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- www.michaelbest.com
Founded in 1848, Michael Best has earned a reputation as a leading law firm in the Midwest. Approximately 230 attorneys serve clients at our offices in Milwaukee, Madison, Waukesha and Manitowoc, Wisconsin and Chicago. The firm provides a full range of legal services locally, regionally, nationally and globally. Our attorneys concentrate on legal matters regarding corporate, health care, intellectual property and intellectual property litigation, labor and employment, land and resources (environmental and real estate), litigation, tax and wealth planning.
Contributing authors from Michael Best & Friedrich LLP:
Member
Ken Albridge is a member of the Intellectual Property Litigation Group in the Madison office, where the primary focus of his practice is in the area of patent litigation. In addition to...
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Partner
Michael Altman is a partner in the Transactional Group. Mr. Altman’s practice focuses on all aspects of corporate law, with an emphasis on corporate and buyout transactions,...
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Member
Luis Arroyo is a member of the Labor and Employment Practice Group, the Education Focus Group and the Trade Secret Protection and Non-competition Team. Mr. Arroyo served as a Judicial...
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Jeffrey Barrett is an attorney in the Transactional Group in the Milwaukee office where he focuses on mergers and acquisitions and general corporate law matters.
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Partner
Steve Battenberg is a partner in the firm’s Waukesha office, practicing principally in business and tax law. Mr. Battenberg’s practice includes federal, state and local business...
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Member
Kate Bechen is a member of the firm’s Transactional Practice Group where she focuses on corporate finance, health law and general business matters. She regularly assists clients with...
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Partner
Scott Beightol, a partner in the Milwaukee office, represents businesses in all aspects of employment and labor relations, with special emphasis in litigation of discrimination, noncompete...
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Partner
Paul Benson is Chair of the firm's Product and Tort Liability Litigation Focus Group and the previous Chair of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. Mr. Benson is the leader of the...
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Partner
Angela Black is a partner in the Madison office and a member of the Land and Resources Practice Group. She represents individual, business and lender clients in all aspects of project...
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Partner
As a partner in the firm’s Land and Resources Practice Group, Linda Bochert helps her clients establish and maintain effective working relationships with state and federal...
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Partner
Jeffrey Brown is a partner in the firm’s intellectual property practice group who offers extensive experience counseling clients on a wide variety of business and intellectual...
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Attorney
Joe Brydges is an attorney in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group in the Madison office.
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Attorney
Melissa Burkland is an attorney in the Madison Office and is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. Ms. Burkland has worked on a wide variety of complex civil litigation matters in the...
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Partner
Matthew Carlson is a partner and a member of the firm’s Transactional Group and Land and Resources Practice Group. His primary practice is concentrated on commercial real estate,...
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Attorney
Alan Cheslock is an attorney in the Milwaukee office and a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group.
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Attorney
Paul Coble is an attorney in the Chicago office and a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group. Mr. Coble focuses his practice on intellectual property litigation, including...
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Partner
David Crass is chair of the firm's Agribusiness, Food Processing and Distribution Group, a leader in the firm's Renewable Energy practice and a member of the firm’s Management...
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Partner
De Bruin is a partner in our IP Litigation Practice Group who practices out of our Chicago and Milwaukee offices. His practice is devoted to patent litigation at both the trial and...
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Partner
Luke DeMarte is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Group who focuses his practice in trademark, copyright and entertainment law. He also has experience in general...
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Associate
Michelle Wagner is an attorney in the Land & Resources Practice Group in the firm's Milwaukee Office.
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Member
Sarah Ehrhardt is a member of the Wealth Planning Practice Group. Ms. Ehrhardt focuses on all aspects of estate and financial planning, including the preparation and implementation of...
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Associate
Gilberto Espinoza is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group, where he practices intellectual property law with an emphasis on patent litigation at both the trial and appellate...
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Associate
Ed Evans is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group. Mr. Evans’ practice focuses on the prosecution of U.S. and international patent applications involving...
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Partner
John D. Finerty, Jr. is an AV rated trial lawyer and a partner in the Litigation Practice Group. He has extensive experience in complex litigation that involves specifically labor...
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Member
Lynda Fitzpatrick is a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. Dr. Fitzpatrick’s practice is focused on patent drafting, prosecution and portfolio management...
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Partner
John Flanagan is a partner in Michael Best’s Litigation Group. His practice includes, product distribution, antitrust, regulated industries, intellectual property and insurance...
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Member
Sarah Flotte is a member of the Labor and Employment Relations Group in the Chicago office, focusing on employment counseling and litigation. Ms. Flotte’s practice includes defending...
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Partner
Kelly Fortier is a partner in the Employment Relations Practice Group. Her practice includes representation of management in all aspects of employment law, with primary focus on...
