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October 01, 2012

In the News

New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Andrew J. Bezouska, Marquette 2004, has joined Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet LLC, Milwaukee, focusing on employee benefits.

Melita Mullen Schuessler, U.W. 2012, and Douglas C. Scriver, U.W. 2012, have joined Corneille Law Group LLC, focusing on personal injury and medical negligence defense. Schuessler is with the Madison office, and Scriver is with the Green Bay office.

Shannon A. Buttchen, U.W. 2012 cum laude, and Danielle E. Wampole, U.W. 2012 summa cum laude, have joined the Madison office of DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C., both in the litigation practice group.

Stephane P. Fabus, Marquette 2012 magna cum laude, and Matthew M. Hall, Marquette 2012, have joined the Milwaukee office of Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman as associates practicing health-care issues. Fabus focuses on transactions and regulatory and compliance matters. Hall focuses on litigation, risk management, and regulatory compliance.

Hal Harlowe, U.W. 1970, has joined Murphy Desmond S.C., Madison. Harlowe previously was a shareholder with Harlowe Law S.C.

Ryan Heinemann, U.W. 2004, has joined Northwestern Mutual, Milwaukee, as assistant general counsel on the securities investments practice team. He previously was with Davis & Gilbert LLP, New York City.

Anna L. Loess, DePaul 1999, and Heather A. Wilson, U.W. 2006, have become partners at Hill, Glowacki, Jaeger & Hughes LLP, Madison. Angela M. Paulsrud, U.W. 1999, has become of counsel. Loess focuses on family law, general litigation, and estate planning. Wilson focuses on elder law, special-needs planning, estate planning, estate and trust administration, and guardianships. Paulsrud focuses on estate planning, estate and trust administration, and real estate.

Dieter J. Juedes, Marquette 2012 cum laude, has joined the Milwaukee office of Borgelt, Powell, Peterson & Frauen S.C.

Michael Kowalkowski, U.W. 2011, has joined the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Legal Services as staff attorney for the law enforcement and parks program.

Steve Krueger, Marquette 2007, has joined Liebmann, Conway, Olejniczak & Jerry S.C., Green Bay, focusing on real estate, bankruptcy, general business matters, and mergers and acquisitions for businesses, including financial institutions.

Brian F. Laule, Minnesota 2006, has become a shareholder and partner at Bye, Goff & Rohde Ltd., River Falls, focusing on personal injury law.

Laura E. McFarlane, U.W. 2012, has joined Bell, Moore & Richter S.C., Madison, as an associate practicing in medical malpractice and general liability defense, civil rights and municipal litigation, insurance coverage and bad-faith litigation, intellectual property, and family law.

Fred Morris, Drake 1986 , has joined Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci S.C., Eau Claire, with the litigation section focusing on insurance coverage and defense, personal injury, and medical malpractice.

The Hon. Nelson W. Phillips III, U.W. 1998, has joined the Milwaukee office of Davis & Kuelthau S.C. with the litigation group. He previously was a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge.

David Z. Rice, U.W. 2004, has been named managing director of the trust department for the private client reserve at U.S. Bank, Portland, Ore.

Robert W. Sanders, U.W. 2011 with pro bono distinction, has joined Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C., Milwaukee, with the human resources practice group and focuses on worker's compensation issues.

Elyse Mollner Stackhouse, U.W. 1990, has been promoted to associate general counsel for Integrys Business Support LLC, Green Bay, practicing in litigation, contracts, employment, and environmental law.

Jonathan Stone, Marquette 2012, has joined Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee, as an associate with the intellectual property group.

Madeleine Thompson-Davies, Marquette 2012, has joined Nelson & Davis LLC, Wauwatosa, as an associate focusing on family law.

David J. Trautschold, U.W. 2012, has joined the Milwaukee office of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP as an associate, focusing on intellectual property matters.

Phillip R. Bower, Georgetown 2004, and Eric E. Lenzen, Washington Univ. 2005, have been elected shareholders at Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C. Bower is a member of the real estate practice group in Madison, counseling clients on environmental compliance and risk management associated with business operations and transactions. Lenzen is a member of the corporate transactions and lender services teams in Milwaukee and is co-leader of the international transactions team.

Mark Wilkinson, Tulsa 1998, has joined Tempur-Pedic Management Inc., Lexington, Ky., as corporate counsel for intellectual property.

Cletus R. Willems III, Georgetown 2008, has been promoted to legal advisor to the U.S. Mission to the World Trade Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. He previously was with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Washington, D.C.

Mergers, Relocations, New Offices

Joseph Cohen, UCLA 2010, has opened Joseph Cohen /Attorney at Law, 250 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee.

Hill, Glowacki, Jaeger, & Hughes LLP has moved to 2010 Eastwood Dr., Ste. 201, Madison.

Hupy and Abraham S.C. has opened a new office at 505 S. 24th Ave., Ste. 102, Wausau.

Anton B. Nickolai, John Marshall 2008, and Mary L. Poletti, Washington & Lee 1987, have opened Nickolai & Poletti LLC, 308 Milwaukee Ave., Burlington. Nickolai practices in bankruptcy, creditor's rights, and estate planning. Poletti practices in family law, employment, and landlord/tenant law.

Russ Stowers, U.W. 1989, has opened Russell B. Stowers PLLC, La Paloma Corporate Center, 3573 E. Sunrise Dr., Ste. 215, Tucson, Ariz., focusing on professional liability and commercial litigation.

