[System] Extract the following details from the provided HTML source code. Return only a valid JSON object. Do not include any other text.

[User]
{"html":"
Brian P. Paul
PartnerPractice Group Chair, Labor & Employment Relationsbppaul@michaelbest.comChicagoT.312.527.6843Download vCardLinkedinTwitter
Overview

Brian brings strategic business vision to his work representing companies engaged in employment-related disputes, both in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies. The focus of Brianâ€™s practice is to deliver positive outcomes in litigation matters, including:

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Class action discrimination
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Wage and hour collective actions
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Harassment and discrimination claims
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Wrongful termination
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Disability accommodations
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Theft of trade secrets
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Enforcement of restrictive covenants
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\nÂ \n
A trusted advisor, Brian counsels a diverse range of manufacturing, logistics, government, financial and higher education clients of all sizes on labor and employment relations challenges. His expertise encompasses wage and hour compliance, reductions in force, employee leave, employment and separation agreements. He also provides counsel on employee handbooks, harassment and investigation training, and employee discipline.

Brian is former leader of Michael Bestâ€™s Advanced Manufacturing Industry Group.Â He is involved in state manufacturers associations of Illinois and Wisconsin and warehouse and logistics associations. A thought leader in labor and employment law, he speaks frequently at industry conferences.
\nMORE
Experience

Brian has a strong track record in court and administrative proceedings. He has:
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Secured dismissal of a $100 million federal class action that challenged the classification of taxi drivers in Illinois as independent contractors. Brian argued the case successfully in both the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
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Won federal jury trials for a major metropolitan city on claims of improper termination involving alleged violations of constitutional rights and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Both cases were before juries in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
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Achieved dismissal of a $10 million class action discrimination finding by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against a manufacturer of auto parts
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Obtained summary judgment on hotel employeeâ€™s claim that she was harassed and discriminated against because of her race and terminated in retaliation for complaining.Â Brian argued the case in both the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
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Attained dismissal in Cook County Circuit Court of former employeeâ€™s claims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual orientation discrimination
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Represented numerous clients before the Illinois Human Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
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Defeated attempts by former employers to enforce non-compete agreements to prevent clients from hiring new employees and enforced non-competition agreements for clients to prevent departing employees from working for competitors
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Counseled clients in responding to cyber-attacks by former employees
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Conducted employment related due diligence around the purchases of companies, including the purchase of an information technology business for more than $200 million and the purchase of an international energy business for more than $125 million.
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Provided executive succession planning for family owned businesses transitioning leadership from one generation to the next.
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Conducted wage and hour audits, including an audit of more than 80 positions and 2,000 people for financial services client.
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Defended against an unfair labor practice charge before the National Labor Relations Board where the warehousing client was accused of terminating an employee for supporting union activity.
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\n
Honors & Recognitions

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Notable Gen X Leaders in Accounting, Consulting and Law,Â Crain's Chicago Business,Â 2022
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Best LawyersÂ®, EmploymentÂ Law - Management, 2014-present
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The Midwestâ€™s Best LawyersÂ©, EmploymentÂ Law - Management, 2021
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Leading Labor & Employment Lawyer,Â Chambers USA, 2021-Present
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Recognized Practitioner,Â Labor & Employment,Â Chambers USA, 2019
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â€œ40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch,\" Law Bulletin Publishing, 2010
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Selected to Employment & Labor Rising Stars,Â Super LawyersÂ®,Â 2008-2017
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Professional Activities

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Member, American Bar Association
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Member, International Warehouse Logistics Association, 2006-2016
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Member, Young Presidents Organization, October 2022
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Member, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce
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Related Industry

Higher Education

Related Practices

Labor & Employment Relations

Class Action, Collective Action & Multidistrict Litigation

Employment Litigation

Employment Policies, Practices & Audits

Wage and Hour Compliance & Defense

AI Services

Education

Vanderbilt University Law School, Juris Doctor (J.D.), 2003

Emory University, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), 2000

Bar Admission

Illinois

Court Admissions

United States District Court, Central District of Illinois

United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois

United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit

Community Involvement

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Member, The Economic Club of Chicago,Â 2011-2020; Reception Committee,Â 2011-2015;Â Membership Committee, 2018-2020
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Board of Directors, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois,Â Past President, 2019; President, 2018; Vice Chair, 2016-2017; Membership Chair, 2014-2015: Associate Board, 2006-2012
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Board of Directors, Mary Meyer School,Â 2011-2014; Executive Vice President,Â 2014
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President Circle Member, Chicago Botanic Garden,Â 2009-2012
\n
\n

100+ Michael Best Attorneys Earn Top Honors in The Best Lawyers in America 2026 List

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP is proud to announce that 103Â attorneys have been selected for inclusion inÂ The Best Lawyers in AmericaÂ©Â 2026Â in 48Â different areas of legal practice nationwide.Â
MORE

Michael Best Recognized in Chambers USA 2025

Michael Best is pleased to be recognized in the 2025Â edition ofÂ Chambers USA.
MORE

Notable Gen X Leaders in Accounting, Consulting, and Law

The award honors top Chicago accountants, consultants, and attorneys born between 1965 and 1980 who serve in senior-level roles at their companies and have made significant contributions to advancing the industry.
MORE

Michael Best Listed as a Best Place to Work in Chicago

Crainâ€™s Chicago Business has placed Michael Best in the 2024 Best Places to Work in Chicago List.
MORE

Insights

Related News

NewsOctober 29, 2025Washington, D.C.Michael Best Welcomes Rebecca Mordas as Senior Counsel in Labor & Employment Practice

NewsAugust 21, 2025Michael Best Attorneys Earn Recognition in The Best Lawyers in America 2026 List

NewsJune 23, 2025Michael Best Welcomes Seasoned Employment Litigator David Szwarcsztejn as Partner in Labor & Employment Practice Group

NewsJune 9, 2025The Supreme Court Makes it Easier to Pursue Reverse Discrimination Claims

NewsJune 5, 2025
Forty-One Michael Best Attorneys Recognized in Chambers USA 2025 Rankings

NewsApril 28, 2025Michael Best Welcomes Darren Gibson as Partner in Labor & Employment Practice Group, Co-Chair of Firmâ€™s Higher Education Industry Team

NewsOctober 2, 2024
Michael Best Adds Kris Hanson, Expands Labor & Employment Practice

NewsAugust 21, 2024FTC Rule Banning Noncompetes Invalidated Nationwide

NewsAugust 15, 2024Ninety-Eight Michael Best Attorneys Earn Recognition in The Best Lawyers in America 2025 List

NewsJune 6, 2024Thirty-Five Michael Best Attorneys Recognized in Chambers USA 2024 Rankings

NewsDecember 6, 2023Michael Best Welcomes Accomplished Labor & Employment Lawyer Andrew Shelby

Related Industry

Higher Education

Related Practices

Labor & Employment Relations

Class Action, Collective Action & Multidistrict Litigation

Employment Litigation

Employment Policies, Practices & Audits

Wage and Hour Compliance & Defense

AI Services

Education

Vanderbilt University Law School, Juris Doctor (J.D.), 2003

Emory University, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), 2000

Bar Admission

Illinois

Court Admissions

United States District Court, Central District of Illinois

United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois

United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit

Community Involvement

\n\t
Member, The Economic Club of Chicago,Â 2011-2020; Reception Committee,Â 2011-2015;Â Membership Committee, 2018-2020
\n\t
Board of Directors, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois,Â Past President, 2019; President, 2018; Vice Chair, 2016-2017; Membership Chair, 2014-2015: Associate Board, 2006-2012
\n\t
Board of Directors, Mary Meyer School,Â 2011-2014; Executive Vice President,Â 2014
\n\t
President Circle Member, Chicago Botanic Garden,Â 2009-2012
\n
\n

100+ Michael Best Attorneys Earn Top Honors in The Best Lawyers in America 2026 List

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP is proud to announce that 103Â attorneys have been selected for inclusion inÂ The Best Lawyers in AmericaÂ©Â 2026Â in 48Â different areas of legal practice nationwide.Â
MORE

Michael Best Recognized in Chambers USA 2025

Michael Best is pleased to be recognized in the 2025Â edition ofÂ Chambers USA.
MORE

