Kent A. Tess-Mattner

PROFESSIONAL STATUS

Attorney:  admitted to practice before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, both United States District Courts inWisconsin, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Schmidt, Rupke, Tess-Mattner & Fox, S.C. (1984-present):  President, shareholder and director in five-lawyer general practice law firm in Brookfield; responsible for civil litigation in cases ranging from federal antitrust law to personal injury, for all family law files, and also practicing in real estate law and appeals, among other areas.

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

Business Network International, November 6, 2007, "Reasons to Hire an Attorney in an Auto Accident Case, or Advanced Tort Law for Non-lawyers," West Allis, Wisconsin.

Business Network International, June 12, 2007, "Mediation in Wisconsin Civil Cases," West Allis, Wisconsin.

Leander J. Foley, Jr., Matrimonial Inns of Court, February 6, 2007, "How to Make Evidence Run More Smoothly," Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Lorman Educational Services, November 14, 2006, "Real Estate Litigation in Wisconsin," Madison, Wisconsin.

Lorman Educational Services, October 18, 2006, "Real Estate Litigation in Wisconsin," Brookfield, Wisconsin.

Business Network International, August 1, 2006, "Anatomy of a Civil Lawsuit in Wisconsin, " West Allis, Wisconsin.

Business Network International, August 1, 2006, "Child Placement in Wisconsin," West Allis, Wisconsin.

Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin, April 7, 2005, "Defending Claims Arising Out of Real Estate Transactions," Kohler, Wisconsin.

Society of Family Lawyers, March 16, 2005, "Advanced Shirking: In re the Marriage of Chen and Warner - Observation from Supreme Court Oral Arguments," Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Business Network International, February 8, 2005, "Dr. Chen vs. Dr. Warner: You Decide," West Allis, Wisconsin.

Lorman Education Services, December, 7, 2004, "Litigating Common Claims in Real Estate Transactions in Wisconsin," Brookfield, Wisconsin.

Business Network International, February 24, 2004, "Anatomy of an Automobile Accident Case," West Allis, Wisconsin.

Business Network International, August 20, 2002, "Covenants Not to Compete In Employment Contracts," West Allis, Wisconsin.

HNI Financial, Inc., July 17, 2002, "Covenants Not to Compete - How Enforceable Are They?" Brookfield, Wisconsin.

Business Network International, February 12, 2002, "Alternate Dispute Resolution," West Allis, Wisconsin.

Business Network International, July 25, 2000, "Retirement Plans & Divorce," West Allis, Wisconsin.

Business Network International, June 20, 2000, "Best Form of Doing Business," West Allis, Wisconsin.

Schmidt, Rupke, Tess-Mattner & Fox, S.C. (in-house accredited presentation), July 14, 1999, "Wisconsin's New Residential Real Estate Forms," Brookfield, Wisconsin.

Legal Action of Wisconsin/Milwaukee Young Lawyers Association, January 3, 1985, "Attorneys Fees in Social Security Cases," Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS

The Law of Damages in Wisconsin:  co-author of "Additur and Remittitur" chapter, including regular updates, in multi-volume reference book first published in 1988 by State Bar of Wisconsin (ATS-CLE).

Real Estate Brokers Relieved of Liability in “Leaky Basement” Cases Where a Qualified Third-Party Inspector Inspects the Property Before Closing, Vol. 3, No. 3 MBA Messenger (October 1994).

Confusion in the Court:  Wisconsin's Harmless Error Rule, 63 Marq. L. Rev. 643 (1980) (cited as "Worth Reading" in National Law Journal, July 27, 1981).

Case Note:  62 Marq. L. Rev. 306 (1978)(review of Rixman v. Somerset Public Schools, 83 Wis.2d 571, 266 N.W.2d 326 (1798), and its impact on subrogation in insurance law).

PROFESSIONAL HONORS

Wisconsin RealtorsÒ Association (1995-present):  Associate member, co-chaired  RealtorÒ/Attorney Group which advised WRA on legal issues related to real estate brokerage, was member of License Law Task Force for revision of chapter 452 of the Wisconsin Statutes.

Board of Attorneys Professional Responsibility (now Office of Lawyer Regulation) District Committee, Supreme Court of Wisconsin (1987-1989):  appointed by State Bar President to Milwaukee County District Responsibility Committee to investigate ethics complaints about lawyers; investigated several complaints and prepared reports to BAPR, voted on disciplinary recommendations.

"Milwaukee Advocates" Television Program (1985):  selected as trial lawyer for mock trial televised on PBS Channel 10.

