Each year, Super Lawyers surveys the State of Wisconsin’s 15,000 attorneys and judges, seeking to recognize the State’s top attorneys. Recently, Super Lawyers published its lists for 2025, which include the Top 10 Attorneys in Wisconsin, Top 50 Attorneys in Wisconsin, Top 25 Attorneys in Milwaukee, Super Lawyers (consisting of the top 5% of attorneys in Wisconsin), and Rising Stars (consisting of attorneys who are 40 years old or younger or who have been in practice for 10 years or less).

Super Lawyers, who previously referred to the firm as “the Milwaukee mid-sized powerhouse,” recognized twenty-eight of our attorneys.

Those attorneys are the following:

• Dino Antonopoulos:
  • Super Lawyer
• Nick Chmurski:
  • Rising Star
• Doug Dehler:
  • Super Lawyer
• Jim DeJong:
  • Super Lawyer
• Seth Dizard:
  • Top 50 Attorneys in Wisconsin
  • Top 25 Attorneys in Milwaukee
  • Super Lawyer
• Maura Falk:
  • Rising Star
• Pete Faust:
  • Top 50 Attorneys in Wisconsin
  • Super Lawyer
• John Gehringer:
  • Super Lawyer
• Joseph Gumina:
  • Super Lawyer
• Jessica Haskell:
  • Rising Star
• Mike Kennedy:
  • Rising Star
• Grant Killoran:
  • Super Lawyer
  • Top 50 Attorneys in Wisconsin
  • Top 25 Attorneys in Milwaukee
• JB Koenings:
  • Super Lawyer
• Dean Laing:
  • Top 10 Attorneys in Wisconsin
  • Top 50 Attorneys in Wisconsin
  • Top 25 Attorneys in Milwaukee
  • Super Lawyer
• Trevor Lippman:
  • Rising Star
• Greg Lyons:
  • Super Lawyer
• Patrick McBride:
  • Super Lawyer
• Jason Meehan:
  • Rising Star
• Joe Newbold:
  • Super Lawyer
• Erica Reib:
  • Rising Star
• Chad Richter:
  • Super Lawyer
• Ryan Riebe:
  • Rising Star
• John Schreiber:
  • Super Lawyer
• Jason Scoby:
  • Super Lawyer
• Steve Slawinski:
  • Super Lawyer
• Kelly Spott:
  • Rising Star
• Christa Wittenberg:
  • Rising Star

Super Lawyers is a national rating service that rates attorneys in all 50 states. The selection process utilized by Super Lawyers is multi-phased and includes independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. One court recently had this to say about Super Lawyers:

“[T]he selection procedures employed by [Super Lawyers] are very sophisticated, comprehensive, and complex.  It is abundantly clear . . . that [Super Lawyers does] not permit a lawyer to buy one’s way onto the list, nor is there any requirement for the purchase of any product for inclusion in the lists or any quid pro quo of any kind or nature associated with the evaluation and listing of an attorney or in the subsequent advertising of one’s inclusion in the lists.”

We are proud to be one of the few firms in Wisconsin with more than 50% of its attorneys recognized by Super Lawyers.

O’Neil Cannon is pleased to announce that Karen Tidwall has joined the firm as a member of its Litigation Practice Group. A veteran litigator and trusted legal advisor with more than 30 years of experience, Tidwall represents businesses, individuals, fiduciaries, and government entities in complex civil matters. Her practice focuses on business and commercial disputes, fiduciary and probate controversies, and matters involving municipal law. Before joining O’Neil Cannon, Tidwall served as Deputy Corporation Counsel for Milwaukee County and spent nearly two decades as a partner in a national law firm.

O’Neil Cannon, founded in Milwaukee in 1973, is a full-service law firm dedicated to serving the wide-ranging needs of businesses and their owners. We represent corporations, institutions, partnerships, and closely held companies at every stage of the business life cycle, helping them start, grow, and transition from one generation to the next. In addition to our strong focus on business law and civil litigation, we assist business owners with their personal legal needs, including tax and estate planning and family law.

O’Neil Cannon has been recognized regionally in the 2026 edition of Best Law Firms^®, ranked by Best Lawyers, in 18 practice areas, including a newly added category: Banking and Finance Law.

• Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Banking and Finance Law
• Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
• Commercial Litigation
• Construction Law
• Corporate Law
• Employment Law – Management
• Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Litigation – Health Care
• Litigation – Insurance
• Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Litigation – Real Estate
• Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
• Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Real Estate Law
• Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Trusts and Estates Law

Firms included in the 2026 Best Law Firms^® list are recognized for professional excellence based on ratings from clients and peers.

O’Neil Cannon is pleased to announce that Ben Crockett has joined O’Neil Cannon’s Business Law and Real Estate and Construction Practice Groups. Drawing on his experience as a municipal attorney, Crockett helps clients navigate complex regulatory frameworks with practical, solution-oriented advice. He has represented municipalities throughout Wisconsin as outside counsel, drafted zoning ordinances and development agreements, and advised local governments on permitting and real estate issues. Crockett is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Bar Association, and Ozaukee County Bar Association. He also serves as Secretary of the Board for Hope Center WI. We are pleased to welcome Crockett to the firm.

O’Neil Cannon, founded in Milwaukee in 1973, is a full-service law firm that focuses on meeting the many needs of businesses and their owners. Our experienced attorneys work with businesses and their owners at all stages of the business life cycle, helping them start, grow, and transition their businesses. We also assist business owners with their personal legal needs, including tax and estate planning, and family law. For more information about the services we provide, please visit our website.

O’Neil, Cannon, Hollman, DeJong & Laing S.C. is looking for a litigation associate to join our Milwaukee or Port Washington office. We are seeking a candidate with two to six years of experience in commercial litigation. A strong academic background and excellent communication skills are required.

O’Neil Cannon is a mid-sized firm uniquely positioned to provide a diverse array of legal services to a variety of business clients. Our clients include banking and financial institutions, private equity, manufacturing, distribution, real estate, franchising, and professional service firms. Our client relationships focus on meeting the diverse needs of these businesses and their owners. We also assist business owners with their personal legal needs, including tax and estate planning and family law. We work with our clients at all stages of their business life cycle, helping them start, grow, and transition their businesses. We also have a sophisticated and robust litigation practice, which has handled some of the largest, most high-profile and complex lawsuits ever filed in the State of Wisconsin.

O’Neil Cannon gives its lawyers the opportunity to be an integral part of the client service team, working closely with our shareholders and client personnel at all levels, including top decision-makers. We value hands-on experience, and we offer professional opportunities to learn, grow, develop skills, and make a difference. We are proud of our unique culture, which combines the expertise of much larger firms with a personalized, very high level of client service.

Compensation and Benefits

O’Neil Cannon offers competitive salaries commensurate with experience. The benefits package includes a comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plan, health savings account, long-term disability insurance, voluntary long-term care, group term life insurance, and a 401(k) plan. OCHDL also provides downtown parking at no cost.

How to Apply

O’Neil Cannon is an equal-opportunity employer. Qualified candidates should submit their cover letter, resumé, and legal writing sample to:

Sylvester Carmichael

Email: sylvester.carmichael@wilaw.com

We are pleased to announce 18 of our lawyers have been included in the 2026 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America, and an additional five have been selected as 2026 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

The following are the O’Neil Cannon lawyers named to the 2026 lists:

Best Lawyers in America

• Doug Dehler – Litigation – Insurance
• Jim DeJong – Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, and Securities / Capital Markets Law
• Seth Dizard – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Pete Faust – Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• John Gehringer – Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Corporate Law, and Real Estate Law
• Joseph Gumina – Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment
• Dennis Hollman – Corporate Law and Trusts and Estates
• Grant Killoran – Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Health Care
• JB Koenings – Corporate Law
• Kelly Kuglitsch – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law and Employment Law – Management
• Dean Laing – Commercial Litigation, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Greg Lyons – Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Insurance
• Patrick McBride – Commercial Litigation
• Joe Newbold – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate, and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
• Chad Richter – Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) and Corporate Law
• John Schreiber – Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Jason Scoby – Banking and Finance Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), and Corporate Law
• Steve Slawinski – Construction Law

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch

• Maura Falk – Trusts and Estates
• Trevor Lippman – Litigation – Trusts and Estates
• Kelly Spott – Trusts and Estate
• Christa Wittenberg – Commercial Litigation

About Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers has published its list for over three decades, earning the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals.