Notable Gen X Leaders in Accounting, Consulting, and Law

The award honors top Chicago accountants, consultants, and attorneys born between 1965 and 1980 who serve in senior-level roles at their companies and have made significant contributions to advancing the industry.
MORE

Michael Best Listed as a Best Place to Work in Chicago

Crainâ€™s Chicago Business has placed Michael Best in the 2024 Best Places to Work in Chicago List.
MORE

","instructions":["'first_name' => 'Extract only the attorney\\'s first name.',\r\n'middle_name' => 'Extract only the attorney\\'s middle name or middle initial, as it is presented. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'surname' => 'Extract the attorney\u2019s last name or family name',\r\n'email' => 'Extract a valid email address for the profiled attorney. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'title' => 'Extract the profiled attorney\\'s job title. Ensure it is properly capitalized.The attorney can have multiple titles, in which case list them all as an array. If no title is found, return an empty array.',\r\n'location' => 'Extract the office name or city name in which this attorney works, as it is listed. The attorney may work out of two offices, in which case both should be listed. List them as an array.',\r\n'direct_phone_no_1' => 'Extract the direct office phone number listed for this attorney. If multiple phone numbers are listed, select the one that is their direct line, not the main or central office number, nor a fax number. If the attorney works out of two offices and has a direct line for each office, list the first here. If a direct line is unavailable, but a main or central office number is listed with an extension, list that number followed by EXT and the extension number',\r\n'direct_phone_no_2' => 'Extract the second direct office phone number listed for this attorney, if it exists. If multiple direct phone numbers are listed because the attorney works out of two office, select the second number \u2013 not the one listed in the prior item. Select only a number that is the attorney\u2019s direct line, not the main or central office number, nor a fax number.',\r\n'image_url' => 'Extract the URL for the attorney\u2019s image file',\r\n'linkedIn' => 'Extract the URL for the attorney\u2019s LinkedIn profile, if it is listed. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'narrative_description' => 'Extract and combine all sections that provide a narrative overview of the attorney\u2019s biography and general work experience. Do not paraphrase, summarize, or omit information. Include the Biography/Bio section(s) and also include any Experience section that contains narrative descriptions of work (including sections structured as practice-area headings followed by descriptive paragraphs, e.g., \"Aging Services\" + paragraph text, \"Dental\" + paragraph text, etc.). Preserve headings and the order of content as it appears; you may convert embedded highlights into bullet points only if it helps preserve (not reduce) the information. EXCLUDE: any section (or subsection) that exclusively lists specific representative matters / representative experience items (typically a list of discrete matters, case captions like \"X v. Y\", deal/transaction bullet points, dated entries, courts/dockets, or similar itemized matter lists). If an Experience (or other) section contains BOTH narrative description AND a separate list of specific matters, include the narrative paragraphs/headings but omit the itemized matter list. Return the combined narrative text only. If no narrative bio or general-experience narrative exists, return an empty string.',\r\n'representative_matters' => 'Extract ALL representative matters (such as litigation cases, verdicts or deals) that are listed as well any available descriptions of them, in both specified lists of representative matters and work highlights as well as in the biographical text. List the representative matters and their available descriptions as an array. Only pull from the text and do not paraphrase or make anything up. If no representative matters are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'news' => 'Extract news items ABOUT this attorney (not authored by them): e.g., firm/industry press releases, announcements, awards, rankings, deal/case results naming them, media coverage quoting or profiling them. List each item as \"Title (URL)\". If a \u201cNews\u201d section mixes authored content, include ONLY items that are clearly about the attorney or the firm, not implied to be authored by the attorney. Add base domain to relative links. Return an empty array [] if none.',\r\n'practice_areas' => 'Extract all the practice areas (aka departments, specialties, capabilities, services areas, areas of focus, etc.), if any, that are listed as ones that this attorney specializes in. Return them as an array. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'law_school' => 'Extract the law school attorney attended. This is for their primary law degree, usually a JD, LLB, or, in the absence of those, the earliest LLM listed or the institution where they received an undergraduate law degree. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'law_school_graduation_year' => 'Extract the year in which the attorney received their degree from the law school above (what year did they graduate?) If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'law_school_honors' => 'Extract all honors this attorney received in or during law school. You must review all education and credentials sections that list their law degree AND ALSO the narrative bio, as well as all other sectiosn. These honors include: latin honors (cum laude, summa cum laude, magna cum laude); school specific honors (e.g. James Kent Scholars at Columbia Law); regular honors designations (e.g. Dean\u2019s List, High Honors, etc.); Order of the Coif; course prizes (such as book awards, CALI Awards, American Jurisprudence Awards, or course awards); membership in phi kappa phi; scholarships and fellowships; moot court awards; trial advocacy awards; best oralis; brief-writing honors or other writing honors; pro bono or service distinctions; commencement prizes and medals; or other types of academic law school honors (but list them specifically - do not list them as \"other honors\". Return this entire extracted list of specific honors as an array. If no honors are found, return an empty array.',   \r\n'law_journals' =>' Extract any law reviews or law journals listed for the attorney's time in law school. Also list if the attorney had any titles in such law reviews or journals, like Articles Editor for example. Return this entire extracted list of law reviews and journals, and associated titles, as an array. If no law reviews or journals are found, return an empty array.'\r\n'undergraduate_school' => 'Extract the attorney\\'s undergraduate degree-granting school, college, university, or institution. This is probably the institution from where they received a bachelors degree. If their undergraduate degree was an LLB listed for their law school above, return an empty string. If no undergraduate schools are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'undergraduate_school_graduation_year' => 'Extract the year in which attorney received their undergraduate degree from the undergraduate school above. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'undergraduate_specialty' => 'Extract the specialties or majors that are listed for the undergraduate degree (e.g. economics, computer science, etc.) This does not include degree type, like B.S., Bachelor of Arts or Science degree, etc. List the specialties or majors as an array. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'PhD_school' => 'If this attorney has a PhD, Extract the educational institution from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'PhD_subject' => 'If this attorney has a PhD, list the educational institution from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'Masters_degree_school' => 'If this attorney has a masters degree, extract the educational institution from which they received it. But do not list schools from which the attorney received an LL.M. degree or a masters in law. If no masters degree schools are found, return an empty string. ',\r\n'Masters_degree_subject' => 'If the attorney has a masters degree, extract the subject or area of study of the masters. The subject area may be in the degree itself, such as an M.Div, which is a masters in Divinity. But do not include subjects for LL.M. degrees or masters in law degrees. DO NOT include honors or latin honors (e.g. cum laude, summa cum laude) in your answer. List subjects as array. If no masters degree subjects are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'MBA_School' => 'If the attorney has a Masters in Business Administration, extract the name of the business school from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'MD_school' => 'If the attorney has an MD (Doctor of Medicine) or DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) degree, extract the name of the medical school from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'llm_in_tax_law_school' =>  'If the attorney has an masters in laws (LLM) degree, specializing in tax, extract the name of the law school from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'Other_LLM_school' => 'If the attorney has an masters in laws (LLM) degree, but not one that specializes in tax, extract the name of the law school from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'bar_and_court_admissions' => 'Extract EVERY explicit admission to practice (bar + court/agency) anywhere in the page. Include bar jurisdictions (states/provinces/territories/countries) and court/agency admissions (e.g., U.S. Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals with circuit, District/Bankruptcy/Tax/Federal Claims courts with district, USPTO, tribal/military/foreign courts). For UK attorneys, specify whether they are a solicitor, barrister, advocate, or any combination if available; for Canada, specify the province or territory; for Australia, specify the state or territory and whether they are admitted as a solicitor or barrister. Pull items under headings like \u201cAdmissions,\u201d \u201cBar Admissions,\u201d \u201cCourt Admissions,\u201d or similar, and treat each
