Who’s Doing What: Attorneys on the rise; Michael Best names partners

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ON THE RISE

Joel Aziere of Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet LLC, Waukesha, was appointed president of the firm. Aziere has more than 16 years of experience representing both private and public sector clients. He will oversee the firm’s growth, business development, human resources, information and technology, and marketing. He earned his law degree in 1997 from the Creighton University School of Law.

• Foley & Lardner LLP launched Legal Innovation HubSM for NextGen Manufacturers, a firm-wide network of departments, industry teams and practice groups to help manufacturing clients. The firm intends to use think tanks, social media platforms, blogs and roundtable discussions through which clients can access legal and business insights relevant to their industry.

• Lecia Johnson, a shareholder in the tax & employee benefits practice group at Godfrey & Kahn SC, Milwaukee, was named chairwoman of its Women’s Leadership Forum.

Formed in 2010, the WLF is a way for female lawyers in the firm to learn, share and collectively effectuate positive change for the benefit of all lawyers, regardless of gender. Johnson earned her law degree in 2000 from the University of Iowa College of Law.

• Kevin Lyons of Davis & Kuelthau SC, Milwaukee, was elected to serve a two-year term as treasurer on the board of directors of the State Bar of Wisconsin.

As treasurer, Lyons will manage the daily operations of the association which will include strategic planning and involvement with directing the State Bar’s affairs. He also will work with the president, president-elect and the Executive Committee, which he will assist with the preparation of the annual budget.

Lyons is a shareholder on the litigation team at Davis & Kuelthau. He earned his law degree in 1970 from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

• Michael Best & Friedrich LLP announced the following associates have been elected to partnership:

Sarah Ehrhardt is a partner in the wealth planning practice group’s Milwaukee office. Ehrhardt focuses on all aspects of estate and business succession planning, including the preparation and implementation of all estate planning documents, special needs trusts, marital property planning, charitable planning, structuring of partnerships and limited liability companies, and probate and trust administration. She earned her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2005.

Melanie Reichenberger is a partner in the Milwaukee office’s intellectual property practice group, where she primarily focuses on patent litigation. She also has experience with litigation related to trademarks, trade dress, unfair competition, false advertising, and trade secrets. She earned her law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2006.

Daniel O’Callaghan is a partner in the Madison office’s land & resources practice group, focusing his practice in the areas of transactional real estate, real estate development, land use, and zoning law. He earned his law degree in 2005 from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

• Elizabeth Perkins, a partner at Quarles & Brady LLP’s Milwaukee office, was re-elected to serve a second 3-year term as a member of the Seventh Circuit Bar Association’s board of governors.

Perkins practices in the area of commercial litigation with a focus on securities litigation. Her experience includes successful representation of issuers, officers and directors in state and federal class actions and derivative actions alleging securities fraud and breach of fiduciary duties, and advising special committees of outside directors in conducting internal investigations. She earned her law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.

AWARDS & HONORS

Robert Habush of Habush Habush & Rottier SC, Milwaukee, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Milwaukee Bar Association. The award is presented to the lawyer whose career achievements in both the practice of law and community service demonstrate a consistent level of excellence. Habush received the award at the MBA’s annual meeting and luncheon June 11 at the Italian Conference Center.

• Anita Seering of Ruder Ware LLSC, Wausau, received the Paralegal of the Year award from the Paralegal Association of Wisconsin.

A senior paralegal with Ruder Ware, Seering has been a business law paralegal for more than 30 years. She focuses on transactional corporate law matters involving mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and private equity financing.