Tom joined Hale Skemp in 1984 after graduating from Marquette University Law School. Tom’s practice is equally divided between representing individuals coping with the challenges and disruptions caused by a personal injury and those going through the often difficult and stressful process of divorce.
Tom’s negotiation and litigation skills serve him well representing clients who have been injured in motor vehicle and motorcycle accidents, as a result of dog bites or slips and falls, and numerous other injury-causing events. If an injury occurs during the course of employment, Tom‘s expertise in the area of workers’ compensation is vital to maximize the benefits recoverable to the injured employee. Tom has an excellent working relationship with the administrative law judges who conduct the workers’ compensation hearings and is the former District 7 representative on the Board of Governors of the Wisconsin Association of Workers’ Compensation Attorneys.
The remainder of Tom’s practice is devoted to assisting individuals through the divorce process or resolving post-divorce issues. His knowledge and experience in family law includes handling matters involving custody and placement, child support, maintenance, property division, and paternity and injunction issues. Tom gives these matters the personal attention they require because he understands that in addition to fighting for a fair and equitable result, he is responsible for offering guidance through what is oftentimes a very emotional process.
Representative Experience
- A Fortune 400 company sued six individuals who had just started a new business, claiming that they were in breach of a non-competition covenant. The suit sought to close down the new business and requested damages of $500,000. Tom represented the six individuals in what was a modern day clash of David vs. Goliath. Tom succeeded in obtaining a court ruling that dismissed all the company’s claims against his clients. Tom then won at trial on a counterclaim and obtained a money judgment in favor of his clients for violations of privacy rights.
- A young man was seriously injured when he was ejected from a vehicle in a roll-over accident. Although he was a rear-seat passenger, the insurance company claimed that he was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident, and therefore refused to compensate him for his injuries, medical bills, and lost wages. During mediation, the mediator urged the young man to take the $35,000 offered by the insurance company in settlement. Tom presented the case to a jury, and following a three-day trial obtained a verdict of $100,000 for his client.
- A construction worker sustained injuries to both legs when the roof trusses being installed by his crew collapsed. After recovering worker’s compensation benefits for the client, Tom pursued a third-party claim against the manufacturer of the wood trusses for failing to provide proper and adequate bracing instructions. The claim settled in mediation for $450,000.
Representative Cases
Honors & Awards
Super Lawyers, 2009–2018
Publications
Punitive Damages in 1983 Actions, Marquette Law Review, Vol. 67, 1984
Professional & Community Affiliations
State Bar of Wisconsin, 1984–Present
La Crosse County Bar Association, 1984–Present
American Bar Association, 1984–2017
Wisconsin Association of Worker’s Compensation Attorneys, District 7
Representative, Board of Governors, 2008–2011
Education
- J.D., Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, (1984), Cum Laude, With Honors
- B.S., Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan, (1980), Summa Cum Laude, With Honors
Admissions
Wisconsin, 1984
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1984
U.S. District Court Western District of Wisconsin, 1984