Practicing Law in Small Town and Rural Communities
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
` 2015 WSSFC Quality of Life/Ethics Track – Session 9 It’s Pretty Nice Out Here: Practicing Law in Small Town and Rural Communities Moderator: Aiden Tharp, O’Flaherty Heim Egan & Birnbaum Ltd., LaCrosse Panelists: Lisa J. Brouillette, Brouillette & Brouillette, Florence Jenna L. Gill, Russell Law Offices S.C., Darlington Courtney L. Graff, Schmiege & Graff Law Office Ltd., Medford About the Presenters... Lisa J. Brouillette of Brouillette & Brouillette practices in Florence and Forest Counties, and two neighboring Michigan counties. In the 25 years since her admission to the bar, she spent most of her general practice doing criminal defense in both states, though she has also worked as assistant prosecutor and prosecutor in Michigan and special prosecutor in Wisconsin. She (Hamline, ‘89) and her father, (Marquette ‘55) are working on a book of short stories, “What I Learned from Losing.” She has served on the Florence School Board, State Bar (of Michigan) Representative Assembly, State Bar (of Wisconsin) Bench and Bar Committee and serves on the District 16 Office of Lawyer Regulation Investigative Committee. Jenna L. Gill of Russell Law Offices, S.C. practices in rural Southwest Wisconsin with offices in both Darlington and Shullsburg within Lafayette County. Attorney Gill is a general practice attorney, but focuses on civil litigation, family law, collections-creditor rights, estate planning and real estate transactions and serves as corporation counsel for Lafayette County. She was born and raised in Darlington and went on to receive her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. Courtney L. Graff is the owner of Schmiege & Graff Law Firm. She received her law degree from Ave Maria School of Law located in Naples, Florida, and also studied abroad at the Human Rights Council in Strasbourg, France. After graduating law school, she returned to the Northwoods of Wisconsin to practice law. She was fortunate to find a mentor in her employer, Kenneth Schmiege, who transitioned his practice to Courtney. Courtney’s main areas of practice include representation of Taylor County Human Services, Taylor County Board of Supervisors and county departments; advising and representing the City of Medford, and family law. After work she enjoys coaching the Phillips High School girls’ soccer team and traveling. Aiden Tharp is an associate in the family law department at O’Flaherty Heim Egan & Birnbaum, Ltd., in La Crosse, WI. She represents clients in all areas of family law including divorce, custody and placement, child support, paternity, termination of parental rights, and adoption. She grew up in a small town in St. Croix County, WI, and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her law degree from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. It’s Pretty Nice Out Here: Practicing Law in Small Towns and Rural Communities – Hear from a panel of practitioners about attorney life on the frontier. Join in a meet and greet discussion to see if rural and small town practice is right for you. For new lawyers. 1.0 CLE Moderator: Aiden Tharp O'Flaherty Heim Egan & Birnbaum Ltd. La Crosse Panelists: Lisa J. Brouillette Brouillette & Brouillette Florence Jenna L. Gill Russell Law Offices S.C. Darlington Courtney L. Graff Schmiege & Graff Law Office Ltd. Medford Lisa J. Brouillette of Brouillette & Brouillette practices in Florence and Forest Counties, and two neighboring Michigan counties. In the 25 years since her admission to the bar, she spent most of her general practice doing criminal defense in both states, though she has also worked as assistant prosecutor and prosecutor in Michigan and special prosecutor in Wisconsin. She (Hamline, ‘89) and her father, (Marquette ‘55) are working on a book of short stories, “What I Learned from Losing.” She has served on the Florence School Board, State Bar (of Michigan) Representative Assembly, State Bar (of Wisconsin) Bench and Bar Committee and serves on the District 16 Office of Lawyer Regulation Investigative Committee. Jenna L. Gill of Russell Law Offices, S.C. practices in rural Southwest Wisconsin with offices in both Darlington and Shullsburg. Attorney Gill is a general practice attorney, but focuses on civil litigation, family law, collections-creditor rights, estate planning and real estate transactions and serves as corporation counsel for Lafayette County. She was born and raised in Darlington and went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in legal studies and communication arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She graduated with honors from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2011. Courtney L. Graff is the owner of Schmiege & Graff Law Firm. She received her law degree from Ave Maria School of Law located in Naples, Florida, and also studied abroad at the