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Partner
Alec Fraser is the leader of the firm’s Banking and Financial Services Group. As a partner, He practices primarily in the areas of commercial lending, derivatives, corporate finance...
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Partner
Bob Gordon is a partner in the Tax Practice Group. His practice includes federal, state and local taxation, tax controversies, trial and appellate litigation, property taxation of...
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Member
Katherine L. Goyert is a member of the Employment Relations Group in the Chicago Office. During law school, Ms. Goyert received the CALI Awards of Excellence (denoting highest grade)...
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Member
Denise Greathouse is an attorney practicing in our Wisconsin offices. As a member of the Labor and Employment Relations Practice Group, Ms. Greathouse represents management exclusively in a...
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Partner
Kerryann Haase is Managing Partner of the Chicago office and a partner in the Labor and Employment Practice Group. Ms. Haase's practice primarily involves counseling and...
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Partner
Nancy Haggerty is a partner in the Land & Resources Practice Group. Her 30+ years of experience covers a broad range of real estate law, including assisting clients in purchases, sales...
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Partner
Dave Hanson is a partner, Chair of the firm’s Health Care Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Business Practice Group. Since joining Michael Best & Friedrich LLP in...
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Partner
Greg Hartwig is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group and leads the Life Sciences Industry Group. As a patent prosecutor, Mr. Hartwig makes it a priority to...
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Partner
Jordan Hemaidan is a partner practicing in the areas of energy, regulatory law, construction and telecommunications. Mr. Hemaidan has significant experience in regulatory litigation and...
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Partner
Eric Hobbs is a partner whose practice focuses on labor and employment, with an emphasis on employment counseling and policy development, occupational safety and health, worker’s...
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Member
Rhett Holland is a member of the Wealth Planning Practice Group in the Milwaukee office.
Mr. Holland previously worked as a Trust Associate for US Trust, Bank of America Private...
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Associate
Katrina Hull is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group. Her practice focuses on trademark and copyright law, including enforcement, international and domestic trademark...
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Partner
Chuck Jackson heads the Firm’s Financial Institutions Focus Group. During his 37 years of practice, Mr. Jackson has devoted a major portion of his work to the representation of...
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Attorney
Thomas Janczewski is an attorney in the Milwaukee office and a member of the Litigation Practice Group.
Mr. Janczewski’s practice is concentrated in federal contracting law. Mr...
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Partner
Bob Johannes is a partner in the firm's Business Practice Group. Mr. Johannes concentrates his practice on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financing and counseling...
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Member
Benjamin T. Johnson is a member of the Employment Relations Group in the Chicago Office.
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Member
Craig Johnson is a member of the Business and Health Care Practice Groups in the Madison office. Mr. Johnson worked as a patient advocate for the UW clinical program Center for Patient...
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Associate
Paul R. Jonas is a transactional attorney with Michael Best in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin office. He was admitted to the Wisconsin Bar in 2013. He obtained his J.D. degree from Marquette...
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Of Counsel
Paul Jones is Of Counsel to the Business Practice Group and Co-chair of the Venture BestTM team. Mr. Jones writes a blog found here: http://www.venturebest.com. His practice...
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Partner
Richard Kaiser is a partner in our Intellectual Property Practice Group, focusing on patent prosecution for the mechanical arts and having extensive experience with both utility and design...
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Partner
Brad Kalscheur is a partner in the Wealth Planning Services Practice Group. Mr. Kalscheur’s practice includes all areas of estate and business succession planning, as well as the...
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Member
Benjamin Kaplan is a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group in the Milwaukee office. Mr. Kaplan maintains an active commercial litigation practice, including commercial torts...
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Partner
Charles D. Katz is a Partner in the Chicago office primarily practicing in the area of public finance law. He is a member of our Banking and Finance Industry Group and the Transactional...
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Partner
Dan Kaufman is the Managing Partner of the Chicago office, Co-Chair of the Class Action/MDL Team and a member of the Labor and Employment Relations and Education Practice Groups, and the...
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Partner
Thomas Keating is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group and Life Sciences Industry Team in the Madison office. His practice focuses on the preparation and prosecution of...
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Associate
Laura Konkel is a member of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group in the Milwaukee office. Her practice focuses on all aspects of trademark law including managing domestic...
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Partner
Ray Krueger has been a part of environmental law for 30 years. He practices with the Land & Resources group, which consists of environmental, real estate, construction and land use, as...
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Member
Jason Kunschke is an attorney in the Milwaukee office and a member of the Labor and Employment Relations Practice Group. Mr. Kunschke advises clients on all facets of compliance with...
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Partner
Chuck Laff is a partner with over 40 years of experience. Mr. Laff has had extensive experience in all phases of intellectual property law. Much of Mr. Laff's work relates to...
