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litigation
We represent families, individuals, and businesses in probate, trust, and commercial disputes across Wisconsin. In negotiation, in mediation, and when it's necessary, in the courtroom.
Most estates settle quietly. Some don't. A will that doesn't reflect what everyone expected. A signature obtained when a parent wasn't well. A personal representative who won't communicate, won't account, or won't act. These situations are painful precisely because they happen inside families, and they rarely resolve on their own.
We handle will contests, undue influence and capacity claims, disputes over personal representatives, beneficiary rights, and claims against estates. Because our practice is rooted in estate planning, we know how these documents are built, which means we know where they break. That perspective works in both directions: challenging a document that shouldn't stand, and defending one that should.
A trustee holds someone else's future in their hands. Wisconsin law calls that a fiduciary duty, and it is the highest duty the law recognizes. When a trustee fails to account, invests carelessly, favors one beneficiary over another, or treats trust assets as their own, beneficiaries have the right to answers and to action.
We represent beneficiaries seeking accountings, removal of trustees, and recovery of trust assets. We also defend trustees who are doing the job right and facing accusations that they aren't. Administering a trust well is hard, and good-faith decisions can still draw fire. Either side of that line, the work is the same: get the facts, apply the duty, and resolve it.
Guardianship cases ask hard questions. Does someone need a guardian at all? Who should serve? Is the current guardian acting in their ward's best interest? When family members answer those questions differently, the disagreement lands in court, often while the person at the center of it is at their most vulnerable.
We represent petitioners, objectors, and family members in contested guardianships and protective placement proceedings. These cases call for more than legal skill. They call for judgment about what a court needs to see, and care for the person whose independence is at stake.
A lawsuit is rarely the goal. Keeping your business running is. Whether it's a contract that wasn't honored, a partnership pulling apart, an unpaid receivable, or a dispute with a vendor or competitor, the measure of success is the same: resolve it in a way that lets you get back to work.
We represent Wisconsin businesses in contract disputes, partnership and ownership conflicts, collections, and commercial litigation in state and federal court. We start by understanding what the dispute is actually costing you, in money, time, and attention, and we build the strategy around that.
Real estate disputes have a way of escalating. Boundary and easement disagreements, failed transactions, title defects, landlord-tenant conflicts, and construction disputes all involve an asset too valuable to leave uncertain.
We litigate real estate matters throughout Southeast Wisconsin, and we bring transactional experience to the table, which means we understand the documents at the center of the fight, not just the fight itself.
Here is the truth about litigation: most cases settle. The question is whether they settle well, and that depends almost entirely on preparation.
What is your position actually worth? What will it cost to pursue? What does a good outcome look like, and what are you willing to spend, in dollars and in years, to get there? You'll know where you stand before you commit to anything.
That preparation is what produces strong settlements. The other side negotiates differently with someone who is ready for the courtroom.
Sometimes the best advice we give is that a fight isn't worth having. That candor has been part of how this firm practices since 2001.
It depends on the complexity of the dispute and the court's schedule. Some matters resolve in a few months through negotiation. Contested cases that go to trial can take a year or longer. We'll give you a realistic timeline at your case assessment and update it as things develop.
Usually not. Most disputes resolve through negotiation or mediation before trial. But preparing as if you will go to court is what makes early resolution possible on fair terms.
Yes, on grounds such as improper execution, lack of capacity, or undue influence. But the window is short. Objections generally must be raised by the deadline set in the probate notice, which can be a matter of weeks. If you believe something is wrong with a will, talk to an attorney promptly.
Don't ignore it. Wisconsin deadlines for responding to a lawsuit are strict, and missing them can mean losing by default. Bring the papers to an attorney as soon as you receive them.
Mediation is a structured negotiation guided by a neutral third party. It resolves a large share of disputes at a fraction of the cost of trial, and Wisconsin courts often require parties to attempt it. We prepare for mediation as seriously as we prepare for trial.