Human {01746627.DOCX} Rights Council in Strasbourg, France. After graduating law school, she returned to the Northwoods of Wisconsin to practice law. She was fortunate to find a mentor in her employer, Kenneth Schmiege, who transitioned his practice to Courtney. Courtney’s main areas of practice include representation of Taylor County Human Services, Taylor County Board of Supervisors and county departments; advising and representing the City of Medford, and family law. After work she enjoys coaching the Phillips High School girls’ soccer team and traveling. Aiden Tharp is an associate in the family law department at O’Flaherty Heim Egan & Birnbaum, Ltd., in La Crosse, WI. She represents clients in all areas of family law including divorce, custody and placement, child support, paternity, adoption, and termination of parental rights. Aiden is a qualified guardian ad litem, and a contributing author to the Family Law chapter of the Annual Survey of Wisconsin Law. She grew up in a small town in St. Croix County, WI, and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her law degree from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. Session Outline/Topics 1) Benefits of Practicing Law in Small Towns/Rural Communities a. Wide range of practice areas, not just a “niche” if you want a variety of work b. High Legal Demand: private individuals, banks, schools, small businesses, municipal governments, etc. c. Unmatched legal experiences: wide range of experiences; younger attorneys will get a lot more appearances in front of judges, court commissioners right away. Practicing attorneys can quickly expand their legal practice, also gain courtroom experience. d. Lifestyle and Personal benefits i. Better work/life balance than attorneys have in many larger firms ii. Higher satisfaction with career choice and variety of work e. Connections with other attorneys, judges f. Civic leadership and community involvement opportunities g. New experiences living in rural community compared to big cities where most law schools are located {01746627.DOCX} 2) Opportunities for New Lawyers in Small Towns/Rural Communities a. Older attorneys with solo or small practices retiring b. High legal demand, need for new lawyers in small towns and rural areas 3) Variety of Resources Available to Attorneys Practicing in Small Towns/Rural Communities 4) Challenges of Practicing Law in Small Towns/Rural Communities 5) Q/A {01746627.DOCX} Wisconsin Lawyer: The Road to Rural Practice: Page 1 of 6 Home > News & Publications > Wisconsin Lawyer > Article THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE STATE BAR OF WISCONSIN OCTOBER VOLUME NUMBER 2014 87 9 The Road to Rural Practice For some lawyers, the road to a satisfying and successful law practice runs between farm fields, through forests and sand flats, over hills and around bends to the smaller towns and villages that dot Wisconsin’s countryside. DIANNE MOLVIG When Samir Jaber took a job in the Rice Lake office of Disability Rights Wisconsin shortly after earning his JD in 2012, the most common reaction he got from law school friends was “Where’s Rice Lake?” He admits he had to look it up on a map when he first heard about the open position. “My only experience with this part of the state,” he says, “was heading up I-94 past Eau Claire on the way to the Twin Cities.” Jaber says he had some trepidation initially about moving to Rice Lake, population 8,300. He was born and raised in Milwaukee and spent his undergraduate and law school years at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Moving to practice law in a more rural area was definitely a step outside his comfort zone, he says, as he’s now far from friends, family, and familiar places. Moving to practice law in a more rural area was definitely outside Samir Jaber’s But he’s enjoying meeting new people and sampling new comfort zone; after all, he’d grown up in experiences he doubts he’d ever have tried if he’d stayed in Milwaukee and attended law school in Milwaukee or Madison, such as fishing, although he admits, “I catch Madison. He now practices in Rice Lake – more branches and other things besides fish.” a farming community in an area also All in all, he’s happy with his new job and location. “I knew putting known for outdoor recreation. He’s myself in an uncomfortable situation probably would be best for my enjoying meeting new people and personal and professional growth,” he says. “Whenever I’ve put sampling new experiences, such as fishing, myself in a place where I have had to figure out how to make and says, “I knew putting myself in an something work and how to succeed, that has served me well.” uncomfortable situation probably would be best for my personal and professional Thirty-five miles south of Rice Lake, growth.” Photo: Vicky Hultman, Season’s you’ll find Richard Summerfield’s “We get to work where we Photography law office in Bloomer, population vacation.