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch recognizes associates and other lawyers who are earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice in the United States.

Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch lists are divided by geographic region and practice areas. They are reviewed by their peers on the basis of professional expertise, and they undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and in good standing.

O’Neil Cannon attorney Seth Dizard has been named the 2026 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation – Bankruptcy in Milwaukee. This honor is awarded to only one lawyer in each practice area and metropolitan region, based on exceptional peer-review ratings for professional excellence, integrity, and expertise. In addition to this distinction, Dizard is listed in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

As head of the firm’s Banking, Receivership, and Creditors’ Rights Practice Group, Dizard regularly serves as a court-appointed receiver throughout Wisconsin and represents financial institutions, creditors, and distressed businesses in state and federal courts. Since joining the firm in 2007, he has managed and transitioned over $200 million in assets, guided complex insolvency proceedings, and resolved high-value disputes. Recognized statewide for his skill in financial workouts, post-judgment collections, and trust administration, Dizard has earned numerous accolades, including the 2023 Judge Dale E. Ihlenfeldt Bankruptcy Award and repeated selections to Best Lawyers, Wisconsin Super Lawyers, “Top 50 Lawyers” in Wisconsin, and “Top 25 Lawyers” in Milwaukee.

O’Neil Cannon attorney Chad Richter has been named the 2026 Best Lawyers® “Lawyer of the Year” in Milwaukee for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships). This honor is awarded to only one lawyer in each practice area and metro region, based on outstanding peer reviews for professional excellence, integrity, and skill. In addition, Richter was recognized in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® for Corporate Law.

A shareholder in the firm’s Business Law Practice Group, Richter serves as corporate counsel to privately held businesses, advising on mergers and acquisitions, ownership transitions, commercial contracts, franchise/dealership matters, and complex business transactions. Over his career, he has represented hundreds of clients on deals ranging from $1 million to $220 million, spanning industries from manufacturing and engineering to technology and healthcare. His practical, results-driven approach has made him a trusted advisor to companies navigating high-stakes transactions and growth opportunities.

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Firm News:

• O’Neil Cannon Adds Three Attorneys
• Chambers and Partners Recognizes Faust and O’Neil Cannon for M&A Excellence
• O’Neil Cannon Elects Dino Antonopoulos, Jessica Haskell, and Ryan Riebe as Shareholders

Click the image below to read more.

O’Neil Cannon is pleased to welcome attorneys John Bolden, Elise Braunel, and Andrew Campbell to the firm.

John Bolden

John Bolden advises clients on a broad range of transactional matters, including corporate, mergers and acquisitions, and real estate. With a background in business and logistics, he offers a practical, solutions-focused approach to every transaction. At Marquette University Law School, he served as an associate editor of the Marquette Law Review, was a moot court semifinalist, and held leadership roles with the Black Law Students Association. John was inducted into the Pro Bono Honor Society and selected as the 2025 class graduation speaker.

Elise Braunel

Elise Braunel assists clients with estate planning, probate and trust administration, succession planning, general tax, and employee benefits issues. A Marquette University Law School graduate, Elise earned honors for her work in estate planning. She held leadership positions with the Association for Women Lawyers and the Estate Planning Society.

Andrew Campbell

Andrew Campbell represents clients in civil litigation matters, including business and trust disputes. He has litigated in state and federal court and teaches probate and estate administration at the University of Wisconsin Law School. He serves on the State Bar’s Solo, Small Firm & General Practice Section Board and contributes to legal publications on landlord-tenant law. Previously, Andrew practiced at a Milwaukee litigation firm. He was Editor-in-Chief of the Wisconsin International Law Journal while in law school.

O’Neil Cannon, founded in Milwaukee in 1973, is a full-service law firm that focuses on meeting the many needs of businesses and their owners. Our experienced attorneys work with businesses and their owners at all stages of the business life cycle, helping them start, grow, and transition their businesses. We also assist business owners with their personal legal needs, including tax and estate planning, as well as family law. For more information about the services we provide, please visit our website.