MWL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Associate Attorney / Austin, TX
- Senior Litigation Associate
Ana L. Zabalgoitia is a senior litigation associate in our Austin, Texas branch office. Ana is licensed in Texas and New Mexico and has been litigating heavily in both states since 2017. Ana will primarily be handling insurance defense cases along with subrogation matters involving property and casualty, workers' compensation, and automobile subrogation cases throughout Texas and New Mexico. Her insurance defense experience has taught her preparation is the key to success in the courtroom and the jury doesn't know the strength of the plaintiff's case until they've heard the defense.
Ana graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and graduated from St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio.
Ana is the middle of three girls, and grew up in San Antonio, TX. In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her nieces and family, listening to hours of podcasts and audiobooks, and exploring new hiking trails.
Job Titles:
- Expert
- Shareholder / Hartford, WI
Ashton T. Kirsch is an insurance litigation attorney and shareholder with the law firm of Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. Ashton has been with MWL's Hartford office since 2015, concentrating his practice on litigation of subrogation cases involving large loss casualty, commercial auto, transportation and cargo, and workers' compensation. He has built and grown the MWL commercial auto and cargo/transportation group into the thriving sector of our firm's subrogation practice.
Ashton is an expert in the handling of complex interstate transportation claims. He knows the ins, outs, and in-betweens of the labyrinth of federal regulations that can impact a commercial auto or cargo loss. In fact, he has been retained by other attorneys around the nation to serve as an expert and consult/train on both the MCS-90 Endorsement and Carmack Amendment. Through this unique knowledge base, Ashton has successfully litigated and recovered on countless claims where others could not. He also boasts another, unique expertise-high-level negotiation tactics and skills which maximize the likelihood of high dollar recoveries. He travels the country providing seminars and training sessions to attorneys and adjusters on best negotiation tactics and litigation practices. Ashton is currently writing a book on subrogation negotiations practices, which will be published within the next year.
Ashton obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin Law School, focusing on finance and corporate litigation. In 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, he was named a Wisconsin Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine, an award given only to the top 2.5% of lawyers in the State. In December 2022, Claims Litigation Management (CLM) recognized Ashton as one of their Phenoms Under 40, an award for selected individuals under the age of 39 who are making a significant impact at their companies or firms, or on the claims industry as a whole. Claims Litigation Management (CLM) has also designated Ashton as a Certified Claims Professional (CCP).
Prior to joining MWL, Ashton was a founding partner and legal counsel with Bankmybiz.com an online lending/banking platform. He was also general counsel for a real estate development consulting group. Ashton is an experienced politician, winning a three-way primary as a candidate for Wisconsin's 81st Assembly District in 2014, and is a former member of Governor Scott Walker's legal team. He also served as a judicial intern to Justice Paul Higginbotham in the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, IV District.
Ashton is known throughout the field for his knowledge of legal and legislative issues. He has been invited to testify on numerous occasions before legislative bodies and administrative agencies on insurance-related issues. Specifically, he has been asked to testify before legislative committee on tort reform legislation, collateral source rules, insurance mandatory minimum limits, insurance regulatory compliance, and other commercial auto-related issues. Ashton brings precisely the sort of "real world" experience that makes an excellent litigator for the insurance industry.
Ashton is the host of The Subrogation Support Network Podcast. From the world's finest subrogation resource center, this podcast aims to provide subrogation professionals with effective strategies and insightful tips. On this platform, Ashton has the opportunity to interview various lawyers and experts discussing the latest legal updates, news and trends.
Job Titles:
- Partner Emeritus / Hartford, WI
Bradley W. Matthiesen is a trial lawyer, mediator, and founding partner emeritus of Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. ("MWL"). Brad has 44 years of legal experience and is licensed to practice law in Wisconsin and Arizona. He is also admitted to practice in the Eastern and Western Districts of the State of Wisconsin and the United States Supreme Court. Brad has litigated many construction defect, personal injury, insurance coverage, toxic tort, lemon-law, and Magnuson-Moss warranty cases for individuals and insurance companies throughout Wisconsin.