 or clearly separated entry as one item. Do not infer from memberships/education. Exclude governments as parties, and strip years and dates. Output a deduplicated array of exact admission strings; if none, return []. ',\r\n'Clerkships' => 'Extract every judicial or court clerkship held by this attorney, regardless of where it appears in the biography (including in lists of prior employment or mixed professional experience). Treat any role containing the word \u201cclerk,\u201d \u201cclerkship,\u201d \u201cjudicial law clerk,\u201d \u201claw clerk,\u201d or similar as a clerkship. For each clerkship, return the name of the court as an array item; if the biography provides the judge\u2019s name, DO NOT include it in your answer. Include clerkships in federal courts (including bankruptcy courts), state courts, appellate courts, supreme courts, magistrate judges, and any foreign courts. Do not skip clerkships that appear in long court titles. If no clerkships are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'Clerkships_with_judge' => 'Extract every judicial or court clerkship held by this attorney, regardless of where it appears in the biography (including in lists of prior employment or mixed professional experience). Treat any role containing the word \u201cclerk,\u201d \u201cclerkship,\u201d \u201cjudicial law clerk,\u201d \u201claw clerk,\u201d or similar as a clerkship. For each clerkship, return the name of the court as an array item; if the biography provides the judge\u2019s name, include it in parentheses after the court name, and if no judge is named, return only the court. Include clerkships in federal courts (including bankruptcy courts), state courts, appellate courts, supreme courts, magistrate judges, and any foreign courts. Do not skip clerkships that lack judge names or that appear in long court titles. If no clerkships are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'Memberships' => 'Extract any organizations the attorney a member of. List them as an array, with the attorney's role if available. If no memberships or organizations are listed, return an empty string.',\r\n'clients' => 'Extract the attorney's clients that are explicitly NAMED in the source code. You MUST review EVERY section (including explicit client lists, narrative biography, representative matters, and news articles/titles) and then MERGE the results; do not stop after finding clients in any one section. If a list of representative matters is present, extract NAMED clients from this list, and ignore any clients who are described in the list of representative matters and who are not explicitly named in the list. Only include a client from the list of representative matters or any other section if its name appears verbatim in the text and if the text clearly identifies the client as a real person, business, company, organization, or government entity. Do NOT include general descriptions, categories, roles, or descriptors that are not proper names (for example: \"Fortune 50 company\", \"medical billing company\", \"global bank\", \"mayoral candidate\", \"pharmacy\", \"trade association\", \"energy company\", or similar phrases). As an overarching rule, if the client is not identified by its actual proper name, do not include it. When pulling clients from representative matters and news articles, include clients which are named and which are implied to be represented by this attorney, their team or firm, and exclude parties adverse to such clients, opposing such clients, or on the other side of a deal or transaction from such clients. For example, if the representative matter or news article's title mentions a lending transaction with both the lender and borrower, and the attorney or their team or firm represented the lender, do not list the borrower. If a litigation case is listed, do not assume that the lawyer represented the plaintiff. Use context or other language in the text to determine which party was represented by the attorney. If a matter lists the government as one party, assume the attorney represented the other named party and include that party if it is specifically named and not anonymous. List all named clients as a deduplicated array of NAMES copied directly from the source text. Omit unnamed parties and anonymous parties and never guess identities. If no named clients are explicitly named anywhere in the source code, return an empty string.',\r\n'industries' => 'Extract ONLY industries/industry sectors or client-type categories explicitly named in the source code (especially, but not exclusively, under headings like \u201cIndustries,\u201d \u201cPractices & Industries,\u201d or in /industries/ links). Include items like \u201cSports,\u201d \u201cHealthcare & Life Sciences,\u201d \u201cTechnology,\u201d \u201cInfrastructure,\u201d \u201cPrivate Equity,\u201d etc. EXCLUDE practice areas, services, or deal/matter types (e.g., \u201cMergers & Acquisitions,\u201d \u201cPrivate Equity M&A,\u201d \u201cacquisitions,\u201d \u201cinvestments,\u201d \u201cdivestitures,\u201d \u201cjoint ventures,\u201d \u201cfinancing,\u201d \u201crestructurings\u201d). Return a deduplicated array of industry/client-type names as written. If none are explicitly named, return empty array.',\r\n'languages' => 'Extract the languages in which the attorney is fluent. List them as an array.',\r\n'Accolades' => 'Extract any accolades, awards, or other special recognitions this attorney has received, such as rankings in Chambers guides (like Chambers & Partners, Chambers Gobal, or Chambers Asia-Pacific), the Legal500 list, and SuperLawyers, among others. The accolades should be specific to this attorney or their work, not generalized to their practice or their firm. List these accolades as an array. If no accolades are listed, return an empty string.',\r\n'pro_bono_activities' => 'Extract the attorney's pro bono, community service, and volunteer activities, as well as any non-profit, ngo, community service organizations the attorney may be involved with. If a description of the work is provided, include that. List them as an array',\r\n'thought_leadership' => 'Extract ALL professional thought leadership attributed to this attorney in their narrative bio and in all \"Insights,\" \"Publications,\" \"Events,\" and similar sections: all items with their authorship/co-authorship/speaking/hosting credit/(byline \u201cauthor,\u201d \"co-author,\" \u201cpresenter,\u201d \u201cspeaker,\u201d \u201cpanelist,\u201d \u201cwebinar,\u201d \u201cpodcast,\u201d \u201cblog,\u201d \u201carticle,\u201d \u201cpublication,\u201d \u201cchapter,\u201d \u201cCLE,\u201d etc.). Also include any items that do not include their byline or credit, but which are implied to be by the attorney (for example, by being listed in a specific section for \"Insights,\" \"Podcasts,\" \"Events,\" \"Media,\" \"Thought Leadership,\" \"Webinars, etc.). If a \u201cNews\u201d or \u201cInsights\u201d section mixes third party news ABOUT this attorney, include only items implied to the attorney as creator/presenter. List each as \"Title (URL)\" when a link is present, otherwise just the title. Add base domain to relative links. Also include the publication, event/program, and date after the title if these are available. Return [] if none.'\r\n'adverse_parties' => 'Review all the source code, including the narrative bio and list of representative matters, and list EVERY identifiable and NAMED party that is adverse to this attorney\u2019s clients: litigation opponents and transaction counterparties (buyer vs seller, lender vs borrower, landlord vs tenant, licensor vs licensee, insurer vs insured, issuer vs underwriter/investor, etc.). You MUST pull from all sections in the source code - explicit lists of clients, the narrative biography, listed representative matters, or in news articles listed for this attorney, or the titles thereof. In M&A, if the attorney represented the buyer/acquirer, DO NOT list the acquired target as adverse (since it becomes the client); instead list only the selling side (seller, stockholders, founders, or divesting company). If the attorney represented the seller/target, list the buyer/acquirer. Use cues like \u201cto/with/from/against,\u201d \u201csale to/by,\u201d \u201cacquisition from/by,\u201d \u201cmerger with,\u201d \u201cfinanced by/loan to/from/credit facility with.\u201d In the attorney represented the owner or owning entity of a subsidiary/portfolio company (for example in the case of a restructuring or lending transaction), DO NOT list the subsidiary/portfolio company as adverse; Do not list governments/agencies/courts. Only include an adverse party if its name appears verbatim in the source code and clearly identifies a real person, business, company, organization, or government entity. Do NOT include general descriptions, categories, roles, or descriptors that are not proper names (for example: \"Fortune 50 company\", \"medical billing company\", \"global bank\", \"mayoral candidate\", \"pharmacy\", \"trade association\", \"energy company\", or similar phrases). If the text does not contain the adverse party's name, do not include it. Output a deduplicated array of exact names; omit unnamed parties and never guess.'\r\n 'affinity_groups' => 'Extract ALL affinity/identity-based organizations the attorney is affiliated with on the page, even if under generic headings like \u201cAssociations,\u201d \u201cMemberships,\u201d \u201cAffiliations,\u201d \u201cCommunities,\u201d or \u201cOrganizations.\u201d Check all sections of the source code. Include all bar or professional association whose name signals an identity/affinity or civil-rights focus (e.g., words like Black/African-American/AAPI/Asian/South Asian/Pacific Islander/Hispanic/Latino/Native/Indigenous/LGBT/LGBTQ/Queer/Women/Gender/Disability/Veteran/Jewish/Muslim/Christian/Hindu/Sikh/Interfaith/Civil Rights/Minority/Diversity/Inclusion). Exclude purely general trade/professional groups without such identity focus. Return a deduplicated array of exact organization names; if none, return empty array.'"]}


[System] Extract the following details from the provided HTML source code. Return only a valid JSON object. Do not include any other text.

