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November 01, 2002

In the News

New Hires, Promotions
Mergers, Relocations, New Associations
In Memoriam

Awards, Degrees, Honors
Appointments, Elections
Authors, Speakers
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New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Fairman

Verstegen

Colin L. Fairman, U.W. 2001, and Richard F. Verstegen, U.W. 1997, have joined DeWitt Ross & Stevens, Madison, as associates. Fairman focuses on intellectual property matters, particularly patent enforcement, prosecution, and licensing in biotechnology. Verstegen focuses on civil and appellate litigation and labor, employment, and school law.

Patrick H. Finlan, Hamline 1993, has formed the Finlan Law Firm S.C., Rhinelander, and will continue to concentrate on personal injury, civil litigation, employment discrimination, family law, and criminal defense. He previously was a shareholder with Kelley, Weber, Pietz & Slater S.C., Wausau.

Bode

Carroll

John Theiler "Jack" Bode, St. Mary's University of San Antonio 1973, Brian G. Carroll, Marquette 1984, Charles W. Cousland, Marquette 1993, Ross A. Sharkey, U.W. 1988, and Jennifer Wolff, Marquette 2001, have joined the Waukesha office of Godfrey & Kahn S.C. Bode, who concentrates in corporate and business law, commercial and business litigation, products liability, and employment litigation and appeals, and Carroll, who focuses on corporate and business law, real estate, and estate planning, were founding partners in Bode, Carroll, McCoy & Mihal S.C., Waukesha, where Cousland, Sharkey, and Wolff also previously worked.

The following attorneys have joined Godfrey & Kahn S.C. as associates: Jessica Braeger, Drake 2002, and Brett Koeller, Michigan 2002, in the corporate team, and Sarah McNally, U.W. 2002, in the tax team, all in the Milwaukee office; Jennifer Cotner, Duke 2002, in the litigation and bankruptcy teams, Charles Domer, U.W. 2002, in the labor and employment team, and Jennifer Peterson, U.W. 2001, in the litigation team, all in the Madison office (LaFollette Godfrey & Kahn); and Megan Kranick, U.W. 2002, in the corporate team in the Appleton office.

Erik R. Guenther, U.W. 2002, has joined Hostak, Henzl & Bichler S.C., Racine, as an associate, focusing on business and employment litigation and transactional work.

Gabrielle Bina, U.W. 2002 magna cum laude, and Sarah Reindl, U.W. 2002, have joined the Madison office of Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe LLP as associates. Bina focuses on antitrust litigation, and Reindl focuses on intellectual property litigation.

Erin K. Holmes, U.W. 2002, has joined Reuter, Whitish & Cole S.C., Madison, as an associate, concentrating in municipal and family law.

Nathan S. Lee, U.W. 1998 cum laude, has joined the Washington, D.C., office of Ropes & Gray as an associate, focusing on pharmaceutical and medical device regulation. He previously was with Bennett, Turner & Coleman LLP, Washington, D.C.

Kira E. Loehr, U.W. 2002 cum laude, has become an associate with Cullen Weston Pines & Bach LLP, Madison.

Faith Mondry, Marquette 1997, has joined the U.S. Postal Inspection Service as a federal agent, working on the external crimes team in Milwaukee. She previously practiced in family law.

John E. Murray, Iowa 1991, has joined the Milwaukee office of Cook & Franke S.C. as an associate, concentrating in employment law and litigation. He previously was with Davis & Kuelthau S.C., Milwaukee.

Amy W. Mursu, Notre Dame 2002, has joined Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci S.C., Eau Claire, as an associate in the business section.

Thomas D. Klein, Marquette 1994, has been named a partner in the Law Offices of Bruce M. Peckerman, Milwaukee, now known as Peckerman & Klein. Jennifer J. Van Kirk, U.W. 2002 magna cum laude, has joined the firm. Klein and Van Kirk concentrate on family law.

The following attorneys have been named shareholders in Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.: Anne M. Hlavacka, Marquette 1987 cum laude, in the business law department and Gail M. Olsen, Marquette 1990 magna cum laude, in the employee benefits department, both in the Milwaukee office.

Bar members elected to Make-A-Wish Foundation board

Four Wisconsin attorneys are among several community members elected to serve on the executive board and board of directors of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin. Ruth J. Lebed-Rofes, Washington Univ. 1984, was elected chair of the board. She is senior counsel at S.C. Johnson & Son in Racine. Steven L. Nelson, Marquette 1990, was elected vice chair. He is a shareholder with Cook & Franke S.C., Milwaukee. Dennis Klumb Jr., Hamline 1988, was elected vice president - legal. He is president and general counsel of Arby Construction, New Berlin. These officers will serve one-year terms on the executive board. Mike Siddall, Drake 1974, was elected to a three-year term on the board of directors. He is a shareholder at Herrling, Clark, Hartzheim & Siddall Ltd., Appleton.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation helps to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy by granting the wishes of children who have life-threatening illnesses. Since the Wisconsin chapter was founded in 1984, more than 1,900 families statewide have benefited from its wish granting.

