CLASS NOTES PROFILE: Franklyn Gimbel An extrovert and change agent “I was given the gift of gab,” Frank- lyn Gimbel says. Indeed. Prominent lawyer, civic leader, confidant of major politicians and judges, story- teller, schmoozer, all-around extro- vert—someone, by his own descrip- tion, born with a gene for wanting to get up in front of crowds and lead. Someone who says that when it Icomes to practicing law, he agrees with the was one of the main people working to apply that adage that it’s not only what you know but pressure. The outcome was a federal court consent “who you know.” decree in the early 1980s under which the police It sometimes seems like everyone knows Gim- department created two hiring lists, one for white bel, L’60, a Milwaukee native who has practiced in candidates and one for minority candidates. For his hometown for more than half a century. Has several years, the department had to hire two there been anyone who, at least on a personal minority applicants for each white hired, with level, doesn’t like him? the goal of redressing past practices. The Mil- Well, yes. For one: Harold Breier, the tough, waukee Fire Department was required to follow legendary chief of Milwaukee police from 1964 to similar practices. 1984. “Breier and I fought for five years,” Gimbel The result was what Gimbel calls “a major revo- says, referring to his term on the city’s Fire and lution” in the racial makeup of Milwaukee’s police Police Commission from 1977 to 1982. Gimbel was and fire departments. He said he would put that at appointed by another legend, Henry Maier, Milwau- the top of his list of “events or structures that will kee’s mayor from 1960 to 1988. Gimbel was a close live on after me.” informal advisor to Maier on political matters. Also high on the list: His appointment in 1994 Breier ran the police department in an old-fash- by then-Gov. Tommy Thompson to the Wisconsin ioned, authoritarian manner. He adamantly resisted Center District board of directors, which over- pressure to change his ways, especially when it sees Milwaukee’s convention center. Gimbel soon came to policies regarding a range of race-related became—and remains—chair of the board. The issues, such as the small number of minority police Frontier Airlines Center was built during that officers at that time and the refusal to assign any period, and the old Milwaukee Auditorium was of them to the then-all-white south side. Gimbel transformed into the Milwaukee Theatre. “I have 42 Summer 2012 S OTE N 1956 1981 Claude Kordus acted as the content Ronald R. Hofer has received the 2011 editor and a contributor for the text, V. Robert Payant Award for Teaching CLASS Trustees Handbook, a publication of the Excellence from the National Judicial International Foundation of Employee College in Reno, Nev. (the award is named Benefit Plans, a Milwaukee-based after Judge Payant, L’56). Hofer has organization. The book provides legal, been teaching at the college for the past actuarial, accounting, investment, 18 years and is the former chair of the Marquette law degree: 1960 administration, and communication college’s faculty council. Practice: Gimbel, Reilly, insights for the trustees of multi-employer blue-collar benefits plan. Julianna Ebert Guerin & Brown received the Frederick O. Kiel Distinguished 1967 Service Award Michael J. Zimmer from the National was awarded the Association of Bond Paul Steven Miller Lawyers Board of Memorial Award Directors. She is for Scholarly a partner in the Contributions to the Milwaukee office of Quarles & Brady. a huge sense of pride about the Field of Labor and Kay N. Hunt has been named Minneapolis opportunity to oversee construc- Employment Law. The Best Lawyers Appellate Practice Lawyer of presentation was at tion of the convention center,” the Year for 2012. She is chair of appellate the Sixth Annual Labor and Employment Gimbel says. practice for Lommen, Abdo, Cole, King & Law Colloquium, held at Loyola and Stageberg. The list of other civic and Southwestern law schools in Los Angeles. volunteer involvements is long— Zimmer is a professor of law at Loyola past president of the State Bar of University Chicago. 1982 Wisconsin and of the Milwaukee Michael S. Ariens recently published Law Bar Association and member of the 1968 School: Getting In, Getting Out, Getting On (Carolina Academic Press 2010) and board of the Greater Milwaukee William A. Jennaro has become of Lone Star Law: A Legal History of Texas Foundation since 2000, to give a counsel to the firm Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & (Texas Tech University Press 2011). He is Brown in Milwaukee. few examples. a professor of law at St. Mary’s University Gimbel recently turned 76. He School of Law in San Antonio, Texas. continues practicing at the firm he 1976 Donald W. Layden, founded in 1968, after serving as John T. Bannen Jr. has joined Baird an assistant United States attorney has received a Venture