VBANDR.COM - Key Persons
Aaron Foley focuses his practice on estate planning, probate and trust administration, business law, real estate and adult guardianship.
Aaron values community service and is a volunteer guardian through the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee's GAIN project. The GAIN project connects cognitively disabled adults with a volunteer legal guardian to advocate for their care and well-being. He is the past President of the Board of Directors for Community Projects for Seniors, a nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of older adults in Wisconsin by providing activities and meals to individuals living in low-income housing.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Member of the Health Law Section
Aaron Smith is a member of the Health Law Section. He concentrates his practice on legal and business issues for health care providers, with a strong focus on compliance. Aaron advises providers on matters of accreditation, licensure, medical staff credentialing, physician contracting, corporate compliance and health care fraud and abuse, including enforcement of the False Claims Act, Stark Law, and Anti-Kickback Statute.
He has significant experience in the health care industry including most recently serving as a Health Law Fellow for a large system with hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, pharmacy, research institute and health plans. Prior to that, Aaron worked as a Staff Nurse and Head Nurse for a total of ten years in both Wisconsin and New York. His familiarity with clinical governance and operations informs his practical problem solving approach.
Education
Georgetown University, J.D., 2015
Seton Hall University School of Law, M.S., Health Law, 2013
University of Wisconsin, B.S., Nursing, 2001
Adam Skarie is a Shareholder in the Business Practice Group. Adam works closely with businesses, manufacturers and executives to identify their goals while minimizing risk. He enjoys and focuses on collaborating with his clients' other trusted advisors, including accountants and financial advisors, to bring a holistic approach to meeting client needs.
Adam Bazelon is a Shareholder and he serves as Chair of the Real Estate Group. He has a statewide real estate litigation practice representing businesses, healthcare entities, landowners, governmental entities and homeowners associations.
Job Titles:
- Paralegal in the Litigation & Risk
Amanda Wysk is a Paralegal in the Litigation & Risk Management Practice Group. She is a strong problem solver with a keen attention to detail. Prior to joining von Briesen, Amanda worked for ten years in education, ranging from AmeriCorps to financial aid to teaching.
She received her Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies from Milwaukee Area Technical College and a Bachelor of Arts in Law & Society and English from Oberlin College.
Education
Milwaukee Area Technical College, Associate Degree, Paralegal Studies, 2021
Oberlin College, B.A., 2011
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Member of the Municipal Law
Andrea Roschke is a member of the Municipal Law, Real Estate and Condemnation Law Sections. Her practice focuses on local government law with emphasis on zoning, tax assessment and condemnation proceedings. She assists property owners and developers in development projects as well as assisting municipalities in redevelopment projects. Most recently she has been involved in redevelopment projects for large suburban communities.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Shareholder in the Litigation and Risk
Andrew Christman is a Shareholder in the Litigation and Risk Management Practice Group. He has extensive litigation experience involving matters in numerous state and federal courts across the country. He focuses his practice on toxic tort, product liability, premises liability, and insurance litigation. Andrew also has experience in construction litigation, professional liability, and appellate litigation.
Andrew helps clients develop, maintain and implement defense strategies to ensure claims are handled effectively and efficiently. He guides clients in all phases of litigation from case initiation, to discovery and case development, through trial and appeal.
As a member of the firm's Toxic Tort Section, Andrew represents clients in asbestos litigation across the country and has particular experience overseeing cases in some of the busiest asbestos jurisdictions in the country including the City of St. Louis and Madison County, Illinois.
Andrew is also a member of the Fire and Explosion Litigation Section. He has represented clients in numerous wrongful death, personal injury and property damage cases that resulted from fires and explosions involving propane, fertilizer, gasoline and product defects.
Andrew is a member of the board of directors for the Wisconsin Equal Justice Fund. He is active in the firm's pro bono efforts and regularly provides pro bono services through non-profit legal service providers including the Eviction Defense Project.
Education
Marquette University, J.D., 2012
University of Wisconsin, B.S., 2009
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Shareholder and Chair of the Firm 's Public
Andy Guzikowski is a Shareholder and Chair of the Firm's Public Finance Section.
Andy has had more than 25 years of experience in public finance. He has served as bond counsel and issued the approving bond/tax opinions in over $500 million of tax-exempt bond issues that financed municipal equipment purchases, sewers, new schools and school improvements as well as manufacturing facilities, nursing homes and senior living facilities and has a broad range of experience representing bond issuers, borrowers, underwriters, bond purchasers, remarketing agents and banks/credit enhancement providers in tax-exempt and taxable bond financing transactions. He frequently serves as issuer's counsel to the Public Finance Authority in bond issues and has represented PFA in over $750 million of tax-exempt and taxable bond issues financing a wide variety of projects throughout the United States.
