The following names were submitted by nomination petition for election to the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors is the State Bar's policymaking body. Governors serve two-year terms.
Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, and 16 will elect governors in 2020. District 2 (Milwaukee) elects five; District 6 (Waukesha) elects two; District 9 (Dane) elects four; and all other districts elect one.
All State Bar elections (including for State Bar divisions) will be held via an electronic ballot in 2020. Ballots are emailed by the second week in April, and the election closes at noon Central Time on April 24, 2020.
Persons elected will take office July 1, 2020.
District Map | View Officer Candidates
District 2 (five vacancies)
- Ryan M. Billings, Kohner, Mann & Kailas SC, Milwaukee, Harvard Law School 2004
- Russell D. Bohach, Russell D. Bohach Attorney at Law, Wauwatosa, Marquette 1980
- Elizabeth K. Miles, Davis Kuelthau, s.c., Milwaukee, Marquette 2009
- Anna F.C. Muñoz, Brookdale Senior Living Inc, Milwaukee, Marquette 2005
- Krista G. LaFave Rosolino, Warshafsky, Rotter, Tarnoff & Bloch SC, Milwaukee, Tulane University School of Law 2013
- Nicholas C. Zales, Zales Law Office, Milwaukee, Marquette 1989
District 4 (one vacancy)
District 6 (two vacancy)
District 8 (one vacancy)
District 9 (four vacancies)
- Jeff A. Goldman, DeWitt LLP, Madison, UW 2002
- David M. Gorwitz, Neider & Boucher SC, Madison, UW 2005
- Mitch, UW Law School, Madison, UW 2003
- Patricia Epstein Putney, Bell Moore & Richter SC, Madison, Brooklyn Law School 1989
District 10 (one vacancy)
District 12 (one vacancy)
District 14 (one vacancy)
District 16 (one vacancy)
District 2
RYAN M. BILLINGS
of Milwaukee. Harvard Law School, J.D., 2004, Princeton University, B.A., 2001. Ryan is a Shareholder and Deputy Chair of Litigation at Kohner, Mann & Kailas, S.C. He has been a District 2 Representative to the Board of Governors from 2019-2020, serving on the State Bar’s Policy Committee and as the Board of Governors’ liaison to the Business Law Section. Ryan practices complex commercial litigation on a nationwide basis across a broad spectrum of subject-matters, but with a particular focus on non-compete, antitrust and trade secret law. He has lectured and written extensively on emerging discovery law and practices, including for the Wisconsin Lawyer, the Wisconsin Law Journal, and serving for many years as the co-editor of the Electronic Discovery Law chapter of Wisconsin Discovery Law and Practice. Ryan has been selected as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers for many years running, and is a Member of the State Bar, American Bar Association, Seventh Circuit Bar Association, Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association, Milwaukee Bar Association, and the Thomas E. Fairchild Inn of Court. He is married to an author of historical fantasy novels (who always spoils the ending), and enjoys reading, camping, and classic rock.
Ryan M. Billings Campaign Statement
I am asking for your vote so that I can continue working hard with the other Governors to make our Bar the best in the country. That starts and ends with our members, but the task of the Board of Governors is to ensure that the Bar provides our members with everything they need to shine. As a relative newcomer to the Board of Governors, I approach the work with both enthusiasm and skepticism that “business as usual” is necessarily the best way. When a member suggests something to me, my attitude is: “tell me why we can’t?”
The world and our profession are rapidly changing. As technology continues to develop at a dizzying pace, we need to keep up. The Bar can and should provide information, tools and critical resources so that our members can stay current with industry innovations and emerging methods of practicing law, so that we can all serve our clients at the highest level. I envision the Bar as the wizened sage in the cave telling the hero: “It’s dangerous to go alone. Take this.”
I was raised in Sheboygan before heading out east for school. After graduating from law school, I spent my first six years of practice working for Big Law in New York City. Although the cases and experience were tremendous, the quality of life was non-existent, and I came to my senses in 2011 and returned home to Wisconsin. Since then, I’ve been with small firms, and now work with a great group of lawyers at Kohner, Mann & Kailas, S.C. (my hopefully-forever-home). With a small-town heart and big-city experience, I feel equipped to take on any challenge, but also have the luxury to spend some actual free time with my wonderful wife Megan in the unique hybrid of green spaces and metropolis culture that is Milwaukee.
