Orton finds admiration for the law

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Richard Orton said he has three characteristics that he believes make him a great fit for civil litigation: an inquiring mind, a desire to help others and a competitive drive.

In his only trial to date, the 31-year-old associate at Crivello Carlson went up against a prominent attorney with more than 45 years of experience. Not only that, Orton came out on top.

Jeffrey Nichols, a shareholder and member of the board of directors at Crivello Carlson, said Orton has proved he can quickly adapt when confronted with a new nuance in the law.

Nichols said that practicing in various jurisdictions has helped Orton succeed in his role with the firm’s national products liability team, which defends clients in cases throughout the country.

“I’ve been fortunate to work at a firm that provides its associates the opportunity to obtain great hands-on experience early on,” Orton said, “allowing me to gain significant experience and giving me the opportunity to work on increasingly complex cases all over the country.”

His civil-litigation practice involves services dealing with commerce, products liability, personal injury, industrial accidents, construction and insurance. He attended Marquette University before spending two years in Washington, D.C., where he worked at an international law firm.

He returned to Wisconsin for law school at the University of Wisconsin. He clerked at Crivello Carlson during his summers and began working there as an associate after graduation in 2012.

Nichols said Orton demonstrates leadership both in and out of the office. He’s always willing to take the lead on various projects in the firm, and step into leadership roles at various organizations.

Among other things, he has served on the board of directors for the State Bar of Wisconsin Young Lawyers Division and on the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association’s Membership Committee and was a Wisconsin delegate for the ABA Young Lawyers Division Assembly in 2015 and 2016.

And, in 2012, he ran the firm’s annual United Way Campaign and has voluntarily taken the lead in it each year since.

“I grew up with an admiration of and interest in the practice of law,” Orton said. “We live in a great country governed by a sound legal system, which requires the active, continued commitment of our profession to provide justice for everyone.”