Areas of Practice
- Administrative Law
(including Regulation & Licensing Department and Wisconsin Retirement Systems Cases) - Civil Rights
(including employment, public accommodations and fair housing) - Employment Law
(including employment agreements, severance agreements, noncompete agreements and discrimination) - Family Law
(including divorce, collaborative family law, domestic violence, child support and child custody) - General Practice
(including estate planning and criminal law) - Labor Law
- Social Security Disability
- Worker's Compensation
(including Public Employee Disability Retirement Benefits) - Unemployment Law
Administrative Law
(including Regulation and Licensing Department and Wisconsin Retirement System cases)
We handle a wide variety of Regulation and Licensing Department cases, defending doctors, psychologists, nurses, social workers, psychotherapists, and other licensed professionals. We also assist doctors and other professionals in obtaining Wisconsin licensure and in matters concerning reinstatement of professional licenses in cases where disciplinary measures previously took place.
We have experience in assisting Wisconsin Retirement System participants pursue pension, disability annuity, insurance, and other types of benefits before the various Boards affiliated with the Department of Employee Trust Funds, including survivors' claims. Our experience includes the most extensive representation of Protective Occupation Participants - Duty Disability benefit claims of any firm in the State of Wisconsin.
We also have experience representing individuals and organizations in proceedings before the Department of Health and Family Services, the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Department, and in other complicated and complex administrative agency proceedings. Knowledgeable and capable advice, counsel, and legal representation in such administrative agency proceedings can be invaluable.
Attorneys to Contact
Colleen Bero-Lehmann (Disability Retirement and Duty Disability)
clehmann@hqeplaw.com
Bruce Ehlke (Disability Retirement and Duty Disability)
behlke@hqeplaw.com
Thomas Nelson (Healthcare Professional Discipline)
tnelson@hqeplaw.com
Daniel Schoshinski (Duty Disability Claims)
danscho@hqeplaw.com
Civil Rights
Attorneys at Hawks Quindel Ehlke & Perry, S.C. have decades of experience advocating for and advising individuals about civil rights. Related to employment law in some respects, civil rights law has its basis in the Bill of Rights and in the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Also, over the years, many state and federal statutes have been enacted to enforce these fundamental civil rights.
Many kinds of civil rights are protections against improper actions by a governmental body--federal, state or local.
These include guarantees of:
- Freedom of Speech
- Freedom of Association
- Due process of law
Other kinds of civil rights are protections against improper actions by private wrongdoers as well as a governmental body.
These include guarantees of:
- Nondiscrimination in employment
- Nondiscrimination in housing
- Nondiscrimination in public accommodations
For most kinds of civil rights cases, injunctions and damage awards are available remedies. Also, usually it is possible to recover attorney fees from the one who violated your civil rights. These never are easy cases to prove, however. The law and the procedures for these cases have become extremely technical. Few law firms in Wisconsin can match our depth of experience in this complex and important area.
Civil Rights Attorneys
Kathy Charlton
kcharlton@hqeplaw.com
Aaron Halstead
ahalstead@hqeplaw.com
Thomas Nelson
tnelson@hqeplaw.com
Barbara Quindel
bquindel@hqeplaw.com
Richard Saks
rsaks@hqeplaw.com
Michele Sumara
msumara@hqeplaw.com
Jeffrey Sweetland
jsweetland@hqeplaw.com
Civil Rights Resources
- Hawks Quindel Ehlke & Perry, S.C. web site search for newsletter articles on: "Rights".
Employment Law
(including Discrimination)
Our Employment Law team consists of experienced and dedicated attorneys who are working constantly with this complex and rapidly changing part of the law. Based in both our Milwaukee and Madison offices, these attorneys practice in courts and administrative tribunals throughout the State of Wisconsin.
The Employment Law team is committed to representing the interests of job seekers and employees before, during, and after employment. We pride ourselves on providing our clients legal advice and advocacy equal to the best that is available to their employer adversaries.
We have extensive experience representing people from all walks of life and from all professions and occupations. Many individuals are shocked to discover how little protection the law gives them in the workplace. Still, numerous laws and court decisions make up a complex patchwork of partial protection.
