Group: Appellate Practice

Bradley L. Brejcha

Contact

Location: Milwaukee, WI

Email: bbrejcha@borgelt.com

Phone: 414-287-9122

Fax: 414-276-0172

Assistant: Melissa Froiland

Education

University of Dayton School of Law, J.D., 2007

Marquette University, B.A., 2004

Areas of Practice

Court Admissions

  • All Wisconsin State Courts
  • All Illinois State Courts
  • U.S. District Court for Northern District of Illinois

Organizations

  • State Bar of Wisconsin
  • Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association

Other

  • Selected for inclusion in “Super Lawyers–Rising Stars”® by Law & Politics and the publishers of Chicago Magazine in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018
  • Selected for inclusion in “Emerging Lawyers” by the Leading Lawyer’s Network in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018
  • Interview with Modern Counsel Magazine, January 2015

Karl A. VanDeHey

Contact

Location:    Milwaukee, WI

Email:          kvandehey@borgelt.com

Phone:         414-287-9154

Fax:              414-276-0172

Assistant:    Ellen Cook

Education

University of Wisconsin-Madison, J.D., cum laude, 2000

University of Wisconsin School of Education, B.S., Mathematics, 1986

Areas of Practice

Court Admissions

  • All Wisconsin State Courts

Organizations

  • State Bar of Wisconsin
  • Wisconsin Defense Counsel
  • Wisconsin Association of Worker’s Compensation Attorneys

Verdicts and Published Decisions

  • Numerous Wisconsin Court and LIRC decisions available upon request

Patryk Silver

Contact

Location:    Madison, WI

Email:          psilver@borgelt.com

Phone:         608-310-4402

Fax:              414-276-0172

Assistant:    Lori Boyles

Education

Boston University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2000

Carnegie Mellon University, M.A., 1996

Vassar College, A.B. General Honors and Departmental Honors, 1985

Areas of Practice

Court Admissions

  • All Wisconsin State Courts
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin

Organizations

  • State Bar of Wisconsin
  • Wisconsin Defense Counsel

Verdicts and Published Decisions

Published Appellate Decisions

  • Cargill Feed Div. v. LIRC, 2010 WI App 115, 329 Wis. 2d 206, 789 N.W.2d 326
  • Milwaukee Area Tech. College v. Frontier Adjusters, 2008 WI App 76, 312 Wis. 2d 360, 752 N.W.2d 396
  • Meriter Health Services, Inc. v. Travelers Cas. & Sur. Co. of Am., 2008 WI App 132, 313 Wis. 2d 660, 758 N.W.2d 112

Unpublished Appellate Decisions

  • 3303-05 Marina Road, LLC v. West Bend Mut. Ins. Co., 2009AP001629 (Sept. 8, 2010)
  • Woskoski v. True, 2009AP000020 (Mar. 16, 2010)
  • Estate of Ju Her v. Joshua Scolman, 2008AP000979 (Mar. 13, 2009)
  • Pollard-Badji v. Federal Ins. Co., 2005AP002664 (Oct. 24, 2006)
  • Hartenstein v. Pekin Ins. Co., 2005AP001596 (July 26, 2006)

Fed. Ct. Decisions

  • Southland Mgmt. Co. v. RSUI Indem. Co., 2008C920 (Wis. E.D. July 13, 2011)