Brad obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1975. In 1978, Brad obtained his law degree from the University of Puget-Sound School of Law (now Seattle University School of Law). Upon graduation from law school, Brad was engaged in the private practice of law for Levy & Levy, S.C. in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. In 1981, Brad became an Assistant District Attorney for Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, where he tried numerous misdemeanor and felony cases. In 1984, Brad became in-house counsel at Milwaukee Insurance Group, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he continued trying hundreds of civil cases both to the court and before juries. In 1994, Brad joined Mohr & Anderson, S.C., in Hartford, Wisconsin, as a partner, and, in 2001, Brad co-founded the law firm of Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. in Hartford, Wisconsin. Brad has tried numerous civil cases throughout the State of Wisconsin and has tried hundreds of cases to a jury and many more to the court in the form of bench trials. Over Brad's 44 years of practicing law, he has been instrumental in helping to settle thousands of disputed claims and insurance litigation matters. Brad has also litigated many cases that were resolved through the mediation process.
Brad was named a 2020 Super Lawyer for Personal Injury General: Defense by the Wisconsin Super Lawyers Magazine, an award given only to the top 5% of lawyers in the State.
Brad is an AV-rated attorney and a member of the Wisconsin Association of Mediators ("WAM") and Resolute Systems, Inc. Aside from his law practice, Brad also serves as a mediator throughout the State of Wisconsin. As a mediator, Brad's extensive history in practicing insurance law makes him adept at breaking through the thorny issues of insurance litigation that lurk in the background, and so often prevent cases from settling. As a practicing attorney with decades of practical experience, he understands the challenges and is sensitive to the difficult issues attorneys face during settlement negotiations when they engage with opposing parties and, sometimes, even their own clients. Throughout his legal career, Brad has maintained the demeanor, character, interpersonal skills, and a mature legal judgment to effectively assist parties in resolving simple or complex disputes. Brad is available to mediate a wide range of civil matters including business disputes, professional liability, personal injury, subrogation, insurance coverage, construction, landlord/tenant, and bad faith disputes.
When Brad isn't practicing law or mediating, he enjoys spending time with his wife and six daughters. He is also an avid Milwaukee Brewer and Green Bay Packer fan.
Job Titles:
- Associate Attorney / New Orleans, LA
- Associate With Matthiesen
Brianna M. Law is a litigation associate with Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer's New Orleans, Louisiana branch office. She is licensed to practice law in Louisiana. Brianna's practice focuses on the handling of automobile, maritime, property and casualty, and workers' compensation subrogation cases throughout the country, out of the New Orleans office.
Brianna graduated from the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Florida where she competed on the UWF Mock Trial Team. She received her law degree at Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, where she received her Maritime Law certificate and was a recipient of the George Winn Scholarship and the Law School Merit Scholarship.
Brianna is particularly fascinated with subrogation because it presents money, which is there for the insurance industry's taking, provided they recognize and act on it. She believes strongly in preparation and aggressive investigation of subrogation potential on behalf of a client as well as making every effort possible to resolve a matter before suit is filed.
Brianna is a Florida native, born and raised in Destin, Florida. She moved to New Orleans for law school, but ended up falling in love with the city. In her free time, she likes to go out and explore the city, looking for new, interesting places and new food joints to enjoy. Her version of a Friday night out on the town is trying a new restaurant every week with a few friends. On occasion she enjoys going to various car shows, meets, and events. At the end of the day, she gets to go home to her dog, Ady, who lives the most spoiled and lavish life of a dog belonging to a woman in her early twenties.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Associate Attorney / Boston
Catherine Dowie is a senior associate overseeing MWL's Boston, Massachusetts branch office. Catherine is licensed to practice in Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont, and is admitted in various federal District and Circuit courts. Catherine handles complex cases touching on wide-ranging topics including product liability, personal jurisdiction, conflict of laws, and federal preemption. Her background and focus is in healthcare litigation, including ERISA and health insurance matters running the gambit from traditional subrogation and coverage claims to provider billing disputes to class action and fraud claims brought against benefit plans. In addition to work at the trial level, Catherine has extensive appellate experience, and is in the process of expanding her appellate practice. In addition to her experience with merits briefing, she contributed to an amicus brief filed with the United States Supreme Court, obtained certiorari for a client before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and has argued before the Second Circuit.
Catherine boasts an undergraduate degree from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. A graduate of the Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Catherine graduated cum laude, with a concentration in Trial and Appellate Advocacy, and served as Comment Editor for Suffolk's Journal of Health & Biomedical Law. In her time at Suffolk, she excelled at moot court, served as Judicial Intern for Judge Elspth B. Cypher of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, and went on to represent clients as a student attorney in three separate clinics, including Suffolk's Supreme Court Clinic.
