von Briesen & Roper, s.c., announced today the addition of seven attorneys in four offices: Claire A. McDonough and Christian T. Oehrlein joined the Milwaukee office, James P. Anderson and T. Alexander Dee joined the Madison office, Anne E. Flinchum and Ann L. Patteson joined the Firm’s Green Bay office and Anthony S. Wachewicz III joined the Eau Claire office.Claire A. McDonough is an Associate in the Trusts and Estates Section. She focuses her practice on helping individuals,
Continue Reading von Briesen Welcomes Seven Attorneys in Four Offices
Milwaukee Mayor Asks Residents to Weigh In on Budget Cuts as MPD’s Share of Expenditures Swells
Milwaukee is again facing a nearly $100 million dollar gap between what it wants to fund and the cash it will have in the coming year.Despite the shortfall, the Milwaukee Police Department’s budget is likely to significantly increase.
Proposed areas for cuts include election operations and civic engagement, library hours, sanitation and street maintenance.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson is seeking input from city residents as his office works to close the $96 million dollar gap. The city has posted
Continue Reading Milwaukee Mayor Asks Residents to Weigh In on Budget Cuts as MPD’s Share of Expenditures Swells
Indiana HCBS Update: Indiana Imposes Statewide HCBS Provider Certification and Enrollment Moratorium
The Indiana Health Coverage Programs announced that it has received approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) to implement a statewide provider certification and enrollment moratorium for numerous Home- and Community-Based Services (“HCBS”) 1915(c) waiver providers. The moratorium becomes effective August 1, 2026, and initially will remain in effect for six months, although Indiana may seek six-month extensions.
Unlike many Medicaid enrollment moratoria that apply to a single provider type or geographic area, Indiana’s action applies
Continue Reading Indiana HCBS Update: Indiana Imposes Statewide HCBS Provider Certification and Enrollment Moratorium
Wage & Hour Traps on Wisconsin Construction Sites: Travel Time, Prep Time, and Misclassifications of the Workforce
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
High Conflict Divorce – The Costs, Challenges, and Options
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
Keen Dreams: Moonlighting, Softdisk, and the Unexpected Road to Castle Wolfenstein
If you are of a certain age, and occupy that certain point on the nerd spectrum, you’re probably familiar with Commander Keen.
Commander Keen was one of the first major games created by the team that would later become id Software, the company responsible for Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM, and Quake. Those games did more than sell a lot of copies. They helped turn the first-person shooter into one of the most dominant genres in video games, with Wolfenstein
Continue Reading Keen Dreams: Moonlighting, Softdisk, and the Unexpected Road to Castle Wolfenstein
Beyond Best Interests: Rethinking Child Representation
July 27, 2026
In family court you will encounter a lot of voices – parents, their attorneys, maybe a child support attorney, and often, a guardian ad litem representing the best interests of the child.
In Wisconsin, a guardian ad litem (GAL) is another attorney in the courtroom, and what they determine to be in the child’s “best interest” is directly dictated by statute.
But the way that we do it here in Wisconsin is just one of the
Continue Reading Beyond Best Interests: Rethinking Child Representation
Profound Changes Afoot to EEOC’s Guidelines and Enforcement in Disparate Impact Cases
As part of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) new National Enforcement Plan (NEP), the commission stated its intent to “eliminate the use of disparate impact liability theories in investigations,” and vowed “not [to] commence, develop, or continue to pursue litigation advancing disparate impact claims.”
The NEP, voted into effect on June 4, 2026, replaces the EEOC’s Biden-era Strategic Enforcement Plan and is intended to comply with the Trump Administration’s Executive Order 14281, issued in April 2026, directing
Continue Reading Profound Changes Afoot to EEOC’s Guidelines and Enforcement in Disparate Impact Cases
Can I Reopen My Prior Social Security Disability Application?
If you applied for Social Security disability benefits, were denied, and did not appeal before the deadline, you may be wondering whether the Social Security Administration (SSA) can reopen your prior application. In some cases, SSA may accept a late appeal if you had good cause for missing the deadline. If the prior denial has already become final, however, reopening is a different legal process. Oftentimes, you will first have to file a new application and then persuade SSA
Continue Reading Can I Reopen My Prior Social Security Disability Application?