Wisconsin Circuit Court Decisions

  • Cody v. Target, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2009CV6168 (Aug. 27, 2011)
  • CSI v. IDS, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2010CV4627 (Aug. 23, 2011)
  • Borchardt v. Stohl, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2010CV5426 (June 29, 2011)
  • Sandhill Condo v. Sandhill Homes, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2010CV3175 (May 19, 2011)
  • Town of Johnstown v. Wellens Pearson, Rock County Cir. Ct., 2009CV2574 (Oct. 11, 2010)
  • Pridham v. IDS, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2009CV5983 (Aug. 2, 2010)
  • Conlon v. Chard, Walworth County Cir. Ct., 2009CV666 (July 27, 2010)
  • Lunda v. Fischer-Fischer-Theis, Milwaukee County Cir., 2008 CV 12038 (May 27, 2010)
  • Equity v. Diaz, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2007CV2514 (Feb. 5, 2010)
  • Stephanie v. Am. Fam. Mut. Ins. Co., Columbia County Cir. Ct., 2008CV165 (Feb. 25, 2009)
  • Stevens v. Big Boy, Jr., Ashland County Cir. Ct., 2008CV89 (Feb. 23, 2009)
  • Komplin v. Kohlenberg, Grant County Cir. Ct., 2006CV91 (Jan. 1, 2007)
  • Am. Fam. Mut. Ins. Co. v. Midbon, Rock County Cir. Ct., 2005CV346 (Mar. 6, 2007)
  • Meriter Health Servs. Inc. v. Travelers Cas. & Sur. Co., Dane County Cir. Ct., 2005CV3891 (June 14, 2007)
  • Riegel v. Brian’s Diner, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2006CV2522 (Aug. 22, 2007)
  • Condon v. Weihert, Jefferson County Cir. Ct., 2006CV671 (Oct. 3, 2007)
  • Carney v. Childs, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2006CV1665 (Dec. 13, 2006)
  • Waite v. Harbor House, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2005CV0754 (Oct. 31, 2006)
  • Hubbard v. Nooyen, Rock County Cir. Ct., 2004CV1344 (June 1, 2006)
  • Stuart v. Nguyen, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2004CV2384 (March 22, 2006)
  • Marcus v. West Bend Mut. Ins. Co., Milw. County Cir. Ct., 2005CV7555 (Jan. 5, 2006)
  • Smith v. Am. Fam. Mut. Ins. Co., Dane County Cir. Ct., 2003CV2275 (Jan. 27, 2006)
  • J.W. Jung Seed v. Pankow, Dodge County Cir. Ct., 2003CV98 (Oct. 6, 2005)
  • Mockler v. Lee, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2005CV1296 (Sept. 29, 2005)
  • Fisher v. Castleberg, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2004CV3242 (Sept. 16, 2005)
  • A.J.O. v. Am. Fam. Mut. Ins. Co., Grant County Cir. Ct., 2004CV309 (Sept. 15, 2005)
  • Kellercrest v. Laufenberg, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2002CV794 (July 27, 2005)
  • Greeno v. Clay, Monroe County Cir. Ct., (Aug. 24, 2004)
  • A.A.F. v. Kuhnle, Rock County Cir. Ct., 2003 CV1434 (June 10, 2004)
  • Leitner v. Firari, Dodge County Cir. Ct., 2002CV386 (May 12, 2004)
  • Baker v. Jackering, Grant County, 2003CV163 (Feb. 9, 2004)
  • Fuhrman v. General Casualty Ins. Co. of Wis., Sauk County Cir. Ct., 2002CV687 (Jan. 14, 2004)
  • Kessler v. Aurit, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2001CV3567 (Aug. 27, 2003)
  • Cooper v. State Farm Ins. Co., Dane County Cir. Ct., 2002CV2036 (Aug. 18, 2003)
  • Severson v. Sentry Ins., Dane County Cir. Ct., 2002CV0889 (June 11, 2003)
  • Ludlum v. Mauerman, Green County Cir. Ct., 2001 CV95 (Dec. 27, 2002)
  • Milwaukee County v. Juneau County, Dodge County Cir. Ct., 2001CV350 (Sept. 12, 2002)
  • Pekin Ins. Co. v. Audiophile, Dane County Cir. Ct., 2003CV762 (July 9, 2004)
  • Rabe v. Rural Mut. Ins. Co., Winnebago County Cir. Ct., 20101CV906 (June 20, 2002)
  • Wangen  v. Lease, Vernon County Cir. Ct., 2001CV88 (June 3, 2002)
  • Fruth v. Am. Fam. Mut. Ins. Co., Dane County Cir. Ct., 2001CV2465 (April 25, 2002)

Other

  • Editor-in-Chief, Annual Review of Banking Law, 1999-2000
  • U.S. Navy 1977-81

Julia B. Semenak

Contact

Location:    Milwaukee, WI

Email:          jsemenak@borgelt.com

Phone:         414-287-9123

Fax:              414-276-0172

Assistant:    Susan Drake

Education

University of Wisconsin-Madison, J.D., cum laude, 2008

Lawrence University, B.A., summa cum laude, 2005

Areas of Practice

Court Admissions

  • All Wisconsin State Courts
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin

Organizations

  • State Bar of Wisconsin
  • Wisconsin Defense Counsel

Verdicts and Published Decisions

  • Estate of Will R. Johnson, et al. v. La Causa Inc., et al., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 68221 (E.D. Wis. June 24, 2011)
  • Sate of Wisconsin v. GE-Milwaukee, LLC, et al., Appeal No. 2010 AP 3029 (Dec. 6, 2011)

Other

  • Selected for inclusion in “Super Lawyers–Rising Stars”® by Law & Politics and the publishers of Milwaukee Magazine in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018
  • Member of the Wisconsin Journal of Law, Gender & Society (Senior Managing Articles Editor, 2007-2008)
  • Dean’s List (Spring 2006, Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Fall 2007)
  • Best Performance in Real Estate Transactions I & II

Patrick D. McNally

Contact

Location:    Milwaukee, WI

Email:          pmcnally@borgelt.com

Phone:         414-287-9156

Fax:              414-276-0172

Assistant:    Mary Fieber

Education

Marquette University Law School, J.D., 2002

University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A., 1999

Areas of Practice

 Court Admissions

  • All Wisconsin State Courts
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court

