Legal Services & Lawyers

Practices in the areas of family law, employment law and personal injury. Is AV Rated Attorney--the pinnacle of professional excellence earned through a strenuous Peer Review Rating process that is managed and montiored by the world's most trusted legal resource.

Sean's practice focuses on business transactional law, business litigation, civil litigation, and real estate law. Sean has experience litigating business and civil disputes as both plaintiff's and defendant's counsel, helping buyers and sellers complete real estate transactions, as well as experience drafting contracts ranging from small business contracts to plow a parking lot to large corporation contracts dealing with operating and maintaining real estate.

Sean earned his Juris Doctor (JD) and Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Marquette University. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Economics from Northern Arizona University. Before joining Halling & Cayo, Sean ran his own practice, Tosa Law Office.

Sean has not only the legal training and experience needed to provide complete service, he also has the education and training to understand the real world needs and challenges that organizations large and small face today.

Jody L. Usow was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, obtained her bachelors degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1983, and is a 1986 graduate of the Marquette University Law School in Wisconsin. She was admitted to the Wisconsin State Bar in 1986.

Jody has extensive experience in civil and criminal law and is an experienced litigator having tried hundreds of cases in Wisconsin Circuit Courts since 1986. Although the focus of her practice is increasingly devoted to aspects of family law, she continues to litigate in several areas.

-- Family Law and Litigation, including divorce, child custody, child support, paternity and domestic violence. In addition to representing private clients, Ms. Usow is regularly appointed as a Guardian ad Litem in the interest of minor children by local Circuit and Childrens Courts and is a member of the Collaborative Law Council.

-- Criminal Law and Litigation, including felony and misdemeanor defense, municipal and criminal traffic defense. While Ms. Usow tries a large variety of criminal cases, she has significant experience in the areas of domestic violence and sexual assault including both adults and minors.

-- Civil and Corporate Law and Litigation, including contract enforcement and disputes, insurance claims and defenses, general civil litigation, large and small claims actions and collections.

Attorney Jody L. Usow has broad experience trying cases before both juries and courts throughout Wisconsin, with a primary focus in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Racine and Kenosha Counties. Jody has been a partner with Hickey, Turim and Usow, S.C., since 1996.

Milwaukee Wisconsin plaintiff's personal injury lawyer with over twelve years of experience representing injury victims.

Tony Resimius focuses his practice in the areas of employment law, litigation and business law. As the leader of the Rohde Dales Employment Law Team, Tony provides advice and counsel to employers in all aspects of the employment relationship. This advice and counsel regularly includes issues related to the Americans with Disabilities Act, employee handbooks, drug testing policies, independent contractor agreements, wage and hour issues, the Family Medical Leave Act, arrest and conviction discrimination allegations, and workers compensation matters.

I have been practicing for four years in the State of Wisconsin, representing people in the criminal courts.

Jerome Buting is a shareholder in the Milwaukee area law firm of BUTING & WILLIAMS, S.C., where he practices throughout the state exclusively in the field of criminal law, handling both trials and appeals. He received his B.A. in Forensic Studies from Indiana University-Bloomington in 1978 and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill in 1981. Mr. Buting is admitted to practice in Wisconsin state and federal courts as well as the United States 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. He is a current member and past chair of the Criminal Law Section Board of Directors. He is a member of the Wisconsin Criminal Justice Commission, which is presently reviewing potential areas of reform in the Wisconsin criminal justice process. He is a past-president of WACDL, and a life member of NACDL and formerly served on its board of directors. Mr. Buting has organized CLE seminars for the State Bar Criminal Law Section and NACDL, and is a frequent contributor to State Public Defender seminars.

Mr. Buting is frequently sought after for his expertise on DNA and other forensic evidence, cross-examination of experts, innocence and wrongful convictions challenges, and how to handle a high profile case.

Since 1995, I have used my experience as the chief executive officer of a trade association and an elected official to assist corporations and public entities avoid litigation and prevail in complex disputes. I assist my clients by managing their risk and terminating commercial disputes through negotiation, mediation, arbitration or, if necessary, litigation. I'm also an experienced trial lawyer, having led or second-chaired more than 15 trials, with a 90% success rate. In addition, I defend professionals accused of negligence.

I've helped large corporations and other public entities such as cities and school districts achieve their business and organizational goals:

On behalf of subsidiary of a 6,000 employee industry leader in power plant technology and power generation, successfully sued a deep-hole drilling subcontractor when it failed to properly manufacture large-scale heat exchanger components. Obtained 2007 summary judgment in Washington County Circuit Court.

Defended numerous employment claims brought against Racine Unified School District, which annually educates approximately 21,000 students with 1,400 teachers and more than 100 administrators. Prevailed at both federal and state investigation and administrative hearing stages on discrimination, retaliation, and disparate impact complaints, effectively preventing litigation of all claims brought from 2005-2009.

