Women in the Law 2026 – Kristin Leaf, Gimbel Reilly Guerin & Brown LLP

Kristin Leaf is a partner at Gimbel Reilly Guerin & Brown LLP in Milwaukee, where she leads the firm’s Family Law Department. She joined the firm last fall, bringing nearly two decades of courtroom and litigation experience to her role.

Leaf began her legal career in 2008 at another Milwaukee firm, where she developed her approach of guiding clients through emotionally charged legal issues with clarity, compassion and aggressive advocacy. Over 17 years of practice, she has handled family law, criminal defense, civil litigation and guardianship cases involving both children and adults. Her training in mediation and alternative dispute resolution informs her client-centered practice and equips her to identify constructive paths toward resolution while keeping her clients’ goals at the forefront.

Among her most significant career accomplishments, Leaf successfully litigated a Wisconsin Supreme Court case that resulted in a client’s inclusion on the National Registry of Exonerations. She represented the client at trial, on appeal, before the Supreme Court, and again on remand, ultimately securing dismissal of the criminal case and resolving a related child custody matter.

Leaf also played a central role in a life-saving guardianship matter and receives referrals from the Life Legal Defense Fund for high-stakes guardianship and civil litigation matters involving life-support disputes and urgent medical decision-making.