But enough about me. The Bar is about YOU. If elected to another term, I promise to be an open-door for questions, concerns, ideas and criticisms, and a free-flowing conduit of information to and from the Board. My email inbox is open 24-7, and while I cannot promise an instant response (see quality of life comments above), I do promise there will be one. Every time. I ask you for your vote, and invite you to take me up on the offer.
RUSSELL D. BOHACH
of Milwaukee. Marquette University, J.D., 1980. Brennan & Collins, Milwaukee 1980-2000. Russell D. Bohach Attorney at Law, Milwaukee 2000-2020. State Bar of Wisconsin 1980-present.
Russell D. Bohach Campaign Statement
I have practiced with a small firm, and have been a sole practitioner for the last 20 years. I believe that the specific concerns of sole practitioners have not been adequately addressed by the State Bar of Wisconsin. I would like to indicate that if elected I will focus on specific needs of sole practitioners including access to health care at a reasonable price; the cost of membership to the State Bar; and other issues specifically brought forth by members of the State Bar concerning this area. In addition, I believe that the attempts to change the emeritus category of the State Bar membership is greatly concerning to me. I believe this to be a solution searching for a problem, and will fight to maintain the status quo.
ELIZABETH K. MILES
of Milwaukee. Marquette University, J.D., 2009. Liz is a shareholder at Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. She is a member of the firm’s commercial litigation practice and leads the firm’s recruiting committee. Liz’s practice emphasizes environmental and construction litigation. Liz also is the municipal prosecutor for the Villages of Whitefish Bay and Bayside. Liz is a current State Bar Governor for District 2. She also is Vice President of the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association, a member of the Milwaukee Bar Association, a member of Centro Legal’s event committee, and a former director of the Milwaukee Animal Rescue Center. Liz has been honored as an Up and Coming Lawyer by the Wisconsin Law Journal and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine. Liz grew up in Wasilla, Alaska. She lives in Milwaukee with her husband and son.
ANNA F.C. MUÑOZ
of Milwaukee. Anna works as the Senior Director, Legal Operations, Licensing and Risk at Brookdale Senior Living Inc., the largest senior living provider in the U.S. She began volunteering with the State Bar in 2010 as a member of the State Bar Leadership Development Committee Member (2010-present). Anna served as Committee Chair from 2013-2014; as the G. Lane Ware Leadership Development Academy Subcommittee Co-Chair from 2017-2018 & Chair in 2018-2019. In September of 2019, she was selected by the Board of Governors to fill a mid-term vacancy on the State Bar of Wisconsin Board of Governors that runs through June 30, 2020. She is a member of the Wisconsin Law Foundation Fellows Class of 2019 and the Centro Legal annual fundraiser event planning committee. Anna earned her B.A. from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2000 and her J.D. from Marquette University Law School in 2005. Anna lives in Shorewood with her husband. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, running, watching the Brewers, and spending time with her nieces and nephews.
KRISTA G. LAFAVE ROSOLINO
of Milwaukee. Tulane University, J.D., 2013, summa cum laude. University of Wisconsin, B.A. in French and Political Science, 2006, with honors. Associate Attorney at Warshafsky, Rotter, Tarnoff & Bloch, S.C. Member: Milwaukee County Bar Association; Association of Women Lawyers (Co-Chair of Litigation Discussion Group; Director of Programs); Wisconsin Association for Justice, and American Association for Justice.
Krista G. LaFave Rosolino Campaign Statement
I am running for re-election to my second term on the Board of Governors. There is a lot that the Bar does that many of us never recognize or understand, and there is a steep learning curve when joining the BOG. I have greatly enjoyed representing my constituents for the past two years, and I have learned and made connections that will help me continue to represent our district.
My background as a plaintiff’s attorney, former insurance defense attorney, and former law clerk, as well as one of the attorneys who had the fun experience of taking the bar exam, provides me with a unique view of civil practice and how the Bar can support and advance the needs of civil litigators. I want to assist the Bar with supporting young attorneys as they navigate the profession, develop skills, and plan for the future. The reality is that student loans will continue to impact the future of this profession, and the State Bar needs to continue to seek ways to support these attorneys. I am proud that the BOG and the Bar is not ignoring these issues, and continues to grapple with the changes in legal services and legal advice that is confronting us in the 21st century. The Bar needs to continue to be a leader in these changes, and I want to continue representing other attorneys as we address the changes that are inevitable.