Defended a leading global engineering and design firm against claims of negligence arising from the design and construction of a water intake and transmission main for a Wisconsin municipality. Prevailed on 2007 summary judgment against co-defendant construction company, preventing trial on $2 million-plus claim in Winnebago County Circuit Court.

Defended a global restaurant chain (280+ locations worldwide) in Milwaukee County Circuit Court litigation arising from food-borne illness outbreak that made headlines in Milwaukee. Settled the majority of the eight-figure case before trial, leaving only the restaurant chain's cross-claims to be tried.

Defended regional HVAC equipment supplier against claims of negligence and breach of contract in Waukesha County Circuit Court. Obtained reversal of default judgment and pretrial judgment dismissing the majority of plaintiff's claims. In 2008, settled the action for less than its cost of defense.

Defended Bergensons Property Services, Inc., a California-based leading national provider of superior maintenance, cleaning, and janitorial service to the retail, commercial, institutional, and hospital industries. Despite not meeting contract requirements, a subcontractor sought payment from Bergensons. Settled the contentious dispute in 2007.

Defended 2005 commercial eviction of car repair chain boasting approximately 60 locations nationwide. After bringing a motion to dismiss before the Kenosha County Circuit Court, settled the suit within two weeks, and negotiated the client's continued presence in Wisconsin.

In 2009, successfully defended of one of Wisconsin's leading worker's compensation attorneys against claims of professional negligence. Settled the $2+million suit prior to Dane County Circuit Court trial.

Second-chaired the Western District of Wisconsin federal court trial of a constitutional challenge to the State of Wisconsin's system of Medicaid administration. The 7th Circuit's appellate decision cleared the way for the client to attract new clients from throughout the United States, significantly increasing its revenue.

In 2009, second-chaired the successful Milwaukee County Circuit Court trial defense of a renowned trauma surgeon accused of negligence after a laparotomy sponge was left inside a patient following surgery.

In the Eastern District of Wisconsin, defended a regional warehousing and transportation logistics company against allegations that it induced a breach of fiduciary duty and interference with multiple contracts. During 2008 and 2009, conducted dozens of depositions of third-parties in this approximately $2 million case, establishing the basis for a summary judgment motion and related motion to recover six-figure costs and fees.

I'm a member of the Litigation and Real Estate Sections of the State Bar of Wisconsin. I also participate as a member of the Commercial Litigation and Professional Liability Committees of the Defense Resource Institute. I practice with Hinshaw & Culbertson, LLP, a 475-lawyer firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Hinshaw's 23 offices in 15 states from Florida to Oregon offer comprehensive legal services, including intellectual property, business transactions, transportation, environmental, employment, fidelity and surety, white-collar crime, and products liability.

Executive and Governmental Experience
For three years, I served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Apartment Association of South Central Wisconsin, the second-largest such association in the state of Wisconsin. During my tenure, the Association grew to include three additional counties. Under my leadership, the Association successfully defeated multiple municipal, county, and state legislative efforts that would have harmed its members' businesses. For instance, one proposed ordinance would have mandated participation by all rental property owners in the federal government's Section 8 housing subsidy program.

I have extensive experience as an appointed and elected official in the State of Wisconsin. For example, Governor Tommy Thompson in 2000 appointed me to the Lead Paint Technical Advisory Committee, which was instrumental in crafting a lead paint law for Wisconsin. In 2006, I was appointed to the City of Muskego's Board of Review, where I served as vice-chairman. In 2007, I was elected to the City Council of Muskego, Wisconsin, and was three times elected to serve as the Council's representative on the Plan Commission, and appointed to chair the Public Works Committee in 2008. In April, 2009, I was re-elected to my second two-year term on the City Council of Muskego, Wisconsin, and was also elected President of the Council.

In practice since 1977, Marty Kohler has developed a reputation as a talented and tenacious litigator, and has been consistently recognized by his peers as a leader in criminal defense. Over the last three decades, Marty has successfully handled thousands of cases, from white-collar offenses to arsons, sexual assaults to drug conspiracies, and virtually everything in between.

Marty is especially well known for his work in homicide cases. He has represented hundreds of homicide defendants, and built up a remarkable record of acquittals, a number of which have involved confessions by the accused. Contrary to the common adage that "if you kill someone, you go to prison," Marty has on several occasions been able to obtain probation for defendants who have been convicted of homicide.

Marty is equally well known for his successful representation of law enforcement officers, court commissioners, judges and other elected officials in a wide variety of legal proceedings, from civil matters to pre-indictment criminal investigations and beyond.

Marty regularly handles high-profile cases, some of which have appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, Newsweek, and dozens of other publications. He has appeared numerous times in the national broadcast media, including MSNBC and Dateline, and is frequently sought out as a commentator on criminal law issues.

