The Best Law Firms in Wisconsin

Kick-Start the Facts on Wisconsin Law Firms

The Wisconsin legal market is a small, well-connected market. Law firms in the state range from large, international firms to solo practitioners, and everything in the middle. The state’s legal landscape is largely driven by its key industries – including agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and insurance – and an extremely strong network of small businesses and startups. In fact, over 90% of Wisconsin businesses are classified as small, with up to 99 employees.
Wisconsin companies benefit from a competitive corporate tax rate of 7.9%, no franchise or unitary tax, and a relatively low average cost of living . These favorable conditions have sparked a steady influx of out-of-state companies looking to expand into the state. Major manufacturers with operations in the state include Harley Davidson, Oshkosh Corporation, Rockwell Automation, A O Smith Corporation, and generac Power Systems.
Wisconsin is home to three Fortune 500 companies within the Insurance industry. Both Northwestern Mutual and Aflac are headquartered in Milwaukee, while Wausau Financial Holdings is based in Wausau. Health insurance companies such as Humana, Anthem and United Health also have a presence in the state.

How Do We Rank the Top Law Firms?

To determine the leading light of law firms based in the Badger State, our team of contributors undertook an extensive survey process aimed at identifying actionable information on client satisfaction, firm expertise, and success rates. After giving all shortlisted law firms an opportunity to respond to our interview, we collated and scored responses based on expert measures of professionalism, satisfaction, and experience. Our research also gave hiring managers a chance to provide anonymous feedback on the state of services provided by Wisconsin firms, from case preparation to price transparency. Case loads and results were reviewed with all candidates and input from trusted judicial and legal sources was also collected. These were then considered against traditional ranking factors like lawyer accolades, Bar Association rankings, and board certifications. All of this information allowed us to build a clear picture of what it means to be the top law firm in Wisconsin.

Winner: Quarles & Brady LLP

Quarles & Brady LLP has four offices in the state of Wisconsin, including locations in Madison, Milwaukee, the Fox Valley, and Waukesha. The firm has a national reach, with 12 offices in total across several states and Washington, DC. Its regular practice includes litigation, intellectual property, real estate law, government law, and banking law, among others. The firm consists of more than 500 attorneys who specialize in various fields.
A relatively young firm that formed in 1974, Quarles & Brady LLP is tied for the title of Wisconsin’s biggest law firm, having the most lawyers practicing there. The firm has had several major achievements, including being featured in the National Law Journal’s list of the Top 250 US law firms for each of the last five years. Additionally, the American Lawyer has rated the firm on its annual list of the "Top 100 US Firms" for the last 10 years in a row.
The firm has been recognized in a number of fields, including Trade Secrets Law, Labor and Employment. Quarles & Brady LLP has also been honored with the "Go-To Law Firm" title for many years running, as well as the "Best Law Firms" criminology law honor.
Quarles & Brady LLP’s clients range from the top national manufacturers to startups and local businesses. They have worked with both businesses and individuals.

Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c

Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c., founded in 1890, speaks of its expertise in law across a wide variety of practice areas. The firm represents businesses and individuals primarily within the United States though it also provides service to clients throughout the world. They have more than 200 business lawyers, litigators, workers’ compensation attorneys, and divorce and family law attorneys on its team, and the firm is especially well-known for the depth of their business law and litigation practices, as well as an active practice in employment law.
For business clients, the firm offers an array of client services such as business, banking, insurance, tax, real estate, estate planning, intellectual property, environmental, trade regulation, antitrust, securities and municipal finance. In the area of litigation, the firm specializes in product liability, employment defense, fiduciary law, government contract and construction, as well as complex commercial litigation cases.
Outstanding cases handled recently by Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. include election-related litigation business won by the firm’s Election and Political Law Group led by attorney Charles G. Kapsner, community development financial institution (CDFI) representational work in a case awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award from CDFI Coalition, by the letter of credit litigation win for First American Bank for attorneys Robert A. Miller, Robert D. Boon, David R. Dernbach, Nicole M. Mullin and David J. Schneider after successfully obtaining summary judgment on the bank’s claim under an endorsement of a commercial letter of credit, and by the litigation win in the matter of U.S. ex rel. Dougherty v. Chapel Valley Landscape Nursery, Inc. for attorney Angela G. Anderson, one of the Top 40 Under 40 Litigation Lawyer in Wisconsin according to the National Trial Lawyers.

