Kieler Lawyers

I grew up in Brownsdale, Minnesota, a small town in the southeastern corner of the state near Austin & Rochester. After graduating from Hayfield High School, I attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. I was a music major, and received my B.A. in 1987. That same year, I met my future wife, a Cassville native. We were married in 1991.

My first job after college was teaching vocal music at Bloomington, Wisconsin, which later merged with another school to form River Ridge School District. A few years after consolidation, the new district cut the music staff from four teachers down to...

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...

Patricia McKinney-Lins focuses on family and business estate planning and probate. She is part of the Neider & Boucher, S.C. law firm, located on Madison's west side, with an office in Spring Green, Wisconsin. She is dedicated to serving families as well as small business owners, including family farm business owners. Patricia started her practice in 1986, practiced estate planning, real estate and probate for several years, took time off with her children and has been back to full-time practice since 2011. Patricia enjoys helping her clients organize their affairs to simplify the process of protecting themselves...

Attorney William M. Pemberton founded the firm Pemberton Personal Injury Law Firm. Attorney Pemberton represents clients through out the entire State of Wisconsin who have suffered injuries or losses at the hands of others' negligence in cases related to the following: • Motor vehicle accidents • Wrongful death • Dangerous property • Animal attacks • Boating and snowmobile accidents • Catastrophic injuries Attorney Pemberton began his legal career in 2004 after earning his law degree from Marquette University Law School and his admission to the State Bar of Wisconsin. In addition to his approval to practice law before all of Wisconsin's state courts, the U.S. District Courts...

Steve graduated from Iowa State University, with honors and as a member of the scholastic fraternities of Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. He received his law degree from the University of Minnesota in 1979, and has been a member of the bar in both Wisconsin and Minnesota since 1979. He is also admitted to practice in the federal courts of both states and in the Supreme Court of the United States. Steven is Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Civil Trial Specialist. He has concentrated his practice on commercial and business litigation,...

Nikole K. Messerschmidt exclusively practices Family Law and helps each client move forward. Cases hanlded include divorce, child custody, mediation, spousal maintenance, and other family law related cases.

After her first stressful decade as an insolvency attorney, Rebecca R. DeMarb started repeating the mantra, to ‘live with Integrity’. No matter the circumstances, she comes back to that mantra to determine the best way forward for her clients and the companies she has in receivership. This mantra, along with her caffeinated practice and willingness to be creative in finding both the best business and legal solution, drives her practice. The most rewarding part of Rebecca’s career has been building professional relationships. Rebecca is the founder of the Wisconsin Network of the IWIRC. She remains a co-chair of the Wisconsin...

Nils Wyosnick is an attorney for Murphy Desmond S.C., based in Madison, Wisconsin. With a concentration in defending clients charged with drunk driving offenses and misdemeanor and felony crimes, Nils represents clients in Wisconsin and Illinois. A graduate of the University of Illinois-Chicago School of Law, Nils began his career as a prosecutor for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office in Chicago. As an Assistant State's Attorney, Nils prosecuted in some of the busiest courtrooms in the nation, gaining extensive trial work experience and training. In 2014, Nils left the State's Attorney's office for private practice; continuing his experience in...

Founder of Krause Estate Planning & Elder Law Center, Dan has helped thousands of families with estate planning and estate administration since 1999. A retired Army Major and JAG Officer, Dan is a board-certified Estate Planning Law Specialist. He is certified by The Estate Law Specialist Board, Inc.

Dan and his former law partner, Nelson Donovan, wrote the book _Estate Planning in Wisconsin: Privacy, Protection and Taking Control_, published in 2017. It is an easy-to-understand primer for non-experts, covering the basics of estate planning, including wills, trusts and powers of attorney.

Besides offering education classes for the public, Dan has lectured on...

Brandon Derry is an experienced attorney specializing in insurance defense law and personal injury law.

Kevin Palmersheim is the founding shareholder of Palmersheim Dettmann, S.C. and is also its managing attorney. In addition to the knowledge and experience that Kevin brings to legal issues as a highly-experienced business attorney, he is also adept at being creative and flexible in representing clients’ interests both in court and in negotiations. He excels at finding cost-effective strategies to resolve business disputes and execute complex transactions, and is solicited by judges and lawyers to act as a mediator in business disputes. In his work as a business attorney, Kevin routinely represents clients on a variety of business litigation matters...

