Our Attorneys
The attorneys at Municipal Law & Litigation Group strongly believe in working as a team with government administrators, clerks, treasurers, planners, inspectors, assessors, engineers and other consultants, as well as their municipal insurers. We have a dedicated and professional staff.
Paul E. Alexy
262-548-1340 | palexy@ammr.net
Paul has represented municipalities as both general counsel and a litigator throughout his career. Since graduating from law school in 1987, he has represented municipalities in issues ranging from annexations to zoning. Paul’s business education and past experience representing businesses and real estate developers have allowed him to be particularly effective in representing municipalities when drafting or negotiating contracts and when assisting in land use and development and zoning matters. He enjoys working with elected officials, department heads, and other professional consultants, and his ability to grasp technical matters involved in his representation of clients. Paul’s experiences as a reserve police officer while in law school, and later experience as a criminal and constitutional law instructor in a criminal justice program, have given him valuable insight— both as a prosecutor and as an advocate or advisor to municipalities or commissions in the areas of hiring or discipline of officers. In addition to a wealth of experience as a municipal prosecutor, Paul has successfully represented municipal clients in a variety of litigation area in trial and appellate courts in matters such as, for example, property tax assessments and exemptions, public records law, and zoning matters. In his free time, Paul likes to spend time with his family and their collie, doing home improvement projects, and doing volunteer photography for his church. EDUCATION • University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee—Bachelor of Business Administration • University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee—Master of Business Administration • Marquette University—Juris Doctorate BAR ADMISSIONS • State of Wisconsin; United States District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin; United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. MEMBERSHIPS • State Bar of Wisconsin • Waukesha County Bar Association
Remzy D. Bitar
262-548-1340 | rbitar@ammr.net
For over 20 years, Remzy’s clients have trusted him to represent their interests zealously in matters involving complex litigation, trials and appeals, with two cases involving constitutional law making their way to the United States Supreme Court. His defense litigation experience ranges from handling claims of excessive force, police misconduct, false arrest and search and seizure, to wrongful death actions, inadequate medical care and conditions of confinement claims against jails, claims of conspiracies and other misconduct against government officials; constitutional claims involving First Amendment free speech and religion and condemnation, zoning and other land use matters. Remzy’s legal career began with a judicial clerkship with the Supreme Court of Missouri for the Honorable Laura Denvir Stith. He then centered his practice around litigation and municipal law, handling all phases of litigation from trial to appeal. He is a member of the Wisconsin Defense Counsel and the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance. In addition to his legal work, Remzy has co-chaired the Milwaukee Bar Association’s Civil Litigation Section and served as President of the Milwaukee Insurance Adjuster’s Association. Remzy also completed membership in the American Inns of Court, an organization of trial lawyers devoted to improving the skills, professionalism, civility and ethics of the bench and bar in our community. A frequent lecturer on topics including municipal, civil rights and constitutional law along with litigation-related matters, Remzy has been honored repeatedly by Wisconsin “Super Lawyers,” the Milwaukee Magazine as a “Best Lawyer” and the Wisconsin Law Journal as a “Leader in the Law.” While Remzy’s clients know he is devoted to them, he tries his best to succeed at the work-life balance. He is a devoted husband, spends as much time as he can with his two boys, and actively involves himself in their youth sports, especially Little League. For 20 years, he has helped organize a MACC Fund Charity Golf Outing. Scout, the family’s goldendoodle, reminds Remzy every day that the best things in life are coming home. EDUCATION • Lawrence University 1997 • Washington University School of Law 2001 BAR ADMISSIONS • United States Supreme Court • United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin • United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin • United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois PRESENTATIONS Remzy is a frequent speaker before various municipal and local government organizations, their insurers and other educational programs including the League of Wisconsin Municipalities’ Municipal Attorneys Institute and Annual Conference, Wisconsin Bar Association, Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association, Wisconsin Badger State Sheriffs Association, Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association, Municipal Treasurers Association of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Towns Association, and Lorman Education Services. A sampling of his presentations include the following: • “Maintaining Decorum and Professionalism of County Board Members and the Public” • “Liability Trends: Civil Rights, Qualified Immunity and Police Work” • “Lawsuits by Citizen Groups Challenging Local Government Action” • “Qualified Immunity in Civil Rights Cases: The National Debate Calling for its Demise” • “Municipal Liability and Immunity” • “What Issue Will Your Town Be Sued Over Next? A Review Of Topics Spurring Recent Litigation And Some Best Practices For Avoiding Lawsuits” • “A Guide for Issues Involving the Public Records Law and Critical Events or Situations” • “Improving Transparency and Accountability In Government: A Discussion About Optimal Transparency Versus Shady Scenarios Involving Open Records, Open Meetings, Ethics and Digital Data” • “Murr v. St. Croix County: Litigation Before the United States Supreme Court” – Wisconsin Association of County Corporation Counsel – September 2018. • “Mutual Aid and Mutual Aid Agreements” • “A Trip to the Supreme Court: Litigation in Murr v. St. Croix County” • “Police Shootings: Recent Events, Issues and Other Considerations” • “Encountering Mentally Ill People & Potential Liability Under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Fourth Amendment” • “Dispatch Disasters: Liability of Emergency Service Providers” • “Keep Calm and Carry On: Risks and Liabilities Arising During Public Comment or Input at Meetings of Local Government Bodies” • “Wisconsin’s Public Records Law and Open Meetings Law” • “Jail Liability Update” • “Suicides in the Jail” • “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: A Review of The Laws, Litigation and Other Developments Involving Firearm Rights and Regulations” • “Handling the Police Liability Claim” • “Hot Land Use Issues: An Update on Current Land Use Issues and Considerations for Avoiding Related Litigation” • “Defending and Resolving Fee Shifting Cases, Especially When Compensatory Damages Are Nil, and the Attorney’s Fees Drive the Case” • “Open Records Law” – Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association – February 2013 and 2014. • “Municipal and Public Official Liability” • “1983 Civil Rights Litigation” • “Jail Strip Search Policies and Procedures” • “Parks and Recreation: Liability Issues for Municipalities” – Municipal Attorneys Institute – June 2011. • “Common Police Mistakes Involving Arrests, Investigatory Stops and Searches” • “Zoning and Adult Entertainment Businesses” • “Constitutional Issues Arising From Guns, Sex and Religion: Constitutional Litigation Involving the First, Second and Fourth Amendment” • “Flooding and Water Damage Claims” • “Considerations for Litigators Handling Civil Actions That Have Concurrent Criminal Proceedings” • “Working with and Using Municipal Attorneys” • “Issues That Arise With Public Meetings: From Current Issues With Covid-19 To Constitutional Claims And Other Common Pitfalls” • “COVID and Litigation Against Public Health Agencies”
Stephen J. Centinario, Jr.
262-548-1340
Steve began his career as an Assistant District Attorney at the Waukesha County District Attorney’s Office in 1979. He was promoted in 1990 to a Managing Deputy District Attorney position and remained in the District Attorney’s Office until his retirement in 2014. He tried hundreds of cases ranging from OWI to First Degree Intentional Homicide. After retirement, he joined MLLG in a part-time capacity as a special prosecutor. Steve is a former Trial Adjunct Professor at the Marquette Law School teaching law students how to try a case to a jury. He taught at Carroll College, Waukesha Technical College and helped train prosecutors at the National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina. He has also taught and presented several times at prosecutor conferences in Wisconsin. He has also presented at dozens of police in-service programs held in Waukesha County. Steve grew up in Menomonee Falls, graduating from East High School where he picked up tennis and continues to play. He was inducted into the Menomonee Falls High School Wall of Recognition in 2009. He is also proud of his continuous contributions to his church including as a church choir member for many years. EDUCATION • John Marshall Law School (1978), • Illinois Benedictine College (B.A. Political Science and Business Economics cum laude 1975) • Menomonee Falls East High School (1971) BAR ADMISSIONS • Wisconsin since 1978 to present
