WHO’S DOING WHAT: Hart Powell changes name; new attorneys hired

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Attorney returns to Waukesha firm

Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet recently announced that attorney Brian Waterman has rejoined the firm.

Waterman spent the last five years building Milwaukee-based Indulgence Chocolatiers with his business partner and wife, Julie. Before that, he spent three years practicing with Buelow Vetter and four years practicing with Davis & Kuelthau.

Waterman’s practice focuses on advising public and private employers on a variety of labor and employment issues, including discrimination and harassment, discipline and discharge, workplace safety, and labor negotiations. Waterman, who earned his law degree from Marquette University Law School in 2006, has also counseled public school clients on discipline, school board policies and other school matters.

Bergner heads to development firm

Real estate attorney Danielle Bergner was recently hired by Milwaukee development company J. Jeffers & Co. as its general counsel and chief operating officer.

Bergner previously worked as an attorney and managing partner of Michael Best & Friedrich in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee criminal-defense firm changes name

Milwaukee criminal defense firm Kohler Hart Powell has changed its name.

The firm, founded in 1993, is now Hart Powell. It handles both state and federal criminal cases.

Government attorney, firm duo get legal writing props

A state Department of Justice attorney and two lawyers from a Madison firm have won a legal writing contest.

The winners of the State Bar’s Appellate Practice Section’s Best Brief competition were Chief Deputy Solicitor General Ryan Walsh and Charles Giesen and Jessica Jean Giesen.

Walsh won for the brief he filed in the 7th Circuit for International Union of Operating Engineers Local 139 v. Schimel, in which he defended Wisconsin’s right-to-work law against a challenge from two unions.

The Giesens won for the brief they filed in the Wisconsin Supreme Court in State v. Stietz, in which they defended a Lafayette County beef farmer who got into a standoff with wardens from state Department of Natural Resources.

Michael Best promotes two Milwaukee attorneys

Michael Best & Friedrich has promoted five attorneys to partner, and two of them are from Milwaukee.

The firm recently announced that it had promoted Patricia Linn Jenness and Paul Jonas to partner.

Jenness works in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. She handles trademark and copyright protection, contract disputes, commercial contracts and challenges to insurance policy coverage.

Jonas is part of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group, and his practice focuses on commercial real estate. He represents clients ranging from sole proprietorships to Fortune 500 companies in purchases and sales, complex leasing, public financing and zoning matters.

Axley hires new attorney in Waukesha office

Axley Brynelson has hired a new attorney for its Waukesha office.

The firm recently announced that Sean Frye, a 2018 graduate of Marquette University Law School, has joined its construction and environmental practice group.

Frye, who has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering, worked as a senior civil engineer at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation while attending law school.

Husch Blackwell hires banking, finance partner

Derek Taylor has joined Husch Blackwell as a partner in the firm’s Financial Services and Capital Markets industry group.

Taylor, who is based in Milwaukee and Madison, represents financial institutions, real estate developers and investors in financial transactions such as commercial loans, refinances and tax credit projects.

Taylor earned his law degree from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and is a native of Dallas, Texas.

Health care lawyer joins Quarles & Brady

Quarles & Brady recently announced that John Hintz has joined its Health and Life Sciences Practice Group as of counsel.

Hintz, who will work out of the firm’s Milwaukee office, focuses his practice on health care business transactions and is an adjunct law professor at Marquette University Law School, where he teaches courses in managed health care.

Godfrey file manager to lead recordkeeping association

Godfrey & Kahn recently announced that Central File Manager Richard Gureski was elected to be the 57th president of ARMA Milwaukee. ARMA was formerly known as the Association of Records Managers and Administrators.

ARMA Milwaukee, which was founded in 1948, is part of ARMA International, a professional association that serves as the leading authority on the management of records and information.

Gureski joined the firm in 2007 and is responsible for managing the daily audit response, conflicts, docketing, intake and records management operations for the firm’s five Wisconsin locations.

During his time at Godfrey, Gureski has developed and implemented different policies and procedures, helped design the firm’s conflict report and led efforts to automate the firm’s docketing and intake systems. Gureski has been an active member of ARMA Milwaukee for 15 years.

Tribal attorney joins Quarles & Brady

Quarles & Brady recently announced that attorney Samantha Skenandore has joined the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group as of counsel.

Skenandore, who earned her law degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2005, focuses her practice on both federal Indian law and tribal law, advising tribal and corporate clients in tribal governance, governmental affairs, corporate transactions, real estate, labor issues and litigation. She will split her time between Quarles’ Madison and Tucson, Arizona, offices.

Labor, employment firm promotes two attorneys

Ogletree Deakins recently announced that Milwaukee shareholders Eric Hobbs and David Froiland have been tapped as chairs of two the firm’s international and national practice groups.

Hobbs has been named co-chair of the firm’s international Workplace Safety and Health Practice Group. Froiland is the new co-chair for the firm’s Reduction in Force/Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Practice Group.

Hobbs engages in a nationwide labor and employment law practice, which includes the representation of employers in OSHA and MSHA enforcement and litigation, employment counseling and litigation, and traditional labor matters. He represents employers of all sizes in a variety of industries, from service to heavy manufacturing.

Froiland represents employers before federal and state courts and administrative agencies throughout the country in all areas of employment law, with particular focus on traditional labor law, employment discrimination cases and reductions in force.

Reinhart hires real estate attorney

Steven Marshall has joined Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren in its Milwaukee office.

Marshall, who earned his law degree from Buffalo, New York-based University at Buffalo School of Law in 2010, represents clients in real estate development matters, including acquisitions, sales, entity formation, financing syndication, leasing and construction. Marshall also specializes in tax credit development.