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Partner
Michael Langer is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the Madison office. His practice focuses on all aspects of intellectual property law, including patent, trademark...
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Member
Paul Lucey is a member of the Litigation Practice Group. He concentrates his practice in business bankruptcy, insolvency and commercial law. Mr. Lucey has represented sellers and purchasers...
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Member
Alexis K. Lundgren is a member of the Litigation Practice Group in the Milwaukee Office.
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Member
Greg Lynch is the Chair of the firm’s Transactional Practice Group and a member of the Renewable Energy Industry Group. He also is the Co-Founder of the firm’s VentureBestSM...
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Associate
Brian Marstall is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the Milwaukee office.
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Partner
Porter J. Martin is a corporate partner in the Madison office of Michael Best and Friedrich, LLP. Mr. Martin is a founding member of Michael Best’s Renewable Energy team and...
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Partner
Lori Meddings is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. Ms. Meddings represents clients based in jurisdictions around the world, including Korea, Hong Kong,...
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Partner
Mr. Miller is Chair of Michael Best’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. His practice focuses on the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights of all types. Mr....
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Partner
Susan Minahan is a partner in the Wealth Planning Practice Group in the Milwaukee office. Ms. Minahan focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning, probate and trust administration...
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Attorney
Nathan is an attorney in the Madison office and a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. Nathan is also a member of the firm’s Distressed Real Estate Team and...
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Partner
Kevin Moran is a partner in the firm's Intellectual Property Practice Group. Mr. Moran's practice includes the acquisition and enforcement of United States and foreign patents, with...
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Partner
Geoff Morgan is a partner and Chair of the firm’s Business Practice Group. His practice is concentrated in the finance and general corporate areas and includes general corporate and...
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Partner
Lisa Mueller is a partner in Michael Best’s Intellectual Property Practice Group and a member of the Life Sciences Industry Group. Ms. Mueller writes a blog found at http://...
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Partner
Rob Mulcahy is a partner and Chair of the firm’s Community Outreach Committee. His practice covers both public and private sector management labor and employment law,...
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Attorney
Steven Nigh is an attorney in the Labor and Employment Practice Group in the Milwaukee office.
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Associate
Aaron Nodolf is an associate in the Intellectual Property Practice Group. Mr. Nodolf primarily focuses his practice on patent prosecution and related opinion matters, with...
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Associate
Dan O’Callaghan is a member of the Land & Resources Practice Group, focusing his practice in the areas of transactional real estate, real estate development, land use, and zoning...
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Managing Partner
Tom Obenberger has served as the firm’s Managing Partner, as a member of its Management Committee, and as Chair of its Labor and Employment Practice Group. Following graduation...
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Partner
José A. Olivieri is a partner in the Milwaukee office. He is Chair of the Labor and Employment Relations Practice Group and Co-Chair of the Government and Public Policy Group. He has...
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Partner
Joe Olson is a trial attorney and a partner in firm’s Litigation Practice Group. Mr. Olson practices primarily in the areas of constitutional law, class action defense, product...
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Member
Laura Opperman is a Patent Scientist in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the Madison office.
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Partner
Chuck Palmer is Office Managing partner in Michael Best’s Waukesha Office. He also is a member of the Employment Relations Practice Group and Co-Chair of the Construction Group. He...
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Member
Mr. Palmer's clients benefit from his unique experience as both a lawyer and technical consultant. During the last 19 years, Mr. Palmer has relied on his varied experience to assist...
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Attorney
Carlos Pastrana is an attorney in the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group in the Milwaukee office. He focuses his practice in the areas of labor and employment law, including...
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Partner
Hamang Patel is a partner in Michael Best's Madison office, practicing principally in tax and business law. Mr. Patel has extensive experience in federal, state and local tax issues...
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Partner
Brian Paul is an employment relations partner at Michael Best. His practice includes all aspects of labor and employment law in state and federal courts and before administrative...
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Member
Kirk Pelikan is a member of the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group in the Milwaukee Office. Mr. Pelikan represents and advises clients regarding employee benefits issues...
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Partner
Jeff Peterson is a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group. His practice focuses on all aspects of intellectual property law, including patent, trademark and copyright law with...
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Partner
Mitch Quick is a partner whose practice includes all aspects of management labor and employment law, with an emphasis on employment discrimination litigation, wrongful discharge, and wage...
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Partner
Farrah Rifelj is a partner and member of the firm’s Employment Relations practice group focusing on employment litigation. She has experience handling a variety of different...
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Director, Government Affairs
Laura Riske is the Director of Government Affairs for Michael Best & Friedrich. She has an impressive track record in delivering bottom line results in public and private business...
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Partner
Steve Ritt is a partner practicing in the firm’s Madison and Milwaukee offices, but also spends a significant amount of time in the Chicago office on client matters. He has a broad-...