Marty has taught continuing legal education courses since 1984, including presentations to the National CLE Conference in Criminal Law and throughout the state of Wisconsin. For more than two decades, he has been a coordinator and presenter for the Annual Conference on Recent Developments in Criminal Law at Marquette University's Center for Continuing Legal Studies. Since 1994, Marty has also been a regular presenter to law enforcement officers from around the state at the Wisconsin Department of Justice's annual Death Investigation School. He is a past chair of the Criminal Section of the Milwaukee Bar Association, a position he held for eight years.

Marty earned his Bachelors degree from the University of Wisconsin and his law degree from Hofstra University. Before founding Kohler & Hart, he was a partner in the Milwaukee law firm of Levine, Epstein and Kohler. Marty is licensed to practice in Wisconsin state and federal courts, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.

I am honest, caring and hard working. You are the 'boss' and together we put together a plan to help you with your legal need.

SCOTT N. BURNS graduated from the University of Wisconsin, and from Marquette University Law School. He is a member of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and American Bar Associations. He is admitted to practice in the Wisconsin and U.S. District Court, both Eastern and Western Districts.

Scott's practice is devoted to all aspects of real estate and business transactional law. Scott was recognized as a "top attorney" in Milwaukee Magazine Best Lawyers issues (February, 1995, October, 1999, and September, 2003) in the real estate law specialty. He has appeared on both radio and television as a real estate law expert. Scott has also lectured on real estate and construction law at Marquette University Law School. Scott often acts as a court-appointed and private mediator in litigation matters in his area of expertise, particularly involving real estate, contract/business disputes, construction defects and transactional disputes.

Attorney Craig Vance founded Wisconsin Lemon Aid, LLC in Novmeber of 2008 to continue the fight for the rights of consumers. He practices in many areas of consumer law, including lemon law, warranty litigation, and fraud, in addition to handling other civil litigation matters. Craig handles consumer cases throughout the State of Wisconsin and will be practicing from the Wisconsin Lemon Aid, LLC offices in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. He can be reached by e-mail at cvance@wisconsinlemonaid.com. Attorney Vance has successfully handled hundreds of lemon law and waranty litigation cases and is looking forward to continuing his assistance of consumers in enforcing their rights.

Attorney Vance is a 2001 graduate of Marquette University Law School and a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, the Washington, Waukesha and Milwaukee County Bar Associations. Craig resides in Germantown, Wisconsin with his wife and two children and is active in the community coaching youth sports and volunteering and his church and his childrens' school.

Wisconsin personal injury lawyer Frank Pasternak is managing partner of Pasternak & Zirgibel S.C., award-winning plaintiffs personal injury attorneys in Wisconsin. In 2008 and 2007, he was honored by "Super Lawyers" (top 5% of all Wisconsin attorneys) in Milwaukee Magazine. In 2006, he was recognized as a Wisconsin "Super Lawyer Rising Star" (top 2.5% of all Wisconsin lawyers under 40) in Milwaukee Magazine and in 2005, he was voted by CNI Newspapers as "Best Attorney." Pasternak & Zirgibel focuses exclusively on plaintiffs' personal injury and wrongful death litigation, including car accident, asbestos, malpractice and mesothelioma cases. Frank Pasternak has litigated lawsuits nationwide, including a trial against Walmart that resulted in a post-trial recovery of $11,400,000.00.

Rob has enjoyed the opportunity to practice law in Southeastern Wisconsin for over 24 years. Rob and his wife, Ann, currently have a son in college and twin daughters in high school, and they reside in Mequon. Rob is responsive to questions from both individuals and business owners, and has handled a variety of cases and projects in the areas of estate planning, wills, elder law, trusts, probate, tax, small business, business sales and acquisitions, real estate, litigation and general practice.

Effective November 1, 2008, I opened my own law office in Brookfield, Wisconsin (in Waukesha County, a suburb of the City of Milwaukee). In addition to being more centrally situated to my personal client base, this move also reflects the fact that as my practice was increasingly focused on asset planning and debt reorganization, it resulted in my former law firm more frequently encountering conflicts of interest with business organizations and financial organizations it represented (or, desired to represent!).

Generally, I will continue to provide services in the following areas of concern as they tend to interact, and at the listed rates:

A. Personal/business debt reorganization/resolution. My services here are based on assisting clients either eliminating debt concerns that hamper their business, or in exiting the business under circumstances where protection of the owner's personal assets are maximized, to the extant legally possible. This involves the use of such tools as Chapter 7 and 11 bankruptcies; Chapter 128 state law liquidations: and personal asset protection plans. To that end, I am representing only a few area banking concerns [AnchorBank; NorStates Bank) to eliminate conflicts of interest which, far too often, may be influencing the vigor of representation offered by other firms in this locale. Fees in this practice area will range from $250 to $265 per hour.