Benjamin Crockett
(262) 548-1340 | bcrockett@ammr.net
Ben graduated in May 2022 from Marquette University Law School and started as a full-time attorney with MLLG in June 2022 after clerking with the firm for two years. While in Law School Ben received the National Sports Law Institute’s Sports Law Certificate and he was a Member for the Marquette Sports Law Review. Ben’s interest in local government law began when he interned for a Wisconsin State Representative at the State Capitol while in college. That interest continued to grow as he took Local Government Law in law school, some courses in constitutional and administrative law and then began to clerk with the firm in January of 2021. Ben is part of the MLLG team that focuses on providing general counsel legal opinions for our municipalities. In his free time, Ben likes to spend time outdoors and get onto the golf course as often as he can. BAR ADMISSIONS • State of Wisconsin May 2022 EDUCATION • Marquette University Law School, J.D., 2022 • University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.S. 2019
Savanna M. Gain
Savanna started as a full-time attorney in June 2024. In law school, Savanna worked for the Village Attorney’s Office for the Village of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin which sparked her interest in Municipal Law. While in Law School, Savanna received the highest grade and CALI award for Water Law; she competed in the Jeffrey G. Miller National Environmental Law Moot Court Competition; and she served as a member of the Marquette University Law School Moot Court Board. While in law school Savanna also co-authored “What’s Old is New Again: Technical, Sociocultural, and Regulatory Aspects of Water Reuse” which was selected for publication in the Washburn Law Journal. Savanna joined our team as a litigation associate and focuses her practice on legal topics relating to municipalities.
EDUCATION
Marquette University Law School, J.D.
University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A.
ADMISSIONS
State of Wisconsin, 2024. Eastern and Western District of Wisconsin.
Eric J. Larson
262-548-1340 | elarson@ammr.net
Eric J. Larson is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School and Earlham College, All-College Honors. He started his career in government with a judicial clerkship, then served as an Assistant County Attorney, and entered the private practice of municipal law in 1994. He is a shareholder and Vice President of Municipal Law & Litigation Group, S.C. Eric is the named municipal Attorney for more than 20 municipal entities and works with all the firm’s municipal clients in complex zoning, municipal contracting, regulation, appellate practice, and “hot topic” municipal law issues. Eric is a regular speaker on a wide range of municipal topics for the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, the Wisconsin Towns Association, the Wisconsin State Bar, State and local Municipal Clerks Associations, and national webinar broadcasts (including Stafford and National Business Institute), on a wide array of municipal topics including: • Liquor Licensing. • Conditional Use Authority. • Municipal Regulation of Telecommunications. • Shared Municipal Services. • Intermunicipal Agreements. • Urban Agriculture. • Municipal Officers and Employees. • Ethics. • Trees, Weeds and Stormwater Regulation. • Solutions to Stalled Development. • Public/Private Partnerships. • Single-Family Residential Zoning Issues. • Public Records Laws. • Open Meetings Laws. • Municipal Best Practices. • Financial Guarantees. • Regulation of Signs. • Municipal Contracting and Procurement. • Risk Management, Indemnification, and Insurance. • Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals. • Avoiding Constitutional Violations. • Public Right of Way, Legal Issues. Eric was named a “Leader in the Law” by the Wisconsin Law Journal and “Super Lawyer” from the Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers Magazine. Eric is proud to support his community in various ways, including a long tenure on the Board and committees of Hope Center, leadership positions in his church, and as Board President of the Waukesha Civic Theatre, and Board member of the Waukesha County Community Foundation.
