Axley Attorneys

Axley attorneys provide quality and timely legal services at a reasonable price in over 100 areas, including business, tax, estate planning, corporate, health care, construction, litigation, insurance defense, electronic discovery and records management, family law, criminal defense, labor and employment, and personal injury.

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Many dentists devote significant time and energy to building successful practices but spend little time planning for what would happen if they became disabled or unexpectedly passed away. While most practice owners understand the importance of a will or trust, fewer realize how closely their personal estate plan and professional practice plan should work together.

For dental professionals, a practice is often one of their most valuable assets. Without proper planning, an unexpected event can leave family members, business…
Continue Reading Estate Planning for Dental Practice Owners: Protecting More Than Your Family

New house building at the construction site.
New house under construction, front view from garage door entry with clouds blue sky. Framing of home exterior structure with a pile of lumber and siding plank leftover. Real estate business industry.

Construction, remodeling, and repair work are among the most important trades in our economy. Contractors take plans and specifications and transform them into tangible results through skill and craftsmanship that improve homes, businesses, and communities. In return for that work, contractors are entitled to be paid fairly and on time. Unfortunately, delayed, disputed, or unpaid invoices are an increasingly common reality in the construction industry. For that reason, contractors should understand the legal rights and remedies available to protect…
Continue Reading Construction Liens: the Tool Every Construction Company or Contractor Needs to Have in Their Belt

One of the most common disputes arising from residential real estate transactions is a seller misrepresentation claim. These lawsuits are often based on allegations that the seller failed to disclose a known defect or provided inaccurate information about the property’s condition.

Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, a failure-to-disclose claim is generally one type of seller misrepresentation claim. A buyer may allege that a seller failed to disclose a known defect, provided an inaccurate answer on a Real…
Continue Reading Seller Misrepresentation Claims: What Homeowners Need to Know

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…
Continue Reading When Employees Request Their Personnel Records

More than five percent of employed Americans hold more than one job, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For employers, outside employment may raise concerns related to employee performance, competition, and confidential information. A carefully drafted outside-employment policy can protect legitimate business interests without unnecessarily controlling employees’ conduct during their personal time.
What is Moonlighting?
“Moonlighting” describes an employee who holds a second job, performs freelance work, or operates a business while continuing to work for a…
Continue Reading The Second Job Question: When Should Employers Care?

An employee handbook is one of the most important documents an employer can maintain. It serves as a guide for employees, establishes workplace expectations, and helps ensure consistent application of company policies. A handbook also gives supervisors and managers a common reference point when questions arise regarding discipline, leave, benefits, workplace conduct, remote work, technology use, confidentiality, or other employment-related issues. When handbook provisions are unclear, vague, outdated, or subject to multiple interpretations, misunderstandings and disputes can arise that…
Continue Reading Employment Handbook Provisions 101

A non-compete agreement is one of the most significant employment-related documents an employer may ask an employee to sign. It can help protect customer relationships, confidential information, trade secrets, goodwill, and other legitimate business interests when an employee leaves the company. At the same time, a non-compete can restrict an employee’s ability to earn a living. For that reason, Wisconsin courts scrutinize these agreements carefully and will not enforce restrictions that go further than Wisconsin law permits.
Wisconsin is…
Continue Reading Non-Compete Agreements Under Wisconsin Law 101

In Golat v. Skwierawski, a former court reporter for the Wisconsin Circuit Court for Rusk County filed a federal lawsuit alleging, among other claims, that she suffered a hostile work environment based on her sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin (“Western District”) granted summary judgment in favor of the Defendants. In affirming, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals provided…
Continue Reading Seventh Circuit Opinion in Golat Offers Helpful Primer on Objective Severity Standards for Unlawful Harassment

When many people hear the term “estate planning,” they picture sprawling estates, family trusts worth millions of dollars, and complicated tax strategies. As a result, they assume estate planning is something they can put off or may never need at all.

The reality is much simpler: estate planning is for everyone.

