Personal Mentions

The Association for Women Lawyers has elected the following new officers: president - Kelly L. Centofanti, Milwaukee; president-elect - Virginia A. Pomeroy, Madison; secretary - Mary L. Richards, Milwaukee; and treasurer - Lesli K. Hosford McLinden, Milwaukee.

The following lawyers recently became members of Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund Inc. (ATG): Robert Bodeau, Minnesota 1994, Prescott; William E. Buchholz, Stanford 1977, Waupun; Tom Mellencamp, U.W. 1967, Milwaukee; and Paul Screnock, John Marshall 1977, Adams. ATG is a bar-related title insurance company with an office in Madison.

Philip Ankel, U.W. 1994 cum laude, has joined the Kiev, Ukraine office of Altheimer & Gray, where he focuses primarily in international, corporate and banking law.

Amy Martin Bates, U.W. 1996, has joined Relles, Meeker & Borns, Madison, as an associate practicing family law, estate planning and general civil litigation.

Paul Bucher, Marquette 1981, Waukesha County district attorney and a Government Lawyers Division member, recently copresented a financial statement fraud case study at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' (AICPA) 1997 National Conference on Fraud in San Antonio, Texas. The study focused on State vs. Gregory Wein (1986-1992), a fraud case in which Bucher successfully won a conviction.

Thomas E. Bush, U.W. 1976, recently began a one-year term as president of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives, a nationwide organization of more than 3,000 members that represents claimants in disability cases before the Social Security Administration. Bush, whose Milwaukee law practice represents social security disability claimants, is the author of Social Security Disability Practice, a practice manual published by James Publishing.

Rachel L.L. Caplan, U.W. 1994, formerly of Balisle & Roberson S.C., has joined Behling Law Office, Cambridge, as an associate. She practices family and juvenile law in Dane and Jefferson Counties, emphasizing guardian ad litem work.

Jane Dragisic Clark, U.W. 1995, has joined Balisle & Roberson S.C., Madison, as an associate practicing in family law, estate planning, probate and appellate law. She formerly was associated with Chernov, Stern & Burbach S.C., Milwaukee.

William E. Connors, U.W. 1989, has been appointed director of the Tax Increment Financing Division of the Office of the Minnesota State Auditor. He formerly was a fiscal analyst for the Minnesota House of Representatives working with tax increment financing issues.

Robert B. Corris, Berkeley 1970, Thomas G. Halloran, U.W. 1977, and Richard H. Fuller, Marquette 1993 cum laude, are office-sharing their respective practices at 735 N. Water St., #1440, Milwaukee. Corris practices in business torts litigation and dealership litigation; Halloran emphasizes plaintiff's employment discrimination litigation; and Fuller focuses on employment discrimination, unemployment compensation and worker's compensation. The three practices are each of counsel to the others.

Dennis D. Costello, Marquette 1967, recently was elected to the board of directors of the Wisconsin Trial Judges Association. He serves as a reserve judge and as Walworth County corporation counsel.

Teena M. Curty, Marquette 1997, has joined Michael F. Hupy & Associates S.C., Milwaukee, as an associate. The firm concentrates in personal injury law.

Michael T. Cyrs, Marquette 1994, has joined Williams & McCarthy, Rockford, Ill., as an associate practicing in estate planning, business and corporate law and real estate law.

Joseph E. Dannecker, Yale 1988, has opened Dannecker Law Offices at 740 Plankinton Ave., #700, Milwaukee, where he focuses on environmental law and related issues. Dannecker also cochairs the Milwaukee Bar Association's Environmental Law Section. He formerly was a member of the environmental law practice group of Godfrey & Kahn S.C.

Thomas M. Domer, U.W. 1983, recently co-authored the article, "20 Questions Surrounding Unpaid Medical Leave: Navigating the Bermuda Triangle of Employment Law," in Work, A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation (Fall 1997). He also wrote a chapter in The Sourcebook of Occupational Therapy, published this fall by Plenum Publishers.

