Press Release
Gov. Evers Announces Appointments to Judicial Selection Advisory Committee
The committee is responsible for interviewing and recommending candidates to the governor for consideration when he fills judicial vacancies.
MADISON – Today, Gov. Tony Evers announced the membership of the Governor’s Judicial Selection Advisory Committee. The committee is responsible for interviewing and recommending candidates to the governor for consideration when he fills judicial vacancies.
“Wisconsin has a long and proud tradition of an independent judiciary that respects and preserves our state’s Constitution,” said Gov. Evers. “By tapping into the experience of attorneys from around the state, this committee will help ensure that we appoint judges who are knowledgeable, thoughtful, and fair.”
The committee includes the following members:
- Jeanne M. Armstrong is a litigation attorney with Fuhrman & Dodge, S.C. Armstrong has served as a visiting faculty member for the Lawyering Skills Program at the University of Wisconsin (UW) Law School and serves on the Executive Committee of the James E. Doyle Chapter of the American Inns of Court.
- Christine Bremer Muggli (co-chair) is the chief shareholder of Bremer & Trollop Law Offices, S.C., in Wausau, the past-president of the Wisconsin Association for Justice, and a current member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Bremer Muggli, a recipient of the Robert L. Habush Trial Lawyer of the Year award, has been repeatedly named as a Wisconsin Super Lawyer and one of the Top 25 Women Attorneys in Wisconsin.
- Truscenialyn Brooks practices labor and employment law, general commercial litigation, and patent litigation with Perkins Coie. Brooks has devoted significant time to pro bono matters, including defending the rights of women and inmates. Brooks serves on the State Bar of Wisconsin Board of Governors and as a Board member of the Doyenne Group, LLC.
- Michael J. Brose practices civil litigation with an emphasis on plaintiff’s personal injury at Doar, Drill & Skow, S.C. in New Richmond. He received his B.A. from Ripon College in 1987, and his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law. Brose is a contributing author to The Wisconsin Rules of Evidence: A Courtroom Handbook.
- Kristen D. Hardy is legal counsel at Rockwell Automation, Inc. She also is an adjunct professor and member of the Alumni Diversity Committee at Marquette University Law School. Hardy is the president of the Wisconsin Association of African-American Lawyers, a member of LOTUS Legal Clinic board, and a board member for the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Wisconsin.
- Rebeca M. López is an employment attorney with Godfrey & Kahn, S.C. López graduated magna cum laude from Marquette University Law School. López volunteers on the Board of Directors of Centro Legal, Professional Dimensions, Latino Veterans Legacy of Valor Foundation, and the Wisconsin Hispanic Lawyers Association. She is also a member of Marquette University Law School Dean’s Advisory Committee.
- Craig Mastantuono of Mastantuono & Coffee S.C. specializes in defending people accused of a crime in state and federal court. He is a board member of the Wisconsin Hispanic Lawyer’s Association and board chair of the American Constitution Society – Milwaukee Lawyer Chapter. Mastantuono is also an adjunct faculty member at Marquette University Law School.
- Ryan Nilsestuen (co-chair) is Governor Tony Evers’s chief legal counsel. He previously was chief legal counsel for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, a communications director in the Wisconsin Legislature, and a congressional aide. Nilsestuen graduated cum laude from UW Law School and with honors from Luther College.
- Odalo J. Ohiku is the founder of the Law Office of Odalo J. Ohiku in Milwaukee. Ohiku is highly regarded for his passionate and aggressive criminal defense and family law representation. Mr. Ohiku also is a trained mediator and arbitrator, where he amicably solves complex legal issues outside of the courtroom.
- Jon Padgham is the Deputy State Public Defender. He has been a public defender since 1996, previously serving as the Manager of the State Public Defender’s (SPD) Appleton/Green Bay region and as a staff attorney working in the SPD’s Lancaster and Milwaukee Juvenile offices.
- John Sacia, of Galesville, is the Trempealeau County District Attorney. He has served his home county as a prosecutor since 2015. Sacia graduated from UW-Madison, where he was selected for membership in the Phi Beta Kappa honors society, and from UW Law School.
- Mariam Seifter is an assistant professor of law at UW Law School, where she has received multiple teaching awards. Prior to joining the UW, Seifter, a graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School, was a litigator in private practice and a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Chief Judge Merrick Garland of the D.C. Circuit.
- Dana Wachs is a partner with Gingras, Cates, and Wachs. He has practiced law for 33 years in western Wisconsin, with a focus on complex civil litigation matters. For six years, Wachs represented Eau Claire in the Wisconsin State Assembly.
- Benjamin Wagner is a civil trial lawyer and a shareholder at Habush, Habush & Rottier S.C. He graduated magna cum laude from UW Law School and received the Phillips Owens Memorial Scholarship for outstanding academic achievement and community service. Wagner is an active community advocate in Milwaukee.
- MaiVue K. Xiong is a partner at Weld Riley, S.C. in Eau Claire, where she practices in business, real estate, copyright and trademark, and banking law. Growing up deeply involved in her parents’ business naturally led Xiong to be a business lawyer. Xiong continues to be involved in every aspect of her parents’ business as well as help run her husband’s business.
Office of the Governor
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
People: Benjamin Wagner, Christine Bremer Muggli, Craig Mastantuono, Dana Wachs, Jeanne M. Armstrong, John Sacia, Jon Padgham, Kristen D. Hardy, MaiVue K. Xiong, Mariam Seifter, Merrick Garland, Michael J. Brose, Odalo J. Ohiku, Rebeca M. López, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Ryan Nilsestuen, Tony Evers, Truscenialyn Brooks, William Mitchell
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