The following attorneys have joined the firm's Milwaukee office as associates: Christina M. Bujanowski, DePaul 1998 summa cum laude, and Erica A. McCarthy, U.W. 2002, in the employee benefits department; Christopher P. Dombrowicki, U.W. 2002 cum laude, Colleen E. Fielkow, DePaul 1998 with honors, Brian S. McCormac, Iowa 2000 with distinction, and Gilbert F. Urfer, Marquette 2002 magna cum laude, in the litigation department; Antonia M. Holland, Marquette 2002 cum laude, and Andrew T. Pham, Marquette 2002, in the intellectual property department; Daniel A. Kaminsky, Marquette 2002 cum laude, in the real estate department; Sara E. Kornely, U.W. 2002, in the business law department; Martin A. Machtan, U.W. 2002 cum laude, in the environmental department; and Christopher E. Rechlicz, U.W. 2002 cum laude, in the business law and banking & finance departments.

Joan M. Bachleitner, U.W. 2002, has joined the business law department in the Madison office.

James L. Steimel, Marquette 1960, has become of counsel to the New Berlin office of Schober Schober & Mitchell, where he will advise clients on estate planning and business law issues. Steimel previously was in general practice in Waukesha.

Chad R. Taylor, U.W. 1996, has rejoined the Madison office of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP as an associate, practicing with the government and public policy group as a legislative lobbyist. He previously was chief legal counsel to Gov. Scott McCallum.

Nicholas J. Verheyen, Marquette 2002, has joined the West Bend office of the O'Meara Law Firm LLP as an associate, practicing primarily in estate planning and general business and corporate law.

Thomas J. Watson, Marquette 2002, has joined Eisenberg Law Offices S.C., Madison, as an associate, practicing family law and general litigation.

Wesley

Gregory M. Wesley, U.W. 1997, has been named a partner in Gonzalez, Saggio & Harlan LLP, Milwaukee, continuing to focus on equal opportunities and employment law, Indian law, and government relations.

Christa O. Westerberg, U.W. 2002, has joined Garvey & Stoddard S.C., Madison, as an associate, concentrating on environmental and land use law and employment law.

Scott Wochos, Harvard 1979, has been named senior vice president for administration and planning at Green Bay Packaging Inc., Green Bay. Wochos previously was a shareholder with Denissen, Kranzush, Mahoney & Ewald S.C., Green Bay.

Margaret G. Zickuhr, Marquette 1999, has joined Schott, Bublitz & Engel s.c., Brookfield, as an associate, practicing in family law and civil and criminal litigation.

Mergers, Relocations, New Associations

Braden & Olson LLP and Gagliardi, Nelson & O'Brien have merged to form Gagliardi, O'Brien, Braden, Olson & Capelli, with offices in Lake Geneva and Paddock Lake.

Christopher J. Brown, U.W. 1986, has relocated from the London office to the Hong Kong regional center of Thomas Miller & Co., which manages shipping and transportation underwriters. Brown is the Asia Pacific regional director.

Shneidman, Hawks & Ehlke S.C. has relocated its Madison office to 222 W. Washington Ave., Suite 705. The firm focuses on employment and civil rights litigation, labor union representation, worker's compensation and pension, and criminal defense.

Appointments, Elections

The Association for Women Lawyers has chosen the following officers: president - Mary L. Richards; president-elect - Susan E. Lovern; secretary - Katherine L. Charlton; and treasurer - Mary E. Triggiano, all of Milwaukee.

James T. Barry III, Chicago 1989, has been elected chairman of the Greater Milwaukee Chapter of the American Red Cross. He is president of James T. Barry Co. Inc./Colliers International, a commercial real estate brokerage firm.

Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin has chosen the following officers: president - Wayne L. Maffei, Baraboo; president-elect - Bernard T. McCartan, Madison, and secretary/treasurer - James S. Naugler,
La Crosse.

Anne Knauff, Marquette 1983, has been elected to the board of directors of Alive Hospice, a community-based nonprofit hospice in Nashville, Tenn. She is a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Labor, litigating workplace safety, health, and fairness issues in Kentucky, Tennessee, and northern Alabama.

Warren P. Kraft, Marquette 1982, has been appointed cochair of a study committee of the International Municipal Lawyers Association that will analyze the American Planning Association's Growing Smart Project. He is the Oshkosh city attorney.

Robert E. Meldman, Marquette 1962, has been appointed as one of three Wisconsin representatives to the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel, whose goal is to improve IRS responsiveness to taxpayer needs and monitor the quality of taxpayer service. He is a tax attorney and shareholder with the Milwaukee office of Reinhart Boerner
Van Deuren s.c.

