Dane County Lawyers

I have been practicing since 1975. My areas of concentration are: family law; residential real estate; wills, estate planning, and probate; elder law; and appellate work.

I am the founding shareholder of Kowalski, Wilson & Vang, LLC. Throughout my career, I have represented clients of diverse financial, ethnic, social, and cultural backgrounds.  Experience gained through participation in hundreds of court hearings allows me to serve my clients across the entire spectrum of family issues.. I routinely lecture on family and child-related topics at seminars sponsored by the State Bar of Wisconsin and other legal organizations.  For example, in 2010, I was Wisconsin’s representative to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Community Property Symposium in Seattle.  From 2015 onward, I was named by my peers as a Rising Star and designated Superlawyer by SuperLawyers magazine, a lawyer review publication....

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...

Attorney Cole D. Ruby is universally recognized as one of the leading appellate attorneys in the State of Wisconsin. He focuses his practice on litigating appeals following convictions at jury trials. He has successfully litigated post-conviction issues in cases involving, for example, drug trafficking, sexual assault, possession of child pornography, arson, and homicide. On several occasions, Attorney Ruby has been able to have convictions overturned and charges dismissed completely, even after a client was convicted at jury trial while represented by other attorneys. Attorney Ruby is also an accomplished trial lawyer. Together with Andrew Martinez, he’s a two-time recipient of...

At the law firm of Nowlan & Mouat LLP, Rock County personal injury attorney Steve Caya will provide the expert legal support you need in this time of crisis. He will protect your rights with insurance companies and seek fair and full compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. Just as important, he will help you plan for a secure future.

Patrick is a general practice lawyer, whose areas of expertise include: Real Estate Law, Estate Planning, Probate, Corporate and Business Law, Litigation, Collections, Banking Law and Title Insurance. Patrick Taggart II grew up in Sauk City, Wisconsin. After graduating from Marquette University Law School, he returned to the Sauk City and Prairie du Sac area and joined LaRowe Gerlach & Roy, LLP as an Associate Attorney. In 2001, Patrick became a Partner of the law firm. The firm was subsequently re-named LaRowe Gerlach Taggart LLP in March of 2013. In 2017, he was appointed as a Court Commissioner for...

Attorney Jeremiah Meyer-O’Day has dedicated his career to the service of others and the protection of the “little guy.” His legal career began at a non-profit law firm in Madison, Wisconsin, where he helped people in both criminal and civil proceedings, including evictions, collections, and family-law issues. Attorney Meyer-O’Day then joined the Office of the State Public Defender, working in the Lancaster, Wisconsin office. There, he defended people accused of crimes at all levels of severity. He has extensive trial experience, and a record of successfully litigating issues involving the violation of clients’ constitutional rights. He’s convinced judges to throw...

Attorney Andrew I. Martinez has devoted his entire legal career to helping people accused of crimes. He focuses his practice on defending people facing charges of homicide, attempted homicide, and sex-based crimes involving adults or children. He also handles cases involving allegations of domestic abuse. Attorney Martinez is an experienced and accomplished trial lawyer, having tried cases throughout Wisconsin on charges at all levels of severity. Together with Cole Ruby, he’s a two-time recipient of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Hanson Award, each for winning a not-guilty verdict in a jury trial involving a charge of first-degree intentional...

I genuinely believe that the value of life comes from service to others. I have dedicated more hours to this philosophy than our business manager would care to imagine. I have been rewarded kindly in the friends that I have made, the lessons that I have learned and the impact that I have made on the community. I never stop hunting for the next project. My service to the community has been very broad in scope. I have served as a member of the Oconomowoc school board, the Oconomowoc Hospital Foundation, and as a trustee of St. Jerome’s Catholic...

Scott McCarthy has been in practice since 1991 and is one of the most experienced trial lawyers in southern Wisconsin. Scott has taken countless cases to trial in Rock County, Dane County, Waukesha County, Jefferson County and more surrounding counties and counties around the State. He has won at every level including the Supreme Court Scott's success was noticed in 2007 when one of the larger firms in Madison asked Scott to join their litigation team. Scott founded the Janesviille branch of Murphy Desmond and was quickly named to the firm's Litigation Executive Committee where he helped guide the...