Before (and during) law school, Catherine worked full-time for The Phia Group. Her work at the Phia Group centered on ERISA and healthcare subrogation claims, including litigation. After graduating law school, Catherine served as a pro bono attorney in the Appellate Division of the Office of the Vermont Defender General, and went on to clerk for the Honorable Sarah A. L. Merriam, U.S. District Judge (D. Conn.) and the Honorable Benita Y. Pearson, U.S. District Judge (N.D. Ohio).
Catherine was born and raised in New Jersey, where she played a lot of tennis. After failing to earn a starting position on Smith College's tennis team, she joined the debate society, which is how she met EJ, her husband. They have two Siberian cats, Bran and Arya, and a growing number of succulent plants. Catherine enjoys knitting, axe-throwing, comic books, and baking.
Job Titles:
- Personal Injury Attorney Is Not Exempt from Having to Pay Medical Record Retrieval or Certification Fees Assessed Pursuant to Wisconsin Statutes
Job Titles:
- Fraternity Milwaukee Alumni, Board of Directors, VP Foundation, 2013 - Present
Job Titles:
- Associate Attorney / Hartford, WI
- Associate Attorney in Our Hartford, Wisconsin
Donald Henderson is an associate attorney in our Hartford, Wisconsin office. He is licensed in Wisconsin. Donald's practice focuses on handling subrogation matters involving workers' compensation, automobile insurance, and property and casualty. Donald received his J.D. from Marquette University Law School, during which time he clerked at the United States Attorney's Office for the Easter District of Wisconsin, Addison-Clifton, LLC and Moertl, Wilkins & Campbell.
Job Titles:
- Shareholder / Hartford, WI
Douglas W. Lehrer is an insurance trial lawyer and shareholder with the law firm of Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. Doug's insurance defense practice spans the spectrum of insurance-related issues, including defending insureds and their insurers in response to claims of personal injury, property damage and wrongful death. Doug's experience includes the handling of countless lawsuits arising out of automobile collisions, slip and falls, product liability claims, toxic tort claims and construction and work site accidents. Doug's insurance defense practice includes numerous defense verdicts following trial. Doug has also had a long history of representing insurance companies on all types of insurance coverage disputes as well as defending insurers in response to claims of bad faith.
In addition to his insurance defense practice, Doug has extensive experience in litigating various insurance subrogation matters. Doug's subrogation practice includes the pursuing of property damage claims, fire loss subrogation, health (including both ERISA and non-ERISA) subrogation and workers' compensation subrogation in Wisconsin and throughout the United States. One of Doug's national clients includes one of the nation's largest homebuilders, for whom he is able to recover millions annually in contribution and additional insured claims. Doug has also lectured extensively before insurance company representatives as well as other professional organizations around the country on various insurance-related issues.
Gary L. Wickert is an insurance trial lawyer and shareholder with the law firm of Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. Gary has nearly four decades of litigation experience and is regarded as one of the world's leading experts on insurance subrogation. He is the author of several subrogation books and legal treatises and is a national and international speaker and lecturer on subrogation and motivational topics. Gary is also a published commercial fiction author. After 15 years as the youngest managing partner in the history of the 30-lawyer Houston law firm of Hughes, Watters & Askanase, L.L.P., Gary returned to his native Wisconsin in 1998 and co-founded the subrogation firm of Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. He oversees a National Subrogation Recovery Program which includes a network of contracted subrogation law firms in all 50 states, Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom and boasts over $500 million in recoveries and credits for more than 250 insurance companies.
Licensed in both Texas and Wisconsin, Gary is double board-certified in both personal injury law and civil trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is also dual board-certified as a Civil Trial Advocate and Civil Pretrial Practice Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA), for whom he has both written and graded the product liability questions contained on the NBTA national certification exam taken by trial lawyers around the country. For nearly 30 years, Gary has served as an expert witness and insurance consultant on subrogation and insurance related issues and has been consulted by insurance carriers, lawyers, and legislative bodies from several states. He is a licensed arbitrator and has attended more than 750 mediations in more than 30 different states. In 2011, he was consulted by the National Defense University (the premier center for Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) under the direction of the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff) regarding the impact subrogation has on insurance rates and premiums, particularly involving Federal Employees Health Benefit Plans (FEHBP). He is one of only a few lawyers to have ever represented a client before the U.S. Supreme Court on a subrogation issue, and was named a Super Lawyer in Law & Politics magazine's Super Lawyers and in Wisconsin's Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers Magazine numerous times. Gary also writes a monthly column for the Claims Journal magazine entitled "The Road To Recovery" and a bi-monthly column for Claims Litigation Management's magazine Litigation Management. Gary holds an AVVO rating of 10, the highest rating.
