Collin Schaefer

I learned the value of hard work growing up on a dairy farm, and it stuck with me. I have always loved to learn and did well in school, graduating from UW Madison, where I received my law degree in 1993. I have been a partner at Gingras, Cates & Luebke since 2000. My practice areas include whistleblower cases, employment law, civil rights, professional malpractice, personal injury and family law. I was raised to care deeply about the welfare of others, and that value is reflected in the w...

Michelle Umberger is a partner in the Patent Litigation and Intellectual Property Litigation practices. A registered patent attorney, she has focused her practice exclusively on intellectual property litigation for more than a decade. Michelle manages complex, high-stakes cases involving a wide range of technologies, including patents relating to microprocessors, medical devices, antibody libraries, genetically-engineered plants and mechanical devices. She represents both established internat...

Julie Piper-Kitchin manages all aspects of trial preparation and defense strategy for clients in both state and federal court with an emphasis on civil litigation, product liability, insurance defense, insurance coverage, personal injury and professional liability. Julie has extensive experience briefing dispositive legal issues and has handled both jury and bench trials. Prior to moving back to Wisconsin, Julie spent the majority of her career handling litigation matters in courts around the...

Ted Waskowski is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Insurance Law, Litigation - Insurance, Litigation - Municipal, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Ted practices law in Madison, Wisconsin Best Lawyers has recognized Ted Waskowski since 2008. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regar...

Richard Latta is a partner in the Business Practice Group, Co-chair of the Reorganizations, Financial Restructuring and Workouts Group, and a leader of the firm’s Distressed Real Estate Group. He practices in the areas of corporate and partnership acquisitions and reorganizations, debt restructurings, corporate banking transactions, corporate governance matters, tax law, and planning for closely-held businesses, including succession planning for generational transfers of wealth. In addition t...

Dev Baumbach is a Shareholder in the Madison office of von Briesen & Roper, s.c. He has more than 20 years of experience representing clients in commercial litigation, business, construction, real estate and employment matters. Specific experience includes: Litigating business, construction and other commercial disputes, including state and federal trial and appellate litigation. Assisting contractors and subcontractors with drafting, reviewing and negotiating construction contracts, cons...

Kyle Gulya is a Shareholder and Chair of the Government Law Group. Kyle advises both public and private sector employers with employment- and labor-related issues including regulatory compliance, antidiscrimination practices, contractual and workplace policy matters, and personnel management. He handles numerous aspects of labor-management relations from advising clients during union organizing campaigns to serving as chief negotiator during collective bargaining negotiations. He also advises...

Vern has substantial expertise representing clients on a wide variety of real estate transactions including purchase and sale of real estate, real estate leases, tax deferred exchanges, real estate development, real estate financing, environmental issues, municipal approvals, formation of real estate owning entities, senior housing and assisted living facilities, and condominium development and conversion. In addition, Vern assists a number of businesses with many of the legal issues which co...

Justin F. Oeth is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Real Estate Law. Justin F. practices law in Madison, Wisconsin Best Lawyers has recognized Justin F. Oeth since 2019. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Justin F. Oeth is held by other lawyers.

I founded our firm in Madison in 1989. It was just me and one legal assistant. We now have three offices in the state with 12 lawyers and 19 great employees. The firm has grown under the premise that we will do our best to help good people in need. Our core values are hard work and honesty, and we are truly do have the most heart and caring for our clients. These values that drive our firm are the same values I learned from my parents growing up in Minot, North Dakota. I want to tell you why ...