Tracy received his law degree from the University of Minnesota in 1990, where he served as Articles Editor for the Minnesota Law Review. He received a B.A. from the University of Minnesota in 1987. He is Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Civil Trial Specialist and focuses on plaintiff's personal injury. Tracy N. Tool is a civil litigator experienced in a wide range of substantive areas of law. He uses the legal process to restore the balance of power and to remind big corporations and insurance companies that injured clients must be...

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’m a financial problem solver who can think through unique and customized solutions for farmers, small business owners, debtors and creditors. As a principal shareholder with Krekeler Law, S.C., a firm devoted to debtor-creditor and bankruptcy matters, I work with a team of legal professionals that can deliver financial answers. Our practice includes representation of debtors, creditors, and bankruptcy trustees in cases under Chapters 7, 11, 12, and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. I also serve as a receiver in both supplemental and Chapter 128 proceedings. I am a member of both the Creditor’s Rights section and the Bankruptcy and...

As an young and energetic attorney at Tracey Wood & Associates, Teuta Jonuzi fights hard for the rights or her clients.

Sarah concentrates on two areas of practice: criminal and traffic defense and immigration law. In the area of criminal and traffic defense, Sarah has defended clients at all levels - from local municipal courts through the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Sarah handles many circuit court trials every year, successfully protecting client interests. Sarah handles all levels of appeal in criminal and traffic cases and has argued several cases in front of the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Sarah frequently handles charges of drunk driving, sexual assault, substantial battery, theft from employer, delivery of a controlled substance, and all types of criminal and...

Attorney Dera L. Johnsen-Tracy is a shareholder and co-founder of Horn & Johnsen SC. Dera and focuses her legal practice in the areas of estate planning, probate and guardianship. Prior to completing law school, Dera gained 14 years of legal experience as a paralegal in Texas and Wisconsin. Dera’s extensive experience provided a strong and practical client-centered foundation for her legal practice. She strives to meet the needs of her clients in a personal and efficient manner. In furtherance of her passion for helping families plan, Dera is an active participant in the Wisconsin Wills for Heroes program and...

PHIL CARDIS - FOUNDER/MANAGING PARTNER CARDIS LAW GROUP With offices in Mesa, Arizona, Madison, Wisconsin and Bloomington, Minnesota Quality, Trusted, Experienced Counsel in Estate Planning, Bankruptcy and Business matters. Cardis Law Group can provide our clients with exceptional, pragmatic counsel. Cardis Law Group is a dedicated and highly skilled law firm with deep experience in legal advisement and representation. We are exceptional, powerful negotiators and diligent advocates, and we will be your proactive partner to help you navigate through your legal...

Attorney Michael F. Hupy is the senior partner in the billion dollar law firm of Hupy and Abraham, S.C. overseeing 11 offices in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa. In his career, he has achieved multi-million dollar results for clients including a $22 million award for an injured child.

Through Attorney Hupy's leadership, the firm has donated over $1 million to thousands of worthwhile causes.

In December 2008, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle presented Attorney Hupy with a Certificate of Commendation for many years of leadership in making "the community a better place to live." The Governor previously publicly thanked Attorney Hupy for his help...

A true Wisconsin native, Attorney Wood earned her undergraduate degree from Marquette University and her law degree from the University of Wisconsin. From the beginning of her legal career, Attorney Wood dedicated herself to defending OWI cases—allowing her to gain valuable experience and insights that are used to help her clients. Attorney Wood is the first Wisconsin attorney to serve on the Board of Regents for the National College for DUI Defense (NCDD) held at Harvard Law School, an organization devoted to furthering education for attorneys in this field of law. She is also a frequent speaker at...

John T. Fields is an attorney based out of Madison, WI. With proven expertise in family law, divorce, and child custody cases, he provides legal representation to individuals and families in need. With more than three decades in practice, he has been a staunch advocate for his clients in sensitive matters including domestic abuse, contested divorces, paternity suits, gaining sole custody, and many others. Navigating these issues can prove challenging, but Attorney Fields possesses the requisite knowledge and negotiation skills to assist you in achieving your goals. To schedule a consultation with the Madison Family Law attorney, please call 608-729-3590 or...

An accomplished defense attorney with a background in prosecution.