Duncan C. Delhey, Marquette 1981, has been named a partner with Gray & End, Milwaukee. He practices with the firm's creditors' rights group counseling lending clientele in secured lending and compliance matters. He also is the Wisconsin liaison on the Legal Issues, Legislative and Regulatory Committee for the Mortgage Bankers Association of America, and serves on the Legislative Committee for the Wisconsin Mortgage Bankers Association.

Jeffrey E. Edelman, Marquette 1995, former law clerk to Hon. Melvin S. Whitken P.J.S.C., has joined Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin, Livingston, N.J., practicing in insurance defense and other civil defense matters.

Judge Mel Flanagan, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Branch 4, recently addressed the National Association of Women Judges in Salt Lake City, Utah, on "Permanency Planning for Children." The program was presented in conjunction with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and the ABA's Children and Law Section.

Four associates have joined Foley & Lardner's Madison office: Michael Falk, U.W. 1997, and Catherine M. Gillman, Minnesota 1996, will practice in the business law department. Mark A. Neuser, U.W. 1997, and Katherine Stadler, Northwestern 1997, are in the litigation department.

Scott M. Fuhr, U.W. 1997 cum laude, has joined Silton, Seifert, Carlson & Gamble S.C., Appleton, practicing in corporate and business law, estate planning and taxation.

Rebecca D. Boyle, Marquette 1987, has joined Fuchs, Snow, O'Connell & DeStefanis S.C., Milwaukee, as an associate practicing in litigation, worker's compensation, personal injury and general practice. She formerly was with Spector & Berlin S.C. William R. Rettko, Drake 1989, also has joined the firm, practicing in civil litigation, municipal law, loan workouts and creditor's rights. He formerly was with Quale, Feldbruegge, Calvelli, Thom & Croke S.C.

Helen Gaebler, U.W. 1992, recently moved from the Washington, D.C., firm of Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering, to the Civil Fraud Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division where she focuses on health-care fraud litigation.

Irving D. Gaines, U.W. 1947, has been appointed as a Milwaukee County Circuit Court Commissioner by Circuit Judge Jeffrey A. Conen.

Daniel R. Glaeser, Hamline 1978, has moved his office to 701 Marshall St., Manitowoc. He continues practicing in real estate, probate, estate planning and taxation law.

John K. Bartosz, Quinnipiac 1995 cum laude and N.Y.U. 1996 LL.M.; Thomas W. O'Neil, Drake 1997 cum laude; and Michael R. Vescio, Marquette 1995 cum laude, have joined Godfrey, Neshek, Worth, Leibsle & Conover S.C., Elkhorn.

Kathleen A. Gray, Marquette 1982 magna cum laude, a partner in the Milwaukee law firm of Quarles & Brady, was elected a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. Gray practices in estate planning and probate, marital property and taxation law matters and serves as the firm's estate planning group coordinator.

Steven F. Gruel, U.W. 1985, was a recent U.S. delegate in Moscow taking part in an international conference providing training, expertise and insight into the U.S. Criminal Justice system to nearly 100 Russian judges. The conference was cosponsored by the U.S. Justice Department and the ABA's Central and East European Law Initiative. Gruel is a federal prosecutor with the Organized Crime Strike Force, San Francisco, Calif.

Jerome G. Grzeca, Marquette 1988, has expanded and relocated his law office to 525 E. Wells St., #250, Milwaukee. He practices in corporate immigration and employment law.

Daniel W. Hildebrand, U.W. 1964, of DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C., Madison, has been elected to a one-year term as chair of the Wisconsin Judicial Commission.

Steven Ebert, Drake 1976, formerly an assistant attorney general and director of the Criminal Litigation, Antitrust and Consumer Protection Unit in the Wisconsin Department of Justice, recently was sworn in as Dane County circuit court judge. Steve Tinker, U.W. 1979, was named the new director of the Consumer Protection Unit. Alan Lee, U.W. 1973, was named the new director of the Government Operations and Administrative Law Unit.

The Kasieta Legal Group LLC, Madison, has hired William S. Baermann, Marquette 1991, and Kara M. Morgan, Hamline 1997, as associates practicing in civil trial work, including personal injury, employment law and products liability. Morgan also practices in worker's compensation.