Whether you are a recent college graduate, a young parent, a retiree, a business owner, or somewhere in between, estate planning is about protecting yourself, your loved ones,…
Continue Reading Estate Planning Is Not Just for the Wealthy: Why Every Adult Needs a Plan

Many Wisconsin employers have expanded their workforce beyond state borders, whether through remote work arrangements, multi-state operations, or recruitment efforts targeting a broader talent pool. As a result, a common question arises: If a Wisconsin-based employer has employees who live and work in another state, does the employer have to comply with that state’s salary transparency and job posting requirements? In many cases, the answer is yes.
Which State Law Applies?
A company’s headquarters location does not necessarily determine…
Continue Reading Does a Wisconsin-based Employer Have to Comply With Another State’s Salary Transparency Laws?

Drone Shot of Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee at Night
Aerial shot of East Town Milwaukee, Wisconsin at night from over the lakefront, looking towards the downtown office buildings of Juneau Town

Running a business in Wisconsin is no small feat. Between managing employees, serving customers, monitoring cash flow, and planning for growth, it is easy to let the “formal” requirements of operating through a separate legal entity slip down the priority list. Yet corporate housekeeping is more than paperwork. It helps preserve the distinction between the business and its owners, supports sound decision-making, and makes the company easier to finance, insure, sell, or transition.

The practical rule: operate the business…
Continue Reading Staying on Track: Why Wisconsin Businesses Should Prioritize Corporate Housekeeping

The significant appreciation in equity markets has left many investors holding assets with substantial built-in gains. In many cases, tax basis is very low relative to current value. This creates a central tension in estate and tax planning, specifically, whether to recognize capital gains during life or preserve assets for a potential step-up in basis at death.

For many estate plans, the default instinct is to hold appreciated assets until death to secure a basis step-up. That instinct is…
Continue Reading Gifting Appreciated Securities vs. Waiting for a Step-up in Basis

On June 25, 2026, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Mullin v. Doe, 609 U.S. ___ (2026), in which the Court allowed the Trump Administration to proceed with the termination of Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) designations for Haiti and Syria. Under the TPS statute, which was enacted in 1990, the Secretary of Homeland Security may designate a country for TPS if there is an ongoing armed conflict in the country, if there has been a natural…
Continue Reading What Employers Should Know About Recent TPS Changes

Calculating accurate wages and hours for employees remains a persistent risk area for Wisconsin employers, particularly those operating in construction and other job site–driven industries. While many employers understand the basic requirement to pay hourly employees for time worked, less obvious issues, such as travel time, pre- and post-shift activities, and overtime calculations, often create significant exposure. Missteps in these areas can quickly lead to costly claims, audits, or class-based litigation.
Overtime: the Baseline Obligation
Under Wisconsin law, most…
Continue Reading Wage & Hour Traps on Wisconsin Construction Sites: Travel Time, Prep Time, and Misclassifications of the Workforce

Divorce is rarely an easy or straightforward process. Emotions often run high as families navigate significant changes involving finances, parenting, and the future. While some level of conflict is expected, prolonged and intense disputes can create consequences that extend far beyond the courtroom.

When thinking about the cost of divorce, people often focus on the most obvious and immediate expense: attorney fees. However, the hidden costs of a high-conflict divorce can be far greater, affecting mental and emotional well-being,…
Continue Reading High Conflict Divorce – The Costs, Challenges, and Options

Shoulders are the most commonly injured body parts in Wisconsin workers’ compensation claims—even more common than lower-back and hearing-loss claims. Wisconsin Act 145, which became effective on April 1, 2026, eliminated the statute of limitations for traumatic shoulder injuries that require shoulder replacement or reverse shoulder replacement surgery. This change will have long-lasting effects on Wisconsin’s worker’s compensation landscape.
Wisconsin’s New 2025 Wis. Act 145
Wisconsin Act 145, which became effective on April 1, 2026, added work-related shoulder…
Continue Reading Shouldering the Burden: Wisconsin’s New Workers’ Comp Exposure