Organizations

  • State Bar of Wisconsin
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Wisconsin Defense Counsel
  • Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States of America
  • Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association
  • Milwaukee Bar Association
  • Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (Past Wisconsin co-chair and lead chair)
  • Thomas E. Fairchild Chapter, American Inns of Court (Past member)
  • National Association of Fire Investigators
  • Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow

Verdicts and Published Decisions

  • Represented worker’s compensation insurer on its Wisconsin statutory lien interest in cooperation with injured employee’s attorneys in the second largest million-dollar verdict for 2010 as reported in Wisconsin Law Journal
  • Obtained verdict, following five-day jury trial, in favor of subrogated insurer and decedent’s daughter against major U.S. automobile manufacturer for property and wrongful death damages stemming from a fatal garage fire; believed to be the first such jury award in Wisconsin against that manufacturer for negligence and strict liability relating to the subject ignition switch system defect
  • Tried cases to jury verdict in Ashland, Milwaukee, Oneida, and Waukesha counties
  • Involved in more than 30 Wisconsin appellate matters, including published decisions in Peterson v. Arlington Hospitality Staffing, Inc., 2004 WI App 199, 276 Wis. 2d 746, 689 N.W.2d 61 (no exception to the exclusive remedy provision of the WCA for a claim by an employee against an employer for negligent hiring, training, and supervision when the injury was a sexual assault committed by a co-employee); and B & D Contractors, Inc. v. Arwin Window Systems, Inc., 2006 WI App 123, 294 Wis. 2d 378, 718 N.W.2d 256 (“your product” exclusion barred coverage despite contention about frames collapsing and causing glass to break)

Other

  • AV® Preeminent (Martindale-Hubbell)
  • Selected for inclusion in “Super Lawyers”® by Law & Politics and the publishers of Milwaukee Magazine in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024
  • Selected for inclusion in “Super Lawyers–Rising Stars”® by Law & Politics and the publishers of Milwaukee Magazine in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012
  • Interned for the Honorable Shirley S. Abrahamson, Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice, during the Fall 2001 semester of law school
  • Interned for the Federal Defenders Services of Wisconsin, during the Spring 2002 semester of law school

Emily K. Sharman

Contact

Location:    Milwaukee, WI

Email:          esharman@borgelt.com

Phone:         414-287-9108

Fax:              414-276-0172

Assistant:    Nancy Puffer

Education

Marquette University Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2015

University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A., 2012

Areas of Practice

Court Admissions

  • All Wisconsin State Courts

Organizations

  • State Bar of Wisconsin
  • Wisconsin Defense Counsel
  • Association for Women Lawyers

Other

  • Marquette Law Review-Staff Editor
  • Recipient of 2014-2015 Wisconsin Association of Worker’s Compensation Attorneys Law School Scholarship Award

Joseph P. Danas, Jr.

Contact

Location:    Milwaukee, WI

Email:          jdanas@borgelt.com

Phone:         414-287-9118

Fax:              414-276-0172

Assistant:    Nancy Puffer

Education

Valparaiso University, J.D., 1975

University of Wisconsin-Platteville, B.S., 1971

Areas of Practice

 Court Admissions

  • All Wisconsin State Courts
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

Organizations

  • State Bar of Wisconsin, Emeritus
  • Wisconsin Defense Counsel

Verdicts and Published Decisions

Publications:

  • Co-author of Worker’s Compensation Handbook, State Bar of Wisconsin

Published Decisions:

  • Cargill Feed Div./Cargill Malt v. LIRC, 2010 WI App 115, 329 Wis. 2d 206, 789 N.W.2d 326, addressing the limits of the odd-lot doctrine
  • Madison Gas & Electric v. LIRC, 2011 WI App 110, 336 Wis. 2d 197, 802 N.W.2d 502, challenging cumulative PPD ratings
  • GTC Auto Parts v. LIRC, 184 Wis. 2d 450, 516 N.W.2d 393 (1994). Amicus brief, reversing award of indefinite TTD award

Numerous Circuit Court and LIRC decisions available, including:

  • Flynn v. Allen Roofing  & Constr. Co, WC Claim No 87-048518, establishing limits of medical expense in paraplegic case;
  • Jackson v. CNA Financial Group and Continental Cas, WC Claim No 2006-010570, defining no “injury” in suicide case;
  • Roemer v. Rowley Construction and Society Ins, WC Claim No. 2004-041873, addressing grounds for reopening compromise settlement;
  • Stiefel v. United Cerebral Palsy of North Central Wisconsin and United Wisconsin, WC Claim No. 1996-014016, rejecting “belittle-berate” test for non-traumatic mental injury (stress) claims.

Other

  • AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5 (Martindale-Hubbell)
  • Selected for inclusion in “Super Lawyers”® by Law & Politics and the publishers of Milwaukee Magazine in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024
  • Hearing Examiner, State of Wisconsin Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations, 1975-1983