Plans to Replace Milwaukee County’s Safety Building
Milwaukee County’s Aaron Hertzberg speaking at WJI’s Salon on July 15, 2026, at Turner Hall in Milwaukee. Photograph by Margo Kirchner.
Aaron Hertzberg, Milwaukee County’s Executive Director of Administrative Services, spoke at Wisconsin Justice Initiative’s July 15 Salon about plans to replace Milwaukee County’s 100‑year‑old Public Safety Building. Hertzberg and Milwaukee County Circuit Court Chief Judge Carl Ashley spearhead the Investing in Justice: Courthouse Complex project, aimed at replacing the Safety Building with a modern, efficient, and safe justice
Continue Reading Plans to Replace Milwaukee County’s Safety Building
Marquette Poll Results Beyond the Governor’s Race
By Erik Reinthaler
WJI Intern
Growing opposition to proposed data centers, persistent concerns about the cost of living, and renewed public opinion on Act 10 were among the findings in the latest Marquette University Law School Poll, released Wednesday.
The latest poll gathered information from 838 Wisconsin registered voters from July 8-16.
Poll Director Charles Franklin presented the survey results at an event hosted by Derek Mosley, director of the law school’s Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and
Continue Reading Marquette Poll Results Beyond the Governor’s Race
Weekly Hospital Real Estate Briefing: Nearly 1 in 10 US Hospitals Now PE-Owned | Pearl Innovation District Generates $224M in Economic Impact | AdventHealth Continues Land Banking
If It’s Good Writing, So What if They Used AI?
If it’s good writing, so what if they used AI? That’s the question at the heart of a recent essay by writer Abi Awomosu, “Writing Was Never a Test of Who Could Think” (How Not To Use AI, June 14, 2026).
Awomosu argues that AI functions less like a tool and more like a medium, something that reshapes how people think and work simply by existing. Seen through that lens, the question of whether AI was used in the
Continue Reading If It’s Good Writing, So What if They Used AI?
Marital Property Agreements: Planning for the Future, Not Planning for Divorce
One of the most rewarding parts of estate planning is guiding individuals and families as they prepare for the future. We discuss protecting children, preserving family assets, planning for retirement, and creating a legacy for the next generation. Occasionally, those conversations lead to the topic of a Marital Property Agreement (MPA), sometimes called a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement. When that happens, many couples become understandably uncomfortable.
A common reaction is:
“If we’re planning to spend the rest of
Continue Reading Marital Property Agreements: Planning for the Future, Not Planning for Divorce
Understanding the Functional Screen Test
July 23, 2026
When applying for Wisconsin Medicaid long-term care programs, financial eligibility is only part of the process. Individuals must also demonstrate that they meet the required level of care through what is known as the functional screen test.
The functional screen is a standardized assessment used in Wisconsin to determine whether an individual qualifies for Medicaid-funded long-term care services. Rather than focusing on finances, the screening evaluates a person’s ability to safely care for themselves and function
Continue Reading Understanding the Functional Screen Test
Recent UW Law Faculty Scholarship: Analysis of Fed Circ Opinions, Patent Experts, Second Look Sentencing, Milk Markets, & Surveillance Procurement
Here is the latest faculty scholarship from the University of Wisconsin Law School Legal Studies Research Papers series via SSRN.
SSRN is discontinuing its research paper series platform this year. Sign up for our new email distribution list to receive updates on Wisconsin Law faculty scholarship. Or continue to watch for updates here on WisBlawg.
Jason Reinecke (UW Law), What Makes Federal Circuit Opinions Influential?, 109 Marq. L. Rev. 717 (2025)
Reinecke draws on a novel, largely
Continue Reading Recent UW Law Faculty Scholarship: Analysis of Fed Circ Opinions, Patent Experts, Second Look Sentencing, Milk Markets, & Surveillance Procurement