Lucas Logic
262-548-1340 | llogic@ammr.net
Luke started his career in municipal law after an internship with the City of Muskego’s City Attorney’s Office during his first year of school at Marquette University. Based on that exposure to local government and several law school classes on the subject, he found an interest in the variety of issues and areas of laws that come across a municipal attorney’s desk on a daily basis. Luke joined Municipal Law & Litigation Group immediately after graduating from law school pursuing his career in municipal law. When not working, Luke enjoys fishing, cooking and watching the Milwaukee Brewers, whether in person or at home. EDUCATION • University of Wisconsin – Madison, B.A. 2018 • Marquette University Law School, J.D. 2021 BAR ADMISSIONS • Wisconsin ASSOSCIATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS • Wisconsin State Bar Association HONORS AND PUBLICATIONS • Confusion, Conflict, and Case Law: Analyzing the Language of the United States Patent Act and Conflicting Case Law Regarding the Transfer of Patent Rights in the 21st Century, Marquette Intellectual Property Law Review, Summer 2020, 24 Marq. Intell. Prop. L. Rev. 241
John P. Macy
262-548-1340 | jmacy@ammr.net | cell: (414) 315-7184
John is one of the founding members of the firm, served as the firm’s President for many years, and has built a solid reputation throughout Wisconsin in the area of municipal law. The firm’s motto, “Your Municipal Attorneys,” fits John well; his clients have tremendous respect and trust for his ability to solve their complex problems, minimize their risks and keep the local government body running as smoothly as possible. John has been involved in numerous legal and community organizations, including with the American Bar Association General Practice House of Delegates from 1996 through 2002 and 2006 through 2012, Solo and Small Firm Division, and numerous offices including Chair of the Division and other ABA positions. John has served on the State Bar of Wisconsin in various roles; he served the Board of Governors from 1992 through 1996, 2003 through 2008, and from 2018 to 2023 as well as in numerous other positions including Chair of the Board of Governors, Chair of the Finance Committee, and a member of the Executive Committee. He has also membership and service to The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, Waukesha County Bar Association where he served as President and other roles, Uniform Law Commission, League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Wisconsin Towns Association, Wisconsin Association of Assessing Officers, and the Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association. Carroll College: Alumni Council: 1991 to 2002; President’s Advisory Council: 2011 to present. John is part of involved in numerous professional, civic, and non-profit organizations. John is on the board for the Citizens Bank. He is the president of the Carroll University Delta Rho Upsilon Alumni Association. He was the past chair of the Waukesha County Community Foundation and currently serves on the Grants Committee and Advisory Board. He is on the Wisconsin State Bar Senior Lawyer Division Board having served as chair. He is a treasurer for the Friends of HAWS and is a Humane Animal Welfare Society Volunteer. He is chair of Wright in Wisconsin, a Board member of Taliesin Preservation Foundation, chair of Lake Country Clean Waters, a board member of Community Smiles Dental, and a past board member of the Friends of the Mukwonago River. He is on the Village of Oconomowoc Lake History Committee and the Village of Sussex Spooky Sussex Committee. He belongs to the Carroll University Old Main Society, Milwaukee Art Museum, Waukesha Historical Society and Museum, the Wisconsin Historical Society, the Wisconsin Association of Lakes, and he is involved in the Republican Party of Wisconsin.
EDUCATION
• Carroll College: B.A., cum laude, 1977
• Marquette University, J.D., 1980
BAR ADMISSIONS
• State of Wisconsin
• U.S. District Courts
• Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin
United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
• United States Supreme Court
AWARDS
John has received over 100 prestigious awards for all of the work he has done in his career. To name only a few, John was listed as one of the Best Lawyers in America every year from 2008 until 2023. John was featured in Who’s Who in American Law every edition from the 6th through the 18th and in Marquis Who’s Who in America in the 50th through the 60th edition as well as the 69th and 70th Anniversary Edition. John was also recognized in Best Lawyers’ Milwaukee Municipal Law, “Lawyer of the Year” Wisconsin in 2016.
