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In the News

Randall E. Bennett, U.W. 1988, has been elected to the board of the State Bar's Intellectual Property Law Section. Bennett is associate general counsel for American Medical Security Inc. in Green Bay.

The Calumet County Bar Association has elected the following officers: president - Kenneth R. Kratz; president-elect - Michelle L. Birschbach; and secretary/treasurer - Troy R. Schneider; all of Chilton.

The Jefferson County Bar Association has elected these officers: president - Colleen J. Locke, Jefferson; president-elect - Jacob W. Gobel, Jefferson; and secretary/treasurer - Jennifer L. Weber, Johnson Creek.

The La Crosse County Bar Association has elected the following officers: president - Roger W. LeGrand, La Crosse; president-elect - Michael W. Gill, La Crosse; and secretary/treasurer - Christine C. Duval, Onalaska.

The Leander J. Foley Jr. Matrimonial Chapter of the American Inns of Court has elected the following officers: president - Barbara L. Burbach; president-elect - John P. Savage; counselor-administrator - Julie L. Cabou; treasurer - Sandra A. Edhlund.

Erika S. Baurecht, Marquette 1996, an associate at Cook & Franke S.C., has been appointed to the board of the Wisconsin Commercial Real Estate Women (WCREW) and named director of membership. WCREW is a member organization of the International Commercial Real Estate Women Network, a nonprofit organization formed to further the success of its members in the commercial real estate industry.

The Wisconsin Biotechnology Association (WBA) announced the appointment of Dewitt Ross & Stevens S.C., Madison, as executive director. Ron Kuehn, U.W. 1971, and Jim Leohnart, Dewitt government relations specialists, were named executive vice presidents. One of WBA's goals is to strengthen its relationship with the business, scientific, and educational communities as well as political leaders to advance policy and economic development for the biotechnology community.

David G. Hanson, U.W. 1992, a shareholder in Reinhart, Boerner, Van Deuren, Norris & Rieselbach S.C., was elected to the board of directors of the State Bar's Intellectual Property Section. Hanson is in the firm's litigation department and is an adjunct professor of law at Marquette University.

Michael H. Simpson, U.W. 1975, a shareholder in Reinhart, Boerner, Van Deuren, Norris & Rieselbach S.C., Milwaukee, was elected chair of the State Bar's Environmental Law Section.

Allan Joseph, U.W. 1962, of Rogers, Joseph, O'Donnell & Phillips, San Francisco, has been elected treasurer-elect of the American Bar Association for a one-year term, and then will serve as treasurer for three years. As treasurer of the 400,000-member ABA, he will serve on the executive committee of the board of governors.

Stephen G. Katz, U.W. 1973, has been appointed counsel to Illinois Gov. George H. Ryan's Commission on Revising the School Code of Illinois. Katz practices labor and employment, employee benefits, and school/education law with Dowd, Bloch & Bennett, Chicago. The commission will update and rewrite the statutes that govern public education in Illinois.

Bruce A. Olson, Marquette 1981, has been reappointed to the ABA Techshow 2002 board of directors, and will chair the conference's litigation track. ABA Techshow is the largest annual legal technology conference of its kind in the country. Olson is a shareholder of Davis & Kuelthau S.C. in the Green Bay office.

John C. Schober, Marquette 1976, a shareholder in Schober Schober & Mitchell S.C., New Berlin, Oconomowoc, and Hartland, has been appointed to the State Elections Board. The board administers the state's election and campaign laws and investigates alleged violations of those laws.

William C. Sturm, Marquette 1966, of Rausch, Sturm, Israel & Hornik S.C., Milwaukee, has been elected president of the Commercial Law League of America (CLLA). The league, founded in 1895, is an organization of bankruptcy and commercial law professionals. Sturm will preside over all meetings and will represent CLLA in meetings with other organizations.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has appointed the following to the Office of Lawyer Regulation's Special Investigative Panel: John P. Runde, U.W. 1979, Wausau, to an initial three-year term; Richard G. Niess, Duke 1978, Madison, to an initial two-year term; and Carl A. Sinderbrand, U.W. 1978, Madison, to an initial one-year term. All terms commenced July 1, 2001.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has appointed the following new chief judges: L. Edward Stengel, Sheboygan County Circuit Court, has been appointed to judicial administrative District 4. Stengel, Marquette 1975, has been on the bench since 1985, and replaces Robert A. Haase. Michael N. Nowakowski, Dane County Circuit Court, has been appointed to District 5. Nowakowski, U.W. 1974, has been on the bench since 1985, currently in the civil division. He replaces Daniel R. Moeser. Michael J. Rosborough, Vernon County Circuit Court, has been appointed to District 7. Rosborough, Illinois 1973, has been on the bench since 1986, and replaces Robert W. Radcliffe.

The Winnebago County Bar Association has elected these officers: president - Gregory A. Petit, Neenah; president-elect - Karen L. Seifert, Oshkosh; and secretary/treasurer - Brenda Bann, Appleton.

