New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Kathleen Hessel, U.W. 2023, has joined Kowalski, Wilson & Vang LLC as an associate. The firm has offices in Madison and Baraboo and concentrates on family law.

Craig Kubiak, Marquette 1991, has joined the Business Litigation Service Group of Amundsen Davis LLC, Appleton. Kubiak represents employers in a variety of employment-related issues, including discrimination claims, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. He also represents physicians and independent health care groups in business matters, including helping to establish new physician practices.

Jessica J. Giesen, William Mitchell 2009, has joined Elite Defense Group, Madison, as chief operating officer. Jessa Nicholson Goetz (Nicholson Goetz & Otis S.C., Madison), Aaron A. Nelson (Nelson Defense Group, Hudson), and Michael R. Cohen (Cohen Law Offices, Eau Claire), recently formed Elite Defense Group and continue to maintain their individual firms. Elite Defense offers a full-service, dedicated defense team to a select and limited book of clients across Wisconsin.

Sherry B. Martin, U.W. 2018 cum laude, has joined the Trusts and Estates Section of von Briesen & Roper s.c., Milwaukee. Martin focuses on estate planning, tax planning (including revocable trusts, irrevocable grantor trusts, life insurance trusts, supplemental needs trusts, spousal access trusts, beneficiary grantor trusts, and qualified personal residence trusts), administration of probate and nonprobate estates, and premarital agreements and has significant experience creating and funding family business entities and foundations.

Myranda G. Sandberg, Mitchell Hamline 2022 cum laude, has joined Angela Olson Law, Hudson, as an associate. Sandberg concentrates in criminal defense and practices in family law.

Appointments, Elections

Andrea J. Farrell, U.W. 2007, has become chair of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Labor and Employment Law Section. She practices with the Jeff Scott Olson Law Firm S.C., Waunakee.

Joe Miotke, Marquette 1999 magna cum laude, has been reappointed to the Wisconsin State Public Defender Board. The SPD Board provides ultimate oversight of Wisconsin’s unified SPD system, which provides legal representation to indigent individuals throughout Wisconsin. Miotke is a licensed patent attorney and is co-chair of the Intellectual Property Litigation Group at DeWitt LLP, Brookfield. He has worked across a wide spectrum of patent, trade secret, copyright, and trademark matters involving technologies ranging from artificial intelligence and machine learning to energy production and hydraulic fracturing.

Caitlyn Sikorski, DePaul 2007, has been elected to a three-year term on the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section board. Sikorski is a member of the Trusts and Estates Practice at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Milwaukee, counseling clients regarding trust, estate, and fiduciary litigation, as well as trustee compliance and litigation, including breach of trust, breach of fiduciary duty, undue influence, fiduciary removal and defense, and significant construction and reformation matters. She is a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.

Authors, Speakers

James Casey, Dayton 1988, presented during the first two workshops of the ABA ROLI Defending Digital Rights project in southeast Asia. He also recently presented on issues in data protection and privacy at a program sponsored by the New Hampshire Bar Association. He is a research contracts and data protection executive based in San Antonio, Texas.

Andrew Mishlove, U.W. 1981, presented a seminar titled Advanced Training in Blood Alcohol Analysis and Trial Advocacy at the National College for DUI Defense®. Mishlove is a partner at Mishlove & Stuckert LLC Attorneys at Law, with locations in Milwaukee, Oshkosh, West Bend, and Waukesha.

A story written by Scott Winkler, U.W. 1984, Winkler Law Firm SC, Glendale, recently was “long-listed” by the European Society of Literature. “In Which a Socked Foot, a Cat, 2 Avocados and a Goddess Take Flight, and Count Leo Takes a Bow” reached the top 24 of thousands of submissions. Two other stories by Winkler also have received long-list recognitions, from Oxford Press and Fish Publishing.

Awards, Degrees, Honors

Scott W. Hansen, U.W. 1976, received the 2023 Judge Myron L. Gordon Lifetime Achievement Award from the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association at its annual meeting in May. The award recognizes Hansen’s contributions to Milwaukee’s federal court bench and bar, his years of skillful professional and strategic advocacy, and his mentorship of newer lawyers. Hansen is of counsel in the Litigation Practice at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Milwaukee. He is a member of the American Law Institute and a Fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation and has served as president of the University of Wisconsin Law School Board of Visitors, the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association, and the Thomas E. Fairchild Inns of Court.

Russell Karnes, Marquette 2010, has received a Jon Allen Pace Setter Award from the Milwaukee Justice Center (MJC), in recognition of his volunteering with the MJC’s Mobile Legal Clinic. Karnes also was elected to the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Board of Governors for a two-year term. He is a partner at Gimbel Reilly Guerin Brown LLP, Milwaukee, and focuses on real estate, property tax assessment appeals, contract and business disputes, quiet title actions, foreclosure and title insurance litigation, misrepresentation claims, collection actions, and municipal law.

In Memoriam

William B. Ardern II, Illinois-Chicago 1981, Mequon, Oct. 28, 1954 – March 10, 2023.