Additionally, Macy has received awards in the following: State Bar of Wisconsin President’s Award of Excellence 2010; Wisconsin Association of Assessing Officers Distinguished Research and Development Award 2002; Wisconsin Law Journal Leader in the Law Award 2009; Wisconsin Super Lawyers Award 2007, 2008, 2009; Best Lawyer in America, Milwaukee Area, Municipal Law, 2012; Best Lawyer in America, Milwaukee Area, Land Use and Zoning Law “Lawyer of the Year”, 2014; and Best Lawyer in America, Milwaukee Area, Administrative / Regulatory Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation – Municipal, and Municipal Law “Lawyer of the Year”, 2015
LECTURES AND SEMINARS
John is a frequent instructor for municipal law seminars sponsored by the Wisconsin Bar Association, Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association, League of Wisconsin Municipalities, Wisconsin Towns Association, Wisconsin Association of Assessing Officers, National Business Institute, Inc., and Lorman Education Services on various topics such as:
• “Open Meetings, Public Records, Agendas, and Minutes”
• “Board of Review”
• “Liquor Licensing”
• “New Clerks Training”
• “Parliamentary Procedure for Government Lawyers”
• “Conducting the Annual Board of Review”
• “Diffusing Dissension and Fostering Civility”
• “A Tradition of Practical, Timely, and Authoritative Presentations on Local Government Issues”
• “Advanced Liquor Licensing”
Luke A. Martell
262-548-1340 | lmartell@ammr.net
Luke began his legal career as an intern with the City of Brookfield while in law school. When he graduated, he moved to Denver, CO where he worked in the healthcare industry practicing contract law. Luke moved back to his home state of Wisconsin and joined MLLG in 2016. His practice includes addressing the various legal needs of local governments including ordinance enforcement and litigation in both state and federal court. His experience includes issues surrounding public records, ordinance creation and revision, land use, zoning and condemnation, along with municipal liability, Fourth Amendment claims and civil rights. Luke is also part of the Department of Revenue’s Board of Review Team and provides training around the state. Luke loves the outdoors and spends his free time with his family camping, boating, snowmobiling, and playing ice hockey EDUCATION • University of Wisconsin Whitewater (BBA) – 2009 • Northern Illinois University College of Law (JD) – 2013 BAR ADMISSIONS • Colorado Supreme Court – 2013 • Wisconsin Supreme Court – 2016 • Eastern District of Wisconsin – 2016 • Western District of Wisconsin – 2016 • Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit – 2016
Adam J. Meyers
262-548-1340 | ameyers@ammr.net
Adam practices in both federal and state courts, having joined our firm after practice several years in general litigation where he gained experience in litigation, trial and client advocacy. Additionally, he has successfully litigated multiple appeals in state and federal court. Prior to joining MLLG, Adam served as a judicial intern in federal court for the Honorable Judge Peterson in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. He also worked for the La Crosse County District Attorney’s Office in which he had the opportunity to conduct jury trials involving felony drug convictions as a law student. Currently, his practice focuses on defending municipalities and its insurers in all aspects of litigation. During law school, Adam was involved with the Wisconsin Innocence Project in which he helped litigate a case to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and helped successfully overturn a homicide conviction in the Georgia Supreme Court. Adam also interned in the Wisconsin State Capitol for three years. When not focusing on his practice, Adam enjoys watching sports and hunting. EDUCATION • University of Wisconsin-Madison, J.D., Dean’s List • University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A., Highest Distinction BAR ADMISSIONS • State of Wisconsin • Eastern District of Wisconsin • Western District of Wisconsin • Northern District of Illinois
Michael J. Morse
262-548-1340 | mmorse@ammr.net
Mike has been licensed to practice law in Wisconsin from 1981 to the present. He has also been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Federal District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, and the United States Tax Court. From 1981 to March of 1999, he was in private practice with the von Briesen law firm in Milwaukee. During that time, he was the Grafton Town Attorney, outside legal counsel for the Village of Menomonee Falls, and represented other municipalities and school districts as special counsel. From March of 1999 to March of 2020, he was the appointed Menomonee Falls Village Attorney. For several years during that period, he also served as the Assistant Village Manager. He has also served on the Menomonee Falls Board of Review. From 2003 to 2023, he was an Adjunct Professor of Law at Marquette Law School, where he taught Local Government Law. Mike currently serves as a member of the Waukesha County Condemnation Commission. In 2008 he served as a public member of the Joint Legislative Council Special Committee on Differences in Laws Applicable to Cities and Villages. He has served on the Wisconsin State Bar Board of Governors and several State Bar Committees. He is a past Chair of the State Bar Finance Committee, and of the Administrative & Local Government Law Section. He is also a past Secretary and President of the League Municipal Attorneys Institute. Mike has been a speaker on various legal or technology topics for the State Bar, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, and other organizations. Litigation experience includes all phases of criminal, civil, commercial, and municipal litigation. Litigation experience involves appearances in various Wisconsin municipal courts, in Wisconsin and Illinois state courts, in federal courts, and before administrative hearing examiners in Wisconsin and Michigan. Appellate litigation involves appeals from state and federal trial court decisions to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and Wisconsin Supreme Court, and to the United States Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit. Municipal experience includes acting as general or special counsel to various local governments; drafting ordinances; issuing legal opinions or advice on various matters to municipalities and school districts including open meetings and public records issues; negotiating, drafting, and reviewing legal agreements; and litigation involving open records or open meetings issues, municipal property taxes and tax collection, zoning and development issues, municipal prosecutions and defense.