In his spare time, Gary enjoys competitive chess, cycling, CrossFit, strength training, and traversing the woods with his two labs, Murphy and Jackson.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Insurance Trial Lawyer and Managing Partner
- Partner / New Orleans, LA
Job Titles:
- Insurance Litigation Attorney and Managing Partner
- Partner / Santa Ana, CA
Katherine A. Sandoval is an insurance litigation attorney and managing partner of our California office. Katherine received her undergraduate degree from Occidental College and her law degree from Whittier Law School where she graduated 8th in her class and served as Executive Editor of the Whittier Journal of Child & Family Advocacy.
Katherine's practice focuses on insurance litigation, especially nationwide insurance subrogation involving workers' compensation, automobile, health insurance and ERISA, property and casualty, premises liability, UM/UIM litigation, insurance coverage, civil litigation, business litigation, and contract interpretation.
Prior to joining MWL, she was the supervising attorney at a Santa Ana, California law firm and her aggressive litigation style and dedication underscores the truism that "The power of the lawyer is in the uncertainty of the law." She puts her experience and the expertise of MWL to work in helping clients maximize their subrogation recoveries.
Katherine spends her spare time with her family, which consists of her husband John, two sons, Dominic and Adrian, and two dogs Richie (mini goldendoodle) and Rosco (mutt). She currently lives in Mission Viejo, enjoys family hikes, frequently visiting local children's museums and zoos. Katherine is also fascinated with World War II history, and her favorite Winston Churchill quotes are: "Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival" and "Give us the tools and we will finish the job."
Job Titles:
- Associate Attorney / Hartford, WI
- Associate Attorney in Our Hartford, Wisconsin
Lance Jones is an associate attorney in our Hartford, Wisconsin office. Lance's practice focuses on automobile, property and casualty, and workers' compensation subrogation. Lance received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and his J.D. from the St. Mary's University School of Law. Lance is licensed in Wisconsin, where he will help MWL with its growing book of nationwide subrogation litigation.
Job Titles:
- Insurance Litigation Attorney and Partner
- Partner / Jacksonville, FL
Laura J. Rodgers is an insurance litigation attorney and partner at Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer's Florida office. Her practice focuses on insurance litigation and subrogation, including automobile, property, and workers' compensation, and product liability. Prior to MWL, Laura worked with Musca Law PA. Laura attended the University of Miami where she received her J.D., and Charron Williams College where she received her B.S. in Stenography. Laura is licensed in and admitted to practice in Florida, District of Columbia, and Washington.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / Austin, TX
Lee R. Wickert is a partner attorney in our Austin, Texas branch office. Lee was located in in our Wisconsin office, but transferred to our Austin, Texas branch office when it was opened in May 2019. Lee's practice focuses on insurance litigation, subrogation, workers' compensation, health insurance and ERISA, automobile insurance, property and casualty, and insurance coverage. Lee is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and obtained his law degree at Marquette Law School and his M.B.A. at Marquette University. Lee is licensed to practice in Texas and Wisconsin.
Lee is no stranger to the firm having worked for the firm since 2009, including three years as a research law clerk, and is already a prolific writer. He was a legal research assistant at Marquette University, creating class material for a Bankruptcy Law class, and contributing toward a law school textbook on bankruptcy. Lee is also co-author of "Fundamentals of Insurance Coverage in All 50 States - Sixth Edition", published by Juris Publishing, Inc. in New York.
Lee previously worked for Governor Scott Walker, Office of Legal Counsel, where he served as legal liaison ensuring the compliance of new legislation with Wisconsin law and the Wisconsin Constitution. He has also been an analyst with AXA Advisors in Milwaukee and a credit operation specialist with Johnson Bank in Racine.