[User]
{"html":"
Colby Â R. Groom
AssociateMilwaukeeT.414.225.2793Download vCard
Overview

Colby focuses his practice on transactional law and regulatory compliance, bringing experience from both the public and private sectors. He has advised on contracts, compliance, and business operations, with prior roles spanning government service, brand development, and regulatory oversight.

During law school, Colby worked as a summer associate at Michael Best. Prior to law, Colby co-founded Colby Red Wine, a philanthropic brand that raised over $2 million for heart health research, and later managed customer experience, as well as assisted in production operations, at Alley 6 Craft Distillery. He also worked in document control for a medical technology company and as a legislative assistant in Congress, giving him a broad perspective on the legal and regulatory needs of businesses and entrepreneurs.

Professional Activities

\n\t
Co-Founder, Colby Red Wine and Wine with Heart
\n
\n
Related Practice

Corporate

Education

Washington University School of Law, Juris Doctor (J.D.), 2025;
\n\t
Staff Editor, Washington University Journal of Law and Policy
\n
\n

Loyola Marymount University, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), 2020; History and Political Science

Bar Admission

Wisconsin

Related News

NewsDecember 26, 2025Federal Cannabis Rescheduling UpdateÂ

NewsOctober 8, 2025Michael Best Welcomes New Talent Across Offices in Q3 2025

Related Practice

Corporate

Education

Washington University School of Law, Juris Doctor (J.D.), 2025;
\n\t
Staff Editor, Washington University Journal of Law and Policy
\n
\n

Loyola Marymount University, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), 2020; History and Political Science