B. Employment matters and litigation. For businesses, I offer services in responding to employee claims, and assisting in employment decisions where a claim potential exists. I also will counsel higher-compensated employees about exploring their options in conflict with their employer. To this area, I bring my experience as a former claims investigator for the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division and years of representing each side in - typically - contested employment disputes, where trials or administrative hearings are likely to occur. My litigation (courtroom work) matters will focus on misrepresentation, fraud and/or administrative code violations, such as deceptive business practices. Fees here will range from $225-$245, again driven by the complexity and breadth of the issues.

C. General business consulting, planning and setup matters, including subsidiary and affiliate implementation, as a means to protect the core business in the event a planned expansion or venture either fails, or is more successful than anticipated. Generally, these services will be at an hourly fee range of $200-225, based on the size and complexity of the client's project.

A note about the fee ranges: Generally, these ranges are markedly less than charged by similar practitioners with similar experience in the subject fields. Nor do I expect to increase them any time soon. The business model of a "downtown firm," with annual fee increases noted as
standard in their engagement letter is not one I care to follow. I have a long relationship with most all of my present client base; they expect effective service and I intend to keep my overhead under control to eliminate fee spiraling for such services.

It goes without saying that a business seeks customers that pay timely for fair services; but the larger you grow in the service fields, the harder it is to hold true to that goal . . . and other clients tend to suffer for the consequences of that growth. I am proud that my practice has been virtually client referral-based. After initial discussion on a matter, I quote a fee rate from the above ranges and confirm it by letter. I also charge as "expenses" only out-of-pocket fees (for legal filings, court reporter fees) and, occasionally, photocopying; scanning; mailing, if a large volume is handled on my end (versus being copied and issued at your own facilities).

Personally, I obtained the coveted A-V rating from Martindale-Hubbell (generally recognized as the foremost and longest-established lawyer evaluation service) back in 1991 (one of the first to achieve such at my former firm).

Prior to engaging in private practice, I served as a law clerk (legal researcher) to the Wisconsin Supreme Court after graduating cum laude from Marquette Law School, where I was one of the editors of its Law Review. During law school, I was employed as a field investigator for the Equal Rights Division (through a law school clinical program) of the State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (investigating discrimination claims).

I have also been president of the Alumni Association for the Law School, and served two terms as its representative on the Marquette University National Alumni Association's Board of Directors. Early on, I was awarded the Volunteer Lawyer of the Year for the Milwaukee Young Lawyers' Association/Legal Action of Wisconsin joint program for supplying legal services to the community for complex employment matters; and still provide services on bankruptcy matters for its current program.

Aileen Henry has dedicated her legal practice to ensuring justice and due process for her clients. You can be confident that she has the knowledge and experience to be able to stand by your side and fight aggressively to protect your rights.
When you or someone you know is being questioned by the police or has been charged with a crime, the stakes are high. A conviction can lead to jail or prison time, fines, restitution, community service, driver’s license suspension, probation. In addition, it can result in a lifetime mark on your criminal record which may have a serious impact on your future. You deserve a criminal defense attorney who will fight to protect your future. It Aileen's goal to achieve a case win and provide your case with our personal attention, dedication and commitment.

Kathleen B. Stilling is a partner in the Milwaukee area law firm of BUTING & WILLIAMS, S.C., practicing statewide primarily in the field of criminal defense, both trials and appeals. She is a member of the Wisconsin State Bar, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and is a charter member and past-president of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. She is admitted to practice in federal and state courts in Wisconsin as well as the United States 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. She is a frequent speaker at CLE seminars for lawyers throughout Wisconsin, as well as national seminars sponsored by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. She is frequently sought after for her expertise in the defense of accusations of sexual assault and child sexual assault offenses.

Dan has tried over seventy cases to juries, including automobile accident cases for defendants and plaintiffs, medical malpractice cases for plaintiffs and defendants and coverage questions for insurers and insured's.

Dan has represented and obtained recoveries for several minors in significant injury cases and has tried punitive damage cases to juries as well. He has represented clients in hundreds of mediations where he has helped them resolve matters without the expense and uncertainty of trial. Dan also represents clients in Arbitration hearings and represents businesses and professionals in transactional and non litigation of matters, including negotiating and drafting shareholder, member and non-compete agreements, and the acquisition and development of new facilities. Dan uses a trial lawyer's eye to help his clients avoid future litigation, while addressing the matter at hand.

Mr. O'Brien served two elected terms on the Wauwatosa School Board from 2001 to 2007, a district with a $65 million dollar budget, 7,000 students and over 800 employees. He has lectured at the Marquette University Dental School on subject of professional liability and has likewise lectured and spoken at seminars on topics ranging from material misrepresentation and fraud in the insurance claims process to the recovery of diminished value of an automobile in third party cases.