It is also crucial that the Bar continue to ensure that our profession is meeting the legal needs of our citizens. Whether it be access to the courtroom, finding an attorney, or ability to pay for legal costs, the Bar can assist individuals in ensuring access to justice. If elected, I would continue to support the Bar’s activities to respond to the needs of our communities.
I would be honored to continue representing my fellow Milwaukee County attorneys on the Board of Governors.
NICHOLAS C. ZALES
of Milwaukee. Marquette University, J.D., 1989. Founder of the Zales Law Office. Admitted to practice in Wisconsin in 1989, the U.S.D.C. (E.D. Wis.) in 1989, and the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in December 1998. Professional Memberships and Publications: Board of Governors, District 2 (Milwaukee County): 1995-97, 2002-05, 2007-11, 2012-14 & 2015-2019. Chair of the State Bar Finance Committee (2009-10). Recipient: State Bar President's Award for excellence in service (2010). Member: Communications Committee (2011-17) BOG Strategic Planning Committee (2016-19). BOG Chair Nominating Committee (2009). BOG Liaison to the Communication Committee: (2003-04), (2012-13) & (2016-19). BOG Liaison to the Appellate Practice Section Board: (2002-04), (2013-14) & (2015-19). Section Memberships: Appellate Practice (2002-2020) Family Law (2011-15) & Solo Small Firm & General Practice (2018-2020). Author: Sixteen book reviews for the “Wisconsin Lawyer” magazine (1996-2019); Seventeen “In Chambers” interview articles on Wisconsin Court of Appeals judges and Supreme Court Justices for "De Novo," the newsletter of the Appellate Practice Section; Member: Wisconsin Judicial Council - President-elect James Brennan's designee (2010-2011); WisTAF Board of Directors (2010-16) & Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission Board Member (WisTAF designee) (2017-2023). Wisconsin Law Foundation Fellow: (2016-).
Nicholas C. Zales Campaign Statement
I would be honored to receive your vote to serve on the Board of Governors. I bring a great deal of experience and institutional memory to the Board. There is nothing like experience and the willingness to use it for you, our members. I have always been an active member of the Board for one reason. To make our bar association work for you and the public. The bar will be facing many challenges in the near future. I want to help ensure those challenges are met in a way that serves you. The bar should be a force for not only judicial justice but social justice as well.
I want you to feel proud to be a member of our bar association. Most of our members are solos or work in small firms. The bar should be working to help you be the best lawyer you can be. We can assist those in large firms as well but their needs are different. As a sole practitioner, I understand the problems solos and small firms face. It has always been my focus to provide you with the highest quality services while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The bar’s primary focus should be to assist its members, particularly our young lawyers, and bring us together by promoting professionalism. To that end, I have served on the Board of Governors and always been an active member. As chair of the finance committee, I presented a balanced budget that met the bar’s needs and provided you with excellent services such as CaseLaw Express, our Practice 411 program and many other benefits to improve your practice of law. While the services we now provide are excellent, there is always room for improvement. I have the experience to make that happen.
The law has changed quite a bit since I graduated from Marquette Law School. The bar needs to focus on meeting the new challenges lawyers face and continue to keep this an organization that is useful to you and one we can be proud of. My service on the Board of Governors, Judicial Council, WisTAF Board of directors and the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission, in addition to the many committees and sections I have served on, have provided me with a unique perspective to help us meet our goals of keeping the bar strong and providing relevant and useful products to you. I respectfully request your vote so that I may assist you in growing your practice and finding the practice of law fulfilling without being overwhelming. Young lawyers are our future, help me help them and all members of our bar achieve their professional and personal dreams and goals by providing you with the tools the bar is in a unique position to offer. We have an excellent bar. My focus always has been and always will be on serving you. This is your bar. Please help me make it better for you.