Lee is a former hockey goalie, played hockey for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and is the assistant coach for the Cedarburg High School varsity hockey team. When he isn't drafting subrogation complaints, Lee enjoys weight-lifting, politics, scuba diving, downhill skiing, and playing board games with family and friends.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Attorney
- Associate Attorney / New Orleans, LA
- Attorney Profile
- Senior Associate Attorney in Our New Orleans, Louisiana
Louis H. Thomas III is a senior associate attorney in our New Orleans, Louisiana branch office. Louis received his undergraduate degree from Tulane and his J.D. from Loyola University in New Orleans. He has over six years of civil litigation experience in the areas or personal injury, auto injury, wrongful death, insurance, slip and fall, and trucking accidents. Throughout his career, Louis has taken hundreds of depositions, participated in countless mediations, and written numerous appellate briefs. Louis has also received multiple favorable jury verdicts following trial.
Louis brings a wealth of insurance subrogation and defense litigation experience to MWL, having worked as an in-house attorney for GEICO insurance Company, where he litigated a large caseload of personal injury matters. Louis later developed his litigation skills as an associate at private law firms in Metairie and New Orleans, where he worked on various types of civil cases including automobile accidents, premises liability, and employer liability. In 2022 and 2023, Louis was named a Louisiana "Rising Star" by Super Lawyers Magazine, an award given only to the top 2.5% of lawyers in the state. Louis is licensed to practice law in all state courts of Louisiana, as well as the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Louis also boasts a rich business and finance background, having worked as Chief Financial Officer of a Louisiana construction/real estate development firm and as a financial advisor at UBS Financial Services in New Orleans.
In his spare time, Louis enjoys attending Tulane University and New Orleans Saints Football games, golfing, listening to audiobooks and music, watching movies, working out, and spending time with his friends and family. A passionate lover of the arts, Louis also enjoys visiting local theaters to see the latest plays and productions. Louis is also member of the Tulane Letterwinner's Association and is very active in alumni relations.
Job Titles:
- Insurance Trial Lawyer and the Managing Partner
- Partner / Austin, TX
Mark A. Solomon is an insurance trial lawyer and the managing partner of Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer's Austin, Texas branch office. Mark is licensed to practice law in Texas, Colorado, and Georgia. Mark's practice focuses on complex property and casualty subrogation, workers' compensation subrogation, and automobile subrogation.
Mark has a wealth of litigation and insurance claims experience. After nearly ten years of litigating with two of Houston's premier litigation firms, Mark joined Farmers Insurance Group as a trial attorney, litigating a large docket of large loss commercial property claims, homeowners' claims, and automobile liability losses. In 2016, he became Supervising Attorney at Farmers, managing a team of seven attorneys, paralegals, and collection specialists throughout the country. He specialized in litigating matters for the national property subrogation group.
Mark handles complex property and casualty subrogation along with workers' compensation and automobile subrogation cases throughout Texas and across the country. Mark is a self-proclaimed perfectionist. His vast experience includes preparation and trial of cases in both state and federal court and his expertise in large, complex property subrogation losses provides welcome assistance to a burgeoning large loss property subrogation practice here at MWL.
Mark is a Longhorn and boasts an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas - Austin and graduated from South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas. He is a welcome addition to the CE and subrogation training team at MWL and has for years conducted training and CE classes for subrogation professionals at Farmers and elsewhere. He is a long-time member of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals.
Mark believes strongly that "the person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it." With that attitude, he is a perfect fit at MWL.
Mark was born in Atlanta, Georgia and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In his free time, Mark enjoys spending time with his wife, Brennan, and their daughter, Sadie. He is an avid golfer and fisherman and enjoys attending Longhorn football games in the fall. Mark and his family enjoy traveling to new places and exploring the parks and green spaces throughout Austin. He is an avid gardener and tends to his diverse collection of plumeria plants he has collected, bred, and raised for the past ten years.
Job Titles:
- Associate Attorney / Austin, TX
Matthew R. Grieder is an associate attorney at the firm's Austin, Texas branch office. Matthew's practice focuses on automobile, maritime, property and casualty, and workers' compensation subrogation cases throughout Texas and the South Central states of Oklahoma and New Mexico. Matt graduated undergraduate from the University of Texas and received his law degree from St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas. Matt clerked for several Texas firms before litigating at Barnett & Garcia in Austin, as well as Murphy Legal in Austin, where he represented insurance companies in complex construction defect litigation cases.
Matt is particularly fascinated with subrogation because it presents insurance companies the opportunity to recovery money-as opposed to paying claims-provided they recognize and act on it. Matt enjoys assisting MWL's clients in recognizing and squeezing subrogation recoveries out of fact scenarios involving construction settings and construction defect cases. He believes strongly in preparation and aggressive investigation of subrogation potential on behalf of a client as well as making every effort possible to resolve a matter before suit is filed. His background in construction defect litigation is a huge advantage in subrogating workers' compensation claims which often involve accidents in construction settings.
