Celebrating the practice of law

Listen to this article

March 23 was an evening to celebrate Wisconsin’s legal community and some of the leaders in that community as the Wisconsin Law Journal held its second annual Leaders in the Law awards dinner. The event honored 10 individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to the practice of law in the state. In all, 13 people were recognized.

As the Law Journal celebrated leaders from today, Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, the keynote speaker, took a moment to reflect on some of the state’s leaders from the past. Referring to a statement from former Justice John B. Winslow, she observed, “He who enters the profession of the law to do duty as a lawyer and a citizen undertakes no easy task.”

Winslow served 29 years on the Supreme Court, the last 13 as chief justice. Bradley noted that he viewed the practice of law as no place for the “idler” or “trifler.”

Leaders in the Law: Larry I. Hanson, Pamela M. Schmidt (seated l-r), Lance S. Grady, Arthur J. Harrington, John L. Clancy, Matthew J. Flynn, Daniel W. Hildebrand, Keith A. Findley, John A. Pray, Deborah M. Smith, Robert L. Jaskulski and Wisconsin Law Journal Publisher Ann Richmond (standing l-r). (Not pictured: C.M. "Chuck" Bye and Dean B. Richards)

The spotlight shone on representatives from a variety of practice and teaching areas. Honorees included:

C.M. "Chuck" Bye, of Bye, Goff & Rohde Ltd. in River Falls; Keith A. Findley and John A. Pray, from the U.W. Law School, Frank J. Remington Center; Matthew J. Flynn, of Quarles & Brady LLP in Milwaukee; Larry I. Hanson, of Larry I. Hanson Law Office in Middleton; Arthur J. Harrington and John L. Clancy, of Godfrey & Kahn s.c.; Daniel W. Hildebrand, of DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C. in Madison; Robert L. Jaskulski, of Domnitz, Mawicke & Goisman S.C. in Milwaukee; Dean B. Richards, of Weiss Berzowski Brady LLP in Milwaukee, along with Lance S. Grady, of The Schroeder Group S.C. in Waukesha; Pamela M. Schmidt, of Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C. in Mil-waukee; and Deborah M. Smith, from the Office of the State Public Defender.
Winners were selected from a group of nominees submitted by Wisconsin Law Journal readers.