“Petition denied.”
One hundred fifty years ago, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued one of its most famous – and infamous – decisions. The afternoon edition of the Tuesday, February 15, 1876 Wisconsin State Journal contained a list of the opinions the court had handed down earlier that day. Two of those opinions were written by Chief Justice Edward Ryan. The first was a routine matter: the denial of a writ of mandamus. The second was the denial of Lavinia
Continue Reading “Petition denied.”
Milwaukee County employees’ health insurance coverage is in the news lately, due to an error in the renewal process for the County’s health insurance contract. Unfortunately, the County’s contract with United Healthcare lapsed at the end of 2025 without a renewal in place. More than 5,000 employees and retirees are covered under this policy, WPR reported, and rely on this insurance for doctor’s visits, prescriptions, hospitalizations, and other health care.
As of this writing, Milwaukee County employees remain covered for the time being under
Continue Reading Employer’s error caused you to lose health insurance coverage? You may have legal options
One of the most common questions we hear from parents is simple:
“Can my child support be lowered?”
The answer is: possibly. But it does not happen automatically, and timing matters more than most people realize.
In this article, Family Law Attorney, Kyle Kaufman, provides insight on when you may qualify for a reduction in Wisconsin and what steps you should take if your financial situation has changed.
For additional depth, view his YouTube video at this LINK.
Continue Reading WISCONSIN CHILD SUPPORT MODIFICATIONS
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the registration period for the fiscal year 2027 H-1B cap lottery will open at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 4 and will close at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 19. The registration fee for this year is $215 per registration.
New Weighted Selection Process
This year marks the first use of USCIS’s new weighted H-1B selection process. If the number of registrations exceeds the annual cap and a
Continue Reading USCIS Announces Registration Dates for Fiscal Year 2027 H-1B Cap Lottery
Continue Reading Elgersma Appointed Western District U.S. Attorney
Life after a divorce often brings a desire for a fresh start. For many parents in Sheboygan, Random Lake, and Mequon, this includes the question of whether a child can take on a new last name to match a restored maiden name or a new family structure.
While Wisconsin law allows adults to revert to a former legal name relatively easily during the divorce process, changing a child’s name involves a separate, more rigorous legal standard.
At HKK Law
Continue Reading Can I Change My Child’s Last Name After a Divorce in Wisconsin?
A significant element in proving an age discrimination claim in Wisconsin is that the claimant is 40 years old or older. With Wisconsin’s median age hovering right above 40, employers should be mindful of the rights of workers aged 40 and older to avoid exposing themselves to potential litigation.
Establishing an Age Discrimination Claim
The Wisconsin Fair Employment Act (WFEA) enumerates a wide variety of protected classes, one being a safeguard from age discrimination. The federal Age Discrimination in
Continue Reading Age Discrimination Claims in the Workplace: Key Considerations for Employers
Join us in congratulating Felicia Krueger on her promotion to COO. For more than ten years, Felicia has guided our accounting team with a focus on practical solutions and knowledge sharing, driving continuous improvement across the firm. She succeeds Jamie Schaefer, who recently retired from the COO role. Learn more about Felicia.The post Felicia Krueger Promoted to COO first appeared on Wisconsin Business Attorneys.
Continue Reading Felicia Krueger Promoted to COO
From pay transparency to remote work, employees are increasingly vocal about working conditions, both in the office and online. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protects employees, union and non-union alike, when they engage in concerted activity to address terms and conditions of employment. Employers cannot discharge, discipline, or threaten employees for engaging in protected concerted activity. Given the rise of employee activism in the workplace, it is imperative for you to understand when you can and cannot lawfully
Continue Reading Protected Concerted Activity: Navigating the Rise of Employee Activism
If you are a parent who shares a child with another parent and you were never married to that parent, it is critical that you understand how Wisconsin law applies to your situation. The rules for custody and placement are very different for children born outside of marriage and misunderstanding them can have serious consequences.
Non Marital Children Under Wisconsin Law
When a child is born to parents who are not married, Wisconsin law classifies that child as a
Continue Reading WHO HAS CUSTODY IF THERE IS NO COURT ORDER?
Employers play a pivotal role in guiding employees through their benefits options, including retirement plans and life insurance. However, one crucial aspect often goes overlooked: beneficiary designations. In Wisconsin, these designations carry significant legal weight and can directly shape how an employee’s benefits are distributed after their death.
The Binding Nature of Beneficiary Designations in Wisconsin
For 401(k)s, 403(b)s, profit-sharing plans, and employer-sponsored life insurance (“Benefits Plans”), the beneficiary designation on file at the time of an employee’s death
Continue Reading Navigating Beneficiary Designations: A Guide for Employers
We’re proud to announce our Fiduciary Services Administrator, Kristi Parker, recently earned her Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor (CTFA) designation from the American Bankers Association. This accomplishment highlights Kristi’s role within Ruder Ware’s Fiduciary Services team, which provides independent, objective support for trustees, executors, and families navigating estate and trust matters.The post Kristi Parker Earns CTFA first appeared on Wisconsin Business Attorneys.
Continue Reading Kristi Parker Earns CTFA
For generations, Wisconsin cranberry farms, like potato farms, have been more than businesses—they’ve been legacies. Passed down through families, these farms are rooted in tradition, hard work, and deep community ties. But as the industry evolves and families grow, succession planning becomes not just a smart strategy, it’s essential.
Unlike many other sectors, retirement is rare among cranberry growers, as it is with potato and vegetable growers. Running a cranberry, potato, or vegetable farm is often a lifelong commitment,
Continue Reading Handing Down the Harvest: Succession Planning for Cranberry Growers
Terminations are complex, often triggering emotional, legal, and administrative challenges for employees and employers. When post-termination questions go unanswered or lack clarity, the offboarding process can become unnecessarily lengthy and contentious, which in turn can lead to increased legal costs for both parties. When employee counsel doesn’t have access to the employee handbook or the full set of termination terms, how can discussion and negotiations proceed efficiently? Without a shared understanding of the rules, post-termination discussions inevitably drag on
Continue Reading Post-Termination Clarity: How Proactive Employment Agreements Prevent Offboarding Pitfalls
After a rigorous vetting process, Attorney Shanna Fink was elected to join the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) as a fellow. Shanna’s contributions to estate planning are extensive, from leading educational seminars and publishing articles to serving on key committees, including her current role on the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Real Property and Probate Section Board. Learn more about Shanna.
Ruder Ware is honored to count three of Wisconsin’s 30 ACTEC Fellows among our team.
Continue Reading Attorney Shanna Fink Joins ACTEC as a Fellow
After yearslong litigation, Hawks Quindel recently secured a unanimous jury verdict on behalf of a class of KFC managers seeking unpaid overtime compensation. The KFC managers alleged that they were improperly classified as exempt from Wisconsin’s overtime pay laws because they spent the majority of their time performing work alongside their hourly crew members and had limited authority in managing their restaurants. After a five-day trial in which numerous witnesses testified, the jury deliberated for less than an hour
Continue Reading Hawks Quindel Wins Overtime Class Action Trial for KFC Managers