Who’s Doing What: New hires at Madison, Milwaukee firms; Bar announces award-winners

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In advance of its 154th annual Meeting and Luncheon on June 12, the Milwaukee Bar Association announced the winners of its annual awards, which will be presented at the event:

– Lifetime Achievement Award: Judge William Jennaro (retired), of counsel at Gimbel, Reilly Guerin & Brown LLP, Milwaukee
– Lawyer of the Year: Julie Darnieder, director, Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic, Milwaukee
– Distinguished Service Award: Michael Gonring, partner, Quarles & Brady LLP, Milwaukee
– E. Michael McCann Distinguished Public Service Award: James Santelle, United States Attorney, Eastern District of Wisconsin.

The awards will be presented at the Italian Conference Center in Milwaukee.

• Mary Braza, of Foley & Lardner LLP, Milwaukee, was selected by The National Sports Law Institute of Marquette University Law School as the recipient of its 2012 Joseph E. O’Neill Award. The award recognizes an individual with a significant contribution to the sports industry while exemplifying the highest ethical standards, according to a news release.

• Richard Gallagher, of Foley & Lardner LLP, Milwaukee, was named Life Member of the American Law Institute, in recognition of his 25 years of involvement with the organization. Based in Philadelphia, ALI produces scholarly work to clarify, modernize and otherwise improve the law.

• Hal Harlowe, former three-term district attorney in Dane County and managing shareholder of Hal Harlowe & Associates SC, Madison, joined the law firm of Murphy Desmond SC, Madison.

Harlowe’s trial experience includes representing defendants in juvenile and criminal defense cases, defending licensed professionals in disciplinary matters, and litigating civil and criminal cases in state and federal courts.

He earned his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1970.

• Jeremy Levinson joined Halling & Cayo SC, Milwaukee, where he will focus on litigation crisis management and professional licensing defense. He earned his law degree in 1997 from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

• Frederick Nepple joined Michael Best & Friedrich LLP’s Madison office. Nepple will be of counsel in the firm’s Transactional Practice Group specializing in insurance and regulatory law. He earned his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1974.

• Laura Skilton Verhoff, of Stafford Rosenbaum LLP, Madison, was elected to the State Bar of Wisconsin Board of Governors. She will be on the board for two years beginning July 1. Skilton Verhoff is a partner at Stafford Rosenbaum and her practice includes both litigation and estate planning and probate.

• Elisabeth Shea, of Stafford Rosenbaum LLP, Madison, was elected to serve as president-elect of the Dane County Bar Association. Shea will be the sixth attorney from Stafford Rosenbaum to serve as DCBA President.

She will serve as president-elect from June to May 2013 and will serve as president from June 2013 to May 2014. Shea focuses her practice on general municipal law and business matters.