The recent conviction of Maxwell Anderson for the murder and dismemberment of Sade Robinson is causing me to do something quite rare: write a column praising our legal system. It almost hurts to write this!

To be sure, the jury verdict doesn’t comprise perfect justice. Perfect justice would entail Superman spinning the world backwards to reverse time so that Sade Robinson never met this man. Sadly, the resources of our legal system don’t have the ability to do that;…
Continue Reading Perfect and not-so-perfect justice

On July 14, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released the CY 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (“PFS”) proposed rule. Several of the PFS proposals are related to telehealth, signaling a continued investment and interest in telehealth policies and use post the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed rule does not address or discuss the continued coverage of telehealth services via the pandemic waiver flexibilities, as this coverage was established through legislation unrelated to CMS’s PFS rulemaking.
Continue Reading Medicare’s Telehealth Proposals for CY 2026

​July 16, 2024 – ​The State Bar of Wisconsin has successfully resolved a federal lawsuit challenging its Leadership Academy and Leadership Summit programs, which were the target of a legal challenge that alleged the programs used race and ethnicity to select participants.Ending protracted litigation, the State Bar has entered a settlement agreement with the plaintiff, State Bar member ​​​Daniel Suhr.“We are pleased to have reached an amicable agreement that resolves the outstanding litigation,” said Immediate Past State Bar President Ryan Billings.“With…
Continue Reading State Bar Successfully Defends Leadership Academy and Leadership Summit

State ex rel. Wis. Dep’t of Corrs., Div. of Cmty. Corrs. v. Hayes, 2023AP1140, affirming a per curiam court of appeals decision, case activity (including briefs)

The Division of Hearings and Appeals decided not to revoke Sellers’s probation. DOC, on writ of certiorari to the circuit court, prevailed, and DHA appealed. On appeal, DHA and Sellers asked the COA to affirm DHA’s original decision not to revoke Sellers’s probation. The COA agreed with DHA and Sellers, reversing the…
Continue Reading SCOW affirms defense win in revocation case on deferential standard of review

Most Illinois businesses well are aware of Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act and the hundreds of lawsuits and multimillion dollar settlements it triggered. But there’s another Illinois privacy law quietly making waves for employers: The Illinois Genetic Information Privacy Act (GIPA).

GIPA has been Illinois law for over two decades, but only recently saw an explosion of lawsuits—and the resulting settlements are proving very costly. Recently, Ford Motor Company agreed to pay $17.5 million to settle a class action…
Continue Reading Navigating Genetic Privacy Compliance: Key Steps for Employers

Systems of Governance in the Age of AI

Governance, at its core, is about how we relate to one another. It is not just about laws or procedures. It is about who is heard, how power moves, who decides what matters, and how decisions are made real through collective agreement. Governance lives not only in legislatures or courtrooms, but in families, organizations, and everyday relationships.

Most governance systems rely on fixed tools: constitutions, codes, and legal frameworks that…
Continue Reading The Sovereign and the Circuit

Within the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4, 2025, is the new “No Tax on Overtime” rule that may positively impact many hourly workers as it relates to their payment of federal taxes starting in 2025. However, this change in the law also presents new challenges for employers and ambiguities that will need to be addressed.

For starters, the new overtime provision is limited to overtime wages paid by employers to employees qualifying for…
Continue Reading Issues Related to the “No Tax On Overtime” Provision

July 15, 2025 – The Wisconsin Supreme Court recently held (4-3) that five statutes giving the Wisconsin Legislature’s Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR) “the power to pause, object to, or suspend administrative rules for varying lengths of time” are facially unconstitutional. “The challenged statutes … empower JCRAR to take action that alters legal rights and duties outside of the legislative branch,” wrote Chief Justice Jill J. Karofsky in

Evers v. Marklein, 2025 WI 36 (July…
Continue Reading Wisconsin Supreme Court: Legislative Holds on Rules Unconstitutional