Philip R. Brehm, Marquette 1961, Green Bay, Feb. 21, 1932 – Jan. 20, 2023.

Curtis Brewer, U.W. 1962, Oconomowoc, Feb. 25, 1937 – May 19, 2023.

Harry G. Brown, U.W. 1991, Milwaukee, Jan. 30, 1964 – May 9, 2023.

William U. Burke, U.W. 1969, Milwaukee, July 25, 1943 – May 16, 2023.

John A. Casey,Michigan 1970, Wisconsin Rapids, April 7, 1945 – June 6, 2023.

Fredric R. Dichter, St. John’s 1971, Milwaukee, April 2, 1946 – Jan. 31, 2023.

Floyd A. Harris, Marquette 1958, Fox Point, July 2, 1931 – Feb. 2, 2023.

Thomas A. Hauke, Marquette 1967, Mukwonago, May 4, 1938 – May 1, 2023.

Marjan R. Kmiec, Marquette 1959, Milwaukee, Nov. 10, 1929 – May 3, 2023.

Gerard F. Kuchler, Marquette 1973, Eagle, Jan. 8, 1947 – June 4, 2023.

Marcia A. MacKenzie, U.W. 1993, Madison, Feb. 16, 1949 – April 28, 2023.

Newton N. Minow, Northwestern 1950, Chicago, Jan. 17, 1926 – May 6, 2023.

Gregory H. Nettesheim, Marquette 1968, Wisconsin Rapids, April 5, 1943 – Sept. 9, 2022.

Roland M. Neumann Jr., Marquette 1959, Milwaukee, March 24, 1931 – April 23, 2023.

John W. Rowe, U.W. 1970, Naples, Fla., May 18, 1945 – Sept. 24, 2022.

Frederick Schick, Santa Clara Univ. 2004, Waunakee, April 15, 1978 – April 23, 2023.

Daniel Sinykin, U.W. 1968, Sun Lakes, Ariz., Nov. 3, 1943 – May 3, 2023.

Judith M. Stern, U.W. 1982, Grand Rapids, Mich., Nov. 20, 1947 – Dec. 22, 2022.

Kerry S. Trunkett, Illinois-Chicago 1984, Northbrook, May 15, 1959 – May 9, 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.

Eleina Arce, Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee.

Kimberly Lynn Bacik, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District, Milwaukee.

Bethany J. Berndt and De Ann Rosa, Crivello Carlson SC, Milwaukee.

Molly Berndt, Tlusty, Kennedy & Glascock SC, Schofield.

Kathleen Boucher and Nicole Talbott Settle, Godfrey & Kahn SC, Madison.

Diana K. Bruner, Axley Brynelson LLP, Madison.

Brenda L. Buddenhagen, City of La Crosse Legal Department, La Crosse.

Jody Burns, O’Connor & Thomas PC, Dubuque.

Paula J. Cox-Bey, O’Flaherty Law LLC, La Crosse.

Cynthia M. Dahlke and Anita A. Seering, Ruder Ware LLSC, Wausau.

Lisa J. Davis, Sheets Law Office LLC, Stevens Point.

Nicole L. Depoister, Thraster Pelish & Heaney Ltd., Rice Lake.

Sandra Dionne-Zeh, Dean Health Plan Inc., Madison.

Lynda M. Fechter, Ruder Ware LLSC, Eau Claire.

Diane Fisher, CUNA Mutual Group, Madison.

Jessica Gaede, Osborne Tripp SC, Sparta.

Linda Gamsky, Robert W. Baird & Co., Milwaukee.

Justin C. Nadolski, Boardman & Clark LLP, Madison.

Erica A. Pedrazoli, Moen Sheehan Meyer Ltd., La Crosse.

Kristine Pettit, Chapin & Associates, Brookfield.

Trisha L. Pietrzyk, Osowski Law LLC, Oshkosh.

Charity Plate, Cindy M. Borowski, and Kim M. Van Den Bosch-Jones, Hooper Law Office, Appleton.

Pamela J. Price, Scopelitis, Garvin, Light, Hanson & Feary PC, Milwaukee.

Alexis C. Rathkamp, Cross Jenks Mercer & Maffei LLP, Baraboo.

Kelly L. Rick, GMR Marketing LLC, New Berlin.

Linda Sabel, Fond du Lac County Corporation Counsel, Fond du Lac.

Wendy L. Schlies, Godfrey & Kahn SC, Green Bay.

Jessica A. Seyfert, Sensient Technologies Corp., Milwaukee.

Katherine S. Shipley, Peterson, Berk & Cross SC, Green Bay.

Erin S. St. Lawrence, Hirschberg Law LLC, Oshkosh.

Brenda S. Sweeney, Godfrey & Kahn SC, Milwaukee.

Debra Theine, Amundsen Davis LLC, Brookfield.

Marcia A. Vandehey, Reff Baivier Lim Muza & Dunham SC, Oshkosh.

Cari L. Wilson, Habush Habush & Rottier SC, Madison.

» Cite this article: 96 Wis. Law. 59-61 (July/August 2023).