Oostburg Criminal Lawyers

Kirk Obear began his career in the U.S. Air Force as a JAG, prosecuting military cases. He later became one of the most renowned defense lawyers within the military. In the 1990s, Kirk moved his practice to defend civilians in private practice. Today, with the help of superior legal professionals, he represents individuals facing the most serious crimes.

At our firm, we take a teamwork approach. To us, more muscle means getting the job done faster and better. Frequent meetings, brainstorming, extensive investigation, and applying our years of legal and scientific training are all part of what makes our teamwork approach...

Ms. Stephanie Rock graduated from Lakeland University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management and Criminal Justice. She then received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Wisconsin Madison. While in law school, Ms. Rock worked for the Legal Assistance to Institutionalized Persons Clinic, assisting Wisconsin prison inmates with post-conviction matters. This experience is what made Ms. Rock passionate about criminal defense work. She was also a student in the Federal Appeals Project which handles direct appeals for federal inmates. This allowed Ms. Rock to enhance her legal writing skills and become a strong advocate for her clients....

Attorney Mehlos graduated with honors from the University of Notre Dame and the University of Wisconsin Law School. During law school, Attorney Mehlos participated in the Wisconsin Innocence Project, handling 10 post-conviction homicide and assault cases. That experience provided Attorney Mehlos with the foundation to surgically attack highly-complex cases involving tough facts and tailor creative solutions to achieve outstanding results for his clients. Attorney Mehlos has worked relentlessly to achieve outstanding results for his clients in cases ranging from homicide cases, personal injury lawsuits, to helping families with child protective services. In his first case out of law school, Attorney...

Mr. Chadwick Kaehne graduated from the University of Wisconsin
with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. Shortly after his
undergraduate studies, Mr. Kaehne founded a mental health clinic serving
clients throughout Winnebago, Fond du Lac, Outagamie, and Brown
counties. Mr. Kaehne established his law practice shortly after
receiving his Juris Doctorate from the University of Dayton School of
Law in Ohio. Using the philosophy grounded from his experiences from the
mental health field, Mr. Kaehne believes that not only should a law
firm be both reputable and aggressive in serving the needs of their
clients; but also passionate, with...

For 30 years, I have been providing the highest quality representation on appeal in State and Federal Courts, in both civil and criminal cases.

Attorney Amaro Lopez received his B.A. degree in Spanish Literature from the University of Dallas. He then continued on at the University of Dallas and obtained his Master’s Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resources. After pursuing a career in Human Resources, Mr. Lopez realized that in order to make a difference in people’s lives the way he wanted, he would need to advance his education. He was accepted into the law school at the University of Wisconsin Madison and earned his Juris Doctorate degree. He feels a strong connection to his community and believes that a...

Attorney Emma L. Guthrie earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2018 after just three years, majoring in English and Philosophy with a minor in legal studies. As a student, she served as tutor for UWL’s English and Philosophy departments and completed an internship with the La Crosse Public Defender’s Office. She continued on to earn her Juris Doctorate from Marquette University Law School, where she focused her studies predominantly on criminal law and trial practice. During her second year of law school, Attorney Guthrie began clerking for a local criminal defense firm that immediately...

Attorney Brett T. Kaehne has been exclusively practicing in the field of criminal defense for over a decade. For the first six years of his career, he founded and grew a successful criminal defense firm in Sheboygan. In 2014, he joined Kirk Obear & Associates becoming a member of a team of like-minded defense attorneys taking on the government in counties across the state. In 2019, Attorney Kaehne joined Attorney Barrette in establishing their own criminal defense law firm to better serve those accused of crimes throughout Wisconsin. Throughout the years, Attorney Kaehne has obtained dismissals of countless misdemeanor and felony...

Benjamin Van Severen is a criminal defense attorney who practices in Milwaukee and throughout the state of Wisconsin. He has experience handling all types of cases, from misdemeanors and OWI/DUI to serious felonies, including homicide, sexual assault, crimes involving firearms, and drug crimes. Focusing entirely on criminal defense, Attorney Van Severen has achieved an acquittal rate three times the state average. Attorney Van Severen received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Marquette University in 2010, with majors in Political Science and Criminology, and a minor in Music. He then received his Juris Doctor from Marquette...