Andy is also a senior member of the firm's Banking and Commercial Transactions practice group. He represents financial industry clients in a variety of matters, including corporate and holding company reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, branch purchases and sales, loan and servicing portfolio sales, loan participations and in structuring and restructuring complex commercial lending transactions. He also handles compliance matters before regulatory agencies including the Wisconsin DFI, the FDIC the Federal Reserve, the SEC and FINRA. His experience includes structuring, negotiating and documenting interest rate swaps, letters of credit, securities lending and repo transactions. He has also advised banks, credit unions, savings institutions, broker-dealers and registered investment advisers in matters involving the on-premise sale of non-deposit investment products, on FDIC and NCUA deposit insurance rules, regulatory capital requirements and other regulatory and compliance matters.
Finally, as a member of the Business and Corporate law group, Andy's experience includes advising clients in a variety of industries on matters of corporate governance, securities and merger & acquisition transactions. Among other things, he assists clients in raising capital through IPOs and private equity and debt offerings and has represented clients in venture-capital investment transactions. Andy advises boards of directors of public and private companies on topics such as fiduciary obligations, corporate governance, anti-takeover measures and other responses to takeover offers, insider trading and ethics policies, utilizing investment advisers and appraisers, the design and implementation of equity-based executive compensation plans, shareholder relations and risk management.
Andy is a frequent presenter on a wide range of topics including advising boards of directors on corporate "best practices," Sarbanes-Oxley and Dodd-Frank, insider trading laws and the role of Board Committees. He is a contributing author to The Wisconsin Business Advisor Series Vol. 9: General Business Issues published by the State Bar of Wisconsin, where he covers the subject of obtaining financing through venture capital and private equity investment. Andy recently served on a panel at the National Association of Bond Lawyers annual Bond Attorneys' Workshop where he discussed the use of multijurisdictional bond issuers in education and other tax-exempt financings.
Education
University of Wisconsin, J.D., cum laude, 1982
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, B.A., 1978
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Shareholder in the Health Law Section
Angela Rust is a Shareholder in the Health Law Section. She focuses her practice on representing independent providers, such as physician clinics, ambulatory surgery centers, and provider-owned networks. Angela has extensive experience structuring and implementing innovative health care delivery models such as bundled payment programs, on-site/near-site clinics, and centers of excellence agreements in multiple states.
She assists clients with topics such as:
ACO, PHO, IPA and other provider network arrangements
Value-based provider/payer contracting
Provider employment and shareholder agreements
Hospital/physician alignment agreements
Privacy and security laws, such as HIPAA
State level health laws (including corporate practice of medicine and fee-splitting issues)
Contracts among provider-owned companies for real estate leases, clinic timeshares, purchase and rental of clinical equipment, professional services, and other arrangements
Stark and Anti-kickback compliance
Angela routinely manages the legal needs of health providers on an in-house basis. Working inside clinics and surgery centers as part of a multi-disciplinary team has given Angela a first-hand perspective of the fast-paced environment in which her clients must react to legal questions and concerns. Angela prides herself on providing efficient, practical advice that is also good for business.
Angela teaches medical students about health law as Faculty to the Medical College of Wisconsin (Green Bay campus). She has also enjoyed teaching health care administration courses as Adjunct Faculty to Marian University (Fond du Lac).
Three kids and a Norwegian Elkhound keep Angela busy outside the office. Her favorite place to be is on the water, particularly by kayak or stand-up paddleboard.
Education
Marquette University, J.D., magna cum laude, 2007
Medical College of Wisconsin, M.S., Bioethics, 2007
Marquette University Graduate School, Certificate in Dispute Resolution, 2007
Marquette University, B.A., summa cum laude, 2004
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Shareholder in the Labor and Employment
Ann Barry Hanneman is a Shareholder in the Labor and Employment Section. Ann serves as legal counsel to management in labor and employment law matters, including representing employers in federal and state employment litigation and in labor arbitration. Ann has successfully tried federal court jury trials, and regularly represents employers in administrative matters as well as federal and state court proceedings. In addition to litigation, Ann's practice includes advising on employment discrimination, negotiating separation agreements, handling sexual harassment complaints, drafting employee handbooks, developing policies, drafting non-compete agreements and managing wage and hour matters.
Ann is a frequent author and speaker on employment law matters. She also provides management training for companies on employment discrimination, equal employment opportunity laws including sexual harassment and Family and Medical Leave Act compliance, Fair Labor Standards Act compliance, discipline and discharge, workplace investigations, employee handbooks, hiring, ADA compliance, and updates on current cases and legislation affecting employment law and human resources.
Education
Marquette University, J.D., 1989
LeMoyne College, B.S., 1986
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Member of the Business Practice Group
Anne Stacey is a member of the Business Practice Group and serves clients throughout the Fox Valley and northeast Wisconsin. She focuses her practice on working with closely-held business owners on their business, corporate, and individual planning matters, including:
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Member of the Labor and Employment
Audrey Merkel is a member of the Labor and Employment Section. She focuses her practice on representing businesses, government and schools with employment and COVID-related issues. In addition to her legal training, Audrey studied public relations and is a Certified Mediator, which are both critical components in representing public agencies.
During law school Audrey served as the Associate Editor for the Journal of Law & Social Policy and competed in the ABA Negotiation Competition.