Lisa S. Keyes, U.W. 1992, joined King & Spalding in Atlanta, Ga., practicing in energy, telecommunications and commercial contracting. She formerly practiced with Michael, Best & Friedrich, Madison.

Ross L. Kodner, Marquette 1986, of MicroLaw Inc., Milwaukee, recently spoke to the New Hampshire Bar Association as part of a day-long CLE technology event. His topics included: "The Paper LESS OfficeTM," "The Internet for Lawyers" and "The Mobile Lawyer: Tools for Portable Law Practices." Kodner also has been appointed vice chair of the Computer and Technology Division of the ABA's Law Practice Management Section, and as a member of the executive committee of the ABA TECHSHOW '98 Board. He also was reappointed to another term as a co-editor of the ABA LPM Section's Network 2d newsletter.

Krukowski & Costello S.C., Milwaukee, has hired two associates: Catherine A. Thomas, Marquette 1985, formerly with Silverstein, Bornstein & Thomas S.C., will represent employers in worker's compensation and safety and health matters; and Leslie K. Fautsch, Marquette 1997, will practice management labor and employment law.

Ralph H. Lane, Harvard 1959, has joined Pattishall, McAuliffe, Newbury, Hilliard & Geraldson, Chicago, as Of Counsel. He formerly was the intellectual property counsel of S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., and also practiced with Foley and Lardner, Milwaukee. He continues to practice in international and domestic trademark and copyright law.

Stephen C. Lepley, Marquette 1978, has formed Nearhood & Lepley PLC, Scottsdale, Ariz., as a member-manager. He practices in business, personal injury and general civil litigation. Lepley formerly was an Arizona assistant attorney general and Waukesha County corporation counsel.

Dr. Stephen Lesavich, Ph.D., U.W. 1995, has joined McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert and Burghoff, Chicago, Ill. as an associate practicing in intellectual property law and litigation. He formerly was as associate at Klarquist, Sparkman Campbell Leigh & Whinston, Portland, Ore.

William C. Gamoke, Marquette 1980, and Holly Lutz, Washington University 1980, have been reappointed as part-time judicial court commissioners in Marathon County. Gamoke practices with Nikolay, Jensen, Scott, Gamoke & Grunewald S.C., Colby. Lutz maintains a solo worker's compensation and disability practice in Wausau.

Leonard Martin, U.W. 1992, Wisconsin assistant attorney general, recently was elected president of the Wisconsin Association of Minority Attorneys. The association provides scholarships to U.W. and Marquette law students and promotes moot court competition in Milwaukee high schools.

Franz J. Maurer, Marquette 1997, has become a member of Sitzmann & Associates Ltd., Appleton, practicing business, environmental and elder law.

William R. Maurer, U.W. 1994, has joined the Bellevue, Wash., office of Perkins Coie, where he practices energy and utility law. He formerly was the law clerk for Justice Richard B. Sanders of the Washington State Supreme Court.

Truman Q. McNulty, Marquette 1948, of Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C., Milwaukee, has been appointed a commissioner to the ABA Commission on Legal Problems of the Elderly. The ABA Board of Governors and the ABA Armed Forces Law Committee also recognized McNulty's outstanding service for his commitment to the advancement of military law.

Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C., Milwaukee, has opened a branch office in Hartland at 810 Cardinal Lane. Todd J. Mitchell will head and manage the office full time.

The Monroe County Bar Association has elected the following new officers: president - Kerry Sullivan Flock, Sparta; president-elect - Penny J. Precour, Tomah; and secretary/treasurer - James B. Sherman, Black River Falls.

Lynne Mueller, U.W. 1988, has joined Cook & Franke S.C., Milwaukee, practicing bankruptcy and commercial litigation.

Leslie D. Shear, Miami 1985, and Jane F. (Ginger) Zimmerman, U.W. 1985, have become shareholders in Murphy & Desmond S.C., Madison. Shear practices primarily in marital and family law, real estate and domestic partnerships. Zimmerman practices primarily in business reorganizations, creditor's rights, real estate, municipal law and litigation.