Raised in Northcentral Wisconsin, Attorney Wojan attended UW-Oshkosh and Marquette University Law School. Attorney Wojan has practiced at Petit & Dommershausen since 2012.

Michael M. Hayes was a founding partner of the Milwaukee law firm of Hayes & Rothstein, 1983-2019.

A Milwaukee native, Mr. Hayes earned his Juris Doctor law degree in 1981 from Marquette University Law School, where he was the Lead Articles Editor on the Law Review. During this time, he also served as a Judicial Intern for Wisconsin Court of Appeals Chief Judge John Decker. His undergraduate studies were completed at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he graduated in 1977. Within 3 years he was listed in Best Lawyers in America after founding what had...

Franklyn M. Gimbel founded GRGB after serving as an Assistant United States Attorney from 1963 through 1968. His experience as a federal prosecutor has proven invaluable in developing a successful private criminal defense law practice.

Over the years, Frank has expanded his practice into civil litigation, including complex business, employment, communications, and First Amendment cases. He has represented small businesses and large corporations, as well as individuals ranging from working men and women to judges, CEOs, and other professionals. No person's problem is too insignificant or too complicated.

Helping people is Frank's passion and the cornerstone of his practice. As he so...

Raymond M. Dall’Osto is a partner with the law firm of Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is admitted to practice law in Wisconsin and Illinois. His practice areas are white-collar and criminal defense in federal and state courts, defense of regulatory investigations, professional discipline defense, ethics and licensing matters, civil litigation, personal injury, employment, and constitutional rights. Ray received his law degree from the Marquette University Law School in 1977. He taught there as an adjunct professor of law from 1985 to 1990, and also has lectured at the University of Wisconsin...

Attorney Westley practices criminal defense and DUI/OWI all over Wisconsin. She graduated from Marquette University Law School in 2015 with a certificate in litigation and uses that every day. She did her undergrad at the University of Minnesota and graduated from there in 2011. She has done a stint with Americorps and regularly volunteers for Teen Court in Waukesha County as a judge.

She has won numerous awards for client satisfaction and works hard to get the best case scenario for her clients on a daily basis.

Admitted to practice law in Wisconsin since 1995, I have had my own law practice since 1997. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my practice concentrates on litigation in the areas of criminal defense (all levels, state & federal), family law (divorce, child custody/support, paternity), personal bankruptcy (and alternatives), state & municipal licensing and other areas. I am admitted to practice in Wisconsin and in both the U.S. District Courts of the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin. I earned my B.A. at the University of New Orleans in 1991 and my J.D. from Marquette University Law School in 1995. I am...

I have successfully defended the rights of the accused in the full range of criminal and traffic offenses since 1992. I am sensitive to the fact that while I have a busy caseload, this may be your only experience with the criminal justice system. Whether your are accused of a minor traffic violation or a serious felony, you can expect that your matter will be handled with a high level of professionalism, integrity and sensitivity. Remember, it's your case.


Proper communication between attorney and client is the hallmark of effective representation. Clients can expect copies of documents filed on their behalf...

Atty. Matthew Pinix has represented hundreds of individuals in postconviction, appellate, habeas, and civil rights matters. He has also given several educational talks to lawyers, law students, and the public about criminal appeals and the processes involved.

On multiple occasions, he has been invited by other lawyers to represent individuals or organizations before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in criminal cases.

Every year since 2013, he has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Super Lawyers Magazine as a Rising Star, an award given to no more than 2.5% of the attorneys in Wisconsin.

Prior to becoming a practicing lawyer, Matthew worked as...

Criminal defense attorney Brian C. Nelson earned his Bachelor degree from Indiana University in 2012. He continued his legal education at Indiana University, and earned his Juris Doctorate in 2016. During law school, Mr. Nelson focused on trial advocacy and criminal defense, taking every available course and clinic in those fields. In his second year, he interned at the Marion County Prosecutors Office for a semester before leaving to clerk for a private criminal defense attorney. Mr. Nelson was on the board of his legal fraternity, and competed as a member of his school’s trial advocacy team his last two...