Bar Admission

Wisconsin

","instructions":["'first_name' => 'Extract only the attorney\\'s first name.',\r\n'middle_name' => 'Extract only the attorney\\'s middle name or middle initial, as it is presented. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'surname' => 'Extract the attorney\u2019s last name or family name',\r\n'email' => 'Extract a valid email address for the profiled attorney. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'title' => 'Extract the profiled attorney\\'s job title. Ensure it is properly capitalized.The attorney can have multiple titles, in which case list them all as an array. If no title is found, return an empty array.',\r\n'location' => 'Extract the office name or city name in which this attorney works, as it is listed. The attorney may work out of two offices, in which case both should be listed. List them as an array.',\r\n'direct_phone_no_1' => 'Extract the direct office phone number listed for this attorney. If multiple phone numbers are listed, select the one that is their direct line, not the main or central office number, nor a fax number. If the attorney works out of two offices and has a direct line for each office, list the first here. If a direct line is unavailable, but a main or central office number is listed with an extension, list that number followed by EXT and the extension number',\r\n'direct_phone_no_2' => 'Extract the second direct office phone number listed for this attorney, if it exists. If multiple direct phone numbers are listed because the attorney works out of two office, select the second number \u2013 not the one listed in the prior item. Select only a number that is the attorney\u2019s direct line, not the main or central office number, nor a fax number.',\r\n'image_url' => 'Extract the URL for the attorney\u2019s image file',\r\n'linkedIn' => 'Extract the URL for the attorney\u2019s LinkedIn profile, if it is listed. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'narrative_description' => 'Extract and combine all sections that provide a narrative overview of the attorney\u2019s biography and general work experience. Do not paraphrase, summarize, or omit information. Include the Biography/Bio section(s) and also include any Experience section that contains narrative descriptions of work (including sections structured as practice-area headings followed by descriptive paragraphs, e.g., \"Aging Services\" + paragraph text, \"Dental\" + paragraph text, etc.). Preserve headings and the order of content as it appears; you may convert embedded highlights into bullet points only if it helps preserve (not reduce) the information. EXCLUDE: any section (or subsection) that exclusively lists specific representative matters / representative experience items (typically a list of discrete matters, case captions like \"X v. Y\", deal/transaction bullet points, dated entries, courts/dockets, or similar itemized matter lists). If an Experience (or other) section contains BOTH narrative description AND a separate list of specific matters, include the narrative paragraphs/headings but omit the itemized matter list. Return the combined narrative text only. If no narrative bio or general-experience narrative exists, return an empty string.',\r\n'representative_matters' => 'Extract ALL representative matters (such as litigation cases, verdicts or deals) that are listed as well any available descriptions of them, in both specified lists of representative matters and work highlights as well as in the biographical text. List the representative matters and their available descriptions as an array. Only pull from the text and do not paraphrase or make anything up. If no representative matters are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'news' => 'Extract news items ABOUT this attorney (not authored by them): e.g., firm/industry press releases, announcements, awards, rankings, deal/case results naming them, media coverage quoting or profiling them. List each item as \"Title (URL)\". If a \u201cNews\u201d section mixes authored content, include ONLY items that are clearly about the attorney or the firm, not implied to be authored by the attorney. Add base domain to relative links. Return an empty array [] if none.',\r\n'practice_areas' => 'Extract all the practice areas (aka departments, specialties, capabilities, services areas, areas of focus, etc.), if any, that are listed as ones that this attorney specializes in. Return them as an array. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'law_school' => 'Extract the law school attorney attended. This is for their primary law degree, usually a JD, LLB, or, in the absence of those, the earliest LLM listed or the institution where they received an undergraduate law degree. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'law_school_graduation_year' => 'Extract the year in which the attorney received their degree from the law school above (what year did they graduate?) If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'law_school_honors' => 'Extract all honors this attorney received in or during law school. You must review all education and credentials sections that list their law degree AND ALSO the narrative bio, as well as all other sectiosn. These honors include: latin honors (cum laude, summa cum laude, magna cum laude); school specific honors (e.g. James Kent Scholars at Columbia Law); regular honors designations (e.g. Dean\u2019s List, High Honors, etc.); Order of the Coif; course prizes (such as book awards, CALI Awards, American Jurisprudence Awards, or course awards); membership in phi kappa phi; scholarships and fellowships; moot court awards; trial advocacy awards; best oralis; brief-writing honors or other writing honors; pro bono or service distinctions; commencement prizes and medals; or other types of academic law school honors (but list them specifically - do not list them as \"other honors\". Return this entire extracted list of specific honors as an array. If no honors are found, return an empty array.',   \r\n'law_journals' =>' Extract any law reviews or law journals listed for the attorney's time in law school. Also list if the attorney had any titles in such law reviews or journals, like Articles Editor for example. Return this entire extracted list of law reviews and journals, and associated titles, as an array. If no law reviews or journals are found, return an empty array.'\r\n'undergraduate_school' => 'Extract the attorney\\'s undergraduate degree-granting school, college, university, or institution. This is probably the institution from where they received a bachelors degree. If their undergraduate degree was an LLB listed for their law school above, return an empty string. If no undergraduate schools are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'undergraduate_school_graduation_year' => 'Extract the year in which attorney received their undergraduate degree from the undergraduate school above. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'undergraduate_specialty' => 'Extract the specialties or majors that are listed for the undergraduate degree (e.g. economics, computer science, etc.) This does not include degree type, like B.S., Bachelor of Arts or Science degree, etc. List the specialties or majors as an array. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'PhD_school' => 'If this attorney has a PhD, Extract the educational institution from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'PhD_subject' => 'If this attorney has a PhD, list the educational institution from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'Masters_degree_school' => 'If this attorney has a masters degree, extract the educational institution from which they received it. But do not list schools from which the attorney received an LL.M. degree or a masters in law. If no masters degree schools are found, return an empty string. ',\r\n'Masters_degree_subject' => 'If the attorney has a masters degree, extract the subject or area of study of the masters. The subject area may be in the degree itself, such as an M.Div, which is a masters in Divinity. But do not include subjects for LL.M. degrees or masters in law degrees. DO NOT include honors or latin honors (e.g. cum laude, summa cum laude) in your answer. List subjects as array. If no masters degree subjects are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'MBA_School' => 'If the attorney has a Masters in Business Administration, extract the name of the business school from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'MD_school' => 'If the attorney has an MD (Doctor of Medicine) or DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) degree, extract the name of the medical school from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'llm_in_tax_law_school' =>  'If the attorney has an masters in laws (LLM) degree, specializing in tax, extract the name of the law school from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'Other_LLM_school' => 'If the attorney has an masters in laws (LLM) degree, but not one that specializes in tax, extract the name of the law school from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'bar_and_court_admissions' => 'Extract EVERY explicit admission to practice (bar + court/agency) anywhere in the page. Include bar jurisdictions (states/provinces/territories/countries) and court/agency admissions (e.g., U.S. Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals with circuit, District/Bankruptcy/Tax/Federal Claims courts with district, USPTO, tribal/military/foreign courts). For UK attorneys, specify whether they are a solicitor, barrister, advocate, or any combination if available; for Canada, specify the province or territory; for Australia, specify the state or territory and whether they are admitted as a solicitor or barrister. Pull items under headings like \u201cAdmissions,\u201d \u201cBar Admissions,\u201d \u201cCourt Admissions,\u201d or similar, and treat each
 or clearly separated entry as one item. Do not infer from memberships/education. Exclude governments as parties, and strip years and dates. Output a deduplicated array of exact admission strings; if none, return []. ',\r\n'Clerkships' => 'Extract every judicial or court clerkship held by this attorney, regardless of where it appears in the biography (including in lists of prior employment or mixed professional experience). Treat any role containing the word \u201cclerk,\u201d \u201cclerkship,\u201d \u201cjudicial law clerk,\u201d \u201claw clerk,\u201d or similar as a clerkship. For each clerkship, return the name of the court as an array item; if the biography provides the judge\u2019s name, DO NOT include it in your answer. Include clerkships in federal courts (including bankruptcy courts), state courts, appellate courts, supreme courts, magistrate judges, and any foreign courts. Do not skip clerkships that appear in long court titles. If no clerkships are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'Clerkships_with_judge' => 'Extract every judicial or court clerkship held by this attorney, regardless of where it appears in the biography (including in lists of prior employment or mixed professional experience). Treat any role containing the word \u201cclerk,\u201d \u201cclerkship,\u201d \u201cjudicial law clerk,\u201d \u201claw clerk,\u201d or similar as a clerkship. For each clerkship, return the name of the court as an array item; if the biography provides the judge\u2019s name, include it in parentheses after the court name, and if no judge is named, return only the court. Include clerkships in federal courts (including bankruptcy courts), state courts, appellate courts, supreme courts, magistrate judges, and any foreign courts. Do not skip clerkships that lack judge names or that appear in long court titles. If no clerkships are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'Memberships' => 'Extract any organizations the attorney a member of. List them as an array, with the attorney's role if available. If no memberships or organizations are listed, return an empty string.',\r\n'clients' => 'Extract the attorney's clients that are explicitly NAMED in the source code. You MUST review EVERY section (including explicit client lists, narrative biography, representative matters, and news articles/titles) and then MERGE the results; do not stop after finding clients in any one section. If a list of representative matters is present, extract NAMED clients from this list, and ignore any clients who are described in the list of representative matters and who are not explicitly named in the list. Only include a client from the list of representative matters or any other section if its name appears verbatim in the text and if the text clearly identifies the client as a real person, business, company, organization, or government entity. Do NOT include general descriptions, categories, roles, or descriptors that are not proper names (for example: \"Fortune 50 company\", \"medical billing company\", \"global bank\", \"mayoral candidate\", \"pharmacy\", \"trade association\", \"energy company\", or similar phrases). As an overarching rule, if the client is not identified by its actual proper name, do not include it. When pulling clients from representative matters and news articles, include clients which are named and which are implied to be represented by this attorney, their team or firm, and exclude parties adverse to such clients, opposing such clients, or on the other side of a deal or transaction from such clients. For example, if the representative matter or news article's title mentions a lending transaction with both the lender and borrower, and the attorney or their team or firm represented the lender, do not list the borrower. If a litigation case is listed, do not assume that the lawyer represented the plaintiff. Use context or other language in the text to determine which party was represented by the attorney. If a matter lists the government as one party, assume the attorney represented the other named party and include that party if it is specifically named and not anonymous. List all named clients as a deduplicated array of NAMES copied directly from the source text. Omit unnamed parties and anonymous parties and never guess identities. If no named clients are explicitly named anywhere in the source code, return an empty string.',\r\n'industries' => 'Extract ONLY industries/industry sectors or client-type categories explicitly named in the source code (especially, but not exclusively, under headings like \u201cIndustries,\u201d \u201cPractices & Industries,\u201d or in /industries/ links). Include items like \u201cSports,\u201d \u201cHealthcare & Life Sciences,\u201d \u201cTechnology,\u201d \u201cInfrastructure,\u201d \u201cPrivate Equity,\u201d etc. EXCLUDE practice areas, services, or deal/matter types (e.g., \u201cMergers & Acquisitions,\u201d \u201cPrivate Equity M&A,\u201d \u201cacquisitions,\u201d \u201cinvestments,\u201d \u201cdivestitures,\u201d \u201cjoint ventures,\u201d \u201cfinancing,\u201d \u201crestructurings\u201d). Return a deduplicated array of industry/client-type names as written. If none are explicitly named, return empty array.',\r\n'languages' => 'Extract the languages in which the attorney is fluent. List them as an array.',\r\n'Accolades' => 'Extract any accolades, awards, or other special recognitions this attorney has received, such as rankings in Chambers guides (like Chambers & Partners, Chambers Gobal, or Chambers Asia-Pacific), the Legal500 list, and SuperLawyers, among others. The accolades should be specific to this attorney or their work, not generalized to their practice or their firm. List these accolades as an array. If no accolades are listed, return an empty string.',\r\n'pro_bono_activities' => 'Extract the attorney's pro bono, community service, and volunteer activities, as well as any non-profit, ngo, community service organizations the attorney may be involved with. If a description of the work is provided, include that. List them as an array',\r\n'thought_leadership' => 'Extract ALL professional thought leadership attributed to this attorney in their narrative bio and in all \"Insights,\" \"Publications,\" \"Events,\" and similar sections: all items with their authorship/co-authorship/speaking/hosting credit/(byline \u201cauthor,\u201d \"co-author,\" \u201cpresenter,\u201d \u201cspeaker,\u201d \u201cpanelist,\u201d \u201cwebinar,\u201d \u201cpodcast,\u201d \u201cblog,\u201d \u201carticle,\u201d \u201cpublication,\u201d \u201cchapter,\u201d \u201cCLE,\u201d etc.). Also include any items that do not include their byline or credit, but which are implied to be by the attorney (for example, by being listed in a specific section for \"Insights,\" \"Podcasts,\" \"Events,\" \"Media,\" \"Thought Leadership,\" \"Webinars, etc.). If a \u201cNews\u201d or \u201cInsights\u201d section mixes third party news ABOUT this attorney, include only items implied to the attorney as creator/presenter. List each as \"Title (URL)\" when a link is present, otherwise just the title. Add base domain to relative links. Also include the publication, event/program, and date after the title if these are available. Return [] if none.'\r\n'adverse_parties' => 'Review all the source code, including the narrative bio and list of representative matters, and list EVERY identifiable and NAMED party that is adverse to this attorney\u2019s clients: litigation opponents and transaction counterparties (buyer vs seller, lender vs borrower, landlord vs tenant, licensor vs licensee, insurer vs insured, issuer vs underwriter/investor, etc.). You MUST pull from all sections in the source code - explicit lists of clients, the narrative biography, listed representative matters, or in news articles listed for this attorney, or the titles thereof. In M&A, if the attorney represented the buyer/acquirer, DO NOT list the acquired target as adverse (since it becomes the client); instead list only the selling side (seller, stockholders, founders, or divesting company). If the attorney represented the seller/target, list the buyer/acquirer. Use cues like \u201cto/with/from/against,\u201d \u201csale to/by,\u201d \u201cacquisition from/by,\u201d \u201cmerger with,\u201d \u201cfinanced by/loan to/from/credit facility with.\u201d In the attorney represented the owner or owning entity of a subsidiary/portfolio company (for example in the case of a restructuring or lending transaction), DO NOT list the subsidiary/portfolio company as adverse; Do not list governments/agencies/courts. Only include an adverse party if its name appears verbatim in the source code and clearly identifies a real person, business, company, organization, or government entity. Do NOT include general descriptions, categories, roles, or descriptors that are not proper names (for example: \"Fortune 50 company\", \"medical billing company\", \"global bank\", \"mayoral candidate\", \"pharmacy\", \"trade association\", \"energy company\", or similar phrases). If the text does not contain the adverse party's name, do not include it. Output a deduplicated array of exact names; omit unnamed parties and never guess.'\r\n 'affinity_groups' => 'Extract ALL affinity/identity-based organizations the attorney is affiliated with on the page, even if under generic headings like \u201cAssociations,\u201d \u201cMemberships,\u201d \u201cAffiliations,\u201d \u201cCommunities,\u201d or \u201cOrganizations.\u201d Check all sections of the source code. Include all bar or professional association whose name signals an identity/affinity or civil-rights focus (e.g., words like Black/African-American/AAPI/Asian/South Asian/Pacific Islander/Hispanic/Latino/Native/Indigenous/LGBT/LGBTQ/Queer/Women/Gender/Disability/Veteran/Jewish/Muslim/Christian/Hindu/Sikh/Interfaith/Civil Rights/Minority/Diversity/Inclusion). Exclude purely general trade/professional groups without such identity focus. Return a deduplicated array of exact organization names; if none, return empty array.'"]}