What We Do:
Severance Agreements
As an employment relationship ends, monetary and non-monetary severance benefits can enhance your ability to move on without unnecessary personal hardship. Severance agreements can provide valuable benefits, but they need to be reviewed with caution and deliberation because they often cut off other claims.Employment Discrimination
Many laws prohibit discrimination in employment, but procedures for making a complaint often are detailed and complicated. Time limits often are very short. Complaining directly to an employer will not extend the short time limits for make a claim with the government and preserving your right to sue. Timely, confidential advice can help to reach a sound decision about when and how to object to discrimination at work.Non-Competition Agreement Disputes
Promises not to compete, which some employers demand from their employees, are viewed with suspicion under Wisconsin law. Agreements that go too far are void and unenforceable. Because new employers and old customers can be drawn into these disputes, experienced legal counsel and advocacy are crucial.Wrongful Discharge
An employee who is fired for refusing to violate a law or regulation can sue the employer-wrongdoer. This is a volatile and developing area of the law in Wisconsin. In addition to protection for terminated employees, a variety of statutes provide protection for specific kinds of whistle blowing.Due Process, Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Association
For government employees, the Bill of Rights gives additional protection including due process hearings, protection from punishment for exercising freedom of speech and protection for freedom of association.Employment Agreements
Look before you leap is good advice. If you have any bargaining power to modify onerous terms in an employment agreement, it is going to be greater before you sign it. When everything is going well, "its just a formality" sounds plausible. Not so when your career is on the line. We can help you to understand and evaluate what you are being asked to sign and can defend you against unreasonable agreements.
Getting Results
Litigation
Litigation sometimes is the only way to resolve a serious dispute. Negotiations are driven by employers' interest in avoiding the risk of litigation. We offer decades of real world experience advocating in investigations, hearings, trials, and appeals in courts and administrative agencies throughout Wisconsin.Negotiation
Skillful negotiation resolves most disputes. Most employers, confronted with well-prepared demands based on skillfully organized evidence and legal arguments, will settle "out of court". We work to avoid costly litigation when possible, and to negotiate from a position of strength.
Depth of Experience
As part of a firm of varied, knowledgeable and experienced professionals, we can provide our clients with counsel and advocacy affecting all aspects of employment and general life issues. Combining the experience and expertise of the employment law practitioners with that of the other attorneys at Hawks Quindel Ehlke & Perry, S.C. enhances the depth and breadth of representation that our firm can offer to our clients.
Employment Law Attorneys
Timothy E. Hawks
thawks@hqeplaw.com
Kathy Charlton
kcharlton@hqeplaw.com
Bruce Ehlke
behlke@hqeplaw.com
Aaron Halstead
ahalstead@hqeplaw.com
Colleen Bero-Lehmann
clehmann@hqeplaw.com
Kathleen Meter Lounsbury
klounsbury@hqeplaw.com
Thomas Nelson
tnelson@hqeplaw.com
Barbara Quindel
bquindel@hqeplaw.com
Richard Saks
rsaks@hqeplaw.com
Michele Sumara
msumara@hqeplaw.com
Jeffrey Sweetland
jsweetland@hqeplaw.com
Employment Law Resources
- Hawks Quindel Ehlke & Perry, S.C. web site search for newsletter articles on: "Employment".
- Resources & Links
Family Law
Hawks Quindel Ehlke & Perry, S.C. represents individuals in a variety of family law matters, including divorce, paternity, child support, child custody and collaborative family law. Our attorneys have also been trained in alternative dispute resolution and mediation.
Family Law Attorneys
Kathy Charlton
kcharlton@hqeplaw.com
Amy L. Shapiro
ashapiro@hqeplaw.com
General Practice
Hawks Quindel Ehlke & Perry, S.C. represents individuals in a variety of areas of general practice, including criminal law and estate planning. If you have questions or need assistance in these areas, please call us.
Labor Law
Services of our firm's labor attorneys include:
Negotiation of collective bargaining agreements and other issues in the interest of public and private sector labor unions
Advocacy and representation of union client in grievance and/or interest arbitration
Counsel in all legal matters to union members and their families
Advocacy and protection of the rights of unions, including interpretation of laws affecting members, such as the state and federal Family Medical Leave Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Americans with Disabilities Act
Assistance and advice in bargaining unit organizing efforts
Litigation in state and federal courts to promote the interests of the labor union
Efforts to effectively promote an environment that is favorable to organized labor
Each of the labor attorneys in the firm possess a unique background through membership or experience in several diverse forums, including the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, and the National Labor Relations Board that renders the expertise of the labor attorneys at our firm second to none. The extraordinary level of experience, competence, and professionalism possessed by the labor team members assure that the union clients represented by the firm, as well as the labor movement overall, receive the highest quality of service.