Ryan P. Thompson, Hamline 2006, has opened Thompson Law LLC, 100 W. Lawrence St., Appleton, focusing on labor and employment law, business law, trademark registrations, and business litigation. He was previously with Silton Seifert Carlson S.C.

Appointments, Elections

Drew Cochrane, U.W. 1999, has been elected to the board of Stafford Rosenbaum LLP, Madison. He is a partner focusing on labor and employment law and general business and commercial litigation.

Mary Lynne Donohue, U.W. 1979, has been elected to the Sheboygan Common Council. She is of counsel with Hopp Neumann Humke LLP, Sheboygan.

Michael W. Drumke, U.W. 1991, has been elected vice chair of the ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section. He is a partner with Swanson, Martin & Bell LLP, Chicago, and focuses on toxic tort litigation, product liability, class action defense, and commercial litigation and business disputes.

The Hon. William D. Dyke, U.W. 1960, Iowa County Circuit Court, has been elected “chief of the chiefs,” chair of the 10 chief judges, each of whom oversees a Wisconsin judicial administrative district. Dyke is chief judge of the Seventh Judicial District.

Among new leaders of Foley & Lardner LLP's industry teams are the following Milwaukee-based partners: Kevin D. Makowski, Pennsylvania 1995, is cochair of the international practice. Russell E. Ryba, Duke 1989, is cochair of the senior living industry team. Bryan S. Schultz, Cincinnati 1999, is cochair of the food industry team.

Gregg Formella, U.W. 1990, has been appointed to the ABA's Legal Opportunity Scholarship Committee. He is a senior attorney with American Airlines Inc., Fort Worth, Texas.

William H. Franks, U.W. 2003 cum laude, has been elected president of the board of the Humane Society of West Michigan. He is a banking attorney with Plunkett Cooney, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., focusing on creditors' rights, banking, bankruptcy, workouts, collections, and related issues.

Meg Gaines, U.W. 1983, has been appointed associate dean of academic affairs and experiential learning at the U.W. Law School. She is director of the U.W. Center for Patient Partnerships, Madison.

Angela McKenzie, U.W. 1999, has been appointed a Milwaukee municipal court commissioner. She is with Borgelt, Powell, Peterson & Frauen S.C., Milwaukee, practicing worker's compensation, employment, and civil litigation.

Thomas A. Myers, Creighton 1978, has been named chair of the Cardinal Stritch University board of trustees. He is a shareholder at Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Milwaukee, and focuses on business law, including mergers and acquisitions.

Don Millis Don M. Millis, U.W. 1990, has been named managing shareholder of the Madison office of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. He is with the firm's tax practice and is cochair of the government relations group. John H. Zawadsky, U.W. 1980, has been appointed Madison office representative on the firm's board. He is with the labor and employment practice and leads the construction industry group.

John S. Skilton, U.W. 1969, managing partner of the Madison office of Perkins Coie LLP, has been elected by the ABA House of Delegates to the ABA Board of Governors.

John Yackel, Marquette 2000, has been appointed to the Lincoln County Circuit Court by Gov. Scott Walker. Yackel previously had a private practice in Wausau.

Awards, Degrees, Honors

Linda Benfield, Chicago 1985, has been elected to fellowship in the American College of Environmental Lawyers. She is managing partner of the Milwaukee office of Foley & Lardner LLP.

Tom Kyle, Hamline 1996, completed the Advanced Studies in Trial Advocacy curriculum from the National College of Advocacy. He is with Pitman, Kyle, Sicula & Dentice S.C., Milwaukee.

John M. Murphy, Chicago 2001, has been accepted as an American College of Mortgage Attorneys Fellow. He is with Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., Milwaukee, practicing in transactional acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, real estate finance, and sale/leasebacks.

Mark F. Nielson, Harvard 1979, was named 2012 Distinguished Alumni by U.W. – Parkside. He is a shareholder at Schwartz, Tofte & Nielsen Ltd., Racine, practicing trial law.

Valerie P. Vidal, U.W. 2007, has received a 2012 Philanthropic Five Award from the United Way of Greater Milwaukee. She is an associate with the Milwaukee office of Quarles & Brady LLP and is a member of the commercial litigation group.

Authors/Speakers

Michael J. Gratz, U.W. 1994, founding shareholder of Boyle Fredrickson, Milwaukee, presented on patent basics at the Inventors' Showcase for Camp Invention, New Berlin. The showcase is a nationwide program of the National Inventors' Hall of Fame and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Melissa L. Greipp, Marquette 1999, reviewed and contributed to the recently revised Wisconsin Guide to Citation (State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE, 7th ed. 2012). She is an assistant professor of legal writing at Marquette University Law School.

The Hon. Charles B. Schudson, U.W. 1974, a Wisconsin reserve judge emeritus, taught a one-week course for Lawrence University's Bjorklunden Seminars, “In Chambers: Behind the Bench of America's Justice System – Classic Issues/Current Conflicts.”

Retirements

James A. Jaeger, Georgetown 1975, has retired as a partner with Hill, Glowacki, Jaeger, & Hughes LLP, Madison, after 37 years.

Hugh H. Gwin, North Dakota 1973, has retired from Eckberg, Lammers, Briggs, Wolff & Vierling PLLP, Hudson, after 39 years. He will continue to serve the Hudson community as a mediator in the recently initiated St. Croix County foreclosure litigation mediation program.