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Complex cases keep Schellinger on the move

Complex cases keep Schellinger on the move

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schellingerIt’s never a dull day for Susan Schellinger, who specializes in construction law and also handles insurance and general litigation cases as a shareholder with Davis & Kuelthau SC.

“Every day is different and there’s always something going on,” she said. “We usually have several complex cases going on at the same time.”

Construction and insurance cases often go hand-in-hand, Schellinger said. If a construction-related problem comes up with a project, there may often be property damage; that’s where insurance comes in.

She was part of the team representing the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District in the litigation cases that came out of the collapse of the Big Blue crane during the construction of Miller Park. She defended the stadium owner in a $100 million lawsuit brought by the roof builder and obtained a settlement that resulted in the payment of more than $30 million to the owner.

“That was a very involved case,” Schellinger said. “We always have several cases going at the same time, fortunately they’re not all hot and heavy at the same time.”

While there may not be many women in construction law, Schellinger said that didn’t deter her.

“To be honest, it’s not something I have ever noticed,” she said. “To me, construction law is just another kind of specialized litigation. It can get complex, especially once you start talking about design and engineering specifications, but just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I can’t get it.”

Asking the right questions and listening carefully when talking with engineers, architects and other building professionals is essential to being successful when practicing construction law, Schellinger said.

William Mulligan, another shareholder at Davis & Kuelthau, said Schellinger serves as a role model to the firm’s younger female attorneys.

“She provides excellent mentoring and has been recognized by her peers as a leader and an excellent attorney,” he said.

Schellinger said she enjoys working with younger attorneys. While many cases go to trial, there are plenty that settle, which means younger attorneys often don’t get in-court experience. She said that’s where mentoring comes in.

“I try to work with the younger attorneys so they can gain experience on different cases. I was mentored myself and want to pass on what I gained,” said Schellinger, who chaired Davis & Kuelthau’s litigation practice from 2005 to 2008.

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