Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge Lindsey Grady joins Quarles & Brady Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group

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The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP announced Monday Lindsey Canonie Grady, a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge since 2012, has joined the firm’s Fiduciary Litigation team as of counsel. Her tenure on the bench included a rotation in both civil and probate court and serving as presiding judge of the Probate Division.

In addition to being part of the Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice Group, Grady will work with the Estate, Trust & Wealth Preservation Practice Group.

Before being elected as a judge for the first time in 2012, Grady served as Milwaukee County’s deputy register in probate and acting judicial court commissioner. Prior to her public service, she worked at Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee and was a partner at a Milwaukee law firm, the firm noted.

“As someone who has deep experience with all three roles involved in probate cases, Lindsey is ideally suited to help us grow our Fiduciary Litigation practice in Wisconsin and across the country,” said Josh Maggard, national chair of the firm’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution Group.

“This a complicated area of law that is going to grow significantly over the next several years. Her understanding of how all parties involved approach a case will enable her to help our clients achieve their objectives,” Maggard said.

According to firm officials, Grady will advise clients on the full spectrum of issues related to probate, guardianships and conservatorships, and trusts and estates. Her focus will include petitions to the probate court, preparation of nonjudicial settlement agreements, high-value probate administrations, special administrations, disputes arising from guardian and fiduciary actions, and adult adoption.

She also will counsel individuals, fiduciaries and beneficiaries – including charities named as beneficiaries on trust contests, will disputes, attempted removal or surcharges of trustees, will and trust constructions, and other fiduciary litigation.

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve the people of Milwaukee County for the past 11 years, but I missed the connection you have with clients in private practice,” Grady said.

“As a judge, you’re the end game. I enjoy the opportunity to strategize with clients, help them figure out the best way to achieve their objectives and make a meaningful difference for them before a case ever gets to a judge. I have great respect for the people I’ve met at Quarles and am excited about building my practice there,” Grady added.

During her time on the bench, Grady was a member of the Chief Judge Executive Committee, the Uniform Bond Committee and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, for which she was the lead judge for the Project One Juvenile Court initiative. She has been a member of the Milwaukee Trial Judges Association since 2012, serving on the organization’s board from 2015-2021 and as president from 2019-2020. Since 2009, she has been a regular speaker on probate and elder law for Milwaukee Bar Association continuing legal education courses.

She earned both her B.A. and J.D. from Marquette University.