[System] Extract the following details from the provided HTML source code. Return only a valid JSON object. Do not include any other text.

[User]
{"html":"
Daniel J. Gawronski
Partnerdjgawronski@michaelbest.comMilwaukeeT.608.283.0124MadisonT.608.283.0124Download vCardLinkedin
Overview

Dan is an approachable, energetic, and trusted partner with a practice focusing on general business and other corporate matters. Dan counsels corporate clients of all sizes and brings a broad range of experience to his practice in corporate law, including:
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\n\t
Early-stage planning and formation
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Venture capital and angel fundraising
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Commercial licensing and contracting
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Mergers and acquisitions
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As a member of the firmâ€™s Venture BestÂ® Team, Dan advises early-stage and emerging growth companies throughout their lifecycle, including business plan review, corporate or limited liability company formation, stock options and other equity incentive plans, corporate governance, debt and equity financing strategies, corporate reorganizations and buyouts, and other general corporate matters.
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Dan is deeply engaged in the local business and innovation community. He serves on the Board of Imagine MKE and advises several organizations that support entrepreneurship and technology growth, including gener8tor, UW-M Research Foundation, Summerfest Tech, Wisconsin Tech Council, Ward 4, For-M, and the Milwaukee Founders Community.

Experience

Dan has represented dozens of early-stage and late-stage startups, investors, and executives in a wide range of matters, including Seed and Series Aâ€“D financings, convertible notes and SAFEs, mergers and acquisitions, and executive compensation and equity arrangements.
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Dan has also advised on the following notable matters:
\n
Venture Capital & Growth Financings
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Represented a developer of neurodegenerative movement disorder therapies in its $82 million Series A financing.
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Represented Ready Rebound, Inc., a healthcare resource company focused on first responders, in its Series Seed financing.
\n\t
Represented Cool Kicks, Inc., a leading influencer in sneaker culture, in its Series A financing.
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Represented a radiopharmaceutical company in multiple financings led by a private holding company.
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Represented a bioprocessing startup in its $6 million Series A financing.
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Represented Voximetry, Inc., a healthtech software company advancing dosimetry innovation, in its $5 million Series A financing.
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Represented Myna Swap, Inc., a digital asset platform, in its $6 million Series Seed financing.
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Represented Custodia Bank, a digital asset bank, in its $37 million Series A financing and related follow-on financings.
\n\t
Represented Paykeeper, Inc., an escrow software company for consumer transactions, in its $2+ million Series A financing and related follow-on financings.
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Represented P3 Media, Inc., a media production company, in a seven-figure financing led by a strategic investor.
\n\t
Represented a biotechnology company in its Series A financing.
\n\t
Represented Dohmen Company Foundation, Inc., a mission-driven foundation, as lead investor in a $55 million Series C financing and $25 million Series C-2 financing of a fresh-prepared, ready-to-eat food business.
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Represented Dohmen Company Foundation, Inc. as lead investor in a $13.5 million Series C financing of a food-as-medicine platform.
\n\t
Represented a venture capital firm in its investment in a consumer tech startup.
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Represented a Madison-area healthcare information technology company on its successful $15 million Series B and $11+ million Series A financings.
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Represented a Milwaukee-area biotechnology company on its $21+ million Series A financing.
\n\t
Represented a Chicago-based cloud service provider on its $19 million Series B financing.
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Mergers & Acquisitions
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\n\t
Represented an employee training platform in its merger with a performance enablement company.
\n\t
Represented a custom blending and packaging provider in its $64 million asset sale.
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Represented a short-term rental platform in its acquisition of a competitor.
\n\t
Represented Quillbot, Inc., an AI-powered writing platform, in its $4.25 million Series Seed financing and subsequent acquisition by an education technology company.
\n\t
Represented an agribusiness on a $42+ million sale of corporate assets.
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Represented a food business client on a $33+ million purchase of a competitor.
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Debt Offerings
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\n\t
Advised on several multimillion-dollar debt offerings by an established Madison-area real estate development group.
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Licensing & Strategic Transactions
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Negotiated exclusive and non-exclusive licenses across a range of industries including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, software, manufactured products, and agricultural products.
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Honors & Recognitions

\n\t
40 Under 40,Â MilwaukeeÂ Business Journal, 2025
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Rising Star in Law, BizTimes Media, 2022
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Best LawyersÂ®,Â \"Ones to Watch\" (Milwaukee Area), Commercial Litigation and Corporate Law, 2021-Present
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The Midwestâ€™s Best LawyersÂ©,Â Commercial Litigation and Corporate Law, 2021
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Professional Activities

\n\t
Member, University of Wisconsin Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic Advisory Committee
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Member, State Bar of Wisconsin
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Member, American Bar Association
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Related Industries

Healthcare

Unmanned Technology

Related Practices

Corporate

Licensing & Technology Agreements

Mergers & Acquisitions

Transactions

Venture Capital & Private Equity

Education

University of Wisconsin Law School, Juris Doctor (J.D.), cum laude, 2013

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), cum laude, 2009; Political Science and Legal Studies

Bar Admission

Wisconsin

Court Admission

United States District Court, Western District of Wisconsin

Community Involvement

\n\t
Board Member, Imagine MKE
\n\t
Member, United Way Rosenberry Society
\n
\n

100+ Michael Best Attorneys Earn Top Honors in The Best Lawyers in America 2026 List

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP is proud to announce that 103Â attorneys have been selected for inclusion inÂ The Best Lawyers in AmericaÂ©Â 2026Â in 48Â different areas of legal practice nationwide.Â
MORE

The legal resource for high-growth entrepreneurs

Venture BestÂ®

Introducing venture capital and private equity investors to early- and mid-stage investment opportunities.
MORE

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in 2021

Michael Best is pleased to announce that nine attorneys have been featured as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in 2021.Â Best LawyersÂ®Â is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession.
MORE

Insights

Related News

NewsMarch 13, 2025Michael Bestâ€™s Dan Gawronski Named to Milwaukee Business Journalâ€™s 40 Under 40 List

NewsFebruary 18, 2025Michael Best Announces Election of Five to Equity Partnership

NewsAugust 15, 2024Ninety-Eight Michael Best Attorneys Earn Recognition in The Best Lawyers in America 2025 List

Related Industries

Healthcare

Unmanned Technology

Related Practices

Corporate

Licensing & Technology Agreements

Mergers & Acquisitions

Transactions

Venture Capital & Private Equity

Education

University of Wisconsin Law School, Juris Doctor (J.D.), cum laude, 2013

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), cum laude, 2009; Political Science and Legal Studies

Bar Admission

Wisconsin

Court Admission

United States District Court, Western District of Wisconsin

Community Involvement

\n\t
Board Member, Imagine MKE
\n\t
Member, United Way Rosenberry Society
\n
\n

100+ Michael Best Attorneys Earn Top Honors in The Best Lawyers in America 2026 List

Michael Best & Friedrich LLP is proud to announce that 103Â attorneys have been selected for inclusion inÂ The Best Lawyers in AmericaÂ©Â 2026Â in 48Â different areas of legal practice nationwide.Â
MORE

