New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Jamie B. Barwin, Chicago-Kent 2013, has been elected a shareholder of Fox, O’Neill & Shannon, Milwaukee. Barwin’s practice focuses on estate planning and taxation.

Laura L. Colt, Hamline 2011, has joined Cross Jenks Mercer & Maffei LLP as a partner and practices from the firm’s new office in Reedsburg.

John M. Daniels, Marquette 1990, has joined Weiss Law Office S.C., serving of counsel. Daniels works with the personal-injury-litigation team.

Luami Diaz, Marquette 2021, has joined Grzeca Law Group S.C., Milwaukee, as an associate. Diaz previously was a family law attorney offering representation to low-income clients facing legal challenges that threatened their independence, stability, and safety.

Brett A. Ekes, Marquette 2004, has joined DeMark, Kolbe & Brodek S.C., Racine, as a shareholder. Ekes focuses on employment law, general corporate law, and family law, with an emphasis on providing advice and guidance to employers on labor and employment issues.

Melita M. Mullen, U.W. 2012, has been promoted to shareholder at Bell, Moore & Richter S.C., Madison, and continues to focus on general liability defense, insurance coverage litigation, medical and professional malpractice defense, and employment litigation.

Azene Seifoddini, Marquette 2021, has joined O’Leary-Guth Law Office S.C., Mequon, as an associate and focuses on trusts and estates.

Mergers, Relocations, New Offices

Quarles & Brady LLP has combined with Adsero IP, Denver. Adsero is a 29-person, full-service intellectual property firm serving the needs of clients nationally and internationally, including patent prosecution and portfolio development; the selection, clearance, registration, and prosecution of trademarks; and structuring and negotiating deals for use of IP rights. Adsero will immediately transition to the Quarles name.

Appointments, Elections

Gov. Tony Evers has announced the members of the Judicial Selection Advisory Committee for his second term. The committee is responsible for interviewing and recommending candidates to the governor for consideration when he fills judicial vacancies.

The committee’s cochairs are Mel Barnes, U.W. 2015, who is Gov. Evers’ chief legal counsel, and Benjamin Wagner, U.W. 2003 magna cum laude, a civil trial lawyer and shareholder at Habush Habush & Rottier S.C., Milwaukee.

Other committee members are the following: Jeanne M. Armstrong, U.W. 1993, is a shareholder concentrating in litigation at Fuhrman & Dodge S.C., Middleton. Her practice focuses on business litigation, probate and trust disputes, and insurance coverage. Christine Bremer Muggli, Loyola Chicago 1978, is the chief shareholder of Bremer & Trollop Law Offices S.C., Wausau. From 2019 to 2022, Bremer Muggli was cochair of the committee. Michael J. Brose, William Mitchell 1991, practices civil litigation with an emphasis on plaintiff’s personal injury matters at Doar, Drill & Skow S.C., New Richmond. Hon. Thomas T. Flugaur, Marquette 1979, served as a Portage County Circuit Court judge for 26 years until his retirement in 2020.

Kristen D. Hardy, Marquette 2014, is assistant general counsel and assistant secretary at Northwestern Mutual and is the chairperson of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Board of Governors. Rebeca M. López, Marquette 2012, is an employment attorney with Godfrey & Kahn S.C., Milwaukee. Craig Mastantuono, DePaul 1992, is with Mastantuono Coffee & Thomas S.C., Milwaukee, and concentrates in defending people accused of crimes in state and federal court. He is an adjunct faculty member at Marquette University Law School and a Milwaukee County supplemental court commissioner for Branch 18. Odalo J. Ohiku, Marquette 2002, is a deputy city attorney for Milwaukee and founded the Law Office of Odalo J. Ohiku, which focuses in family law and criminal defense.

Jon Padgham, U.W. 1995, now in private practice, recently retired as the deputy state public defender. John W. Raihala, Michigan 1989, of Clifford & Raihala S.C., Madison, practices personal injury law and complex commercial litigation. Katelyn P. Sandfort, U.W. 2010, is a shareholder at Herrling Clark Law Firm Ltd. in Appleton, with a primary focus in representing individuals in personal injury litigation. John Sacia, U.W. 2013, is the Trempealeau County District Attorney, Whitehall. Miriam Seifter, Harvard 2007, is an associate professor of law and faculty co-director of the State Democracy Research Initiative at the U.W. Law School.

Matt Rowe, Minnesota 1997, has joined the board of the Badger Institute. Rowe is president of Ruder Ware LLSC, Wausau. The Badger Institute, formerly the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit institute working to engage and energize Wisconsinites and others in discussions and timely action on key public policy issues.

Gov. Tony Evers has appointed Summer Strand, Arizona State 2006, to a six-year term on the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. The appointment fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Ellen Nowak, Marquette 1998. Strand previously was director of government affairs at the Walbec Group, a construction and engineering company, and before that the administrator of the Division of Facilities Development at the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA), a program and policy analyst-advanced in the Division of State Facilities at the DOA, and chief of staff to Sen. Jeff Plale in the Wisconsin Legislature.

Awards, Degrees, Honors

David G. Palay, Chicago 2015, has been named 2022 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. Palay has represented incarcerated individuals in litigation relating to the conditions of their confinement and has pursued appeals and civil rights cases on their behalf. Palay is a member of the litigation practice in the Madison office and counsels clients in cases involving fiduciary issues, contractual obligations, and dealership law disputes and in nonlitigation matters related to ownership, governance, and succession of family controlled businesses.

In Memoriam

Anthony S. Earl, Chicago 1964, Madison, April 12, 1936 – Feb. 23, 2023.

Lawrence J. Landwehr, Univ. of Colorado 1964, Middleton, March 1, 1938 – Feb. 5, 2023.

Myron E. LaRowe, U.W. 1965, Reedsburg, Nov. 22, 1939 – March 10, 2023.

Robert F. Sfasciotti, U.W. 1972, Racine, May 18, 1947 – Feb. 6, 2023.

Hon. Harry G. Snyder, Marquette 1964, Oconomowoc, Feb. 11, 1938 – Feb. 23, 2023.

Congratulations to Recent Certified Paralegals

Through a State Bar program, paralegals in Wisconsin are eligible to be certified – a credential that demonstrates a paralegal’s dedication to professional development and excellence. The State Bar of Wisconsin Certified Paralegal^™ program is a self-funded, voluntary program for all paralegals in Wisconsin who meet the program’s criteria. For information about the program, visit wisbar.org/paralegal.

The following individuals were newly certified or recertified as of March 7, 2023. For a full list of Certified Paralegals, visit wisbar.org/Paralegal.

Bethmarie Bohn, Robert W. Baird & Co., Milwaukee.

Lisa Felt, Johns, Flaherty & Collins SC, La Crosse.

Erin LaPorte, Curran, Hollenbeck & Orton SC, Mauston.

David Neumann, Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols SC, Milwaukee.

Alayne P. Russom, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton.

Kelsey Svajda, Wiley Law SC, Chippewa Falls.

Doug Theran, Theran Law Firm LLP, Madison.

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.

» Cite this article: 96 Wis. Law. 59-60 (April 2023).