Partners from 1963 to 1968. Gimbel, Reilly, master of arts in as an operating foreign language Guerin & Brown now has 13 law- partner. He will and literature yers. Gimbel himself continues to focus on evaluating degree, in Spanish, and overseeing take high-profile cases—he is rep- from the University investment resenting one of the defendants in of Wisconsin– opportunities in the a case arising from the “John Doe” Milwaukee. He is with business services sector. Layden is also with the Milwaukee office of Quarles & Brady. investigation involving several the Milwaukee office of Quarles & Brady. aides and associates of Gov. Scott Walker when Walker was Milwau- 1977 1983 has been elected to the kee County executive. His work- John S. Shiely William A. Kissinger has joined Kahler Oshkosh Corporation Board of Directors. days aren’t as long as they used to Slater, a Milwaukee-based architecture He is currently chairman emeritus of Briggs be, and he involves other lawyers and experience design firm, as director of & Stratton Corp. in Wauwatosa, Wis. business development. He will focus on in all of his cases, he allows. Kahler Slater’s health care and academic But retire? “I’m still working health sciences teams. because there’s nothing I’d rather do,” Gimbel says. Marquette Lawyer 43 S OTE SUGGESTIONS FOR CLASS NOTES may be emailed to [email protected] or N [email protected]. We are especially interested in accomplishments that do not recur annually. Personal matters such as wedding and birth or adoption announcements are welcome. CLASS We update postings of class notes weekly on the Law School’s website, law.marquette.edu. 1984 1999 Patrick D. McNally, a shareholder in the Milwaukee office of Borgelt, Powell, Peterson Linda S. Maris, Michael T. Flynn & Frauen, has been named the 2011–2012 Brookfield, Wis., has been appointed Lead State Chair in Wisconsin for the Council has been named the director of litigation on Litigation Management, a nonpartisan first president of the at Joy Global, Inc., alliance of thousands of insurance companies, National Christian a Milwaukee-based corporations, general counsel, risk managers, Foundation Wisconsin, original-equipment claims adjusters, and attorneys. a ministry that supports manufacturer and individuals with their aftermarket parts and Joseph W. Voiland, charitable planning. The services provider for both Milwaukee, has been organization is affiliated with the National the underground and aboveground mining named a shareholder at Christian Foundation in Atlanta, which is the industries. Reinhart Boerner Van nation’s largest provider of donor-advised Deuren. He is a member funds for Christians. Roberta A. Heckes received the 2011 John of the firm’s litigation, Lederer Service Award from the State Bar of employee benefits, and Wisconsin’s Solo, Small Firm, and General 1988 government relations Practice section. practice groups. Navroz J. Daroga has joined the TriComply Mary T. Wagner’s compliance team. TriComply is a division of Fabulous in Flats was TriNovus, which is based in Birmingham, Ala. 2003 recently named 2011’s Christopher M. Cahlamer has been elected “Book of the Year” Peter M. Garson, Madison, has joined a shareholder at Godfrey & Kahn. He is a by the Florida Writers DeWitt Ross & Stevens as part of the firm’s member of the securities practice group in the Association. The award business and trusts and estates groups. firm’s Milwaukee office. was presented during the annual Royal Palm Tara R. Devine was Literary Awards contest. 1992 promoted to partner at Timothy S. Jacobson, La Crosse, Wis., the Illinois firm, Salvi, recently published his first novel, The 2001 Schostok & Pritchard. Kurchatov Penetration, with Visjonær Press. She concentrates her W Jacobson, executive director of Mississippi Chad J. Wiener, Milwaukee, has been practice in the areas of Valley Conservancy, a land trust, also is serving elected partner at Quarles & Brady. He is personal injury, wrongful as executive producer of a documentary a member of the firm’s corporate services death, and medical film of science exploration, Mysteries of the group. malpractice cases. Driftless, expected to be released in 2012. Jennifer Peterson Wolff has been elected Lisa Nester Kass, Milwaukee, has been a shareholder at Godfrey & Kahn. She is a named a shareholder at Reinhart Boerner 1993 member of the corporate practice group in Van Deuren. She is a member of the firm’s the firm’s Milwaukee office. Lisa C. Paul, Milwaukee, has been named litigation and intellectual property practices. one of the most inspiring people of 2011 Natalie R. Remington is fulfilling a one-year by the Catholic Herald in Milwaukee. Her 2002 elected term as president of the Association memoir, Swimming in the Daylight, was Semhar Araia, Minneapolis, Minn., was for Women Lawyers, a statewide organization featured at the Association of Marquette recently honored by the White House as based in Milwaukee.