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Associate
Andrea Roschke practices with the Land and Resources Practice Group. Her practice focuses on local government law, including zoning, tax assessment and condemnation proceedings....
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Associate
Kelly Rourke is a member of the Labor and Employment Relations Practice Group in the Milwaukee office. Her practice focuses on administrative law matters, namely employment-based...
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Partner
Eric Rumbaugh is a partner and represents management in all areas of labor and employment law. He represents management in employment matters in state and federal courts and in labor...
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Partner
Ed Sarskas is a Co-Chair of the firm’s Class Action/ MDL Team and a partner in the firm’s Litigation and Intellectual Property Litigation Practice Groups. Mr. Sarskas has...
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Partner
John Scheller is a partner in the firm’s Litigation and Intellectual Property Litigation Practice Groups and leader of the firm’s Technology Industry Group. In addition,...
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Staff Attorney
Lucinda J. Schettler is a staff attorney in the Labor and Employment Department of Michael Best. She received her J.D. at the University of Virginia School of Law in 2003, and prior to that...
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Associate
Michael Screnock is an associate in the Madison office and a member of the Land and Resources Practice Group. Drawing from a vast municipal government background, Mr. Screnock’s...
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Partner
Thomas W. Scrivner is a partner and was the head of the employment relations practice area from 1992-2001. His practice includes all aspects of labor law and employment litigation....
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Member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group
Eric Severson is a member of the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the Madison office.
Prior Work Experience
Prior to working at Michael Best, Mr. Severson served in the Navy as...
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Partner
Ann Smith practices in the areas of bankruptcy, commercial litigation (primarily related to lending, fraud and contract disputes), commercial transactions (including financings, asset sales...
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Chair, Intellectual Property Practice Group
Billie Jean Smith serves as Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group. As an Intellectual Property attorney she works closely with her clients to procure, manage and...
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Director of Labor Research
Marion Smith is the Director of Labor Research. Ms. Smith’s background includes extensive experience on a broad range of labor and employment issues. Ms. Smith is experienced in the...
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Partner
Marty Stern is a partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group in the Chicago office. He is a past member of the firm’s Management Committee and former Co-chair of...
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Partner
Derek Stettner is a partner focusing his practice on intellectual property and information technology matters and has over 15 years of experience in patent prosecution and technology...
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Partner
Charles Stevens is a partner with over 25 years of experience in Employee Benefits law. His practice involves employment relations and employee benefits matters, including ERISA, employee...
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Member
Michael Stiegel is a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. Prior to his election to the Management Committee, he co-chaired the group. He has a commercial trial...
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Partner
Ray Taffora is a partner practicing with the firm’s Transactional, Government and Litigation Practice Groups. Mr. Taffora concentrates in governmental, administrative, public...
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Partner
Steve Teplinsky is a partner in the firm’s Chicago office, and a former member of the Management Committee. His primary focus is the representation of management in all aspects...
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Associate
Melissa Turczyn is a member of the Business Law Practice Group and a member of the VentureBestSM Team. Ms. Turczyn is also a member of the firm’s Renewable Energy and Stimulus...
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Managing Partner
Mary Turke is the Managing Partner of the firm’s Madison office. She also helps clients avoid -- and resolve -- business problems. With over twelve years of experience, Ms. Turke...
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Partner
Dr. Teresa Welch is a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group and a member of the Life Sciences Industry Group. Her practice focuses on all aspects of intellectual...
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Associate
Anna Wildeman is a member of the Land and Resources Practice Group and the Agribusiness, Food Processing & Distribution Group in the Madison office. Her practice focuses on...
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Partner
John Wilson is a partner in the Land and Resources Practice Group and a leading member of the firm’s Renewable Energy Group. He is also the coordinator of the firm’s Energy and...
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Associate
Adam Witkov is a member of the Litigation Practice Group in the Milwaukee office. Mr. Witkov has an active general commercial litigation practice with experience in both state and federal...
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Associate
Leah Hurtgen Ziemba is an associate in the Madison office of Michael Best and a member of the Energy and Sustainability Industry Group and Agribusiness, Food Processing and Distribution...
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Our people devote themselves to serving clients--by anticipating needs and quickly responding to the unique challenges of their businesses. We've always done business this way. And we...
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Recent Contributions to the National Law Review
Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A.
Varnum LLP
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC
Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Bracewell & Giuliani LLP
Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Armstrong Teasdale
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla, P.C.
Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A.
Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

















































































