Foley & Lardner LLP: Innovation Leads to Success

Innovating even further is another par for the course value of Foley & Lardner LLP. With their competitive practice events and research programs, the firm consistently aims to be the best practice law firm in the US. They started the Foley & Lardner LLP Data Innovation Index to cover all sectors’ data monetization practices. This survey evaluated companies’ data monetization practices, efforts that organizations have put into transforming raw data into commercially viable forms, and how well company budgets could assimilate with the data monetization practices. The firm has gone as far as to create a practice to help organizations adapt to the digital economy that now surrounds us. Foley & Lardner LLP has tapped into artificial intelligence to create a practice that automates and predicts discovery outcomes in litigation. Their Data Sciences Practice provides data analysis, intelligent discovery project management, and technology integration to their clients. Using innovations to set themselves apart from the competition has helped Foley & Lardner LLP deliver its best practice law firm services efficiently and economically.

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP was founded in 1848 and is one of the oldest and premier law firms in the Midwest. With over 200 attorneys, they provide immediate access to familiarity and experience, focused on building long-term relationships with their clients. The firm’s headquarters are in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with additional offices in Madison, Wisconsin, Chicago, Illinois, Denver, Colorado, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Phoenix, Arizona.
Michael Best advises many of the top public and private companies throughout the country on their most essential legal issues. They are a full-service firm representing multinational and domestic corporations, partnerships, and individuals across multiple practices and industries. These practice groups work together to provide their clients with a customized and comprehensive view of complex matters that span the globe and the full economy.
The firm is consistently recognized by clients and peers alike for their work and dedication. They are considered one of the largest law firms in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, out of the entire Midwest law firms, and within the top desired places to work in Milwaukee.

Godfrey & Kahn, S.C

As part of our continuing series on the 10 best law firms in Wisconsin, we will now be going in depth on by talking about another of the top firms, Godfrey & Kahn, S.C.
Focusing on a variety of legal areas, including litigation, employment law, intellectual property, real estate, antitrust, and many others, Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. is a firm that dedicates itself to its clients. They are focused on what those clients want, performing frequent surveys and communication efforts with clients so that they can constantly adjust their approach in order to give their clients exactly what they need. They have achieved a high level of satisfaction with their efforts, and are widely regarded as one of the best law firms in the state.
Among the areas that Godfrey & Kahn specializes in include litigation, which they have had a huge amount of experience in, even with some of the largest and most complicated cases in the entirety of the State of Wisconsin. They have developed a deep understanding of how their state politics operate, and as such can give you all the information you need, as well as effectively protect your interests and give you the very best legal strategy .
Godfrey & Kahn also has experience dealing with mergers, acquisitions, and other financial deals that require someone with a keen expertise in the law to navigate the complex processes involved. They are one of the few firms that can truly provide you with the level of expertise necessary to fully and completely cover all aspects of the transaction, for both you and the other party involved. This allows them to give you the highest level of protection.
Their well-regarded and widely respected attorneys are the hallmark of the firm itself, and their knowledge and dedication to their clients has resulted in Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. becoming an on-demand destination for those seeking high caliber legal services. They have handled multiple cases for AG and Fortune 500 companies, and their hard work and ethics make them one of the largest and most well respected firms in Wisconsin, contributing directly to their ranking as one of the 10 best law firms in the state.

Stafford Rosenbaum LLP: The Green Lawyers

This firm’s litigators have a focus on environmental law, which they’ve found an area with a growing focus. The collaborative nature of their practice means that each attorney works with lawyers from other practice areas to provide the highest quality legal services and achieve the best results. Stafford’s depth of experience gives them the perspective to counsel clients on how environmental regulations affect their businesses and how enforcement actions can impact operations. Staff attorneys also regularly represent clients during administrative proceedings before the Wisconsin DNR with regard to permits, proposed cleanups, citizen suits and with compliance matters. Stafford serves as general counsel to a major Wisconsin recycling facility.
When the United States Environmental Protection Agency first issued regulations in 1975 for the disposal of solid and hazardous wastes, Stafford worked with the State of Wisconsin and train state and regional regulators on how to enforce the regulations. Stafford has worked extensively with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in response to ever-increasing environmental laws and rules, and has participated on stakeholder committees to help shape legislative initiatives.
The firm’s civil litigation group is comprised of attorneys with decades of experience representing clients in Wisconsin courtrooms. Trial attorneys are skilled at developing a strategy that allows the client to focus on business operations, while minimizing the time and money spent on litigation to achieve the intended goals. Because there are no retainer agreements, and fixed cost arrangements for all discovery and trial activities, clients’ litigation budgets are closely monitored, and there are no surprises.
Stafford was one of the first firms in Wisconsin to establish a business estate planning practice and the firm continues to be known for its expertise in business succession planning. Lawyers regularly counsel clients on choosing the right business structure so that it fits them and their family, and clients benefit from Stafford’s extensive estate planning experience when implementing a plan. The firm also has extensive knowledge in protecting assets from nursing home spenddown and estate recovery, while advising clients on long-term care options in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Stafford has a deep commitment to legal education. Three of its lawyers have been awarded Exceptional Service Awards by the State Bar of Wisconsin for teaching and contributing to the practice of law and for serving as mentors to other lawyers throughout the years.

Why von Briesen & Roper, s.c. Is Unique

von Briesen was founded in 1904 and has grown to become the largest full-service law firm in Wisconsin. von Briesen’s 240 attorneys and 230 staff members focus on providing exceptional client value to more than 4,000 active clients worldwide.
Because von Briesen is diverse, our attorneys provide a wide range of valuable, specialized legal services. We have a significant number of attorneys in 15 practice areas who represent clients in numerous niche or complementary areas of practice. By combining attorneys of different specialties, we can offer comprehensive legal solutions and save our clients’ time by providing one-stop shopping.
von Briesen is a leader in its traditional practice areas including Litigation and Creditors’ Rights. Our firm has a well-established history of excellence and service in key practice groups such as Corporate Law, Intellectual Property and Tax. We have a strong Labor and Employment practice and a substantial number of attorneys who practice in the healthcare, banking, construction, real estate and family law industries.
Several von Briesen attorneys have been recognized through various publications, publications and organizations. Recognitions include: Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, 40 Under 40, "Lawyer of the Year" and Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished Ratings. The firm has also been recognized by The American Lawyer magazine as one of the top 200 firms in the United States and by Corporate Board Member magazine as the second largest law firm in Wisconsin.

More Top-Tier Law Firms in Wisconsin

These are the remaining best ten law firms in Wisconsin that round out the numbers 11 through 20. They include:

11. O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C.

O’Neil Cannon has a strong reputation in intellectual property law which helps round out their practice. With a focus on business, dispute resolution, real estate and estate planning, they cover all the necessary aspects required for the modern-day law firm.

12. DeWitt Mackall Crounse & Moore S.C.

DeWitt Mackall covers every aspect of the legal environment in Wisconsin. Specializing in tax, litigation and business, they act as the complete in-house counsel that you need to handle all of your daily affairs without ever having to consider looking elsewhere.

13. O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C.

With over 50 years of experience, Mallery & Zimmerman has honed its craft to be the go-to law firm for broad range of services. With a focus on businesses, they provide an extensive performance in both local and regional markets.

14. Buelow Vetter Buie Seifert & Jewell S.C.

Buelow Vetter provides a multi-faceted approach to our complex commercial world. Providing services for education, employment, healthcare, non-profits, municipalities, family run businesses and specialty law services, Buelow Vetter covers all the bases for our society.

15. Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C.

Whyte Hirschboeck has a well-deserved reputation in the areas of environment and natural resources. With a strong focus on business, they provide all the necessary support services that are needed to run any size organization or private asset.

16. Herrling Clark, LLP

With a focus on litigation, Herrling Clark provides a unique offering in that they cover most areas in the legal environment. Able to provide professional services for the medical community, this firm leads all others in the accuracy, efficiency and treatment of cases that require intensive knowledge and background.

17. Law Offices of Joseph F. Pritchard, S.C.

Joseph Pritchard has a focus solely on criminal law. Providing efficient representation in criminal cases, Pritchard takes a no nonsense, quick recovery approach to all aspects of his clients case. Since 1989 he has represented hundreds of cases in criminal court.

18. Goese & Beeck, S.C.

With a focus on business and estates, Goese & Beeck provides a unique offering in those areas. Pure and concise, they have gained a strong reputation in a short amount of time. If you are in need of such legal rep in southeastern Wisconsin, we highly recommend Goese & Beeck.

19. Leggette, Brashears & Graham, Inc.

Leggette, Brashears & Graham have a broad range of specialties that cover the majority of the legal landscape. With a strong focus on litigation, they have grown rapidly to cover most aspects of the firm level world.

20. O’Neill, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C.

O’Neill Cannon has a unique profile in that they provide a variety of services with an emphasis on business. They have an extensive rep in the corporate world and are known for their efficient approach to the needs of their clients.

Conclusion: Finding Your Ideal Law Firm

While all the law firms listed here have their own unique characteristics, one thing they all share is an inherent understanding of the industry in which their clients have found themselves. It should also be noted that the law firms in this publication do not comprise a full list of firms in Wisconsin that treat their clients well. That being said, clients and prospective clients can best benefit from contacting a few firms , discussing your case, and evaluating the advice you are given. You want to know how long it will take to solve your problem or realize your objective and whether it is reasonable to pursue your goal. That is what a good law firm does: tells you the good and the bad and helps you determine your priorities.
Yes, there probably are top ten law firms everywhere else. We just happen to know the top ten in Wisconsin.