Three other attorneys also have joined the firm: Robert R. Studt, U.W. 1958, practices primarily in insurance defense and worker's compensation law; Teresa Mueller, U.W. 1992, practices primarily in litigation, bankruptcy and insurance defense; and Rebecca R. DeMarb, U.W. 1997, is engaged in the general practice of law, including family law.

James J. Murphy, U.W. 1959, of Murphy, Gillick, Wicht & Prachthauser, recently was appointed chair of the Roof Crush Section for the Attorneys Information Exchange Group (AIEG), a national litigation group concentrating in automotive products liability litigation and information sharing.

W. Stuart Parsons, Harvard 1967, a partner in Quarles & Brady, Milwaukee, recently was elected president of the Seventh Circuit Bar Association, which serves as the principal liaison between the Bar and the Federal Judiciary for the Seventh Circuit, including Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.

Edith M. Petersen, U.W. 1991, has become an associate with Haight, Fabyan & Langer S.C., Hartland, focusing on civil litigation.

Brian J. Pfeil, U.W. 1997, has opened a solo practice at 301 W. State St., Fox Lake. He practices real estate, family law, estate planning, civil litigation and criminal defense.

Todd M. Podell, Marquette 1993, has joined Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif., as senior buyer negotiating long-term contracts with worldwide suppliers.

Dianne Post, U.W. 1979, has published her article, "Why Marriage Should Be Abolished," in Rutgers University's Women's Rights Law Journal, Fall 1997.

Daniel Riedl, Marquette 1981, has joined the law department of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., Milwaukee, as assistant general counsel and secretary. He formerly was the corporate counsel and secretary for Milwaukee Insurance.

Paul J. Scoptur, Marquette 1978, recently taught a week-long trial advocacy course, "The Essentials of Civil Litigation," at Duke University Law School. The course involved lectures, demonstrations and workshops in all aspects of trial from voir dire to closing argument. Scoptur is a shareholder in Aiken & Scoptur S.C., Milwaukee, and practices in medical negligence and general tort litigation from the plaintiff's perspective. He is an adjunct professor of law at Marquette University Law School.

Diane J. Silverberg (Kliebard), U.W. 1986, has joined Kovitz Shifrin & Waitzman, Buffalo Grove, Ill., where she continues her practice in commercial litigation and bankruptcy.

Michael R. Stahl, Marquette 1987, has taken a job teaching Spanish at West Anchorage High School, Anchorage, Alaska.

Carlton D. Stansbury, Iowa 1990 with distinction, has joined Chernov, Stern & Burbach S.C., Milwaukee, and continues to practice in family law. He formerly was with Maier & McIlnay Ltd.

Amy B. Statz, Marquette 1996, has joined O'Neil, Cannon & Hollman S.C., Milwaukee, as an associate concentrating in corporate and business transactions.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently honored Thomas F. Strubbe, clerk of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, upon his retirement after 36 years of service.

Reserve Judge Michael T. Sullivan, Marquette 1948, John Marshall LL.M.-taxation 1972, recently was placed on the Donor Honor Roll of the Blood Center of Southeast Wisconsin. He has given 195 pints of blood, which places him ninth in the top 50 of more than 65,000 donors.

Swendson Menting Law Ltd. has moved to new offices on the second floor of the Avenue Square Mall at 175 E. Wisconsin Ave., Oconomowoc.

Jennifer F. Thompson, Suffolk 1993, has joined Reff Baivier Bermingham Zierdt & Lim S.C., Oshkosh, as an associate practicing primarily in divorce and family law, bankruptcy, municipal and general practice. She formerly was an associate with Ward & Associates, Osseo.

Jessica J. Tlusty, William Mitchell 1997, has joined Tlusty, Hittner, Kennedy & Freeburg S.C., Schofield, as an associate handing family law and personal injury cases.

