Candidate for Judicial Council Representative
April K. Toy
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, Milwaukee
Email:
atoy@hinshawlaw.com
Platform Statement
It is an honor to accept the nomination as a candidate for State Bar representative for the Judicial Council. During my career, I have tried several cases to a jury verdict. I have also practiced before the courts across Wisconsin, federal courts, and handled matters at the appellate level. My extensive experience as a trial lawyer makes me a strong candidate for your consideration.
As background, the Judicial Council is a 21-member body that includes members of the judiciary, the Wisconsin Legislature, the State Bar, and private citizens, among others. The Judicial Council’s principal statutory responsibilities are to study and make recommendations relating to: (1) court pleading, practice and procedure; and (2) organization, jurisdiction and methods of administration and operation of Wisconsin courts.
Throughout my career, I have brought a diverse perspectives to a myriad of bar organizations and my community. For example, I am the Region IX president for the Hispanic National Bar Association. I serve as the secretary for the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement’s National Leadership Council. I am also the vice-chair of the State Bar Leadership Academy Subcommittee. Furthermore, I sit on the Board of Appeals for Village of Shorewood, where I hear resident appeals of Village decisions.
If elected, I will bring my passion and leadership to fostering a court system that accurately reflects the perspectives of all members of our community. I am eager to bring my leadership experience to the Judicial Council and I would be honored to have your vote.
Biography
April K. Toy’s formative years were spent on a farm in a small town, with a population of 6,000. Her family grew their own vegetables and meat, and the kitchen was filled the smell of Salvadoran cuisine cooked by her mother, who immigrated to the United States at 16 years old. April is the first person in her family to become a lawyer. The pressure of being the first is both exhilarating and intimidating, and is certainly what inspires her to strive for greatness.
April K. Toy is a partner at the law firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, an Am Law 200 firm with offices in 14 states and the United Kingdom. Her principal practice focuses on commercial litigation and insurance coverage disputes, and she defends lawyers in legal malpractice actions. She received her bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University and her law degree from Marquette University. During law school, April was a St. Thomas Moore Scholar for three years and was the secretary of the Hispanic Law Student's Association.
In her spare time, April enjoys spending time with her husband, Wesley Warren, and her two beagles, Daisy and Pablo. She loves animals and coffee.
Education
- B.A., San Francisco State University, 2006
- J.D., Marquette University Law School, 2010
Community Leadership
- Board member for the Village of Shorewood, Board of Appeals (2019 to present)
- Committee member for the Village of Shorewood, Recreation Committee (2017-19)
- Volunteer Attorney for Milwaukee Justice Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2016-19)
- Volunteer Interviewer for State Bar of Wisconsin Diversity Clerkship Program, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (2015 to present)
Professional Leadership and Membership
- Elected as the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), Region IX President (territory includes Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan) (present).
- Appointed as secretary of the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE), and secretary of the National Leadership Council (present)
- Appointed State Bar of Wisconsin, vice-chair of the Leadership Academy Subcommittee (2020 to present)
- Appointed HNBA, Region IX Deputy of Community Service and Pro-Bono Initiatives (2019-2021)
- Appointed Expo Committee member, Defense Research Institute, Diversity for Success Seminar and Corporate Expo (2020)
- Selected to participate in the Mujeres de HACE Leadership Academy (Fall 2020)
- Selected to participate in the G. Lane Ware Leadership Academy (2019-20)
- Selected to participate in the HNBA Latina Leadership Academy (2019)
Presentations and Articles
- Moderator for the screening and panel discussion of the film,
Bad Hombres, presented by the HNBA Region IX and LatinoJustice PRLDEF (2021).
- Panelist for the Hispanic National Bar Association Region IX and the Wisconsin Hispanic Lawyers Association panel discussion
Finding a Legal Job During an Economic Downturn (2021).
- Moderator for State Bar of Wisconsin Diversity Counsel Program,
Closing the Gender Leadership Gap (2019).
- Blog author for Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog,
Implicit Bias and the Gender Leadership (2019).
