In Wisconsin, Wis. Stat. section 101.11, known as the safe place statute, imposes a variety of duties on employers, owners of places of employment, and owners of public buildings. The statute, first enacted in 1911, is nonspecific as to the exact nature and extent of the duty required to render a premises “safe:” Every employer shall furnish employment which shall be safe for the employees therein and shall furnish a place of employment which shall be safe for employees
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Untangling Complex Construction Claims – Why the Total Cost Method Matters
Most construction contracts presume that unanticipated changes sometimes happen, and permit changes to the contract price in those circumstances. However, these terms typically require the party seeking the change (most often a contractor or subcontractor seeking additional money due to unanticipated issues) to establish a causal link between the change and the increased work needed, and thus price. When projects are beset by numerous overlapping issues (for example, adverse weather issues, a design change, and unforeseen jobsite conditions), it
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Estate Planning Considerations for Blended Families
ArticleAlthough blended families are common, they often encounter unique complexities after the death of a loved one. Assets may be left outright to a surviving spouse, who may then change the terms of the estate plan. Careful estate planning helps prevent disputes when emotions are high, avoids unintended disinheritance, and ensures assets are distributed according to the deceased spouse’s original wishes.
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NotebookLM for Lawyers: AI That Focuses on Your Documents
Legal work runs on documents. Case files, contracts, discovery materials, correspondence – they accumulate. Whether you’re building a timeline from scattered dates, searching for contradictions in witness statements, or extracting key clauses from multiple agreements, the process is often slow, meticulous, and time consuming.
In my recent Wisconsin Lawyer article, “NotebookLM for Lawyers: AI That Focuses on Your Documents”, I explore a different approach to AI in legal practice—one that focuses exclusively on your documents rather than pulling
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Breakfast Briefing Series: Staying Afloat in the 'Bermuda Triangle': Insights on FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Compensation
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and workers’ compensation come with complex obligations for employers and HR professionals. Join Heather Bailey for an informative webcast on understanding the requirements and interactions of FMLA, ADA, and workers’ compensation in the U.S. workplace.
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Insights on FMLA, ADA, and Workers' Compensation
Minnesota Paid Leave: What about Deadlines and Taxes?
This post is the fourth part in a series on Minnesota Paid Leave. Feel free to check out Parts 1, 2, and 3. The previous post focuses on the calculation of Paid Leave benefits for employees. This next post focuses on two inevitabilities: death deadlines and taxes.
Let’s start with the focus on deadlines. In particular, there are three deadlines to keep in mind:
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Five Terms Wisconsin Municipalities Should Revise Before Signing Construction Contracts
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) publishes a widely used family of template-based construction contract documents, including A201, the General Conditions of the Contract for Construction. Many Wisconsin municipalities adopt these forms assuming they are balanced, neutral, and suitable for public-sector use without significant revision.
In practice, however, several provisions shift critical project risk away from contractors and toward municipal owners – particularly late in the project when system performance, commissioning, scheduling, and public expectations are most important.
Scott
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Monitoring Webpage Changes with Visualping
Have you ever been frustrated that some important websites don’t offer email alerts or RSS feeds? Manually keeping track of changes can be very time-consuming. Fortunately, website monitoring tools solve this problem by automatically watching pages and sending notifications when changes occur.
There are many website monitoring tools available, each with different features and capabilities. While there are multiple options available, I heard the most good things about Distill and Visualping so I gave them both a try.
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CUPS configuration error and fix
Basically, a corruption of the CUPS policy file stops CUPS from running until the corruption is removed.
My printing stopped working after a late November 2025 update. Basically, only Airprint drivers would appear in a print dialog, and those drivers could not connect to anything when selected (and so there was no printing at all).
I tracked the error down to CUPS not operating
$ sudo service cups status
[sudo] password for victor:
○ cups.service – CUPS Scheduler
Loaded:
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LLC vs. S-Corp for Small Business Owners: Which Protects Your Family Better?
Choosing between an LLC and an S-Corporation isn’t just a tax decision — it’s a family protection decision. The business structure you choose affects liability, control, taxes, succession planning, and even whether your business ends up tangled in probate.
If you’re a local small or mid-size business owner, understanding these differences can help you safeguard what you’ve built and protect the people you love.
LLC vs. S-Corp: Quick Comparison Chart
Feature
LLC
S-Corporation
Liability Protection
Strong limited liability
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Weekly Hospital Real Estate Briefing: Our Top 10 Hospital Campus Development Trends
In 2025, we worked on a number of significant land transactions where hospitals acquired land for new hospital campus projects. From our perspective, it seemed like an increase in land transactions when compared to previous years. Here are 10 observations based on our work on these transactions:
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"I need to bail. What can I tell the court about why I’m withdrawing?"
I get this question a lot, and for good reason. On one hand: Every bit of information related to representation is presumptively confidential per Rule 1.6 and its state equivalents. (Different states interpret the rule differently; Wisconsin takes a particularly restrictive view.) On the other hand, if you need to move a court to withdraw, they usually want a reason (see Rule 1.16), and most of those reasons are going to contain, well, information related to representation.
This
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Your Vote Matters – Introducing the 2026 Officer Candidates
Lisa M. Lawless
Anna F.C. Muñoz
Basil J. Buchko
Joseph M. Cardamone III
Saveon D. Grenell
Jason D. Luczak
Dec. 5, 2026 –
Lisa M. Lawless and
Anna F.C. Muñoz have accepted nominations to run for 2026 State Bar of Wisconsin president-elect.
Both candidates are lawyers active in Milwaukee. Lawless (Indiana 1992) is with Husch Blackwell LLP, and Muñoz (Marquette 2005) is with Brookdale Senior Living Inc.
The president-elect serves a one-year term before becoming president on July 1,
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Transforming Custody Challenges into Stronger Connections
Your guide to building lasting bonds with your children through effective communication and growth, to create a winning custody strategy.
Why Family Law is About More Than Paperwork
At HKK Law Offices we view every case as a chance for transformation. When families move through conflict, they often emerge with clearer relationships, steadier finances, and a renewed sense of purpose. Custody isn’t just a legal award. It is an opportunity to become a stronger, healthier, consistent, and more engaged
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Supreme Court of Illinois to Address Whether the FAAAA Preempts Negligent Hiring/Selection Claims Against Freight Brokers
ArticleOn November 26, 2025, the Supreme Court of Illinois agreed to address whether state common law claims for negligent hiring/selection are preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994 (FAAAA). This decision will determine whether or not plaintiffs in Illinois are permitted to assert claims for negligent hiring/selection against freight brokers.
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Hiring/Selection Claims Against Freight Brokers
FMCSA Set to Strengthen ELD Certification Process: What Commercial Motor Carriers Should Know
On December 1, 2025, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced its intent to overhaul the vetting process for electronic logging devices (ELDs).
According to the agency, the new, more rigorous process will help ensure that only fully compliant devices appear on the federal registered ELD list.
Commercial motor carriers can expect to see reductions in cost and operational disruptions, but the updated policy may also create new litigation and compliance considerations.
Why FMCSA Is Changing the Vetting
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