In its 26th edition, The Best Lawyers in America® 2020 list recognized four Axley attorneys as “Lawyer of the Year” and an additional 26 Axley attorneys as outstanding lawyers in their respective practice areas.
Best Lawyers® only recognizes one attorney as “Lawyer of the Year” per specialty and location. The four Axley recipients, having the highest peer review rating and feedback in Madison for their practice area, include Michael Modl – Litigation-Intellectual Property; Steven Streck – Litigation – Environmental; Buck Sweeney – Litigation – Construction; Michael Westcott – Employment Law – Management.
Michael Modl’s litigation practice focuses on federal court litigation, primarily in the areas of intellectual property, commercial disputes, employment, insurance defense, defense of municipalities and schools, and defense of civil rights and constitutional claims. He has appeared as local counsel for various regional, national and international companies in federal court litigation in Wisconsin. Michael Modl is also recognized in Litigation – First Amendment, Litigation – Labor and Employment, Litigation – Patent.
Steven Streck concentrates his practice in eminent domain/condemnation, property value litigation, and land use litigation. His recent projects include work with three regional electric transmission utilities to acquire land rights to construct major new transmission lines in southern, northwestern and central Wisconsin. He is currently working with airports across the state to acquire the land rights necessary for various airport improvement projects. Steven Streck is also recognized in Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law and Personal Injury – Defendants.
Buck Sweeney is former chair and current board member emeritus of the State Bar of Wisconsin Construction and Public Contract Law Section. Mr. Sweeney is experienced in handling matters dealing with Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Superfund, and air and water issues. His trial experience includes mediation, arbitration and administrative law hearings in environmental and construction law issues. Buck Sweeney is also recognized in Litigation – Environmental.
Michael Westcott represents private and public sector employers in union organizational drives, labor negotiations, grievance and interest arbitration hearings, and unfair labor practice hearings. Mr. Westcott also has an active practice representing employers in the defense of employment discrimination cases in federal court and before federal, state and local agencies. He regularly advises employers on worker’s compensation, FMLA, unemployment compensation, employee handbooks and policies, and other related personnel issues. Michael Westcott is also recognized in Labor Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment.
ADDITIONAL AXLEY ATTORNEYS LISTED IN THE BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA© 2020 LIST AND THE PRACTICE AREA THEY ARE RECOGNIZED FOR INCLUDE:
- Michael Anderson, Commercial Litigation
- Steven Brezinski, Tax Law
- Gregory Collins, Real Estate Law
- Paul Curtis, Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Guy DuBeau, Litigation – Construction, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
- David Easton, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
- Timothy Fenner, Insurance Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
- Don Gallo, Environmental Law, Litigation – Environmental
- Patricia Gibeault, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy
- Saul Glazer, Commercial Litigation, Construction Law
- Daniel Hardy, Communications Law, Energy Law
- Bruce Harms, Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
- Arthur Kurtz, Insurance Law
- Larry Libman, Real Estate Law
- Lori Lubinsky, Education Law, Insurance Law
- Mitch Olson, Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
- Laura Peck, Banking and Finance Law
- David Pelletier, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy, Litigation – Real Estate
- Richard Petershack, Banking and Finance Law, Real Estate Law
- Robert Procter, Real Estate Law
- Michael Riley, Arbitration, Medication, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
- John Schmid, Jr., Worker’s Compensation Law – Employers
- Jonathan Schuster, Securities Regulation
- Carl Sinderbrand, Litigation – Construction, Litigation – Environmental
- Heath Straka, Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
- John Walsh, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
Regarded as a top reference guide to the legal profession, The Best Lawyers® lists are compiled through an extensive peer-review survey in which thousands of lawyers in the U.S. evaluate their professional peers.