Family Law Attorney Jeff Blessinger has earned a very strong local and regional reputation as tough and intelligent, yet compassionate in fighting for the rights of his clients. For more than 19 years, Attorney Blessinger has skillfully handled all types of family law cases, from high conflict child custody, child support and maintenance battles, to collaborative divorces, alimony, and paternity issues. Jeff has the skills, experience, reputation, and legal ability to successfully represent and defend you in any family law case, no matter how large or small.

Attorney Hart is a skilled and accomplished criminal defense attorney. He is a recipient of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Hanson Memorial Advocate’s Prize, which is presented to attorneys who have won a not-guilty verdict in a homicide jury trial. He has also been named a Top 40 Under 40 Criminal Defense Attorney by The National Trial Lawyers.

The trial for which Attorney Hart won the Hanson Prize involved a count of first-degree intentional homicide, the most serious crime under Wisconsin law. Taylor was featured on WKOW 27 News after that victory. He also recently obtained acquittals on all...

After graduating from University of Wisconsin Law School, Attorney Guerin moved to Baraboo in order to contribute to the community both personally and professionally. Attorney Guerin's passion to help people and pursue justice are the underpinnings of his focus on personal injury law and his love of the outdoors has made his move to beautiful Sauk County, Wisconsin, a winning combination.

Jay Englund is the owner of Englund & Associates Law Office, LLC, which is located in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Attorney Englund focuses his individual practice on criminal defense. He has defended thousands of people charged in a wide range of criminal and traffic offenses ranging from the most serious felonies to minor traffic violations. Before private practice, Attorney Englund clerked with the Eau Claire County Public Defender's Office and at the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office, both of which provided him with invaluable knowledge of the criminal justice system. Attorney Englund's experience and knowledge, coupled with his skills as a...

Raised in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, I graduated from Oconomowoc High School in 1997. In search of a small liberal arts education, and intent upon getting away from home and becoming independent, I attended Kalamazoo College in Michigan. I graduated in 2001 with a major in political science. In 2004, I graduated from Drake University Law School in Des Moines, Iowa. After passing the Wisconsin bar exam, I joined Swendson/Menting Law Ltd., in Oconomowoc. I started out practicing in the family law area. I was a court appointed Guardian ad Litem and did divorce work, and quickly realized that this was not my...

With more than 35 years of practicing law, Bob Duxstad offers clients unparalleled experience in representing their cases. His practice is focused on personal injury and civil litigation, banking, business law, and criminal and traffic matters. Earning his reputation as a tenacious litigator and negotiator, Bob has recovered more than $7 million in damages for clients in the personal injury arena alone. While serving as Green County District Attorney, Bob started the law firm that is now Duxstad and Bestul. He is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin and its Litigation and Office Management Sections, the Green...

Steven Chesebro received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Legal Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received his law degree from Marquette University Law School in 2011. In Law School, Mr. Chesebro was active in the Business Law Society as a chairperson, treasurer, and during his third year as President. Upon admission to the Wisconsin State Bar, Mr. Chesebro moved to Janesville to be near family and opened a law office dedicated to helping the residents of Rock County. In January of 2013, he joined the Consigny Law Firm, S.C. Mr. Chesebro is a member of the Wisconsin Bar Association...

As a Janesville, WI, native I felt passionate about coming back to Janesville and serving my community. I opened my law firm in 1986 and have 30+ years of experience helping with Divorce, DUI, Drunk Driving, Traffic, and Real Estate cases. I care about the personal and economic happiness of my clients. Feel free to give me a ring to talk through your legal circumstances

I grew up in and around Fort Atkinson. I went to college and law school in Oklahma and Virginia respectively. I lived in China for a month, and I lived in and around Israel for two weeks. I had the honor and privilege of studying under Former U.S. Attorney-General John Ashcroft; Sitting Virginia Supreme Court Justice D. Arthur Kelsey; Professors Brad Jacob and James Duane, who had U.S. Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Stephen Breyer as law professors; Ben Madison, who writes law school Civil Procedure text books for Carolina Academic Press, a national law school textbook publisher;...

Shannon Law's commitment: We listen to you. Whether you visit us for estate planning, a family law concern, financial issues, or a business matter, our job is to listen and provide you with services, information, education, and the options that are appropriate to your personal needs. We counsel you. While we recognize that some disputes can only be resolved by a trial, we will counsel you on how to avoid the burden and expense of litigation through creative solutions, fair compromises, and mediation. We fight for you. We accept cases where the facts, the law, or both, are disputed and must be tried before a judge...