Attorney John Birdsall has more than 30 years of experience and has earned a reputation as one of the most trusted criminal defense lawyers in Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin. With over 250 jury trails, mostly for serious felonies such as homicide, he has an acquittal rate that is three times the Wisconsin average. John’s practice is focused exclusively on defending the wrongly accused, and has recently helped a client named Eddie Gill. After being accused of shooting and killing a Milwaukee resident, John helped uncover that the police has interrogated Gill into confessing when he was in...

Attorney Amy C. Scholz is a former state criminal prosecutor who primarily focuses her practice on providing the best defense to clients with criminal defense, traffic, and drunk driving matters. Amy began her practice in Ohio where she worked for the City of Akron Prosecutors Office. She then returned to Wisconsin where she worked as an assistant district attorney before refocusing her practice to criminal defense. Amy is a zealous advocate for her clients. She has successfully argued motions to the court, negotiated the reduction of felony and misdemeanor charges, prevailed at jury trials, and earned...

Nicole M. Masnica is a Partner at Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Working to serve Wisconsin clients and bettering her community has always been a top priority. Nicole has spent countless hours in circuit courts in Southeastern Wisconsin both as a trial attorney and appellate advocate. Prior to joining the firm, Nicole spent nine years representing countless individuals in all stages of criminal litigation at the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office, from pre-charging conferences to appellate representation to administrative revocation proceedings. She has tried multiple cases to a jury with successful outcomes and has achieved relief for...

Zak Wroblewski is an Associate at Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before joining GRGB, Zak helped clients with a variety of criminal and civil cases at another small law firm based in Milwaukee. He is currently licensed to practice law in the state of Wisconsin. Zak graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2019, majoring in Marketing and minoring in History. While at UWM, Zak had the opportunity to study abroad at both the Universite Catholique de Lille in Lille, France and Viadrina University Frankfurt Oder in Germany. Later on, in law school, Zak served an internship...

Breanne Bucher joined the firm in April, 2014. She previously was an associate attorney at a general practice law firm in Waukesha County. Breanne graduated from Valparaiso University School of Law in 2010 and passed the Wisconsin Bar Examination on her first attempt.

In law school, she was a member of the Valparaiso Law Criminal Law Clinic, in which she represented indigent clients charged with both low-level misdemeanors and violent felony offenses. She also interned with the Lake County Public Defender’s Office in Lake County, Indiana and continued to gain experience in criminal defense. Although passionate about criminal law, she discovered...

Jerome Buting was featured as one of Steven Avery's defense lawyers in the Netflix docuseries "Making a Murderer." He has handled many high profile cases and spoken worldwide about America's criminal justice system. His first book is "Illusion of Justice: Inside Making a Murderer and America's Broken System" (Harper 2017). His current and past speaking engagements are found at http://jbuting.com/speaking-engagements/

Mr. Buting is a shareholder in the Milwaukee area law firm of BUTING, WILLIAMS & STILLING, S.C., where he practices exclusively in the field of criminal law, handling both trials and appeals. He received his B.A. in Forensic Studies from Indiana...

Eric Schanowski is an Associate with Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Prior to joining the firm, Eric worked as a prosecutor at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and as an employment litigator. Eric is admitted to practice in Wisconsin. Eric graduated from the University of Michigan in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and a minor in Spanish. He received his JD from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in 2018. While in law school, Eric was the Online Managing Editor for the Northwestern University Law Review and a member of the Moot Court Society....

Attorney Glenn E. Gaskill III received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, where he studied Political Science and Philosophy in addition to being a member of the football team. He went on to receive his Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he practices today.

Through the practice of law, Attorney Gaskill has taken the skills that made him successful on the football field and translated them to the courtroom. He has used his work ethic and honed his competitive spirit to his advantage in the courtroom with victories in both misdemeanor and felony...

Michael F. Hart has been one of Wisconsin's leading criminal defense attorneys for the past twenty-nine years. His imposing courtroom presence has distinguished him as a prominent trial lawyer, and his dedication to justice has earned him the recognition of being a Wisconsin Super Lawyer by many of the state's judges and lawyers.

His successes include a variety of practice areas, and his clients range from high-profile members of the National Football League to white collar workers. Most notably, his triumphs include one of the largest defamation awards in Wisconsin history against a private individual, where Michael successfully helped his client...

