Three attorneys leave Wilson Elser to start firm

Listen to this article

Three attorneys have left the Milwaukee office of the national law firm Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker LLP to open their own firm.

A representative of the firm said Tuesday that Sean Gaynor, Douglas Knott and Samuel Leib left last month to start Leib Knott Gaynor LLC. The new firm will specialize in defending health care providers.

Gaynor, Knott and Leib could not be immediately reached Tuesday.

The three lawyers have not been a part of Wilson, Else, Moskowtiz, Edelman & Dicker for a long time. Before merging with the large firm, which has nearly 800 lawyers and whose main office is in New York, Gaynor, Knott and Leib had been at the local litigation firm Lieb & Katt LLC. The merger led to the opening of Wilson Elser’s 24th office and its first operation in Wisconsin.

Gaynor, Knott and Leib’s departure leaves Wilson Elser’s Milwaukee office with six attorneys, according to the Wilson Elser website. Kevin Christensen and William Katt, two other Lieb & Katt attorneys who also moved to Wilson Elser in 2013, remain at the office. Katt is the regional managing partner there.

“I have worked with Sam, Doug and Sean for many years and have had the pleasure of being not only their colleague but their friend as well,” Katt said. “They are consummate professionals and trusted advisors to the firm and to their clients. We wish them the best as they embark on this exciting new endeavor.”