District 4
MARY LYNNE DONOHUE
of Sheboygan. Education: BA, MA and JD from University of Wisconsin-Madison; MA from UW-Milwaukee, May 2016. Retired attorney. Professional Service: Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation board of directors, Fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation. Previously served as Secretary and Treasurer of the State Bar, and on the Board of Governors, past service to the Bar on Professional Ethics committee, past chair of Leadership Development Committee and other State Bar committees, past member Wisconsin Judicial Council. Past president of Sheboygan Bar Association. Instructor in Administrative Law in Sofia, Bulgaria, Lublin, Poland and Vilnius, Lithuania law schools through Center for International Legal Studies. Community Service: currently alderperson and vice-president, City of Sheboygan Common Council, past president of City’s Police and Fire Commission, member City’s Civil Service Commission, past president Sheboygan Area School District Board of Education, service on boards of JM Kohler Art Center, Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts and Letters, Wisconsin Humanities Council, Sheboygan Symphony Orchestra, Family Connections, Sheboygan Head Start and numerous community organizations. Personal: Married to Judge Tim Van Akkeren and mother of two splendid boys. As a reason to vote for or against: plays the bagpipes.
Mary Lynne Donohue Campaign Statement
Greetings from Sheboygan. I am finishing my fourth year on the Board of Governors of the State Bar, having served two years as secretary, and one term as your governor. In that time, I have chaired the Board’s governance committee and have been elected to the executive committee. These have been great opportunities to serve constituents and to address issues that have real impact on lawyers’ ability to practice law. I send out a report to you all after Board meetings, hoping to keep you current on some of those issues, and I appreciate the input you give me. It’s important to me to be of service to the profession, but I certainly get as much as I give as your governor. I truly appreciate the company of lawyers and staff who are energetic, passionate, and full of ideas about the profession. I would appreciate your support for my second and final term as the governor from District 4 to the State Bar’s Board of Governors. Thank you.
District 6
JESSE B. BLOCHER
of Waukesha. Jesse is a shareholder at Habush Habush & Rottier S.C.®. He has served on the Board of Governors for the last two years, is the co-chair of the State Bar’s Bench Bar Committee, and is the President of the Waukesha County Bar Association. He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in civil courts throughout the state, including numerous jury trials and appeals. Education: J.D., Marquette University Law School, summa cum laude; BBA, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Practice: Habush Habush & Rottier S.C. ® (2010-present); Kasdorf, Lewis & Swietlik, S.C., (2006-2010). Certification: Board Certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Author: several publications including chapters in the Wisconsin Attorneys Desk Reference and articles in Wisconsin Lawyer titled Earn Your Stripes Parts 1 and 2: Getting to and Through Civil Trials as a Young Lawyer. Speaker: numerous CLE seminars given including those sponsored by State Bar. Honors: Super Lawyer/Rising Star (2011-19); Fellow of the American Bar Association; “Up and Coming Lawyer,” Wisconsin Law Journal (2013); AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating.
ANNMARIE M. SYLLA
of Waukesha. AnnMarie is an attorney at Schott, Bublitz & Engel, s.c. For the past 2 years, she has served on the Waukesha County Bar Association Board of Directors, as well as the Waukesha Bench/Bar Committee. She primarily handles divorce and other family court litigation throughout Southeast Wisconsin. She is married to her husband of five years (also a Waukesha County attorney) and outside of her practice, enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors with her golden retriever. Education: J.D., New England School of Law; B.A., Marquette University. Practice: Schott, Bublitz & Engel, s.c. (2017-present); Seymour, Kremer, Koch, LLP (2016-2017); Gende Law Office, s.c. (2014-2016). Languages: Proficient in Spanish; English. Professional Memberships: State Bar of Wisconsin, American Bar Association, Waukesha County Bar Association, Association for Women Lawyers. Honors: Rising Star (Super Lawyers) (2019).
District 8
JOEL D. SKINNER, JR.
of Hudson. Hamline University, J.D, 1984. Indiana University, A.B. 1981. Skinner and Associates practicing Patent, Copyright and Trademark Law. Admitted to practice in Wisconsin, FDCWD Wisconsin, CAFC, and USPTO. Current member of Board of Governors. Active member of St. Croix Valley Bar Association, Rotary, Hudson Community Foundation, and Habitat For Humanity.
