Karen L. Tidwall

Karen L. Tidwall is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin attorney with more than 30 years of experience representing businesses, individuals, fiduciaries, and government entities in complex civil matters. Her practice focuses on Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Trusts and Estates, including business disputes, contract matters, fiduciary controversies, trust disputes, and probate litigation.

Karen represents clients in and out of court, providing practical legal advice and strategic guidance throughout the dispute-resolution process. She assists clients with risk management, contract negotiation, mediation, arbitration, trial, and appellate proceedings in state and federal courts.

Before joining O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing SC, Karen served as Deputy Corporation Counsel for Milwaukee County and spent nearly two decades as a partner at a national law firm. Her public- and private-sector experience informs her approach to legal analysis, dispute resolution, and litigation strategy.

Karen works with clients to evaluate risk, pursue efficient resolutions, and address disputes through negotiation or alternative dispute resolution when appropriate. When litigation is necessary, she represents clients at every stage of the proceeding, including pleadings, discovery, motion practice, mediation, arbitration, trial, and appeal.

Recognized Practice Areas

• Commercial Litigation
• Litigation - Trusts and Estates

Karen Assists Clients With

• Complex commercial and contract disputes
• Real estate and property disputes
• Breach of warranty and other Uniform Commercial Code claims
• Fraud, business torts, and statutory causes of action
• Business breakups and partnership disputes
• Municipal and county government law disputes
• Indemnification and contribution claims
• Negotiation of purchase and sale agreements, supplier agreements, customer agreements, distribution agreements, indemnity agreements, consulting agreements, and other service contracts
• Fiduciary representation of individual and corporate trustees, personal representatives, and other fiduciaries in claims involving breach of fiduciary duty, loyalty, impartiality, accounting obligations, conflicts of interest, and investment responsibilities
• Representation of beneficiaries seeking an accounting, distribution, or fiduciary removal under estate planning documents
• Will, trust, beneficiary designation, and lifetime transfer disputes involving lack of capacity, undue influence, elder abuse, or other alleged misconduct
• Tortious interference with inheritance claims
• Construction and reformation of estate planning documents
• Nonjudicial settlement agreements
• Guardianship proceedings
• Creditor claims in trust and estate proceedings
• Claims involving breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, self-dealing, or other alleged misconduct by corporate officers, directors, or managers
• Alternative dispute resolution, including negotiated settlements, mediation, and arbitration
• State and federal court litigation