Jason D. Baltz is primarily a criminal defense attorney in Mikwaukee, but he also takes on cases for family law, personal injury, and business law. To contact Attorney Baltz about your legal matter, visit his website, or call his office today!

Over the past 15 years, Sydne has earned a solid reputation for fighting and winning probation violation revocation hearings. She is known by judges and probation agents for her creative and persuasive Alternatives to Revocation (ATRS). Sydne's background in clinical psychology gives her an edge over other criminal defense attorneys. Her clinical experience and training allows her to find the root cause of behaviors and uses this to help her clients avoid revocation. "I've spent the past 15 years helping people beat revocations, get ATRs, and go back home to their life and their loved...

My first trial after graduating law school was a homicide case and we achieved a not guilty verdict. Since then, our firm has achieved innumerable dismissals and acquittals. We have won cases that seem unwindable. We have won cases when clients have confessed to crimes. In one very remarkable case, one of our clients confessed to a crime and pleaded guilty with another lawyer. After coming to us for a second opinion we were able to withdraw his guilty plea, go to trial, and convince a jury of his innocence despite the fact that he confessed his guilt to the...

Paul was born in Milwaukee, WI and grew up on the south side of Milwaukee. Paul has five brothers and was raised by a single mom. Growing up on the south side of Milwaukee, Paul attended the local Catholic grade school and worked his way through school by working at gas stations, having a paper route and doing whatever he could to raise money to pay for tuition and books. Paul attended Pius XI high school and, once again, worked to pay all costs of his education, as did his five brothers.

Upon graduating from high school, Paul took a year...

Attorney Sanders-Brown practices in the areas of Divorce, Paternity, Adoption, Personal Injury, Guardianship and Guardian ad Litem cases. Attorney Sanders-Brown started her career in Criminal Defense, taking appointments from the State Public Defender. She also held a Guardian ad Litem contract with Winnebago County for over ten years which allowed her to represent the best interests of children in CHIPS cases and adults in need of Guardianships and Protective Placement or Services. Attorney Sanders-Brown routinely secures the compensation her clients deserve in personal injury cases and protects the rights and interests of clients in family law matters. Serving as...

Since 1994, I have aggressively defended OWI and criminal cases throughout Wisconsin. My practice is statewide, focusing solely on drunk driving, criminal and traffic defense. I have successfully defended hundreds of OWI cases. I have been the lead attorney on more than 1000 OWI jury trials. My years of experience practicing in Wisconsin and my former law clerk experience have given me a unique perspective from both sides of the aisle. I fully understand the necessity of having the representation of a qualified attorney in an OWI case. Prior to working in Wisconsin, I was a law clerk for...

Attorney Nicole A. Muller has recently joined Birdsall Obear & Associates, SC as an associate attorney. Not only is Attorney Muller a graduate of Catholic University in Washington D.C. where she studied Political Science and Studio Art, but before going to law school also graduated from Columbia University in New York City. After graduating from Columbia, Attorney Muller decided to dedicate her life to fixing our broken criminal justice system in this country. This passion to bring about positive change is what brought Attorney Muller to the great state of Wisconsin and Marquette University Law School.

Attorney Muller graduated from Marquette...

Attorney Peter Wolff has been practicing law for over 17 years. His varied experience makes him an exceptional advocate. He has a good working relationship with the Judges and the prosecutors of Waukesha County and he has a reputation for achieving the best possible outcome for his clients.

Peter attended the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, and he received a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, with a minor in Communications. He graduated from Marquette University Law School in 2002. His practice focuses on criminal and family law. Peter regularly accepts appointments in criminal, family and juvenile matters from the Circuit Court...

Stephen Govin is an experienced and aggressive Criminal Defense Attorney, representing clients in state and federal courts throughout Wisconsin. He is dedicated to providing the highest level of legal services and personal care to clients facing charges from misdemeanors to serious felony offenses.

Stephen received a B.A. in Criminology from Marquette University in 1999. He attended on an athletic scholarship for soccer, where he helped Marquette reach its first NCAA Division I soccer tournament. His J.D. was earned at Marquette University Law School in 2003, focusing on criminal law from his first day. Stephen clerked for the Honorable Victor Manion in...