Luis Torres, U.W. 1994, has joined the National Voting Rights Institute, Boston, Mass. He formerly was a trial attorney in the Voting Section of the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

Paul R. Van Grunsven, Marquette 1986, of Techmeier & Van Grunsven S.C., Milwaukee, recently delivered a speech on "Criminal Prosecution of Health-Care Providers for Clinical Mistakes and Fatal Errors: Is Bad Medicine a Crime?" at the 83rd Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons in Chicago, Ill. Van Grunsven also chairs the Milwaukee Bar Association's Health Law Section.

Reserve Judge Timothy L. Vocke, U.W. 1973, of Rhinelander, was elected as the Reserve Judge Representative to the Executive Committee of the Judicial Conference at the Judicial Conference Annual Meeting where he also taught a course in Reactive Self Defense for Judges. He also was inducted into the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame as Regional Instructor of the Year. In July, he and Michael Allen, Madison, gave the premiere performance of The Boccherini Sonata in C Major for 2 Cellos during a recital at Nicolet College.

Rex A. Ewald, U.W. 1979, of Ewald Law Offices S.C., and Paul W. Voegeli, Chicago 1971, have merged their practices to form Voegeli & Ewald Law Offices S.C., at 1750 10th St., Monroe. Rudolph P. Regez, is counsel to the firm. Angela M. Dessner, Erika L. Leuffen and Bruce W. Wilson are associates.

Scott E. Wade, Detroit 1993, has joined the Law Offices of Peter J. Crowley, Waukesha, as the Wisconsin staff legal counsel for Fremont Compensation Insurance Co.

Leny K. Wallen-Friedman, U.W. 1986, formerly a shareholder with Fruth & Anthony P.A., has opened Wallen-Friedman Law Office P.A. at 900 Rand Tower, 527 Marquette Ave., Minneapolis, Minn. He practices in civil litigation, emphasizing commercial, securities and employment litigation.

The Walworth County Bar Association recently elected the following new officers: president - John R. Dade, Whitewater; president-elect - Judith M. Stern, Elkhorn; and secretary/treasurer - David M. Reddy, Elkhorn.

Krista L. Ward, U.W. 1995, has started Skore Financial Management, providing hedge fund consulting for professional athletes, entertainers and other high net worth investors. The new firm is at 2519 Humboldt Ave. S., #205, Minneapolis, Minn. Ward formerly was chief operating officer of Stark Investments.

Ralph A. Weber, Columbia 1982, has joined Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren Norris & Rieselbach S.C. as a shareholder and will lead the firm's product liability group. He also will serve as executive director of the firm's new trial services division. The in-house trial services division, featuring an on-site courtroom and multiple jury deliberation rooms, will help the firm develop techniques for handling major trials for its business clients.

William G. Weiland, U.W. 1985, of Weiland Legal Services, Wisconsin Rapids, has become an agent for Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund Inc.

The Wisconsin Association of Minority Lawyers recently elected the following new officers: president - Leonard E. Martin; president-elect - Christy Brown Leflore; secretary - Lena C. Taylor and treasurer - Sherman C. Mitchell, all of Milwaukee.

John D. Neal, U.W. 1972, of Stafford & Neal, Madison, and Joseph Danas Jr., Borgelt Powell, Peterson & Frauen S.C., Milwaukee, have co-authored the Worker's Compensation Handbook, fourth edition, published recently by State Bar of Wisconsin CLE Books.

In memoriam

• V. John Burggraf, Marquette 1951, Wauwatosa, Nov. 16, 1926 - June 27, 1997.
  
  
• Gerald J. Korf, U.W. 1948, Madison, July 4, 1922 - Oct. 6, 1997.
  
  
• William J. McGah, Marquette 1949, Longboat Key, Fla., May 5, 1924 - 1997.
  
  
• Robert O. Nimtz, Marquette 1955, Madison, Jan. 7, 1931 - May 4, 1997.
  
  
• Hugh F. Oldenburg, U.W. 1936, Madison, June 19, 1912 - Sept. 26,1997.
  
  
• John Edward Thomas, U.W. 1962, Milwaukee, Nov. 21, 1935 - Sept. 19, 1997.
  
  
• Alois K. Voissem, Marquette 1943, Whitefish Bay, Oct. 28, 1916 - Sept. 21, 1997.