been appointed to the Native Nations Law Task Force by DRI, an organization of defense attorneys and in-house counsel. The taskforce provides networking and educational opportunities for defense litigators, tribal in-house counsel, and insurance companies that defend native nations in civil lawsuits. Finerty continues to extend his practice defending native nations and their employment practice liability insurance carriers in tribal, state, and federal courts.

Michael Hupy, Marquette 1972, has been named president of the recently launched Crime Stoppers: Milwaukee. Comprised of community leaders and volunteers, Crime Stoppers’ mission is to combine efforts of the public and media to aid law enforcement in the fight against crime. The program offers cash rewards up to $1,000 to individuals who provide anonymous information that leads to an arrest. Hupy is president of Milwaukee-based Hupy and Abraham SC, a personal injury law firm.

Todd McEldowney, Marquette 1980, with O’Melia, Schiek & McEldowney SC, Rhinelander, has been appointed to the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Examining Board and is the liaison to the Division of Legal Services and Compliance. McEldowney also is president of the Rhinelander Police and Fire Commission and is on the Oneida County Highway Safety Commission.

Authors, Speakers

James J. Chiolino, U.W. 2007, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development – Equal Rights Division, Madison, is author of the Wisconsin Wages and Hours Handbook (State Bar of Wis. 7th ed. 2019).

Authors of Hiring and Firing in Wisconsin (State Bar of Wis. 7th ed. 2019) are the following: Peter L. Albrecht, Washington Univ. 1986, and Bradden C. Backer, U.W. 1981, Albrecht Backer Labor & Employment Law S.C., Milwaukee and Madison; and Robert K. Sholl, Chicago 1981, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Milwaukee.

Jason D. Luczak, Chicago-Kent 2008, made several appearances in late 2019 on Court TV as a guest legal expert, offering commentary on a criminal case, Wisconsin v. McCandless. Court TV is a digital broadcast network and former American cable television channel. It was originally launched in 1991 with a focus on crime-themed programs such as true crime documentary series, legal dramas, and coverage of prominent criminal cases. Luczak is with Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, Milwaukee, focusing in criminal defense and civil litigation, licensing, and appeals. He also is an adjunct associate professor of law, teaching trial advocacy and the trial skills competition course at Marquette Law School.

Rose Ann Wasserman, U.W. 1984, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development – Equal Rights Division, Milwaukee, is author of A Guide to Wisconsin Employment Discrimination Law (State Bar of Wis. 7th ed. 2019).

Awards, Degrees, Honors

Gregory Monday, U.W. 1993, has been named a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He is a shareholder in the corporate law and trusts and estates practices at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Milwaukee, primarily representing mid-market family businesses in matters involving governance, ownership, and succession. He also represents closely held businesses and their boards in shareholder disputes and corporate fiduciaries and other parties in trusts and estates litigation.

Justin Oeth, Ohio State 2004, has been named a Fellow of the Construction Lawyers Society of America. He is a shareholder in the real estate practice at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Milwaukee, cochair of the construction industry group, and a member of the real estate leasing team. He negotiates and drafts complex leases, subleases, ground leases, purchase agreements, and architect and construction contracts.

The Wisconsin Equal Justice Fund Inc. (WEJF) honored three attorneys for their careers in civil pro bono legal aid at the 17th Annual Howard B. Eisenberg Lifetime Achievement Award Dinner in November.

Shirin Cabraal, U.W. 1981, and Lisa Clay Foley, U.W. 1987, received the Distinguished Service Award, which honors a staff person of one of the WEJF’s three beneficiary civil legal aid organizations. Cabraal recently retired as supervising attorney in the protection and advocacy team at Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW), representing people with disabilities in actions on the individual and systems levels, including employment and housing discrimination, public accommodations and access, transportation, and education. Before her time at DRW, she was a staff attorney at Legal Action of Wisconsin (LAW), a lecturer at the University of Ceylon, and worked at the Marga Institute for Law and Development in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Foley recently retired as supervising attorney in DRW’s disability benefits specialists program team. Foley provided technical assistance and training to DRW’s disability benefits specialists located in aging and disability resource centers around the state and worked with the SSI Managed Care External Advocacy Project. She previously worked at LAW, the Wisconsin Geriatric Education Center located at Marquette University, Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, and the Milwaukee County Children’s Court Center. In 2014, Foley received the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Dan Tuchscherer Outstanding Public Interest Law Attorney Award.

David Pifer, Detroit-Mercy 1981, received the Howard B. Eisenberg Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors an individual who has demonstrated a lifelong dedication to the development and delivery of pro bono legal aid, either through direct provision of services or advocacy and fundraising on behalf of civil legal aid organizations. Pifer recently retired as executive director of LAW. He was instrumental in the creation of LAW’s Road to Opportunity Project to help low-income workers with suspended driver’s licenses restore their licenses. That project later expanded to address and remove other barriers to employment, such as criminal records and child support issues. Before joining LAW, he worked at Legal Services of Eastern Michigan.

In Memoriam

Peter S. Balistreri, Marquette 1964, Mequon, Feb. 16, 1941 – Oct. 26, 2019.

James A. Blum, U.W. 1955, Pharr, Texas, July 20, 1928 – Aug. 18, 2019.

Michael J. Briggs, U.W. 1975, Madison, Sept. 1, 1934 – Aug. 26, 2019.

Stephen B. Cohen, Yale 1971, Washington, D.C., Sept. 11, 1945 – Aug. 17, 2018.

Randall D. Crocker, Marquette 1979, Milwaukee, Sept. 28, 1954 – Sept. 23, 2019.

William R. Drew, Marquette 1966, Milwaukee, May 3, 1936 – Oct. 17, 2019.

John S. Hoff, Southwestern 1975, Lake Forest, Ill., Jan. 2, 1946 – May 23, 2019.

James F. Kirschling, Marquette 1949, Glendale, April 27, 1923 – Aug. 16, 2019.

Douglas H. Lenicheck, Marquette 1962, Wauwatosa, April 12, 1933 – Oct. 14, 2019.

Thomas J. Lyons, Georgetown 1965, North Saint Paul, Minn., Jan. 4, 1941 – May 27, 2019.

Neal E. Madisen, U.W. 1952, Phoenix, Ariz., Oct. 2, 1926 – May 4, 2019.

Hon. Joseph D. McCormack, Marquette 1973, Grafton, July 16, 1940 – Oct. 19, 2019.

Timothy T. Patula, Valparaiso 1983, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1958 – Sept. 27, 2018.

Richard W. Pitzner, U.W. 1972, Fitchburg, Sept. 19, 1946 – March 9, 2019.

Paul Pokorney, U.W. 1965, Madison, Dec. 1, 1937 – Sept. 27, 2018.

John D. Rowland, U.W. 1958, Racine, Dec. 30, 1932 – July 23, 2018.

Diane E. Sapp, William Mitchell 1995, Milltown, March 25, 1942 – June 24, 2018.

Nelson E. Shafer, Kentucky 1959, Brookfield, May 31, 1930 – Sept. 24, 2019.

Edwin P. Wiley, Chicago 1952, Milwaukee, Dec. 10, 1929 – Oct. 4, 2019.

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! Email announcements to: MembersOnly@wisbar.org. Notices about State Bar members in good standing are printed as space is available, and subject to editing. Writing guidelines are available here. Questions? Email us or call (608) 250-6139.

Photo placement: Submit a professional-quality photo. If the photo is used, the State Bar will issue an invoice ($35 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.

Ineligible announcements: Talks, speeches (unless they are of national stature), honors from other publications, and political announcements are not accepted.