Legal Services

The lawyers of Fuhrman & Dodge, S.C. are passionate, honest and thoughtful advocates, counseling clients to reach workable and creative solutions at a fair price. The attorneys at Fuhrman & Dodge, S.C. represent clients in a vast range of practice areas including:

Alternative Dispute Resolution – Mediation

It is well known that fewer and fewer civil disputes are being resolved by full court
proceedings culminating in trials, whether jury trials or trials to the judge alone
(without juries). Jury trials especially are quickly becoming a thing of the past.
There are many reasons for this trend, which can only be expected to accelerate
in the future. Here are some of them.

Practicing in this area: Edward Leineweber

Aviation Practice

The Aviation Practice encompasses generally any legal, business or real estate matter
involving aircraft, airports, air space, pilots, aircraft mechanics, or anyone else with a
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-issued certificate. It includes voluntary
transactions among private parties as well as litigation in state and federal courts, and
before the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). It includes all state and federal
regulation of aviation activities.

Practicing in this area: Edward Leineweber

Bankruptcy, Workouts, & Asset Protection

Bankruptcy practice involves representation of both debtors and creditors in proceedings under Chapters 7, 11, 12 and 13. We have experience in all aspects of bankruptcy, including asset protection strategies, preference defense, fraudulent transfer issues, challenges to discharge, adversary proceedings and related litigation. Our attorneys have represented clients ranging from individual consumers to million-dollar businesses and we are not afraid of complicated situations. Sometimes bankruptcy is not the only solution, and our attorneys can assist with alternative approaches, such as out-of-court settlements and workouts.

Practicing in this area: Jennifer Schank

Business Law

Business law encompasses the law governing contracts, sales, commercial paper, agency, employment law, business organizations, duties of officers, shareholders and members, property, insurance and business succession planning. We work on the above issues, including starting, selling, or buying a business, mergers and acquisitions, managing a business, dealing with employees, drafting contract and other business-related matters.

Practicing in this area: Mark Fuhrman, Chris Dodge, Kelly J. Stohr

Business Succession Planning

No company can survive without an able owner or manager in control. In the event of a shareholder, owner or manager’s death, illness, or retirement, businesses are often left scrambling to find suitable replacements. Without a succession plan, an owner, manager or shareholder’s interest in the company is passed on as part of a Probate estate or absorbed by another shareholder or member. This often leads to disputes, particularly in family-owned businesses. This, in turn, leads to instability or the inability to purchase the shares or membership interest in the deceased, ill or disabled individual. The idea behind Business Succession Planning is to put in place a plan that will allow for a smooth transition in the event of death, illness or disability. Our attorneys work with the key members of the organization to devise a plan that allows the entity to move forward with as little disruption as possible.

Practicing in this area: Mark Fuhrman

Civil Litigation/Arbitration

Litigation is the term used to describe proceedings initiated between two opposing parties (a lawsuit) to enforce or defend a legal right. Litigation can include lawsuits for breach of contract, negligence (such as a Personal Injury case) or Temporary or Permanent Restraining Orders (preventing one from continuing to violate a person’s legal rights). Litigation is not simply another name for a lawsuit, but rather any number of activities before, during and after a lawsuit to enforce a legal right. In addition to the actual lawsuit, pre-suit negotiations, mediations, trials (before a Judge or Jury), collection of judgments and appeals may also be part of the litigation process. Additionally, the attorneys at Fuhrman & Dodge also assist clients in arbitration. Arbitration is usually a less formal process and is typically administered by the American Arbitration Association. Most arbitrations result from contract disputes where the contract requires that all issues between two parties be resolved by arbitration.

Practicing in this area: Chris Dodge, Jeanne Armstrong, Jennifer Schank, Dale Gregory

Collections

We help businesses & individuals recover their money. If you are having trouble recouping money from a debtor, we can help you obtain judgments and collect on those judgments by seizing bank accounts and accounts receivable, garnishing wages, seizing property, and utilizing other methods allowed under Wisconsin law. We approach debt collection based on the belief that debts should be paid, both as a matter of principle and as a pillar of healthy commerce.

Practicing in this area: Chris Dodge, Jennifer Schank, Jeanne Armstrong, Dale Gregory

Construction Law

Construction law addresses the legal needs of General Contractors, Subcontractors, Specialty Contractors, Material Supplier and Project Owners. We represent clients in construction litigation; construction arbitration; contract disputes; contract drafting; contract review and negotiation; equipment leases, home improvement practices, bid protests and bid disputes; uniform commercial code issues; mechanics liens; payment and performance bond claims; risk management and safety issues including OSHA and MSHA; as well as construction delay and impact claims.

