Tierney, Danielle B.

Danielle B. Tierney

Partner
Rita Heyerholm
608.283.6728

About

Attorney Danielle Tierney is a partner at Axley and a member of the firm’s litigation practice group. Ms. Tierney focuses her practice on a variety of civil law areas, including commercial litigation, agricultural litigation, contractual and collection disputes, municipal litigation, and insurance defense matters. She regularly represents municipalities, school districts, and counties in state and federal court and has successfully defended numerous lawsuits against those municipal clients arising from alleged constitutional and civil rights violations, employment disputes, and discrimination claims.

Ms. Tierney has extensive litigation experience in both state and federal courts. She has first-chaired a First Amendment jury trial in federal court; first-chaired a discrimination jury trial in federal court; first-chaired a personal injury jury trial and prosecuted numerous municipal OWI jury trials in state court; second-chaired bench and jury trials in state court involving agricultural, contractual, and defamation claims; handled countless depositions, motion hearings, and small claims matters; drafted and filed numerous briefs and petitions in the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and Wisconsin Supreme Court; argued before the Wisconsin Supreme Court; argued cases before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals four times; and submitted briefs to the Supreme Court of the United States. Ms. Tierney was named an Up and Coming Lawyer by the Wisconsin Law Journal in 2018; she was named a Rising Star by Wisconsin Super Lawyers in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023; and she was recognized in The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America (2024 Edition) for commercial litigation.

In addition to vigorously managing the legal aspects of her client’s claims, Ms. Tierney prides herself on keeping her clients informed of every aspect of their legal matter. She gives her clients complete confidence that their case is being handled with the utmost care and diligence through open channels of communication.

When she is not in the office, Ms. Tierney enjoys spending time with her family, attending classes at Orange Theory, and listening to audiobooks.

Admitted to practice in the State Courts of Wisconsin, United States District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Education

J.D., University of Wisconsin Law School
B.A., Sociology & Legal Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Involvement & Recognition

Recognition:

  • Named a 2018 Up and Coming Lawyer by the Wisconsin Law Journal
  • Named to the 2019-2022 Rising Star Lists by Wisconsin Super Lawyers
  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America© (2024 Edition) – Commerical Litigation

Client Successes

Prevailed on summary judgment motion and obtained dismissal of student’s claims against school district which stemmed from injuries student received in a welding class. Court rejected plaintiff’s arguments that a “known and compelling danger” existed.

Successfully defended against a challenge to a municipal tax assessment of a “Big Box” retail store before the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Obtained summary judgment in state court on behalf of a school district after a staff member had a secret sexual relationship with a student.

Prevailed on summary judgment motion and obtained dismissal of open records mandamus action based on plaintiffs’ procedural deficiency.

Litigation

Prevailed on summary judgment motion and obtained dismissal of federal discrimination claims by students against a school district and district administrator.

Successfully defended a construction company, member/owner, and employee through a federal jury trial and obtained a defense verdict on all of plaintiff’s claims, including a federal discrimination claim and multiple state law tort claims, which stemmed from the use of a racial slur on construction site.

Litigation

Prevailed on immunity defense in state court on behalf of school district on slip and fall claim by student.

Litigation

Obtained Rule 37 dismissal of former inmate’s claims against county jail and deputies stemming from claims regarding treatment of inmate in jail facility.

Litigation

Obtained summary judgement in state court on behalf of school board member and school district stemming from former administrator’s claim of harassment.

Litigation

Obtained summary judgement in federal court on behalf of large metropolitan school district stemming from claims that district failed to protect student from peer-to-peer disability-based harassment.

Litigation

Obtained summary judgment in federal court on behalf of a county sheriff’s department stemming from claims that department should have obtained medical treatment for jail inmate.

Litigation

Successfully defended a county board of adjustment decision which had denied a CUP application.

Litigation

Successfully defended OWI verdict challenge by defendant at Wisconsin Court of Appeals.

Tierney, Danielle B.
Litigation

Obtained summary judgment in state court on behalf of corporate client stemming from claims of improper billing for medical services.

Obtained summary judgment in federal court on behalf of county and deputy stemming from a decedent’s estate’s claim that the deputy utilized excessive force.

Obtained summary judgment in federal court on behalf of numerous municipal defendants stemming from a serial pro se litigator’s claims that the municipal defendants violated his federal constitutional rights. Also obtained court order prohibiting the pro se litigant from continuing to file lawsuits without permission from the court.

Litigation

Obtained summary judgment in federal court, which was affirmed on appeal by the Seventh Circuit, on behalf of a county stemming from a jail inmate’s claim that a cavity search violated her Fourth Amendment rights.

Litigation

Obtained summary judgment in federal court, which was affirmed on appeal by the Seventh Circuit, on behalf of a university stemming from a student’s claim that a sexual assault investigation by the university violated Title IX.

Litigation

Successfully defended a police department and its chief through federal jury trial and obtained a defense verdict against First Amendment claims brought by employee.

Litigation