Russell T. Golla, Emeritus

Russell T. Golla, Emeritus

Russell T. Golla

Russell T. Golla

For the first 15 years of his practice, his principal focus was defense work. That focus then shifted to plaintiff work.  However, Russell maintained a balanced perspective. He was Board Certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and later focused on complex trials and appellate cases.  He also devoted much of his time to auto and other product liability cases.

He returned to Stevens Point to begin his practice at Anderson O’Brien, LLP in 1981. In 1986, Russell became a partner. Prior to his retirement in 2020, he  practiced at the firm for over 30 years. With the push for alternative dispute resolution (ADR), he averaged 1-2 jury trials a year.

Russell is past President of the Wisconsin Association for Justice (WAJ), was a member of the Legislative Task Force Committee, Membership Service Committee, and was a member of the Board of Directors. WAJ is the largest voluntary bar association in Wisconsin and is dedicated to preserving the right to a jury trial and promoting a fair and equitable civil justice system. He was also a member of the AIEG (Attorneys Information Exchange Group).

Education

College:  UW-SP (B.S. in Mathematics and Political Science 1976)
Legal:  Marquette University (J.D. 1979)

Admitted to Practice

State Bar of Wisconsin
U. S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit

Certifications

Board Certified Civil Trial Specialist by National Board of Trial Advocacy
Named a Wisconsin Super Lawyer in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Mark O. Ilten, Emeritus

Mark O. Ilten, Emeritus

Mark O. Ilten

Mark O. Ilten

Attorney Ilten graduated in 1972 from Valparaiso University, Indiana with honors, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in history. He continued his studies at the Valparaiso School of Law and was awarded his Jurisprudence Doctorate in 1975 when he was commended by the International Academy of Trial Lawyers for his proficiency in the art of trial advocacy.

During his legal career Mr. Ilten has served as President of the Portage County Bar Association, as a Portage County Condemnation Commissioner, as a fair hearing examiner for Portage County, and as a member of the District Seven Committee of the Office of Lawyer Regulation. Mark has been a frequent presenter at Mid-State Technical College and past lecturer at the UWSP on the topic of estate planning. He has also conducted the semi-annual Sentry Insurance retirement seminar for their employees.  He retired from active practice in 2018.

Mark has been active in the community for many years.  He served as treasurer and director of the Intra-State Recycling Corporation in the mid-1980’s. He is a past President and emeritus Director of the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin, Inc. and is an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church where he has served as congregational chairperson. He is currently director of the church’s bell choir and teaches bell ringing to students at St. Paul Lutheran School. Mark is also an active participant in the Stevens Point City Band, playing trumpet and serving as a trustee and treasurer for over 17 years.

Admitted to Practice

State Bar of Wisconsin

Robert F. Konkol, Emeritus

Robert F. Konkol, Emeritus

Robert F. Konkol

Robert F. Konkol

Robert Konkol graduated from UW-Stevens Point with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1974 and graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1976. He is a member of the Bankruptcy Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin. Prior to his retirement, his practice was concentrated in real estate law, creditor and debtor law (such as collections and foreclosures), commercial and consumer law, municipal law, and contract law.

Robert served the community by providing pro-bono legal services to the Portage County Legal Aid Society and Judicare of Wisconsin.

Education

University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (1974)
University of Wisconsin Law School (1976)

Admitted to Practice

State Bar of Wisconsin
U. S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit

Professional Activities

State Bar of Wisconsin
Bankruptcy Section
Property and Probate Section

Gerald M. O’Brien, Emeritus

Gerald M. O’Brien, Emeritus

Gerald M. O’Brien

Gerald M. O’Brien

Prior to his retirement, Gerald was a trial attorney who tried over 200 civil trials in state and federal courts, including at least a third of the counties in Wisconsin. His trial experience included insurance defense, plaintiff personal injury, construction law, employment law and business litigation. He successfully represented a contractor in a seven-week trial involving six parties that rendered one of the larger verdicts in Central Wisconsin at the time. In the area of business litigation, he handled contested matters between businesses, including contested buy-sell agreements, valuation of business, stockholder actions and real estate issues.

He was a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and was a Certified Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He served as President of the State Bar of Wisconsin and Chair of the Litigation Section of the State Bar. He also served as a delegate to the ABA, as President of the Wisconsin Law Foundation, and has received numerous awards for his activities in the Bar and in the legal profession and several presidential awards for legal excellence. He was appointed by the Wisconsin Supreme Court to serve on the Board of Professional Responsibility (the disciplinary body of the State Bar) and was appointed by the Supreme Court to serve on the Wisconsin Judicial Commission (the disciplinary body for the judicial system).

Gerald also served in numerous civic matters including appointments by the Governor of Wisconsin to the Wisconsin Public Intervenor Board, and to the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board, where he served as Chair. Locally he served on numerous boards and organizations.

Education

University of Wisconsin-Superior (1953)
University of Wisconsin-Madison (J.D. 1959)

Admitted to Practice

State Bar of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court
Western District of Wisconsin
Eastern District of Wisconsin
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit

Certifications

Board Certified Civil Trial Specialist by National Board of Trial Advocacy
Named a Wisconsin Super Lawyer in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Professional Activities

State Bar of Wisconsin – Senior Lawyers Division, President
Wisconsin Judicare, Inc. – Board of Directors

Torren K. Pies, Emeritus

Torren K. Pies, Emeritus

Torren K. Pies

Torren K. Pies

Torren Pies graduated with honors from UW Law School in 1985. He obtained his Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Finance and Management from UW-Madison, graduating with distinction in 1982. Prior to retirement, his practice was concentrated in estate planning, elder law issues, medical assistance counseling, general business law, and business sales and acquisitions.

When he was an attorney practicing business law, Torren found working in Stevens Point particularly rewarding:

“The success of my clients and their businesses has a direct impact on this community, so as a member of the community, I am motivated in a very personal way to make sure these businesses are receiving and implementing the best legal advice. When business planning is integrated with sound estate planning, we are protecting what our clients’ efforts have produced, making their businesses and families stronger.”

Torren is on the Board of Directors of the Community Parks Improvement Committee and serves as its Treasurer. He is also on the UW-SP Backcourt Club Coach’s Committee and the Portage County Revolving Loan Fund Committee. In addition, he is a member of the Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the Americas.

Education

University of Wisconsin-Madison (1982)
University of Wisconsin Law School (J.D. 1985)

Admitted to Practice

State Bar of Wisconsin
U. S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

Professional Activities

State Bar of Wisconsin
Business Law Section
Elder Law Section
Taxation Sections

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