Practicing in this area: Chris Dodge, Jeanne Armstrong

Consumer Law

Like you, we have all seen the schemes of being promised millions of dollars by a foreign entity in our e-mail inbox. Some of us have bought a new car that has problems shortly after you drive it off the lot. Our attorneys work with claims involving these issues, and more. We also cover problems with repairs or improvements to your Home; Deceptive or Unfair door to door selling practices; unfair debt collection; problems and harassment associated with debt collection; Fair Dealership Law claims and compliance with the Wisconsin Consumer Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Practicing in this area: Chris Dodge, Jeanne Armstrong, Jennifer Schank

Contracts

Contracts are agreements that are legally enforceable. A contract may involve a duty to do or refrain from doing something, and the failure to perform such duty is called a breach of contract. The law provides remedies if a promise is breached – aiming to restore the person wronged to the position they would occupy if the contract had not been breached. A contract may be express or implied, lateral or bilateral, or written or oral. However, oral contracts may be more difficult to prove and the time to sue on the contract is shorter. We focus on reviewing, drafting and enforcing all types of contracts for clients. In fact, many of the practice areas of our firm involve reviewing, drafting and enforcement of contracts.

Practicing in this area: Mark Fuhrman, Chris Dodge, Jeanne Armstrong, Jennifer Schank

Criminal Law (misdemeanor) with emphasis on DUI/DWI

Criminal law is the body of rules and statutes defining and regulating the offenses against the community at large. It regulates how suspects are investigated, charged and tried. The law also provides the punishments for convicted offenders. Our practice areas include battery, domestic abuse, disorderly conduct, minor drug offenses, traffic violations, including operating after revocation and suspension, and other misdemeanors. Most importantly, we have a very strong practice in drunk driving – OWI/DWI – defense.

Practicing in this area: Dale Gregory

Eminent Domain Law

Eminent Domain law is the process used by government and utilities to take private property for a public purpose.  Condemnors can take your property for a public purpose, but they must pay just compensation for what they take.  The law is complex and confusing.  We would encourage you to meet with us at the outset to explain how the process works and to outline your options for going forward.

You should determine, early on, how your property will be affected by the project.  We have successfully negotiated modifications to public projects to protect a client’s future use of the property, but, to do so, we must act before the window closes on the ability to make such changes.

In all cases, you want to make sure you receive fair compensation not only for what is being taken from you but for the impact of the project on the value of the remainder of your property.  We have extensive experience in negotiations, litigation and, when necessary, through appeals.

Practicing in this area: John A. Kassner

Estate Planning

Estate Planning is the process of anticipating and arranging for the management of an estate during a person’s life. Our estate planning attorneys typically attempt to eliminate uncertainties over the administration of a probate and maximize the value of the estate by reducing taxes, and other expenses. However, the ultimate goal of an Estate Plan is determined by the specific goals of the client and may be as simple or complex as the client’s needs dictate. Estate planning involves the drafting of wills, numerous types of trusts, the naming of guardians for minor children, Powers of Attorney for Finance and Powers of Attorney for Health Care. In some respects, this area of the law can overlap with Elder Law where the specific needs of seniors are concerned.

Practicing in this area: Mark Fuhrman, Kelly J. Stohr

Family Law/Divorce

Family Law is an area of the law that deals with family matters and domestic relations including: marriage, civil union and domestic partnerships; adoption and surrogacy; child abuse; divorce, annulment; marital property agreements; cohabitation agreements; property settlements; maintenance (alimony); child custody and placement; child support, paternity testing and name changes.

Practicing in this area: Dale Gregory

Intellectual Property / Trademark

Protecting brand names and logos through trademark law is a key part of a successful business. We focus on creating strong trademarks and effective strategies to protect both established and developing companies’ brands. Our attorneys guide clients through the entire trademark lifecycle, from selection, searching, application, prosecution, registration and maintenance for both federal and state trademarks.

Practicing in this area:  Kelly J. Stohr

Inverse Condemnation and Regulatory Takings Law

Inverse Condemnation is a taking of your property that occurs when the government has occupied your property without the right to do so. Wisconsin statutes provide a procedure by which you can seek just compensation for that taking of your property.

The Courts have also recognized that a taking can also occur even if the government has not physically occupied your property. Such a taking occurs when the government has regulated your property to the extent that you are left with no economically beneficial or productive use of your property. In such cases, just compensation is mandated by the US and Wisconsin Constitutions.

We have extensive experience in the successful litigation and appeal of cases involving inverse condemnation and regulatory takings in Wisconsin. In such cases, a successful litigant can recover the attorneys fees and costs of litigation incurred in that litigation, together with just compensation for the taking of that property.

Practicing in this area: John A. Kassner