New graduates ready to carry on family names

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During the first of four ceremonies swearing-in 146 new graduates from the University of Wisconsin Law School, Justice David T. Prosser took a moment to make special mention of two new attorneys who had clerked in his office.

Prosser joked about the rigors of researching cases and discussing oral arguments.

“I’m sure other graduates in this class clerked for other justices, but you didn’t have to put up with me,” he said.

But Brandon Flugaur and Daniel J. Blinka don’t boast obscure names in the Wisconsin legal world. Thomas T. Flugaur has been a circuit court judge in Portage County since 1994 and Daniel D. Blinka has been a member of the Marquette faculty since 1985.

Both proud fathers moved for the admission of their sons on June 9.

The new attorneys will start their careers as civil litigators at prominent law firms — Flugaur is set to join Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP in Madison and Blinka will head to the Milwaukee office of Godfrey & Kahn S.C. in September. He is cutting his teeth doing pro bono work for the Racine County District Attorney’s Office until then.

Professor Blinka has another son, David, scheduled to start law school in Madison this fall.

He noted that both boys chose the University of Wisconsin instead of Marquette.

“I think I can speak on behalf of both sons, in that they saw it as way too complicated going to a law school where your dad is on the faculty,” said Blinka.