Audrey is a member of the Milwaukee Bar Association and the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Education
Northwestern University, J.D., 2021
Marquette University, B.A., magna cum laude, 2018
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Shareholder in the Litigation and Risk
Barry White is a Shareholder in the Litigation and Risk Management Practice Group and the Co-Chair of the Fiduciary Litigation and Inheritance Disputes Section. Barry's practice focuses on business litigation, with a particular emphasis on fiduciary litigation. Barry has considerable experience representing individual and institutional trustees in a wide variety of trust-related disputes, and also represents beneficiaries and heirs in undue influence and tortious interference with inheritance actions. Historically, his practice has included a significant number of trade contractors, and he has considerable experience in construction law and construction litigation. Recognizing that protracted litigation is not always in every client's interest, Barry is a strong proponent of creative problem solving and seeks to find efficient and cost-effective solutions to his clients' disputes whenever possible.
Since 2004, Barry has taught "Ethics for Wisconsin Lawyers," a continuing legal education seminar sponsored by the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Education
University of Michigan, J.D.
Albion College, B.A., cum laude
Ben Stern has practiced for more than 40 years in the areas of lease negotiation, commercial, residential, and retail development as well as complex contract drafting. Ben is also among the most respected mediators and arbitrators in southeast Wisconsin. Judges from throughout the region send him complex disputes. He is successful in assisting clients and lawyers in the resolution of the vast majority of disputes that come before him. He has chaired the mediation roundtable at the ICSC lawyers conference for several years.
Ben's most recent successes include assisting a receiver in saving and selling a multi-million dollar hotel that sat incomplete and at risk of deterioration. Ben assisted the receiver in reducing the amount owed to lien holders and transferring the property free of encumbrances to a new owner. He also successfully assisted a Court while acting as a special administrator for a complicated estate matter involving the transfer of a complex retail operation.
Education
University of Wisconsin, J.D., B.A.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Shareholder in the Litigation and Risk
Beth Kushner is a Shareholder in the Litigation and Risk Management Practice Group. She specializes in complex litigation and has successfully handled a broad range of business and commercial disputes, shareholder disputes, construction matters, antitrust disputes, class actions of all sorts, fraud and RICO cases, employment cases and product liability claims. She has a particular expertise in cases that involve high exposure and difficult facts, and her clients appreciate her creative, pragmatic, and cost-effective approach to litigation. She has a demonstrated ability to devise and implement winning strategies and to do so without losing sight of cost, business disruption, or public relations. In addition, Beth regularly represents clients in mediations and arbitrations, as well as acts as a neutral, and is a member of the Wisconsin Association of Mediators. She enjoys the respect of lawyers and judges in Wisconsin and around the country.
Beth is a member of The American Law Institute, where elected membership of lawyers, judges, and law professors is limited to 3,000. She is also a Senior Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only society of trial lawyers comprised of less than 1/2 of 1% of American lawyers.
In 2014, Wisconsin's two United States senators nominated Beth to President Barack Obama as a federal district court judge. She is a Fellow of both the Wisconsin Law Foundation and the American Bar Foundation.
Beth has maintained an active pro bono practice and is committed to providing legal services to indigent and other underserved clients. In 1997, she received the Gene and Ruth Posner Pro Bono award for assisting Russian and Eastern European immigrants. In 2002, she received the Association of Women Lawyers' Mentoring Award.
Beth is an Adjunct Professor at Marquette Law School, where she teaches Pretrial Practice.
Beth currently volunteers in hospice with her rough collie, Howard. Between 2006 and 2009, she served on the Board of Directors of Meta House, an organization that assists women with substance abuse issues and their children.
Education
University of Virginia, J.D., 1979
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, B.A., 1975
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Member of the Litigation and Risk
Blayne Christy is a member of the Litigation and Risk Management Practice Group. She focuses her practice on representing insurance carriers and their insureds in complex legal disputes, including in areas related to construction defects, contract disputes and professional liability claims. Prior to private practice, Blayne was a claims attorney managing outside counsel for a large insurance company.
During law school, Blayne was a Member and Managing Articles Editor of the Wisconsin Journal of Law, Gender, and Society, and she interned for the Hon. Juan Colás of Dane County Circuit Court.
Education
University of Wisconsin, J.D., 2014
University of Wisconsin, B.A., 2010
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Member of the Litigation and Risk
Brandon Conway is a member of the Litigation and Risk Management Practice Group. He focuses his practice on commercial litigation, shareholder disputes, professional liability matters and toxic tort.
Before joining von Briesen, Brandon was a litigation law clerk for a Madison law firm where he gained experience working on shareholder disputes and commercial litigation. During law school he was a Managing Editor of the Wisconsin International Law Journal. For many years prior to law school, he was a volunteer for the Hoyleton Community Project in Illinois.
He provides pro bono representation for the Eviction Defense Project.
Education
University of Wisconsin, J.D., 2021
St. Louis University, B.A., 2017
Job Titles:
- FHA Lowers Owner Occupancy Threshold