Hansen works to keep divorce negotiations civil

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Divorces have a history of being contentious and complicated, but attorney Susan A. Hansen works to avoid that with her clients.

The Milwaukee attorney is a strong advocate of collaborative divorce, mediation and arbitration as ways to help separating spouses move on and also keep children’s best interested in mind.

Hansen is past president of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and served as a member of the Guardian ad Litem Legislative Council Committee.

In practice for 30 years, the partner at Hansen & Hildebrand is known for her passionate dedication to her profession, having served on multiple family law and domestic violence boards, such as the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin and the Association for Conflict Resolution.

In addition to her involvement on various boards, Hansen has written extensively on financial and children’s family law issues for attorneys, educators and mental health professionals.

This week, the veteran attorney put her experience and wisdom to work in Asked & Answered.

Wisconsin Law Journal: If you could develop one CLE course for credit, what would it be about?

Susan A. Hansen: How to actually listen, instead of just taking a break from talking.

WLJ: What was your least favorite course in law school and why?

Hansen: UCC — it was like a foreign language to me!

WLJ: What is your favorite website and why?

Hansen: www.h-hlaw.com; it’s the best!

WLJ: What is the one luxury item you cannot live without?

Hansen: Alterra coffee

WLJ: What is one thing attorneys should know that they won’t learn in law school?

Hansen: Business skills; we need to focus on meeting our customers’ (clients’) needs and interests to deliver value and be successful.

WLJ: What is the first concert you went to?

Hansen: The Beatles, Milwaukee Arena, Sept. 4, 1964

WLJ: If you could trade places with someone for a day, who would it be and why?

Hansen: The governor of Wisconsin, so I could sit down and constructively negotiate and problem solve with all sides.

WLJ: What is your motto?

Hansen: Collaborate don’t litigate

WLJ: What is your favorite movie about lawyers or the law and why?

Hansen: “Kramer vs. Kramer.” It illustrated the damaging impact of court conflict on children and families.

WLJ: If you hadn’t become a lawyer, what career would you have chosen?

Hansen: Child and family psychologist

Jack Zemlicka can be reached at [email protected].