The legal resource for high-growth entrepreneurs

Venture BestÂ®

Introducing venture capital and private equity investors to early- and mid-stage investment opportunities.
MORE

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in 2021

Michael Best is pleased to announce that nine attorneys have been featured as Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in 2021.Â Best LawyersÂ®Â is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession.
MORE

","instructions":["'first_name' => 'Extract only the attorney\\'s first name.',\r\n'middle_name' => 'Extract only the attorney\\'s middle name or middle initial, as it is presented. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'surname' => 'Extract the attorney\u2019s last name or family name',\r\n'email' => 'Extract a valid email address for the profiled attorney. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'title' => 'Extract the profiled attorney\\'s job title. Ensure it is properly capitalized.The attorney can have multiple titles, in which case list them all as an array. If no title is found, return an empty array.',\r\n'location' => 'Extract the office name or city name in which this attorney works, as it is listed. The attorney may work out of two offices, in which case both should be listed. List them as an array.',\r\n'direct_phone_no_1' => 'Extract the direct office phone number listed for this attorney. If multiple phone numbers are listed, select the one that is their direct line, not the main or central office number, nor a fax number. If the attorney works out of two offices and has a direct line for each office, list the first here. If a direct line is unavailable, but a main or central office number is listed with an extension, list that number followed by EXT and the extension number',\r\n'direct_phone_no_2' => 'Extract the second direct office phone number listed for this attorney, if it exists. If multiple direct phone numbers are listed because the attorney works out of two office, select the second number \u2013 not the one listed in the prior item. Select only a number that is the attorney\u2019s direct line, not the main or central office number, nor a fax number.',\r\n'image_url' => 'Extract the URL for the attorney\u2019s image file',\r\n'linkedIn' => 'Extract the URL for the attorney\u2019s LinkedIn profile, if it is listed. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'narrative_description' => 'Extract and combine all sections that provide a narrative overview of the attorney\u2019s biography and general work experience. Do not paraphrase, summarize, or omit information. Include the Biography/Bio section(s) and also include any Experience section that contains narrative descriptions of work (including sections structured as practice-area headings followed by descriptive paragraphs, e.g., \"Aging Services\" + paragraph text, \"Dental\" + paragraph text, etc.). Preserve headings and the order of content as it appears; you may convert embedded highlights into bullet points only if it helps preserve (not reduce) the information. EXCLUDE: any section (or subsection) that exclusively lists specific representative matters / representative experience items (typically a list of discrete matters, case captions like \"X v. Y\", deal/transaction bullet points, dated entries, courts/dockets, or similar itemized matter lists). If an Experience (or other) section contains BOTH narrative description AND a separate list of specific matters, include the narrative paragraphs/headings but omit the itemized matter list. Return the combined narrative text only. If no narrative bio or general-experience narrative exists, return an empty string.',\r\n'representative_matters' => 'Extract ALL representative matters (such as litigation cases, verdicts or deals) that are listed as well any available descriptions of them, in both specified lists of representative matters and work highlights as well as in the biographical text. List the representative matters and their available descriptions as an array. Only pull from the text and do not paraphrase or make anything up. If no representative matters are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'news' => 'Extract news items ABOUT this attorney (not authored by them): e.g., firm/industry press releases, announcements, awards, rankings, deal/case results naming them, media coverage quoting or profiling them. List each item as \"Title (URL)\". If a \u201cNews\u201d section mixes authored content, include ONLY items that are clearly about the attorney or the firm, not implied to be authored by the attorney. Add base domain to relative links. Return an empty array [] if none.',\r\n'practice_areas' => 'Extract all the practice areas (aka departments, specialties, capabilities, services areas, areas of focus, etc.), if any, that are listed as ones that this attorney specializes in. Return them as an array. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'law_school' => 'Extract the law school attorney attended. This is for their primary law degree, usually a JD, LLB, or, in the absence of those, the earliest LLM listed or the institution where they received an undergraduate law degree. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'law_school_graduation_year' => 'Extract the year in which the attorney received their degree from the law school above (what year did they graduate?) If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'law_school_honors' => 'Extract all honors this attorney received in or during law school. You must review all education and credentials sections that list their law degree AND ALSO the narrative bio, as well as all other sectiosn. These honors include: latin honors (cum laude, summa cum laude, magna cum laude); school specific honors (e.g. James Kent Scholars at Columbia Law); regular honors designations (e.g. Dean\u2019s List, High Honors, etc.); Order of the Coif; course prizes (such as book awards, CALI Awards, American Jurisprudence Awards, or course awards); membership in phi kappa phi; scholarships and fellowships; moot court awards; trial advocacy awards; best oralis; brief-writing honors or other writing honors; pro bono or service distinctions; commencement prizes and medals; or other types of academic law school honors (but list them specifically - do not list them as \"other honors\". Return this entire extracted list of specific honors as an array. If no honors are found, return an empty array.',   \r\n'law_journals' =>' Extract any law reviews or law journals listed for the attorney's time in law school. Also list if the attorney had any titles in such law reviews or journals, like Articles Editor for example. Return this entire extracted list of law reviews and journals, and associated titles, as an array. If no law reviews or journals are found, return an empty array.'\r\n'undergraduate_school' => 'Extract the attorney\\'s undergraduate degree-granting school, college, university, or institution. This is probably the institution from where they received a bachelors degree. If their undergraduate degree was an LLB listed for their law school above, return an empty string. If no undergraduate schools are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'undergraduate_school_graduation_year' => 'Extract the year in which attorney received their undergraduate degree from the undergraduate school above. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'undergraduate_specialty' => 'Extract the specialties or majors that are listed for the undergraduate degree (e.g. economics, computer science, etc.) This does not include degree type, like B.S., Bachelor of Arts or Science degree, etc. List the specialties or majors as an array. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'PhD_school' => 'If this attorney has a PhD, Extract the educational institution from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'PhD_subject' => 'If this attorney has a PhD, list the educational institution from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'Masters_degree_school' => 'If this attorney has a masters degree, extract the educational institution from which they received it. But do not list schools from which the attorney received an LL.M. degree or a masters in law. If no masters degree schools are found, return an empty string. ',\r\n'Masters_degree_subject' => 'If the attorney has a masters degree, extract the subject or area of study of the masters. The subject area may be in the degree itself, such as an M.Div, which is a masters in Divinity. But do not include subjects for LL.M. degrees or masters in law degrees. DO NOT include honors or latin honors (e.g. cum laude, summa cum laude) in your answer. List subjects as array. If no masters degree subjects are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'MBA_School' => 'If the attorney has a Masters in Business Administration, extract the name of the business school from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'MD_school' => 'If the attorney has an MD (Doctor of Medicine) or DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) degree, extract the name of the medical school from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'llm_in_tax_law_school' =>  'If the attorney has an masters in laws (LLM) degree, specializing in tax, extract the name of the law school from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'Other_LLM_school' => 'If the attorney has an masters in laws (LLM) degree, but not one that specializes in tax, extract the name of the law school from which they received it. If not found, return an empty string.',\r\n'bar_and_court_admissions' => 'Extract EVERY explicit admission to practice (bar + court/agency) anywhere in the page. Include bar jurisdictions (states/provinces/territories/countries) and court/agency admissions (e.g., U.S. Supreme Court, Courts of Appeals with circuit, District/Bankruptcy/Tax/Federal Claims courts with district, USPTO, tribal/military/foreign courts). For UK attorneys, specify whether they are a solicitor, barrister, advocate, or any combination if available; for Canada, specify the province or territory; for Australia, specify the state or territory and whether they are admitted as a solicitor or barrister. Pull items under headings like \u201cAdmissions,\u201d \u201cBar Admissions,\u201d \u201cCourt Admissions,\u201d or similar, and treat each