EDUCATION
Mike is a 1981 graduate of Marquette Law School, and a 1978 graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Madison (BA, Economics and History).
Gregory Procopio
262-548-1340 | gprocopio@ammr.net
Greg graduated from Marquette University Law School in May 2022 and joined our firm as an associate attorney in June of that year. While in law school, Greg participated in the Jenkins Honors Moot Court Competition, the 51st annual William B. Spong National Moot Court Competition, and served on the Moot Court Executive Board. His coursework in local government and civil rights law, federal courts, advanced civil procedure, and two advanced brief writing courses—where he received honors—prepared him for his current role.
Before law school, Greg earned his degree in Government with a concentration in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Lawrence University, where he played NCAA Division III ice hockey, was a member of the pre-law society, and served as chair of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity’s honor board. He was also recognized as a member of the All-Academic Team by the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association for three consecutive years.
Since joining the firm, Greg has practiced in both federal and state courts, handling all aspects of litigation. He has been involved in municipal legal work, including drafting ordinances and attending meetings of various governing bodies. Greg has successfully written and litigated appellate briefs in the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, Wisconsin Supreme Court, and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. His civil rights work includes defending municipalities and their employees in litigation involving law enforcement actions, jail conditions, and constitutional claims such as equal protection and First Amendment violations. His diverse experience has provided him with valuable expertise in trial advocacy, appeals, and municipal law.
Outside of work, Greg continues to enjoy playing hockey.
EDUCATION
Marquette University Law School, J.D., 2022 • Lawrence University, B.A., 2019 (cum laude)
ADMISSIONS
State of Wisconsin Bar • The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit • The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin • The United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
Matteo Reginato
262-548-1340 | mreginato@ammr.net
Matteo handles all aspects of litigation in federal, state and administrative forums. He has successfully represented Wisconsin municipalities, as well as their elected officials, employees and insurers, in both trial and appellate courts. Matteo focuses his practice on land-use and zoning matters, jail/prison and law enforcement litigation, employment disputes, municipal liability and civil rights cases. Matteo has written and lectured on several legal topics relating to municipalities, including: municipal liability; discretionary immunity; government meetings; the First Amendment; law enforcement’s use of force; law enforcement’s contact with suicidal and mentally ill individuals; search and seizure practices; jail/prison medical care and conditions of confinement; and emergency responders. Matteo has been recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine as a Wisconsin Rising Star in the area of civil rights. EDUCATION • Marquette University Law School, J.D., magna cum laude • University of Houston, B.A., cum laude BAR ADMISSIONS • State of Wisconsin • United States Supreme Court • District Court – Eastern District of Wisconsin • District Court – Western District of Wisconsin • Court of Appeals – Seventh Circuit
H. Stanley Riffle
262-548-1340 | sriffle@ammr.net
Attorney Riffle has concentrated his practice in the representation of municipalities since 1984. Over the years, Attorney Riffle has been involved in thousands of proceedings and has appeared before numerous commissions, circuit and appellate courts throughout Wisconsin, including approximately 50 appeals before the United States 7th Circuit, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and Supreme Court, but still handles all aspects of municipal issues on a daily basis for the cities, villages and towns he represents. He has handled many complex municipal development transactions involving: • Tax Incremental Financing (examples: Bayshore Mall-Glendale, Oshkosh Truck Headquarters-Oshkosh, Olympia Fields Redevelopment-Oconomowoc, Brookfield Square- Brookfield) • Complex Utility Agreements (example: FoxConn-Racine) • Wind Turbine Siting (examples: Allenton, Herman) • Cellular Tower Siting Disputes • Solar Farm Siting (examples: Lomira, Christiana) Attorney