Wisconsin Lawyer
Vol. 84, No. 11, November 2011

New Hires, Promotions, Partners

Nicholas O. Anderson, Washington 2004 with honors, has joined the Milwaukee office of Quarles & Brady LLP as an associate in the labor and employment group. He previously was a Milwaukee County assistant district attorney.

Ben Crouse, Marquette 2009, has joined Grzeca Law Group S.C., Milwaukee, and will focus on the family/deportation practice group. He previously was with the U.S. Department of Justice, Executive Office of Immigration Review, Chicago.

Kyle R. Davis, U.W. 2007 cum laude, has joined Rice, Heitman & Davis S.C., Sparta, and focuses on criminal defense and civil litigation. He previously practiced with and managed the State Public Defender’s office in Sparta.

Patrick M. Bergin, Marquette 2001, and Geoffrey S. Trotier, Minnesota 2003, have been promoted to shareholder in the Milwaukee office of Davis & Kuelthau s.c. Bergin focuses on intellectual property law. Trotier focuses on labor and employment issues.

Peter E. Hansen, Marquette 2011, has joined the Oconomowoc office of Wessels Sherman as an associate and focuses on employee benefits and worker’s compensation defense.

Andrew Jaynes, U.W. 2007, has been promoted to executive director and general counsel at the International Intellectual Property Institute, Washington, D.C.

Joshua M. Koch, U.W. 2009, has become an associate with Stellpflug Law S.C., De Pere, and practices in areas including estate planning, agricultural law, real estate development, employment law, worker’s compensation, family law, and litigation.

Kristen Lonergan, U.W. 2010, has joined Bremer & Trollop Law Offices S.C., Wausau, and focuses on personal injury cases, with an emphasis in civil trial practice. She previously was with Gingras, Cates & Luebke, Madison.

Erick J. McFarland, Hamline 2011 cum laude, has joined the John Jokela Law Office, Wausau, and focuses on worker’s compensation and Social Security disability law.

Timothy S. Mentkowski, Washington & Lee 2010, has joined Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, Hartford, as an associate and focuses on national subrogation, ERISA, and civil litigation matters.

Dan Meylink, U.W. 2004, has been named a partner at LeBell, Dobroski, Morgan & Meylink LLP, Milwaukee, and continues to focus on criminal defense and worker’s compensation.

The Hon. Daniel R. Moeser, U.W. 1971, has joined Midwest Mediation LLC, Madison, and focuses on general and family mediation and arbitration. He formerly was a Dane County Circuit Court judge.

Rich Poirier, Marquette 1986, has been named chief operating officer at Church Mutual Insurance Co., Merrill. He previously was vice president – claims.

David G. Ress, Marquette 2011 cum laude, has joined Pleas Williams LLC, Milwaukee, as an associate and focuses on insurance defense litigation and personal injury matters.

Jessica J. Shrestha, U.W. 2009 cum laude, has joined Wheeler, Van Sickle & Anderson S.C., Madison, and
focuses on property law and civil litigation.

Four attorneys have joined the Milwaukee office of Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. as associates. James M. Burrows, Marquette 2011 magna cum laude, and Alexander B. Handelsman, U.W. 2011 magna cum laude, are with the litigation practice. John K. Tokarz, U.W. 2011 summa cum laude, is with the business law practice group. Peter J. Wyant, U.W. 2011 magna cum laude, is with the trusts and estates practice area.

Paul Millis, U.W. 1996 cum laude, and Mark Skolos, U.W. 1985, have joined Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci S.C. and will work from the Black River Falls office they operated before merging with Weld, Riley. Millis focuses on business, estate planning and probate, insurance defense, and insurance law. Skolos focuses on estate planning, probate, real estate, taxation, and municipal law.

Mergers, Relocations, New Offices

Schulz Legal Services LLC, operated by Richard H. Schulz, U.W. 1965, has relocated to 735 N. Water St., Suite 735, Milwaukee.

Troupis Law Office LLC has moved its Madison-area office to 8500 Greenway Boulevard, Suite 200, Middleton.

