Craig A. Mastantuono

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Milwaukee attorney Craig Mastantuono would like to never defend another child facing allegations of delinquent or criminal behavior. To that end, he’s established two child-oriented endeavors.

The first is an annual fundraiser, appropriately entitled L4B&G — Lawyers for Boys and Girls because it’s for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. He and his staff solicit sponsorship from area lawyers for the event, where attendees socialize and, most importantly, write checks before they leave. They’ve raised a total of more than $40,000 in prior years. This year, they hope to top $10,000.

The second project is Lawyer Life Coaching Project, where volunteer attorneys and other professionals are paired with children served by the Boys & Girls Clubs, for advice-giving and mentoring related to furthering education goals. In just two years, about two dozen children have received their guidance.

Both projects benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs — “The agency best suited to combat the problems that lead to juvenile crime in the first place,” says Mastantuono.

“There are a lot of valuable causes out there. But as a criminal defense attorney who regularly defends children and teens accused of crimes, I really do feel strongly that lawyers should get behind this, so we have fewer kid clients.”

Until that day comes, Mastantuono has emerged as a leader among the state’s criminal defense private bar lawyers — due in part to his high-profile representation of a 10-year-old facing homicide charges in 2002. Wisconsin had recently lowered the age for delinquency prosecutions to 10, and there was talk of charging him as an adult.

Mastantuono argued the boy lacked the ability to understand the court process. Following lengthy, contested testimony, a Milwaukee judge agreed, converting the case into a CHIPS action.

More recently, Mastantuono has caught the media’s attention with his representation of a pizza deliveryman who works in high-crime neighborhoods in Milwaukee, and has carried a gun for protection. In 2006 and 2007, he shot would-be robbers. Charges were not filed after the first shooting, but after the second incident, he faced a criminal charge for carrying a concealed weapon.

Mastantuono argued there’s a conflict in the law. A Wisconsin constitutional amendment allows people to bear arms for certain purposes, such as self-defense, but a Wisconsin statute makes it illegal to carry a concealed weapon. A Milwaukee judge agreed, and dismissed the charge.