Representative clients include:
- American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, District Council 40
- American Federation of Teachers - Wisconsin
- Milwaukee Teachers Education Association
- Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin
- Central Conference of Firefighters
- Southeast Suburban Conference of Firefighters
- Milwaukee Professional Firefighters, Local 215
- Federation of Nurses & Health Care Professionals, Local 5001
- Association of State Prosecutors
- Association of Law Enforcement Allied Services Personnel (ALEASP), Local 218
- Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998
- Milwaukee Newspaper Guild Local 51-CWA
- Local 770 of the International Painters and Allied Trades
- Technicians, Architects and Engineers of Milwaukee (T.E.A.M.)
- Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals
- SEIU
- IAMAW
- OPEIU
- Association of Law Enforcement Allied Services Personnel
- BCTGM
- Green Bay Education Association
- Local 95
- Laborers Local 236
Labor Law Attorneys
Bruce Ehlke
behlke@hqeplaw.com
Aaron Halstead
ahalstead@hqeplaw.com
Timothy Hawks
thawks@hqeplaw.com
Kathleen Meter Lounsbury
klounsbury@hqeplaw.com
Richard Perry
rperry@hqeplaw.com
Michele Peters
mpeters@hqeplaw.com
Barbara Quindel
bquindel@hqeplaw.com
Richard Saks
rsaks@hqeplaw.com
Jeffrey Sweetland
jsweetland@hqeplaw.com
Michele Sumara
msumara@hqeplaw.com
Labor Law Resources
- Hawks Quindel Ehlke & Perry, S.C. web site search for newsletter articles on: "Union", "Private Sector", "Public Sector", or "Labor".
- Resources & Links
Social Security Disability
Hawks Quindel Ehlke & Perry, S.C. is a full service law firm dedicated to the representation of injured or disabled workers. Our disability and worker's compensation attorneys are members of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives, a national organization committed to the representation of disabled persons. We have substantial experience with Social Security Disability law and are ready to assist you with your Social Security Disability claim.
Social Security Disability Attorneys
Michele Peters
mpeters@hqeplaw.com
Israel Ramon
iramon@hqeplaw.com
Daniel Schoshinski
danscho@hqeplaw.com
Michele Sumara
msumara@hqeplaw.com
Social Security Disability Resources
- Hawks Quindel Ehlke & Perry, S.C. web site search for newsletter articles on: "Social Security".
- Resources & Links
Worker's Compensation
(including Public Employee Disability Retirement Benefits)
Our clients benefit from experience - both in representing injured workers and teaching worker's compensation courses at law school and statewide seminars. Changes in worker's compensation law can affect your benefits, whether temporary or permanent. Our knowledge and experience can help guide injured workers to recover the maximum benefits for lost time, permanent disability, medical expenses, retraining and lost earning capacity.
Worker's Compensation Attorneys
Bruce Ehlke
behlke@hqeplaw.com
Aaron Halstead
ahalstead@hqeplaw.com
Colleen Bero-Lehmann
clehmann@hqeplaw.com
Kathleen Meter Lounsbury
klounsbury@hqeplaw.com
William Parsons
wparsons@hqeplaw.com
Michele Peters
mpeters@hqeplaw.com
Israel Ramon
iramon@hqeplaw.com
Richard Saks
rsaks@hqeplaw.com
Daniel Schoshinski
danscho@hqeplaw.com
**Note: Several of these attorneys can also provide assistance with claims for Public Employee Disability Retirement. Please contact our offices for more information.
Worker's Compensation Resources
- Hawks Quindel Ehlke & Perry, S.C. web site search for newsletter articles on: "Worker's Compensation".
- Resources & Links
Unemployment Insurance
Hawks Quindel Ehlke & Perry, S.C. represents employees with their Unemployment Insurance claims. We represent employees at Unemployment Insurance hearings before administrative law judges. If your unemployment insurance claim is denied, or your employer appeals your claim, please feel free to call us.
Unemployment Insurance Attorneys
Kathleen Meter Lounsbury
klounsbury@hqeplaw.com
Michele Peters
mpeters@hqeplaw.com
Israel Ramon
iramon@hqeplaw.com
Richard Saks
rsaks@hqeplaw.com
Daniel Schoshinski
danscho@hqeplaw.com
Michele Sumara
msumara@hqeplaw.com
Unemployment Insurance Resources
- Hawks Quindel Ehlke & Perry, S.C. web site search for newsletter articles on: "Unemployment".
- Resources & Links