When estate and gift tax exemptions are high, clients may feel it’s time to take their foot off the gas when it comes to their estate planning. In fact, these are perfect times to turn your attention to the non-tax portions of your planning to ensure that special assets and unique family circumstances are planned for properly. Business interests, family cabins or farms are just a few of the assets that require specific planning. It’s also important for clients…
Continue Reading Time to Turn Off the Cruise Control: Advanced Planning Considerations When Exemptions Are High

Oneida County v. J.B., 2025AP213, 7/1/25, District III (one judge opinion, ineligible for publication); case activity

J.B. (“Joseph”) appeals the disposition terminating his parental rights to his son, “Isaac,” arguing that the circuit court failed to explicitly consider whether Isaac had substantial relationships with Joseph and members of his family. COA rejects Joseph’s arguments and affirms.

Isaac was five years old at the time of the jury trial on grounds and dispositional hearing. He was removed from Joseph’s…
Continue Reading COA affirms TPR disposition, holds circuit court properly exercised discretion as to substantial relationship factor

On May 19th of 2025, the legislature introduced a bill that gives drivers for Uber, Lyft, Instacart, and similar app-based companies the possibility of self-funded health insurance (in portable benefit accounts that could possibility also receive contributions from the companies if a company, for some reason, decides to help pay for such health insurance coverage) in return for losing their status as employees under current Wisconsin law.

The legislature rushed the hearings and passage of this bill and sent…
Continue Reading Network drivers pretense

When it comes to estate planning, many people think a will is all they need. But if you want to truly protect your assets, avoid probate, and make things easier for your loved ones, a revocable living trust might be the better option. In this post, we’ll walk through what a revocable living trust is, how it works, and why it’s such a valuable tool for protecting your legacy.

What Is a Revocable Living Trust?
A revocable living trust…
Continue Reading How to Protect Your Assets with a Revocable Living Trust

  • The DOJ recently charged 324 defendants, including 96 licensed medical professionals, in a $14.6B national health care fraud takedown. The government seized over $245M in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency and other assets, while CMS reported preventing more than $4B in fraudulent payments by suspending or revoking the billing privileges of 205 providers.
  • Intermountain Health finalized a ground lease that will facilitate construction of Nevada’s first standalone children’s hospital at UNLV’s Harry Reid Research and Technology Park. The 710,000-sf, 200-bed

    • …
    Continue Reading Weekly Hospital Real Estate Briefing

    Jackson County Dept. of Health & Human Services v. A.M.N., 2024AP1166, 7/10/25, District IV (ineligible for publication); case activity

    COA finds counsel’s performance deficient for failing to timely file affidavits opposing Jackson County’s motion for partial summary judgment regarding its petition to terminate A.M.N.’s parental rights.  But A.M.N. was not prejudiced because there is no reasonable probability that the affidavits would have created a genuine issue of material fact whether she had good cause for failing to contact…
    Continue Reading COA: In TPR case, trial counsel’s performance was deficient for not timely filing affidavits opposing summary judgment, but respondent not prejudiced.

    Water droplets with PFAS text -- Forever chemical water contamination concept

    Wisconsin Supreme Court holds that DNR has authority to address PFAS contamination without first promulgating rules identifying each contaminant as a “hazardous substance”
    Introduction
    On June 24, 2025, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a landmark environmental decision in Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, Inc. v. DNR. The Court concluded that the Department of Natural Resources (“DNR”) has the authority to require the cleanup of “emerging contaminants,” like PFAS, without first promulgating rules identifying each substance qualifying as a “hazardous…
    Continue Reading DNR Authorized to Address PFAS Contamination without First Identifying ‘Hazardous Substances’ per Wisconsin Supreme Court

    As you may be aware, on July 4, 2025, a landmark piece of tax legislation – commonly referred to as “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” – was signed into law, ushering in some of the most significant changes to the tax code in recent years. This sweeping bill touches nearly every corner of the tax landscape, with key highlights including a substantial increase to the estate and gift tax exemption, the elimination of federal income tax on tips and…
    Continue Reading One Big Beautiful Bill Act: Stay Tuned for Our Client Alert Series