Volunteer Lawyers Project Service Award (1985):  award from Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc. and Milwaukee Young Lawyers for pro bono legal services.

Who's Who in Practicing Attorneys:  biography included in 1990 edition.

Who's Who in American Law:  biography included in fifth and sixth editions.

Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America:  biography included in second edition.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

American Bar Association (1982-present):  member, Litigation Section.

American Association for Justice (formerly Association of Trial Lawyers of America):  (1982-present):  member.

Milwaukee Bar Association (1983-present)(past co-chair of Litigation Section 1983-1989, 1994-96); member of Speaker's Bureau and Family Law Section; member of Campaign 2000; past member, Long Range Planning Committee; past member of Appellate Bench and Bar Committee; media contact person for News Organization Briefing Service.  Organized and chaired Continuing Legal Education seminars for the Litigation Section.  Speaker to schools, churches, and other community organizations.

State Bar of Wisconsin (1980-present):  member, Litigation Section, Family Law Section, Appellate Practice Section.

Wisconsin Association for Justice (formerly Wisconsin Academy of Trial Lawyers) (1982-present):  member, Jury Instruction Committee (1993-present).

Leander J. Foley, Jr. Matrimonial Chapter of American Inns of Court (2004-present):  Master member

Society of Family Lawyers (2004-present): Treasurer, past Secretary

Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin (2002-present):  member

Cooperative Divorce Institute, Inc. (2005-present):  member

EDUCATION

J.D., Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1980).
Rank:  top 10% with Law Review credit, top 25% without.  Managing Editor, Marquette Law Review (1979-1980); member (through writing competition) (1978-1979).

Elected first year representative to Student Bar Association

Special directed research course:  Law Office Management.

B.A. (cum laude), Carroll College, Waukesha,   Wisconsin (1975).

Double majors in Philosophy and Religion. Minor in English, with writing emphasis.

 

 

 

 

PRIOR EMPLOYMENT

Sole Practitioner (1983-1984):  general practitioner in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Authored numerous trial and appellate briefs, including million-dollar medical malpractice case and landmark Wisconsin Supreme Court case on punitive damages.

Schoone, McManus, Hankel & Ware, S.C. (now Schoone, Leuck, Kelley, Pitts & Knurr, S.C.)(1982-1983): associate at seven-lawyer litigation law firm in Racine, Wisconsin.  Responsible for all appeals and all family law files, in addition to regular civil litigation caseload.  Won several trials and several appeals, including landmark case in Wisconsin divorce law (Arneson vs. Arneson)

Law Clerk to Chief Judge John A. Decker, Wisconsin Court of Appeals (1980-1982)(two terms).
          -Legal research, writing, editing.
          -Supervised two student interns.
          -Taught 1981 orientation for new clerks.
          -Taught eight-week appellate advocacy course for student interns.
          -Co-authored LEXIS Training Manual for Court of Appeals.

Student Intern to Chief Judge John A. Decker, Wisconsin Court of Appeals (1979-1980).

Student Law Clerk, de Vries, Vlasak & Schallert, S.C., Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1978-1979):  researched and wrote memoranda in the areas of insurance defense, general corporate law, real estate, securities, savings and loan regulation, and consumer law.

PRIOR BUSINESS EXPERIENCE

General Manager, Palmer Imports, Inc., Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1975-1979).  Closely-held corporation specializing in retail bicycle sales and service, with annual gross sales of $230,000.  Supervised all employees, developed and implemented annual budget, ordered all inventory, paid disbursements, managed payroll, and engaged in daily public contact on sales floor.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, President of its Board of Directors, Director since 1999, chaired Personnel Committee.

United Performing Arts Fund, Member Group Director.

Civic Music Association, Director from1999 to 2001, served as Secretary, member Executive Committee, chaired By-laws Committee.

Waukesha Area Symphonic Band, Former Board President, Director from 1998 to 2004, chaired Development Committee, By-laws Committee.

HOBBIES    

Bicycling (attempted to make 1976 Olympic Cycling Team, Honorary Lifetime Member of Cream City Cycling Club, Inc.); Playing the trombone (member International Trombone Association, trombone section leader in Concord Chamber Orchestra, Waukesha Area Symphonic Band).

West Granville Presbyterian Church, Elder, former High School Sunday School Teacher, co-teach (with pastor) New Member Classes, guest preacher when pastor on vacation.

Business Network International (BNI), member Referrals Unlimited East chapter for over ten years, current Visitor Host, past President, Education Coordinator, Membership Committee

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