Who’s Doing What: Etten named Ruder Ware president; lawyers on the rise

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AWARDS & HONORS

Harvey Wendel, of Murphy Desmond SC, was honored by the Dane County Bar Association as the first recipient of an award in his name. The Harvey L. Wendel Service Award is “given to a member of the Dane County Bar Association who has demonstrated exemplary service to the legal profession and community.” Recipients’ names will be added to a plaque on display outside the DCBA Room in the courthouse.

Wendel was presented with the award at the Senior Lawyers Event on June 13 by DCBA president Elisabeth Shea. Since 2005, Wendel has served on the Wisconsin Supreme Court Board of Administrative Oversight, which monitors the Wisconsin Attorney Regulatory System.

ON THE RISE

Kathryn Buono, a partner in the Milwaukee office of Quarles & Brady LLP, and her husband, John Buono, were named honorary chairs of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s 15th annual Breath of Life Gala, which will be Oct. 19. The Buonos hope to raise $265,000 to fight cystic fibrosis.

Stewart Etten was elected president of Ruder Ware LLSC, Wausau. Etten becomes the fifth president in the firm’s 93-year history. He succeeds Mark Bradley, who will continue to serve on the firm’s board of directors and practice law. Etten is a member of the firm’s Business Transactions practice group and serves on its Board of Directors. He earned his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1980.

• Jason Fathallah, Sarah Platt, Doug Raines, Jessica Reginato, Rachel Schepp, Mark Schmidt, Anne Wal, James Wawrzyn and Brion Winters were promoted to shareholders at Milwaukee-based von Briesen & Roper SC.

Fathallah is a shareholder in the Litigation and Risk Management practice group and practices in the firm’s Milwaukee office. Fathallah focuses his practice on insurance coverage matters, commercial and business disputes, product liability claims, intellectual property disputes and general litigation matters. He earned his law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2006.

Platt is a shareholder in the Labor and Employment and School Law Sections and practices in the firm’s Milwaukee office. Platt represents public- and private-sector clients in all areas of employment law, including leave, accommodation, and discipline issues; employment policies and agreements; and proceedings before administrative agencies and state and federal courts. She received her law degree in 2006 from DePaul University.

Raines is a shareholder in the firm’s Litigation and Risk Management practice group and practices in the firm’s Milwaukee office. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, insurance defense, and appellate work. He earned his law degree in 2006 from Marquette University Law School.

Reginato is a shareholder in the Litigation and Risk Management practice group and practices in the firm’s Milwaukee office. She concentrates her practice on products liability defense, toxic tort, commercial litigation, insurance coverage, subrogation and general litigation matters. She earned her law degree in 2006 from Marquette University Law School.

Schepp is a shareholder in the firm’s Litigation and Risk Management practice group and practices in the firm’s Milwaukee office. Her practice focuses on complex business and commercial litigation, general litigation matters and appeals. She earned her law degree in 2003 from the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Schmidt is a shareholder who practices with the Litigation and Risk Management and Banking, Bankruptcy, Business Restructuring and Real Estate groups. He practices in the firm’s Milwaukee office. Schmidt focuses on complex litigation matters, including creditors’ rights, shareholder disputes, real estate and construction, and business torts such as unfair competition and theft of trade secrets. He earned his law degree from George Mason University in 2004.

Wal is a shareholder in the Real Estate, Construction Law and Banking, Bankruptcy and Business Restructuring sections and practices in the firm’s Milwaukee office. She represents privately and publicly held businesses, financial institutions and governmental and quasi-governmental entities in construction, real estate and commercial finance matters. She earned her law degree in 2006 from Marquette University Law School.

Wawrzyn is a shareholder in the Business practice group and practices in the firm’s Milwaukee office. He counsels clients on mergers and acquisitions, supply chain alternatives, general corporate practice, and commercial contract negotiation and drafting. He earned his law degree in 2006 from Marquette University Law School.

Winters is a shareholder in the Banking, Bankruptcy, Business Restructuring and Real Estate practice group and practices in the firm’s Milwaukee office. A large portion of his practice involves reviewing, drafting and revising agreements and other documents for banking, business and real estate clients. He earned his law degree in 2006 from Marquette University Law School.

• Judith Williams-Killackey, a partner in Quarles & Brady LLP’s Milwaukee office, began her term as chairwoman of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Labor and Employment Section.

Williams-Killackey practices in the area of labor and employment law. Her practice includes an emphasis on litigation in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies, and counseling employers on various employment-related issues. She earned her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1997.