 or clearly separated entry as one item. Do not infer from memberships/education. Exclude governments as parties, and strip years and dates. Output a deduplicated array of exact admission strings; if none, return []. ',\r\n'Clerkships' => 'Extract every judicial or court clerkship held by this attorney, regardless of where it appears in the biography (including in lists of prior employment or mixed professional experience). Treat any role containing the word \u201cclerk,\u201d \u201cclerkship,\u201d \u201cjudicial law clerk,\u201d \u201claw clerk,\u201d or similar as a clerkship. For each clerkship, return the name of the court as an array item; if the biography provides the judge\u2019s name, DO NOT include it in your answer. Include clerkships in federal courts (including bankruptcy courts), state courts, appellate courts, supreme courts, magistrate judges, and any foreign courts. Do not skip clerkships that appear in long court titles. If no clerkships are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'Clerkships_with_judge' => 'Extract every judicial or court clerkship held by this attorney, regardless of where it appears in the biography (including in lists of prior employment or mixed professional experience). Treat any role containing the word \u201cclerk,\u201d \u201cclerkship,\u201d \u201cjudicial law clerk,\u201d \u201claw clerk,\u201d or similar as a clerkship. For each clerkship, return the name of the court as an array item; if the biography provides the judge\u2019s name, include it in parentheses after the court name, and if no judge is named, return only the court. Include clerkships in federal courts (including bankruptcy courts), state courts, appellate courts, supreme courts, magistrate judges, and any foreign courts. Do not skip clerkships that lack judge names or that appear in long court titles. If no clerkships are found, return an empty string.',\r\n'Memberships' => 'Extract any organizations the attorney a member of. List them as an array, with the attorney's role if available. If no memberships or organizations are listed, return an empty string.',\r\n'clients' => 'Extract the attorney's clients that are explicitly NAMED in the source code. You MUST review EVERY section (including explicit client lists, narrative biography, representative matters, and news articles/titles) and then MERGE the results; do not stop after finding clients in any one section. If a list of representative matters is present, extract NAMED clients from this list, and ignore any clients who are described in the list of representative matters and who are not explicitly named in the list. Only include a client from the list of representative matters or any other section if its name appears verbatim in the text and if the text clearly identifies the client as a real person, business, company, organization, or government entity. Do NOT include general descriptions, categories, roles, or descriptors that are not proper names (for example: \"Fortune 50 company\", \"medical billing company\", \"global bank\", \"mayoral candidate\", \"pharmacy\", \"trade association\", \"energy company\", or similar phrases). As an overarching rule, if the client is not identified by its actual proper name, do not include it. When pulling clients from representative matters and news articles, include clients which are named and which are implied to be represented by this attorney, their team or firm, and exclude parties adverse to such clients, opposing such clients, or on the other side of a deal or transaction from such clients. For example, if the representative matter or news article's title mentions a lending transaction with both the lender and borrower, and the attorney or their team or firm represented the lender, do not list the borrower. If a litigation case is listed, do not assume that the lawyer represented the plaintiff. Use context or other language in the text to determine which party was represented by the attorney. If a matter lists the government as one party, assume the attorney represented the other named party and include that party if it is specifically named and not anonymous. List all named clients as a deduplicated array of NAMES copied directly from the source text. Omit unnamed parties and anonymous parties and never guess identities. If no named clients are explicitly named anywhere in the source code, return an empty string.',\r\n'industries' => 'Extract ONLY industries/industry sectors or client-type categories explicitly named in the source code (especially, but not exclusively, under headings like \u201cIndustries,\u201d \u201cPractices & Industries,\u201d or in /industries/ links). Include items like \u201cSports,\u201d \u201cHealthcare & Life Sciences,\u201d \u201cTechnology,\u201d \u201cInfrastructure,\u201d \u201cPrivate Equity,\u201d etc. EXCLUDE practice areas, services, or deal/matter types (e.g., \u201cMergers & Acquisitions,\u201d \u201cPrivate Equity M&A,\u201d \u201cacquisitions,\u201d \u201cinvestments,\u201d \u201cdivestitures,\u201d \u201cjoint ventures,\u201d \u201cfinancing,\u201d \u201crestructurings\u201d). Return a deduplicated array of industry/client-type names as written. If none are explicitly named, return empty array.',\r\n'languages' => 'Extract the languages in which the attorney is fluent. List them as an array.',\r\n'Accolades' => 'Extract any accolades, awards, or other special recognitions this attorney has received, such as rankings in Chambers guides (like Chambers & Partners, Chambers Gobal, or Chambers Asia-Pacific), the Legal500 list, and SuperLawyers, among others. The accolades should be specific to this attorney or their work, not generalized to their practice or their firm. List these accolades as an array. If no accolades are listed, return an empty string.',\r\n'pro_bono_activities' => 'Extract the attorney's pro bono, community service, and volunteer activities, as well as any non-profit, ngo, community service organizations the attorney may be involved with. If a description of the work is provided, include that. List them as an array',\r\n'thought_leadership' => 'Extract ALL professional thought leadership attributed to this attorney in their narrative bio and in all \"Insights,\" \"Publications,\" \"Events,\" and similar sections: all items with their authorship/co-authorship/speaking/hosting credit/(byline \u201cauthor,\u201d \"co-author,\" \u201cpresenter,\u201d \u201cspeaker,\u201d \u201cpanelist,\u201d \u201cwebinar,\u201d \u201cpodcast,\u201d \u201cblog,\u201d \u201carticle,\u201d \u201cpublication,\u201d \u201cchapter,\u201d \u201cCLE,\u201d etc.). Also include any items that do not include their byline or credit, but which are implied to be by the attorney (for example, by being listed in a specific section for \"Insights,\" \"Podcasts,\" \"Events,\" \"Media,\" \"Thought Leadership,\" \"Webinars, etc.). If a \u201cNews\u201d or \u201cInsights\u201d section mixes third party news ABOUT this attorney, include only items implied to the attorney as creator/presenter. List each as \"Title (URL)\" when a link is present, otherwise just the title. Add base domain to relative links. Also include the publication, event/program, and date after the title if these are available. Return [] if none.'\r\n'adverse_parties' => 'Review all the source code, including the narrative bio and list of representative matters, and list EVERY identifiable and NAMED party that is adverse to this attorney\u2019s clients: litigation opponents and transaction counterparties (buyer vs seller, lender vs borrower, landlord vs tenant, licensor vs licensee, insurer vs insured, issuer vs underwriter/investor, etc.). You MUST pull from all sections in the source code - explicit lists of clients, the narrative biography, listed representative matters, or in news articles listed for this attorney, or the titles thereof. In M&A, if the attorney represented the buyer/acquirer, DO NOT list the acquired target as adverse (since it becomes the client); instead list only the selling side (seller, stockholders, founders, or divesting company). If the attorney represented the seller/target, list the buyer/acquirer. Use cues like \u201cto/with/from/against,\u201d \u201csale to/by,\u201d \u201cacquisition from/by,\u201d \u201cmerger with,\u201d \u201cfinanced by/loan to/from/credit facility with.\u201d In the attorney represented the owner or owning entity of a subsidiary/portfolio company (for example in the case of a restructuring or lending transaction), DO NOT list the subsidiary/portfolio company as adverse; Do not list governments/agencies/courts. Only include an adverse party if its name appears verbatim in the source code and clearly identifies a real person, business, company, organization, or government entity. Do NOT include general descriptions, categories, roles, or descriptors that are not proper names (for example: \"Fortune 50 company\", \"medical billing company\", \"global bank\", \"mayoral candidate\", \"pharmacy\", \"trade association\", \"energy company\", or similar phrases). If the text does not contain the adverse party's name, do not include it. Output a deduplicated array of exact names; omit unnamed parties and never guess.'\r\n 'affinity_groups' => 'Extract ALL affinity/identity-based organizations the attorney is affiliated with on the page, even if under generic headings like \u201cAssociations,\u201d \u201cMemberships,\u201d \u201cAffiliations,\u201d \u201cCommunities,\u201d or \u201cOrganizations.\u201d Check all sections of the source code. Include all bar or professional association whose name signals an identity/affinity or civil-rights focus (e.g., words like Black/African-American/AAPI/Asian/South Asian/Pacific Islander/Hispanic/Latino/Native/Indigenous/LGBT/LGBTQ/Queer/Women/Gender/Disability/Veteran/Jewish/Muslim/Christian/Hindu/Sikh/Interfaith/Civil Rights/Minority/Diversity/Inclusion). Exclude purely general trade/professional groups without such identity focus. Return a deduplicated array of exact organization names; if none, return empty array.'"]}