Matthew T. Fricker is a senior litigating attorney in our Hartford, Wisconsin office. Matt has three decades of experience representing insurance carriers in claims involving personal injury, products liability, MVAs, premises liability, medical malpractice, property damage, construction defects, workers' compensation defense, insurance coverage, and subrogation. Matt has tried numerous cases to jury verdict in state and federal courts in Wisconsin and has argued before the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Matt received his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 1991. Prior to joining MWL, Matt was a shareholder at Crivello Carlson, S.C., in Milwaukee, Wisconsin defending insurers in catastrophic and moderate loss injury cases and toxic tort actions, as well as professional liability claims and coverage disputes. Prior to that, Matt served as senior trial attorney with Allstate, defending Allstate's insureds in personal injury actions. In 2018, while with Allstate, Matt tried 11 cases to jury verdict, the highest number of civil jury trials of any Wisconsin attorney that year. In 2019, he tried three cases to jury verdict and obtained verdicts in 11 of the 14 trials that were lower than the plaintiffs' final pretrial demands. Matt has also served as Senior Litigation Counsel for CNA Insurance Companies where he defended cases arising from general negligence, construction site negligence, premises liability, MVAs, and defective products. He worked directly with claims professionals to evaluate cases upon filing and to develop defense strategies. He also served as Staff Attorney for Zurich North American Insurance Company, where he defended workers' compensation claims and liability claims arising out of MVAs, conditions of premises, truck explosions, defective industrial equipment, and construction defects.
Job Titles:
- Insurance Litigation Trial Attorney and Partner
- Partner / Hartford, WI
Nancy A. Case is an insurance litigation trial attorney and partner at Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. and concentrates her practice on ERISA and non-ERISA subrogation, litigation, and employee benefits plan drafting and compliance.
Nancy obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature and Communications from the University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida and her Juris Doctor from Chicago Kent College of Law, Chicago, Illinois. Prior to joining MWL, she was with the law firm of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. in Chicago, Illinois, and focused her practice on subrogation, including handling subrogation litigation for one of the largest multi-employer ERISA plans in Illinois.
Nancy is licensed in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Washington State, is a member of the Illinois Trial Bar, and is admitted to numerous federal courts throughout the country.
Job Titles:
- Associate Attorney / Hartford, WI
- Associate Attorney With Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer 's Hartford, Wisconsin
Nicole L. Jennings is an associate attorney with Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer's Hartford, Wisconsin office. She is licensed in Wisconsin. Nicole's practice focuses on handling subrogation matters involving fires and product liability defenses for manufacturers. Nicole received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and her J.D. from Marquette University Law School, during which time she clerked at the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Attorney
- Associate Attorney / Hartford, WI
Raven R. Jelinske is an associate attorney in our Hartford, Wisconsin office. Raven received her undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi where she was a member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, and her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts where she was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Leader for Justice Award, the Delta Theta Phi "Most Outstanding Student in the Nation" Award, and the Louise M. Goodrum Unsung Hero Award - among others.
Job Titles:
- Shareholder / Hartford, WI
Richard A. Schuster θδΈι, is a trial lawyer and shareholder with the law firm of Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. Richard helps companies litigate product liability, property, and commercial disputes throughout the United States. He also helps companies navigate the supply chain, regulatory, and other challenges they face doing business in the United States, particularly as they rapidly grow.
Richard prosecutes subrogation actions and defends manufacturers in equal measure, at home on either side of the aisle. He has handled over 1,000 cases, in almost every state in the country, mostly subrogation matters involving fires and product liability defenses for manufacturers. His ability to communicate in Mandarin Chinese has been an advantage on both sides.
Richard has achieved industry-changing results holding accountable manufacturers of fireplaces and grills in subrogation cases, results that led to safety improvements benefitting all consumers. He is currently leading the effort in the subrogation community to hold Gree accountable for selling millions of defective dehumidifiers and then hiding those defects from the public for over a year. His results in dehumidifier cases speak loudly.
On the defense side, he helped a manufacturer win a defense verdict in a federal court jury trial recognized as the #2 Most Distinguished Defense Verdict for the year 2015 by the North Carolina Lawyer's Weekly.