District 9
JEFF A. GOLDMAN
of Madison. Jeff lives in Sun Prairie with his wife, who is a professional artist, and son who is a UW Madison student. He’s an avid cyclist and bicycle collector, and bike commutes to work from Sun Prairie to the Square roughly March – November. Jeff is the Chair of the Estate and Trust Practice Group at DeWitt LLP’s Madison office and his practice focuses on estate planning, probate, and trust and estate litigation, where he represents clients from all walks of life. He has taught estate and trust administration as an adjunct professor at the UW Law School, and is a past president of the Madison Estate Council. Jeff also acts as a board member of Breast Cancer Recovery, a Madison-based charitable organization that provides services and programs to help women with breast cancer heal emotionally. He currently serves on the Board of Governors and has been a member of the Business Plan Committee and Strategic Planning Committee. He is an active board member of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Section of the State Bar and chair of the Trust and Estate Procedure Committee. University of Wisconsin Law School, JD, 2002. Member of the bar in Wisconsin, New York, and Washington State (inactive).
Jeff A. Goldman Campaign Statement
I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve on the Board of Governors for another term. During my time on the Board of Governors, I have been an active participant representing District 9. I have actively participated in all Board meetings and responded to concerns of members within our District. I have been a member of the Business Plan Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, and acted as Liaison to the Board of the Real Property, Probate, and Trust Section. I would like to continue working on a number of issues facing the bar, including increased funding for courts, access to justice for residents of Wisconsin, increased rates for court-appointed attorneys, and ongoing efforts to focus and streamline the programs and services of the State Bar to maximize value for members while maintaining dues.
In my career I have practiced in three distinctly different settings: a small firm with 9 attorneys, a mid-size firm, and a firm with 150+ attorneys. In addition, prior to returning to Wisconsin in 2006, I practiced in two other states – New York and Washington State – each of which have bar associations that differ in a variety of ways from Wisconsin. This perspective has enabled me to provide insight to the Board of Governors and State Bar leadership.
I am asking for your vote to continue to represent the interests of District 9 and the State Bar membership as a whole. Thank you.
DAVID M. GORWITZ
of Madison. University of Wisconsin, J.D., cum laude, 2005. UW-Oshkosh, MBA, 1985. University of Wisconsin, BBA, 1982. Shareholder, Neider & Boucher, S.C., Madison. Member American Bar Association, State Bar of Wisconsin, Dane County Bar Association. Fellow Wisconsin Law Foundation. State Bar of Wisconsin Audit Committee 2017-2020, State Bar of Wisconsin Finance Committee 2015-2017. Instructor, State Bar of Wisconsin CLE Courses on Advanced Contract Drafting. Recipient State Bar of Wisconsin President’s Award, 2017. Board of Directors, Dean Foundation. Board of Directors and past Commodore, Mendota Yacht Club. Recipient Madison Police Department Citizen Recognition Award, 2012. Dave brings more than 35 years of practical business and management experience to his law practice. Prior to earning his law degree, he worked as a management consultant and started and owned several businesses. He now advises a wide range of clients in mergers and acquisitions, business transactions, strategic planning, entity formation, tax, and succession planning. Outside the office, you will often see Dave playing his trumpet in the UW Alumni Band and with local jazz bands. Dave comes from an entrepreneurial family; his dad, Sam, invented the original Pooper Scooper.
David M. Gorwitz Campaign Statement
Please vote for me in the upcoming State Bar of Wisconsin Board of Governors election. While I have not served previously on the Board, I have been a member of the State Bar’s finance and audit committees since 2015 and have a deep understanding of State Bar finances and financial policy. My background is in business. I earned my MBA in 1985 and have spent my entire career working in and with businesses to improve their efficiencies and bottom lines. Fostering and enhancing a professionally managed and economically sound State Bar is important for all of us. We all enjoy and rely on our access to the State Bar’s exceptionally high-quality continuing education and professional support services and need to ensure the continued enhancement of, and our continued access to, those programs. At the same time, we need to keep a responsible eye on expenses and efficiencies to ensure our dues deliver the greatest possible return. With your support, I look forward to lending my experience to further those goals. Dave Gorwitz, UW-Madison, 2005
MITCH
of Madison. Mitch is a Clinical Law Professor and Director of the Economic Justice Institute, home to the Law School's Consumer Law Clinic, Family Court Clinic, Immigrant Justice Clinic, Neighborhood Law Clinic, and VOCA Restraining Order Clinic. Mitch teaches and supervises clinic students as they provide quality legal representation to real clients, develop practical lawyering skills, and learn to think critically about both the role and limits of the law. Mitch's career has focused on increasing access to justice. After graduating from U.W. Law School in 2003, Mitch co-founded Community Justice Inc., a nonprofit law firm that provides direct legal services to low-income individuals. His practice has been primarily in the areas of housing law, employment law, government benefits, and guardian ad litem work. As a fulltime clinical faculty member, he focuses on creating a challenging learning environment for students who represent clients in all phases of litigation while researching improved methods to further deliver legal services to those in need. Mitch is the Law School's representative on the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission and former Chair of the State Bar’s Public Interest Law Section. Mitch lives in Madison with his wife Leah and their rescue dog Rico.
PATRICIA EPSTEIN PUTNEY
of Madison. Current Governor on the Board of Governors, District 9. Has served one term starting in 2018. BOG Liaison to the Litigation Section of the State Bar. Education: Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, BA in Art History, 1984. Brooklyn Law School, Brooklyn, New York, Juris Doctor, 1989. Employment: Bell, Moore & Richter, S.C., Madison, Wisconsin, Shareholder. Worked in New York City from 1989 to 1995. Member: State Bar of Wisconsin, Dane County Bar Association, Wisconsin Defense Counsel, Legal Association of Women. Litigation Section of State Bar Board, 2012-2018 (served as Treasurer, Secretary, Chair-Elect, Chair, and Past Chair). Regular grader for Bar Exams, Board of Bar Examiners. Prior recipient of a “Woman in the Law” award by the Wisconsin Law Journal. Voted by peers as a Super Lawyer from 2012-2019, including “Top 25” list for Madison and “Top 25” list for Wisconsin Women (2013-2015).
Patricia Epstein Putney Campaign Statement
I ask for your vote to continue to serve on the Board of Governors, representing District 9 (Dane County). I am just completing my first two-year term and feel like I am just getting started! I would love to continue serving in this capacity and catering to the interests of my district members.
In the past two years, the BOG has tackled many interesting and challenging issues including expanding access to justice, improving diversity among the Bar, focusing on our rural areas’ legal needs, as well as staying attuned to our members’ needs and attempting to be responsive to those needs. In this extremely divisive time, I have been impressed with the collaborative nature of the Board of Governors and the genuine care evinced for all the attorneys in our state and empathy for the practicalities and challenges attorneys face in practice. The BOG takes its responsibility to the State Bar very seriously and I have been proud to be a part of such a wonderful and genuinely caring group of attorneys from around the state.
I have been practicing law in Madison since the mid-1990’s, after practicing litigation in New York for six years. I am proud to be a Shareholder at Bell, Moore & Richter, S.C., one of Madison’s oldest law firms in the area of civil litigation. My practice is primarily in the area of defense of health care professionals and other insurance-related defense.
I first became involved with the State Bar of Wisconsin in 2012 when I became involved with the Litigation Section Board. I ultimately served as Chair of the Litigation Section, and I am now the BOG liaison to the Litigation Section, so I’ve been able to continue working with the Section. This continuity has been helpful to understanding the challenges and unique concerns facing our state’s litigation attorneys and also helped me to stay up-to-date on legislative and lobbying efforts in the area of civil litigation. The law does not stay stagnant; it changes all the time.
When my children were younger, I formed a group called “Lawyer Moms” in Madison. As a result of forming this group, I had the honor of being selected as a “Woman in the Law” recipient by the Wisconsin Law Journal in 2012. I am well-aware of the additional struggles which women lawyers with young children face, in terms of work-life balance and feeling pressured -on all fronts. I wish to support all women lawyers and help them succeed in whatever way is meaningful to them. Mentorship of younger attorneys – both male and female – has always been important to me. I have been able to do so in my capacity as the hiring partner for my firm’s law clerks.
I would be honored to get your vote. Thank you.
District 10
STARLYN ROSE TOURTILLOTT MILLER
of Keshena. Starlyn is Assistant Tribal Attorney for the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. She provides legal advice, representation, assistance and support to the Menominee Nation, its government, departments and enterprises, representing the Nation in all aspects of tribal government. She is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin.Education: University of Wisconsin-Madison J.D. (2008), University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.S. Education (2005) and certificate in American Indian Studies. Leadership Experience: Secretary of the State Bar of Wisconsin (2018-2020); Native American Building Bridges Liaison for State Bar of Wisconsin (2016-2018); State Bar of Wisconsin Policy Committee member (2016-present); Department of Interior Office of Special Trustee Advisory Board member (2015-present); Diversity Inclusion Oversight Committee member (2014-present); Chair – Diversity Inclusion Oversight Subcommittee Education and Communication (2014-2016); State Bar Diversity Task Force member (2013-2014); Secretary Indian Law Section (2013-2014); Leadership Development Summit member (2013); Shawano School District Title VI Indian Education Parent Advisory Committee (2017-present). Personal: Starlyn is an enrolled member of the Little Shell Chippewa Tribe of Montana and a direct descendant of Menominee and Stockbridge-Munsee. Starlyn and her husband, Beau, have three children, Miles Aupaumut (11), Meryl Blue (9), and Moss Campbell (1). They enjoy time together fishing, berry picking, morel mushroom hunting, rabbit hunting, and harvesting maple syrup.
District 12
JANE E. BUCHER
of Monroe. Jane is an Assistant State Public Defender in Monroe, Wisconsin. She has been with the agency since 2011. Jane represents clients in Green, Rock and Lafayette counties and handles a variety of cases including criminal and delinquency cases, 980s, CHIPS cases, TPRs, ch. 51 and 55 matters, and child support contempt actions. In addition, she is a founding member of the Green County Drug Court as well as the Green County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council. She is a member of the State Public Defender Affirmative Action Advisory Committee and the OLR District 12 Investigative Committee. She was elected to the Board of Governors in 2018 representing District 12. Jane graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2010. Prior to law school, Jane served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in rural Senegal. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from New College of Florida. Jane lives in Monroe with her husband Ruedi and their two sons. Jane's hobbies include learning foreign languages, traveling and performing stand-up comedy.
District 14
SHERRY D. COLEY
of Green Bay. Education: Marquette University Law School, J.D., Drake University, BA, majoring in political science and international relations, minoring in French. Professional Activities: Attorney at Davis| Kuelthau, s.c. Her practice focuses on complex business litigation, with a particular emphasis on contract disputes, business torts, financial services litigation, real estate foreclosures and work-outs. Sherry has represented financial institutions in state and federal court for a variety of commercial lending disputes. Sherry also represents clients in a variety of intellectual property litigation involving trademarks, copyrights, patents and trade secrets in state and federal courts throughout the country. Recognitions: Joyce Bytof Exceptional Mentor Award, Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce (2019), Wisconsin Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine- Business Litigation (2019), Women in the Law Award Recipient, Wisconsin Law Journal (2018); Super Lawyers Rising Star 2009-2015; Fellow, Wisconsin Law Foundation 2015; Fellow, American Bar Foundation 2016. Community Service: Phoenix Fund Board of Directors, 2013-present, Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors, 2019-present. Professional Service: Young Lawyer’s Division, Past-President, 2012-2013; State Bar, Board of Governors, YLD liaison, 2012-2013; State Bar, Board of Governors, Chairperson, 2013-2014; State Bar, Board of Governors, Secretary, 2014-2016; Wisconsin Judicial Council, 2016-2018; Board of Governors, District 14 Representative, 2018-present. Personal: Sherry has an 11-year-old, Ellery, and an 8-year-old, Greyson, who are big fans of biking, down-hill skiing and the Packers.
District 16
LAWRENCE J. WIESNESKE
of Rhinelander. University of Wisconsin, Madison (J.D., 1982). O’Melia, Schiek & McEldowney, S.C., Rhinelander. Member of: Oneida-Vilas-Forest County Bar Association (President 1999); State Bar Member Benefits Committee since 1999; Oneida-Vilas-Forest County Bench Bar Committee Chairperson since 1992; State Bar Member Relations Committee (former Chairperson); member and past President of Rhinelander Kiwanis Club.