Authors, Speakers

Steven F. Gruel, U.W. 1985, recently lectured on "Asian Organized Crime and the Trafficking of Women for Prostitution," at the annual California Department of Justice Investigations and Intelligence Conference in Sacramento. Gruel is a federal prosecutor in San Francisco.

David Satola, U.W. 1986, coauthored the chapter, "Telecommunications Reform in Emerging Markets," in Telecommunications Law, Walden, I. and Angel, J., eds., Blackstone Press, London, April 2001. Satola is senior counsel in the legal department of the World Bank concentrating in telecommunications sector legal reform in the developing world.

Awards, Degrees, Honors

Kathleen Bray, Minnesota 1991, has been named to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce 50 for Minnesota leadership program, which offers a select group of Minnesota business people the opportunity to positively impact the state's business climate. Bray is with Hanft Fride, Duluth. Richard Burns, Michigan 1971, a shareholder with the firm, was named one of the top 20 vote getters among Minnesota estate planning attorneys in a survey of state lawyers by Minnesota Law and Politics magazine.

Paul E. Conrad, U.W. 1981, has been awarded a masters degree in strategic studies by the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Penn. Conrad, an Army Lieutenant Colonel Judge Advocate officer, received his degree from U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Eric Shenseki. Conrad is currently the Legal Counsel for the Chief, Army Reserve, Washington, D.C.

Foley & Lardner has been named to CIO magazines' 2001 CIO-100, which honors organizations around the world that excel through innovative practices and products. Michael W. Grebe, Michigan 1970, chairman and CEO of the firm, was named honoree. Foley & Lardner was only one of two law firms receiving the honor.

Eunice Gibson, U.W. 1993, Madison city attorney, has been designated a local government fellow by the International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA). The award will be conferred at a ceremony at the IMLA annual conference in New Orleans, La.
Local government fellows are recognized as specialists in the field of local government law and must be recommended by local government attorneys, pass a written examination, and write an article for the IMLA journal, Municipal Lawyer.

Gerardo H. Gonzalez, U.W. 1988, managing partner of Gonzalez, Saggio & Harlan LLP, Milwaukee, has been admitted to the Product Liability Advisory Council, a national nonprofit corporation that monitors legal developments in product liability, develops national positions on important issues, and files amicus briefs to advocate its positions. Gonzales directs the firm's litigation practice.

René Hernández, U.W. 1994, received an MBA through the University of Illinois-Chicago. Hernández continues to practice insurance, corporate, and regulatory law as in-house counsel for Allstate Insurance Company.

Gregg Herman, U.W. 1977, with Loeb & Herman S.C., Milwaukee, has been recertified as a specialist in family law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He is one of seven certified family law specialists in Wisconsin.
Leonard L. Loeb, U.W. 1952, also with the firm, was reelected as delegate-at-large from the ABA's 400,000 members to the house of delegates of the ABA for a three-year term.

Pledl

Robert (Rock) Theine Pledl, John Marshall 1980, received the Robert Bradford Smith Award for advocacy on behalf of people with mental illness from Transitional Living Services, Milwaukee. He practices disability law with Schott, Bublitz & Engel S.C., Brookfield.

Mark F. Vetter, Marquette 1974, has been elected as a fellow of The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. The college recognizes those who have distinguished themselves in their field with long and outstanding service. Vetter is only the second Wisconsin attorney elected to the college. He is a shareholder and president of Davis & Kuelthau S.C., Milwaukee.

Pro Bono, Public Service

The Habush Habush & Rottier Charitable Foundation donated 5,000 bicycle helmets to children across Wisconsin this summer. This is the second year the foundation teamed up with local police departments and community organizations to distribute the free helmets. Researchers have found that bicycle helmets can reduce the severity of brain injuries by 88 percent.

In Memoriam

Johnathan C. Aked, U.W. 1984, Madison, Jan. 2, 1956 - July 9, 2001.

Peter J. Chronus, Marquette 1951, Milwaukee, Feb. 18, 1918 - Oct. 6, 2000.

Fred B. Colman, Marquette 1948, Milwaukee, Sept. 17, 1920 - Oct. 7, 2000.

Robert M. Curley, Marquette 1948, Cudahy, Nov. 23, 1922 - Feb. 12, 2001.

Louis D. Gage, U.W. 1947, Janesville, Feb. 17, 1921 - March 7, 2001.

James Koconis, Marquette 1967, Milwaukee, Aug. 30, 1927 - Feb. 8, 2001.

Michael J. Laird, Loyola 1969, Janesville, Nov. 1, 1945 - March, 2001.

Gerald D. Lorge, Marquette 1952, Bear Creek, July 9, 1922 - Feb. 14, 2001.

George A. Mayer, Harvard 1941, Hartland, Jan. 10, 1917 - Dec. 15, 2000.

Roy C. Packler, Marquette 1939, West Bend, June 20, 1915 - April 10, 2001.

Paul R. Puerner, Harvard 1955, Port Washington, March 27, 1927 - May 4, 2001.

Donald Zodrow, Marquette 1954, Cudahy, June 21, 1931 - Dec. 26, 2000.

Marla S. Schneiderman, U.W. 1987, Milwaukee, April 5, 1962 - April 27, 2001.