Laura Olsen – Quarles & Brady

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The opportunity to continuously learn keeps Laura Olsen enthusiastic about her role as a senior legal-research specialist at Quarles & Brady in Milwaukee.

“Some days I’m a sleuth, some days I’m helping strategize strategic decisions, some days I’m educating on thorough legal research methodology, and some days I am problem solving complex research issues,” Olsen said. “ At the end of the day the role of a legal information professional is to provide thorough, vetted and curated answers to support decisions.”

Lynn Dilts-Hill, manager of information and research services, works with Olsen to review and evaluate resources for practice groups.

“Laura continues to develop her skills by holding a clear vision of what future needs will aid the firm in its mission for growth,” Dilts-Hill said. “(She) maintains high personal goals to grow and mature in her profession.”

Olsen joined Quarles & Brady in 2008 as a knowledge-management specialist. She said one of her career milestones has been serving the team that worked on a federal lawsuit over incarceration conditions at the Lincoln Hill School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls in northern Wisconsin.

“I am particularly grateful and proud to work at Quarles & Brady, a firm that truly embraces diversity and inclusion, and is fiercely committed to pro bono services,” Olsen said.

Outside the firm, Olsen is a member of the American Association of Law Libraries, Law Librarians Association of Wisconsin and an articles author for the State Bar of Wisconsin’s “Inside Track” publication. She’s also a parent of two teenagers — 13-year-old Katherine and 18-year-old Conner. Olsen said she appreciates the firm’s accommodations for family.

“As a solo parent the past 11-plus years, Quarles has provided me a challenging yet flexible professional position that allowed me to raise my children and balance a career,” Olsen said.