Appointments, Elections

Paul E. Bucher, Marquette 1981, has been appointed a supplemental court commissioner for the Hon. Lloyd V. Carter, Waukesha County Circuit Court. Bucher is owner and president of Bucher Law Group LLC, Delafield.

James Casey, Dayton 1988, has been elected to the board of the National Council of University Research Administrators. He is executive director of the office of grants, contracts, and industrial agreements at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Adam Jarchow, Florida 2004, has been elected to the board of the Polk County Economic Development Corp. He is with the Baldwin office of Bakke Norman and practices in areas including business, real estate, and contracts.

Kristin A. Occhetti, Marquette 2007 cum laude, has been appointed to the trust committee of ARC of Greater Milwaukee. She is a member of the trusts and estates group in the Milwaukee office of Quarles & Brady LLP.

Jennifer M. Olk, U.W. 2000, has been appointed chair of the Milwaukee Bar Association’s Estate and Trust Section. She is with the Milwaukee office of Godfrey & Kahn S.C. and focuses on estate planning and administration.

Natalie R. Remington, Marquette 2003, has been elected president of the Association for Women Lawyers. She is a member of the commercial litigation group in the Milwaukee office of Quarles & Brady LLP.

Authors, Speakers

Charles P. Fischbach, U.W. 1967, has authored “Overturning U.S. Supreme Court Decisions Through the Legislative Process,” which appeared in the fall 2011 issue of The Chronicle, published by the National Academy of Arbitrators. He arbitrates labor and employment disputes and is on the board of the City of Chicago Commission on Human Relations.

Elizabeth T. Russell, Pace 1986, authored “U.S. Trademark Practice: A Guide for Australian Attorneys,” Australian Intellectual Property Bulletin (Sept. 2011). She is a solo practitioner in Madison.

Awards, Degrees, Honors

The Association for Women Lawyers Foundation presented awards to four Milwaukee attorneys at a ceremony in September. Ann Devine, Marquette 2000, Pi Sigma Epsilon Inc., received the Mentoring Award. The Hon. Mary Kuhnmuench, New England 1983, Milwaukee County Circuit Court, received the Pro Bono Award. Patricia Risser, U.W. 1985, Legal Action of Wisconsin, received the Community Involvement Award. The Founders Award, presented this year for only the second time since 1992, went to Mary Wolverton, Marquette 1978, Peterson, Johnson & Murray S.C., in acknowledgment of her contributions to the advancement of women in law and her dedication to the highest levels of professional ethics and excellence.

Lynn Bodi, U.W. 1987, received a 2011 Angel in Adoption award, in recognition of her commitment to improving the lives of children in need of permanent, loving homes. She is with the Law Center for Children & Families, Madison, and focuses on adoption, foster care, custody, and other family law matters.

Annie Jay, U.W. 2008, is the 2011 recipient of the Lee and Lynn Copen award from Women’s and Children’s Horizons, which provides victims of sexual and domestic violence and abuse with support, education, training, and healing. She is a Kenosha County prosecutor.

Timothy Knurr, Marquette 1985, has been selected as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. Fellows are selected based on excellence and accomplishment in litigation and superior ethical reputation. He is with Schoone, Leuck, Kelley, Pitts & Knurr S.C., Racine.

Pro Bono, Public Service

Four attorneys with Michael Best & Friedrich LLP participated in the Frito-Lay Beloit facility river-cleanup event in September. They paddled canoes down the Rock River and combed the riverbanks for litter.

In Memoriam

Judith R. Dickinson, North Dakota 1992, Menomonee Falls, Sept. 28, 1939 – Aug. 8, 2011.

Dwight H. Ellis III, Harvard 1972, Milwaukee, Aug. 4, 1947 – Sept. 24, 2011.

Nathan A. Fishbach, Villanova 1977, Milwaukee, Nov. 3, 1952 – Sept. 17, 2011.

Dennis R. Johnson, Minnesota 1975, Minneapolis, Aug. 1, 1946 – Sept. 4, 2011.

Robert C. Wertsch, U.W. 1970, Oshkosh, Sept. 2, 1945 – Sept. 3, 2011.

Wisconsin Lawyer