Dean is a Board Certified Civil Trial Specialist who has represented hundreds of injured people throughout Wisconsin. He received his Masters of Business Administration degree in 1986 after working as a commercial loan officer. In 1989 he received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Dean believes that quality representation begins with treating every client as if they're your only client and spending whatever time necessary to get the best result. When working with injury victims, Dean makes sure his clients know he'll be as aggressive as necessary, and fight tirelessly on their behalf.

He is the co-author of Your Life, Your Legacy (2003) and has written numerous published articles on various estate planning topics. Attorney Purtell is an active member of WealthCounsel, the Wisconsin Council of Estate Planning Attorneys (past-President), the Madison Estate Council, the State Bar of Wisconsin (Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section), and the Dane County Bar Association. He is also committed to his community through involvement in the Optimist Club of Cross Plains (past-President), being an active parish member of St. Francis Xavier Parish, and through his appointment to the Chair of the Personnel Committee for the Village...

Brian Brophy is a civil litigation and criminal defense attorney. He’s had the benefit of extensive experience both prosecuting and defending criminal and civil actions. The majority of his practice is devoted to defending those charged with crimes and representing people who have been seriously injured in accidents.

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.

Emily is a persistent and compassionate advocate for our clients. She strives to be creative and pragmatic in her work on behalf of children and families. She has a special interest in helping immigrant children and LGBTQ families. She was the lead attorney in a 2014 appeal in Wisconsin about applying the marital presumption of parentage to married same-sex couples post-marriage equality. She represents children and families all over the world in immigration, adoption, and assisted reproduction matters.

Attorney Michael Fox has been consistently recognized, not only as an outstanding trial lawyer, but as a teacher of trial practice. His record of success in trials has led to hundreds of settlements that allowed his clients to recover financially with dignity and without requiring a public trial. He was described by a noted colleague in the media as the “father of the modern civil rights jury trial” and promoted by the Minnesota State Bar as one of three national “stars of the plaintiff’s bar” repeatedly invited to address its annual Midwestern Employment Law Institute.

Attorney Jen Hanna’s expertise with immigration matters has helped many families and individuals to achieve legal status in the United States. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2010 and has primarily practiced immigration law since that time.

Her practice includes hardship waivers, marriage based sponsorship, fiancé visas, adjustment of status, DACA work, naturalization, U-visas, green card renewal, asylum, and other immigration matters.

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...

I'm a shareholder with DeWitt Law Firm practicing in the areas of real estate and business. I have assisted local and international banks and retailers, national restaurant operators and other businesses, community associations, property managers and owners, title insurers, general contractors and construction trades, creditors, landlords, and parties to insurance coverage disputes. I also work with community associations and their property managers in all kinds of transactions and disputes. I have successfully tried and arbitrated cases and handled insurance appraisals in state and federal courts, as well as appeals. I have also been selected to serve as mediator involving issues...

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...

Rick Coad is the founder and principal of Coad Law Office, S.C., in Madison, Wisconsin. He is a top-rated criminal defense attorney with more than 19 years of experience. Rick focuses his practice on defending individuals and corporations in state and federal court. His skills have carried him to courts throughout the midwest, and he has argued a case in the United States Supreme Court. He has been named by Super Lawyers thirteen times in his career, most recently in 2023. He is widely considered a leading defense lawyer in Wisconsin.

An accomplished criminal defense attorney in Wisconsin, Corey C. Chirafisi devotes his legal career solely to defending individuals charged with criminal and drunk driving offenses. He handles cases involving Wisconsin state law as well as federal law, and has represented people on every type of criminal charge and all levels of drunk driving charges with rather impressive results in numerous difficult cases. A former prosecutor, Mr. Chirafisi began his career as an assistant district attorney handling criminal matters ranging from disorderly conduct to homicide. He provides this experience to current clients whether they are charged with battery, computer...

Specialties: Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Administration; Contested Trust & Estate Litigation; General Litigation; Business Planning, Real Estate, Tax

Attorney Scott J. Curtis, a shareholder with the firm, practices in the areas of probate estates & trusts, general business law, estate planning, litigation, business formation & administration, business succession planning, estate and trust litigation, real estate, non-profit organizations, professional practices, estate planning, and general litigation.

Proficient in comprehensive estate planning, Mr. Curtis structures succession and estate plans for owners of family businesses engaged in numerous industries. In the field of probate and trust administration, Mr. Curtis has a reputation for success handling...