One of the more annoying parts of hiring a lawyer is that we tend to respond to perfectly good and reasonable questions with more questions.A client asks whether they can sign a contract, bring in a new partner, buy a business, or hire an intern. Usually, I need to know a little more before I can give a useful answer. Who drafted the agreement? What are you actually agreeing to? Who controls the company? What happens if the relationship…
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I recently completed drafting several new and improved rental forms for Wisconsin Legal Blank (WLB). Specifically, I revised the Rental Agreement, Rules + Regulations, and Nonstandard Rental Provisions (NSRP) rental forms.The changes to the Rental Agreement and Rules + Regulations were pretty extensive. The changes include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Adding a “Definitions” section to streamline the text of the forms.
  • Highlighting “Joint and Several Liability” within the forms.
  • Adding a new “Fair Housing” disclosure

…
Continue Reading New and Improved Rental Agreement, Rules + Regulations, and NSRP Forms Now Available

You receive a letter from a recently terminated employee requesting “everything” in their personnel file. Wisconsin law gives current and former employees the right to inspect certain personnel records, but that right is not unlimited. Knowing what to disclose, what to withhold, and how to respond helps employers comply with the law and prepare for what may follow.
Responding to a Records Request
Under Wisconsin law, employers must allow current and former employees to inspect personnel documents used to…
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If you have an open worker’s compensation claim in Wisconsin, you may receive calls, emails, or messages from individuals claiming they are involved in your case. While some communications may be legitimate, injured workers should know that scammers have recently begun targeting individuals with worker’s compensation claims.

Reports have described scams in which individuals impersonate government officials, judges, attorneys, or other worker’s compensation professionals. In some cases, injured workers have been invited to participate in what appears to…
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Wisconsin voters will encounter three constitutional amendment referendum questions on the Nov. 3 ballot. In a series of posts, Wisconsin Justice Initiative will help you understand constitutional amendment referendum questions generally, and the Nov. 3 election questions specifically. This is part three in the series. Find parts one and two here and here. ​ By Margo KirchnerWisconsin Republicans want you to join them in overreacting to Gov. Tony Evers’ use of executive partial veto power with a constitutional…
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DOL Opinion Letters Clarify Rules on Meal Breaks, Tip Pooling, and Employee VolunteeringThe U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division recently issued three opinion letters addressing meal periods, tip pooling, and volunteer arrangements under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Although the letters arise from hospitality, detention facility, and nonprofit settings, each provides practical guidance for employers reviewing their wage and hour compliance practices. Employers should take the opportunity to ensure their meal break, tip pooling, and…
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Volunteering

von Briesen & Roper, s.c., announced today that Tim Oliver, CEPA and Katie Sluman have joined the Firm’s Chicago office. Tim Oliver, CEPA is a Shareholder in the Business Practice Group. He serves as outside general counsel to closely held and family-owned businesses and focuses on contract, compliance, employment and governance matters, and their major transactions. He is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) advising business owners as they prepare for the sale or succession of their companies. Prior…
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Keep Up To DateFor invitations to our events and updates on key legal issues and business concernsPlease Click HereSeptember 28, 2026What an incredible first ever Ruder Ware Cares Day! Thanks to the support of our attorneys and staff, over 60 Ruder Ware volunteers spent the afternoon serving nine organizations that make a difference in the communities we call home.We’re also grateful to our United Way partners, whose teams worked behind…
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As we prepared this week’s briefing, one industry trend stood out: Rising construction costs are driving more adaptive reuse projects. Over the past year, more clients have explored repurposing office buildings, senior living communities and specialty hospitals for alternative uses. Below are five adaptive reuse projects that crossed our desks during that period.

  • Behavioral Health to Inpatient Rehabilitation – A hospital provider closed an inpatient behavioral health hospital and converted it into an inpatient rehabilitation facility.
  • Office to Specialty

    • …
    Continue Reading Weekly Hospital Real Estate Briefing: Rising Construction Costs Drive Adaptive Reuse

    On August 7, 2026, Illinois joined a growing number of jurisdictions expanding legal protections to employees experiencing menopause-related conditions by signing into law the Illinois Menopause Equity and Care Act (the “Act”) (Public Act 104-0793). Among other changes, the Act generally extends anti-discrimination and reasonable accommodation protections to employees experiencing menopause-related conditions. The employment-related provisions take effect January 1, 2027.
    Menopause-Related Conditions Added to the IHRA
    The Act amends the Illinois Human Rights Act (“IHRA”) to expressly…
    Continue Reading Illinois Broadens Workplace Protections Through the Menopause Equity and Care Act

    NLRB Returns to Common Sense: Protected Activity under the NLRA Does NOT Give Employees License to Engage in Abusive Workplace ConductOn September 23, 2026, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board), in its decision in Lion Elastomers III, has acknowledged that its prior decision in Lion Elastomers II is no longer (and, really, never was) valid as establishing the standard by which to determine whether an employer may lawfully discipline or discharge an employee for engaging in…
    Continue Reading NLRB Returns to Common Sense: Protected Activity under the NLRA Does NOT
    Give Employees License to Engage in Abusive Workplace Conduct

    Most employers assume a handbook policy is lawful if it serves a legitimate business purpose. However, that assumption can create risk under the current National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) standard.Even in nonunion workplaces, policies that appear reasonable may draw scrutiny if employees could interpret them as restricting rights protected by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).For employers this means an outdated handbook can become evidence in an unfair labor practice investigation.That’s why every employer should pay attention to the…
    Continue Reading Inside the NLRB: Is Your Employee Handbook Saying More Than You Intended?

    By Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays
    Updated: September 2026
    Take the same steps as any injured worker. In Wisconsin, speaking English is not a requirement for workers’ compensation coverage. Get medical care from a doctor you choose. Tell your employer about the injury within 30 days. You can report it in Spanish; the law requires that your employer actually receive notice, so bring a bilingual coworker or interpreter if needed and give it in writing to your supervisor or the…
    Continue Reading Hurt at Work in Wisconsin, Don’t Speak English? What to Do

    By Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays
    Updated: September 2026
    No. In Wisconsin, a workers’ compensation claim cannot be denied solely because the worker is undocumented. The law covers “every person in the service of another under any contract of hire, express or implied” (Wis. Stat. § 102.07(4)(a)), and none of the definition’s listed exceptions, such as domestic servants, turns on immigration status. If you are otherwise covered, your status alone does not disqualify you: you are generally eligible…
    Continue Reading Can I Get Workers’ Comp in Wisconsin If I’m Undocumented?

    • September 24, 2026Wisconsin has reestablished a formal process for seeking commutation after a roughly three-decade hiatus. Nate Oesch outlines what to know about eligibility, applications, and the state’s new Commutation Advisory Board. After a roughly three-decade hiatus, Wisconsin has reestablished a formal process for individuals serving prison sentences to apply for commutation — i.e., a reduction or modification of their sentence by the governor. In April 2026, Gov. Tony Evers signed two executive orders creating the Commutation Advisory Board

    …
    Continue Reading Wisconsin Revives Its Commutation Process: What Practitioners Should know

    From birth certificates to guardianship: the practical steps every Wisconsin family needs to take in year one.
    September is often associated with more birthdays than any other month of the year, meaning many families are welcoming a new baby and adjusting to life as new parents. Between feedings, diaper changes, doctor appointments, and sleepless nights, it can be difficult to think about much beyond the next few hours.
    Amid the excitement, however, there are several important legal and financial…
    Continue Reading Baby’s Here! The Wisconsin New Parent Legal & Financial Checklist