Riffle has been a leading proponent of inter-governmental relations, as both a mediator appointed by the State of Wisconsin and through representation of his municipal clients, negotiating more than 30 inter-municipal boundary agreements and successfully incorporating four towns as cities and villages. Additionally, Stan mediates an average of 30 matters annually involving complex disputes in a variety of areas including tax assessment appeals, land use disputes and intergovernmental lawsuits. He also serves as the Waukesha County Condemnation Commissioner and was a long-time member of the State Bar of Wisconsin Standing Committee on Ethics. Attorney Riffle has also spoken at countless continuing legal education classes on general litigation, municipal legal issues, and other topics of interest, appearing at the request of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Wisconsin, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, the Wisconsin Towns Association, Waukesha and Milwaukee Bar Associations, the National Business Institute, the Attorneys Institute, and the Appraisal Institute - Wisconsin Chapter and many others. Attorney Riffle has been honored as: • Wisconsin Law Journal “Leader in the Law” 2011 Best Lawyers’ 2014-15 Milwaukee Area Municipal Law Lawyer of the Year • Best Lawyers’ 2020 Milwaukee Area Zoning and Land Use of the Year • Best Lawyers in America Eminent Domain, Condemnation Law, Land Use and Zoning and Municipal Law • Perennially included in Nation's Best Municipal Lawyers — US News and World Report • Milwaukee Magazine “Super Lawyer” (2005-2011 and 2013-2021), one of Wisconsin's 5 best municipal attorneys • Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating AV*Preeminent 5.0 out of 5.0.
Samantha R. Schmid
262-548-1340 | sschmid@ammr.net
Since graduating from law school, Samantha began her career at a litigation defense firm practicing in various areas of litigation before focusing solely on defending local governments in litigation. Her experience ranges from handling mass actions against local government, to handling employment litigation defense, to the ongoing defense of law enforcement, jails, land use planners and other officials and employees in a variety of complex constitutional and statutory issues. She has successfully litigated in state courts, federal courts and the appellate courts. She has also written and lectured on several legal topics relating to municipalities, including municipal liability; law enforcement use of force, search and seizure practice, the Fourteenth Amendment and substantive due process, the First Amendment, and employment law. Samantha has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a Wisconsin Rising Star in the area of civil litigation. EDUCATION • Marquette University Law School, J.D., cum laude • University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A. BAR ADMISSIONS • State of Wisconsin • Eastern and Western District of Wisconsin • Norther District of Illinois • Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
Christopher R. Schultz
262-548-1340 | cschultz@ammr.net
Christopher began his legal career as an associate attorney at Michael F. Dubis, S.C., Waterford, WI where he was a municipal prosecutor and assistant town attorney for the Town of Waterford. He was responsible for all representation of Town of Waterford Sanitary District and Town of Lyons Sanitary District. He managed representation and litigation on behalf of bankruptcy trustee clients, represented debtors in Chapter 7 & 13 cases including preparation of schedules. He was responsible for managing litigation / legal affairs for Citizens Bank, a medium-sized community bank, including preparing and filing all bankruptcy and foreclosure pleadings / documents for Citizens as well as frequent appearances in Bankruptcy and Circuit Court. Christopher joined Municipal Law & Litigation Group, S.C. as Lead Municipal Prosecutor in February 2019. Christopher handles municipal prosecutions for 19 of the firm’s municipal clients; including initial appearances, pre-trials and trials in multiple municipal court venues, and appeals. Christopher works with court and municipal staff to manage files, gather evidence as needed and prosecute traffic and municipal ordinance violations. Christopher speaks fluent French and he loves motorcycles, Wisconsin Sports and playing chess. EDUCATION • University of Wisconsin, Madison (BA) – 2003 • Marquette University School of Law (JD) – 2009 BAR ADMISSIONS • Admitted to bar, State of Wisconsin • Eastern and Western District of Wisconsin • Eastern and Western District Bankruptcy • Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals