PETERSON - Key Persons
Amoreena joined the firm in May of 2019. She previously worked as a 911 dispatcher for almost 12 years. Amoreena currently works in the family law section as a paralegal to attorney Stacy J. Schlemmer. Amoreena graduated from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College with an associate degree in paralegal studies. When away from work, she enjoys reading, watching television, spending time with family and friends, and traveling.
Amy joined Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C., as an attorney in 2005. A graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School, Amy practices in the personal injury section. Amy has tried many cases to verdict in multiple areas of personal injury law, including automobile accidents, dog attacks, premises liability and medical malpractice. Amy has also handled numerous appellate matters, appearing in the Court of Appeals of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Amy has been selected for inclusion as a Rising Star in the Super Lawyer publication of Milwaukee Magazine.
She is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, the Outagamie County Bar Association and the Wisconsin Association for Justice. Amy has authored articles and given seminar presentations on developments in case law and other legal matters. In addition to professional organizations, Amy has served as a board member for the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Fox Valley Region and coached the Lawrence University Mock Trial Team.
As a law student, Amy worked part time as a personal injury law clerk, served as Secretary to the Moot Court Executive Board, and was an Articles Editor for the Wisconsin Law Review. While a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Amy played trombone in the Marching Band and Varsity Band. During her junior year, Amy studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, and she uses her foreign language skills in communicating with Peterson, Berk & Cross's Spanish-speaking clients in all of the firm's practice areas.
Risseeuw, Amy; Jacobs, Ann, Chapter 19 Overview of Negligence Claims for Older Clients, Advising Older Clients and Their Families, Elder Law Section and the State Bar of Wisconsin, 2015-present
Avi joined the firm in 1989 after practicing with his father in Green Bay since 1976. His principal responsibility at Peterson, Berk & Cross is the personal injury practice at the Green Bay office.
Following graduation from the University of Wisconsin Law School, Avi was selected for a judicial clerkship. In Avi's legal practice since, he has gained extraordinary experience in the trial of a broad array of different types of civil, criminal and business cases, and for more than 20 years has received the highest possible rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Attorney Brian G. Vargas joined Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C. in 2023. He is a native of the Fox Valley area, having grown up in Appleton. Brian practices in the personal injury section.
As a law student at the University of Wisconsin Law School, Brian participated in the Legal Assistance to Incarcerated People (LAIP) Clinic at the Frank J. Remington Center, in which he advocated for compassionate release and parole for incarcerated clients. He was also a legal clerk for a criminal defense firm in Madison, in which he provided legal research and writing for high-level criminal matters. Brian led the State and Local Government Law Society in his final year at law school as the Society's President.
Brian has returned to live in the Appleton area with his long-haired miniature dachshund, Hope. Brian enjoys taking his dog around the neighborhood, going to the gym, and engaging with the local theater scene.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin
- Retired
Dan headed the family law section of Peterson, Berk & Cross since he joined the firm in 1985 until he scaled back his practice and became "of counsel" in 2015. His practice focused on divorce, custody and placement, and support.
Dan was repeatedly named a Super Lawyer by Milwaukee Magazine. Only 5 percent of attorneys in Wisconsin are chosen each year for inclusion as a Super Lawyer.
Dan was selected as the area's best divorce lawyer in a 2002 survey by the Fox Cities Magazine.
Dan received his undergraduate degree from Iowa State University in 1976 and his law degree, with distinction, from the University of Iowa in 1981.
Dan is a member of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin, where he has served as board member and on the executive committee. Dan has been a member of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc. He was one of the founding board members of the Council and organized the Council's Northeast Wisconsin chapter.
Dan was certified as a family law trial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in 1997. He has also been a member of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association. Dan frequently lectured on family topics to lawyers statewide.
Dan is the author of the widely used Wisconsin child support computer program DWD40Sheets.
Dan lives in Sherwood with his wife Francine. They are avid cruisers and rabid sailboat racers on Lake Winnebago.
A native of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Devin grew up listening to the importance of "family dynamics" and the significance that each relationship can bring to a person's life from his social worker father. The importance of community and relationship was lived in Devin's first career as Coordinator of Youth Ministry and Relgious Educaton at St. Agnes Parish in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Today, this lesson on relationships is still respected in Devin's commitment seeing each case as something beyond a legal puzzle to solve. An understanding of who you are and what relationships need to be preserved is essential to finding to optimal outcome for every client.
Jeanie has over 30 years of experience in personal injury litigation and joined Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C., as a personal injury paralegal for attorney Avi Berk in June 2004. She graduated from UW-Stevens Point with a degree in communications. She is currently a member of the Wisconsin Association for Justice and attends its annual seminars. In her free time, Jeanie enjoys reading, traveling and baking treats for the office.
Jessica joined the firm as a part time receptionist in 2020. She had previously worked with us as a paralegal intern. Jessica graduated from Fox Valley Technical College in December of 2019 with an associate degree in paralegal studies. She is currently attending the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay. majoring in Organizational Leadership. Outside of work, Jessica enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her 3 children, who keep her very busy. She enjoys outdoor music events, reading, traveling and playing on volleyball leagues.
John has been with the firm since 1982 and practiced personal injury law in New England for six years before returning to Wisconsin. He is a graduate of Lawrence University where he majored in philosophy and economics. He then graduated from the Washington University in St. Louis School of Law where he served as an editor of the law review.
John has received the highest possible rating by the pre-eminent, national, legal directory, Martindale-Hubbell, and, in multiple polls of the northeast Wisconsin bar, he has been selected as one of the area's best personal injury and civil rights lawyers. In 2001, John received the Robert L. Habush Trial Lawyer of the Year award from the Wisconsin Association for Justice. John has been repeatedly named a Super Lawyer by Milwaukee Magazine.
In 2010, he was selected as one of the top trial lawyers in Wisconsin by the American Association for Justice and was selected as a Fellow by the Litigation Counsel of America.
John has long served on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Academy of Trial Lawyers (now the Wisconsin Association for Justice), and in 1995 he served as president of that organization. He has served on the board of governors and was the Wisconsin State Delegate for the American Association for Justice. Since 1990, he has been certified in civil trial advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. John is also certified as a civil pretrial specialist.
For several years, John was the chairperson responsible for continuing legal education for the Wisconsin Academy of Trial Lawyers. He has lectured extensively to the trial bars of Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Iowa. By invitation, he has also lectured nationally at meetings presented by the American Association for Justice.
John resides in Appleton with his wife, Martha Hemwall, Ph.D. He has served as president of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Fox Valley. He has been on the boards of the Lawrence University Alumni Association, the Wisconsin Civil Liberties Foundation and the Civil Rights and Responsibilities Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin. For 25 years he served as the chair of the Election Commission of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. He currently serves on the board of directors of Appleton Downtown, Inc., and on the board of trustees of the Appleton Public Library. In addition, he coached grade school, girls' basketball for nine years and high school and college mock trial for over 15 years.
Julie is the senior employee in the firm having started as a legal secretary in 1981. She is a graduate of Fox Valley Lutheran High School and attended the secretarial science program at Fox Valley Technical Institute. Over her tenure with the firm, she has worked in virtually all areas of trial law. For many years, Julie has served as the office manager. She also coordinates the activities of the personal injury section in all our offices. Julie enjoys reading, traveling and working on her house.
Marissa joined Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C. as a family law paralegal in 2023. She studied at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay, double majoring in Political Science and Public Administration, with an emphasis in non-profit. She is now continuing her education remotely at the University of Arizona - James E. Rogers College of Law to pursue her Master of Legal Studies (MLS). During Marissa's free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and watching football on Sundays.
Practice Areas
Personal Injury
Meghan has been with the firm since 2004. She has served as a paralegal to numerous attorneys throughout her time at Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C., focusing primarily on family law. Meghan is a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay graduate with a bachelor's degree in communication processes, with an emphasis in electronic media. Meghan currently serves as the marketing and social media coordinator for the firm. She is a member of the Marketing Committee for Appleton Downtown, Inc. Meghan resides in the Appleton area with her husband and daughters. Outside of work Meghan enjoys music, movies, baking, traveling, writing, volunteering and spending time with family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Professional Network - Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce
Rebecca joined the firm in 2014. She currently works in the family law section as a paralegal to attorney Stacy J. Schlemmer. Rebecca graduated from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College with an associate degree in paralegal studies. Outside of work, Rebecca enjoys making wood signs and participating in craft fairs with her side business, REdeSIGNS by Rebecca. She also loves to camp with her family and spend time with friends.
Job Titles:
- Paralegal to Attorney Devin C. Shanley
Katie joined the firm in 2019, after Shanley Law merged with Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C. She is the paralegal to Attorney Devin C. Shanley, having worked in many areas of law, including estate planning, family law, business law and criminal. Katie earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, with a pre-law minor, from Marian College. She has an associate degree in police science from Chippewa Valley Technical College. Katie is also a State Bar of Wisconsin certified paralegal.
Attorney Stacy J. Schlemmer joined Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C., in 2014. She focuses her practice on family law, including divorce, legal separation, maintenance, property division, paternity, child support, custody, placement, termination of parental rights and adoption.
Stacy is actively involved in the community and has been involved in Service League, Women's Fund, Current Young Professionals, and served on the Board of Directors for the De Pere Area Chamber of Commerce, N.E.W. Friends of Music, Inc., Green Bay Civic Symphony, Ecumenical Partnership of Housing and Friends of the Brown County Library. Stacy is also a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, Outagamie County Bar Association and Brown County Bar Association.
Stacy graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, after only three years of undergraduate study. She then graduated from Marquette Law School, where she was a member of the Marquette Elder's Advisor Law Review, served as Academic Support Program Leader and was a member of the National History Honor Society.
Stacy has been practicing family law since 2009. She currently resides in De Pere.
Sue joined the firm in as a paralegal to Attorney Amy M. Risseeuw in our Personal Injury section in 2018. She is originally from Racine, WI. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Sue worked at law firms in Milwaukee, Racine, Appleton and Rochester Hills, MI. She currently lives in the Appleton area with her husband and three children. Outside of work she likes to spend time with her family and friends, and she enjoys cooking and going to concerts.