The Walworth County Bar Association has elected the following officers: president - Maureen D. Boyle, Elkhorn; president-elect - Stephen M. Compton, Delavan; and secretary/treasurer - Jeffrey J. De La Rosa, Elkhorn.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has appointed Dane County Circuit Court Judge Patrick J. Fiedler, Marquette 1980, and Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Elsa C. Lamelas, Michigan 1978, to the Wisconsin Sentencing Commission. The commission will monitor and compile data on sentencing practices, adopt advisory sentencing guidelines for judges, provide information to state government and the public about the guidelines and practices, and study whether race is a basis for imposing sentences, among other duties.

Authors, Speakers

David J. Lillesand, U.W. 1972, spoke on "SSI Analysis of Special Needs Trusts using the POMS" at the Special Needs Trust IV seminar at Stetson University in October. Lillesand, of Lillesand & Assocs. P.A., Miami, Fla., also has been named secretary of the Florida Bar's Elder Law Section.

Loeb

Harlan A. Loeb, Minnesota 1991, was a featured speaker at the Forbes CFO Forum, at which he addressed corporate governance and affirmative strategies to avoid shareholder litigation. Loeb is national director of litigation services at Hill & Knowlton, Chicago.

Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. hosted a seminar on "Doing Real Estate Business with the State in Tough Economic Times," featuring Susan A. Springman, administrator of the division of buildings and police services for the state Department of Administration.

Awards, Degrees, Honors

Victor M. Arellano, Antioch 1984, has been selected Hispanic Man of the Year 2002 by United Migrant Opportunity Services. He is a partner in Lawton & Cates S.C., Madison, where he practices in civil and criminal litigation, with an emphasis on plaintiff's personal injury, employment law, immigration law, and international adoptions.

Thomas J. Basting Sr., U.W. 1962, has been selected for inclusion in the 2003-2004 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. He is with Brennan, Steil, Basting & Macdougall S.C., with offices in Janesville, Madison, Monroe, and Delavan.

Emory

John D. Emory Jr., U.W. 1997, CFA, has earned designation as a Chartered Financial Analyst. He is a vice president with Emory Business Valuation LLC, Madison, where he provides business valuation, litigation support, and merger and acquisition advisory services.

Three Michael Best & Friedrich LLP partners have been included in the In Business: Madison annual "Executive Register," which honors civic-minded executives. Linda H. Bochert, U.W. 1974, is a partner in the land and resources practice area, focusing on issues including soil and groundwater cleanups, brownfields redevelopment, air permitting, wetlands regulation, conservation easements, and large facility landfill and power plant siting. David A. Crass, U.W. 1991, practices primarily in environmental and regulatory law, land use, and agricultural law. He also has been appointed to the special committee on recodification of town highway statutes by the state Joint Legislative Council. Richard Z. Kabaker, Michigan 1959, practices estate planning, trust and estate administration, marital property law, and nonprofit law.

The following attorneys with Michael Best & Friedrich LLP have been included in the 2003-2004 edition of The Best Lawyers in America: Marshall R. Berkoff, David W. Croysdale, Thomas E. Obenberger, John R. Sapp, and Thomas W. Scrivner, all in labor and employment law; Linda H. Bochert, David A. Crass, and Raymond R. Krueger, all in environmental law; John A. Busch, business litigation; David J. Cannon, criminal defense; Richard J. Canter, David J. Hanson, and Robyn S. Shapiro, all in health care law; Paul J. Dombrowski and William F. White, both in real estate law; Scott H. Engroff, employee benefits law; Joseph A. Gemignani, Michael E. Husmann, David R. Price, and David B. Smith, all in intellectual property law; F. William Haberman, Richard Z. Kabaker, Richard J. Langer, J. Lewis Perlson, and Mark S. Poker, all in trusts and estates; Jerome H. Kringel, international trade and finance law and corporate, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and securities law; Tod B. Linstroth, corporate, M&A, securities law, and real estate law; John K. MacIver, corporate, M&A, and securities law; Linda S. Moroney, Bret A. Roge, Timothy G. Schally, and Robert A. Schnur, all in tax law; and José A. Olivieri, immigration law.

All the attorneys at Stafford & Neal S.C., Madison, have been included in the 2003-2004 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Margaret Stafford, U.W. 1972, John D. Neal, U.W. 1972, Gregory Meyer, U.W. 1972, and Helen L. Schott, U.W. 1976, all focus on worker's compensation.

Jay Urban, Marquette 1992, has received the F. Scott Baldwin Award for "Most Outstanding Young Trial Lawyer" from the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He is a shareholder with Urban Taylor & Stawski Ltd., Milwaukee, focusing on personal injury, product liability, professional malpractice, and employee harassment and discrimination cases.

von Briesen & Roper S.C. has received the Ratner Award from the U.W.-Madison College of Engineering in honor of the firm's sponsorship of a student team that researched the integration of the Internet in the health care industry. The award recognizes innovative and high-quality student projects.

Tony Welhouse, U.W. 1977, has been selected for inclusion in the 2003-2004 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Welhouse, of Welhouse Law Office, Appleton, practices primarily in worker's compensation and social security disability.