On the front end, he helps companies negotiate, navigate, and understand the risks of the contracts into which they enter. He has worked with healthcare technology companies to maximize IPO gains, fitness technology suppliers to address the challenges of rapid growth, and dozens of OEM manufacturers to minimize and understand the risks they assume when signing form agreements with large retailers.
Richard is often invited to present on product liability defense and insurance litigation related topics in the U.S. and in Asia. He has also helped train claim staffs for Asian insurers.
Job Titles:
- Shareholder / Hartford, WI
- Shareholder With Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C.
Ryan L. Woody is a shareholder with Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. and concentrates his practice on complex defense and subrogation litigation. He is nationally recognized for subrogation, reimbursement, lien resolution issues, and healthcare defense, especially ERISA and Medicare Advantage. Ryan represents clients in numerous federal courts and arbitrations around the country. He is a frequent speaker and has contributed to numerous articles and national treatises on insurance coverage, workers' compensation subrogation, and ERISA and federal health insurance, including FEHBA and Medicare Advantage. In 2008, he was named a Rising Star by SuperLawyers Magazine, an award given only to the top 2.5% of young lawyers in the State, and in 2012, he was named a Leading Lawyer by Milwaukee Magazine.
Ryan also has a special interest in environmental and natural resources law. He is a member of the Natural Resources Division of the American Bar Association. He serves as legal counsel to the Ruffed Grouse Society, a national wildlife conservation association as well as the Wisconsin County Forests Association.
Job Titles:
- Senior Counsel
- Counsel / Hartford, WI
Sarah "Sally" Fry Bruch is a senior counsel and litigating attorney with the law firm Matthiesen Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. (MWL). Sally's practice focuses on complex defense litigation as well as property and casualty, workers' compensation, automobile, and property loss subrogation cases throughout Wisconsin and across the country. Sally is also experienced in defending insurance companies and their insureds in complex litigation involving property, personal injury, product liability, and toxic tort claims, and has defended numerous Wisconsin municipal government entities and their insurers in tort matters involving municipal immunity.
Job Titles:
- Associate Attorney / Santa Ana, CA
- Senior Associate Attorney at Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C.'S Santa
Scott H. Heitmann is a senior associate attorney at Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C.'s Santa Ana, California office. Scott is an experienced trial attorney with over 25 years of litigation experience, including 14 years of insurance defense experience, all in the state of California. Scott's insurance defense practice spans the spectrum of insurance-related issues including the defense of insureds and their insurers in response to claims of personal injury, property damage and wrongful death. Scott's experience also includes the handling of countless lawsuits arising out of automobile collisions, slip and falls, product liability claims, toxic tort claims and construction and work site accidents. He has handled hundreds of depositions, participated in countless mediations, and successfully achieved multiple defense verdicts following bench and jury trials. As a senior associate attorney at MWL, Scott will continue to handle California insurance defense matters with an emphasis on defending auto and premises liability claims.
Stephen A. Smith is an insurance litigation attorney. His practice focuses on insurance litigation and subrogation, including automobile, property, and workers' compensation, and product liability. Prior to MWL, Steve worked with J. Peterman Legal Group, Ltd. (f/k/a Blommer Peterman, S.C.) in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Steve attended Oklahoma City University School of Law, where he received his J.D., and the University of Oklahoma, where he received his B.A. in political science and minor in German. Steve also studied at International House LGS Sprachschule in Freiberg, Germany, where he received his Zertifikat Deutsch (ZD) for German proficiency.
Steve is licensed in and admitted to practice in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, as well as all federal courts in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana. He brings an unusual breadth and depth of multi-state litigation and subrogation experience to the MWL team. Steve was selected to the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Wisconsin Rising Stars list by the Wisconsin Super Lawyers Magazine, a prestigious distinction given only to the top 2.5% of lawyers in the State.
Steve's time away from subrogation litigation and analysis includes spending time with friends and family. As a passionate Brewers and Oklahoma Sooners fan, Steve enjoys watching and attending sporting events, as well as golfing when the weather is nice. He is an avid reader and a self-described Tolkien enthusiast.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Attorney
- Associate Attorney / Santa Ana, CA
Taylor J. Morgan is an associate attorney at the firm's Santa Ana, California office. Taylor's practice focuses on automobile, property and casualty, and workers' compensation subrogation cases in California. Taylor received his Juris Doctor in Law from Pacific Coast University in Long Beach, California.