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Litigation

Whether as individuals or as corporations, Americans file more than 18 million civil lawsuits each year - underscoring the importance of having a solid litigation team behind you.

While all our attorneys are litigators in their specific areas of practice, nine of our attorneys concentrate their work in the prosecution and defense of civil lawsuits. The attorneys in the Litigation Group represent commercial businesses, insurance companies and individuals in state, federal, trial and appellate courts, administrative proceedings and mediation and arbitration. We are members of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and the Wisconsin Academy of Trial Lawyers, practicing in a wide range of areas and adept with complex litigation or class-action suits.

By working together as a team, Johns, Flaherty & Collins' litigation attorneys share our expertise and maximize our resources, while minimizing clients' expense.

Appellate Matters
Over the years, our attorneys have represented clients before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Arbitration and Mediation
Johns, Flaherty & Collins offers skilled, experienced negotiators to help settle legal disputes more quickly and less expensively than going through the court system. Many of our attorneys are used by other firms as mediators and arbitrators.

Class-Action Litigation
Johns, Flaherty & Collins’ extensive experience in complex litigation matters suits the firm especially well for handling class-action lawsuits. We frequently serve alongside lead plaintiffs’ attorneys to protect the interests of affected consumers and companies in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Commercial Litigation
Our Litigation, Business and Employment Groups frequently work together to represent business and individual clients in commercial and contractual disputes.

Environmental Disputes
We assist clients, both businesses and individuals, in preventing and resolving environmental problems, serving as their representatives with state and federal agencies as well as at administrative and trial proceedings.

Insurance Defense
Johns, Flaherty & Collins has a long tradition of representing insurance companies in insurance claims, coverage disputes, alternative dispute resolution proceedings and appellate matters. Members of the Litigation Group are members of the Civil Trial Council of Wisconsin and the Defense Research Institute.

Medicare Fraud and Abuse
Our law firm has extensive experience in healthcare compliance and regulatory issues making us especially adept at litigating Medicare fraud and abuse cases.

Personal Injury Claims
We regularly represent people injured in automobile accidents, on the job and in a variety of other circumstances, as well as in class-action proceedings. We offer free initial consultations on personal injury claims and represent injured persons on a contingent-fee basis, which means we are not paid a fee unless our client is compensated.

Product Liability Claims
We defend and prosecute manufacturers, dealers, distributors and consumers in a variety of product-related disputes.

Professional Liability Claims
For more than 55 years, we have represented individuals and institutions in medical, legal and accounting malpractice.

Family Law

Our family law attorneys represent clients in such matters as divorce, child custody and support, adoptions and developing marital agreements. We also work as advocates for children and incapacitated adults, frequently serving as guardians ad litem. We are skilled negotiators and litigators who will work hard to obtain results that protect your interests.

Estate Planning and Elder Law

Wills and Estate Planning
Johns, Flaherty & Collins attorneys can be your best asset when it comes to planning for the future. We help clients make decisions about and prepare wills, durable powers of attorney for healthcare, durable financial powers of attorney and estate planning documents, such as trusts and income agreements. We also represent clients in estate and trust disputes and assist in planning for taxes, retirement and the succession of family-owned businesses.

Elder Law
In addition to estate planning, we also help clients with Medicare, Medicaid, guardianship and long-term care issues. We seek to protect our clients' interests through all stages of life.

Criminal Defense

Our criminal defense attorneys provide clients with aggressive, confidential and cost-effective representation throughout Western Wisconsin for drunken driving, felony offenses, misdemeanors and traffic violations.

Business

Financial Institutions
Our attorneys represent a number of national and regional lending institutions throughout our practice area. We provide sound counsel and represent our clients in commercial and consumer loan matters, real estate transactions and foreclosures, bankruptcy proceedings and other commercial activities.

Commercial Transactions and Business Organizations
Our attorneys represent businesses, banks and individuals in a variety of corporate and commercial matters. We assist clients in business and tax planning, the formation and maintenance of corporations, LLCs and partnerships, contract drafting and disputes, Uniform Commercial Code matters and the litigation of business disputes.

Environmental Issues
Johns, Flaherty & Collins aggressively represents businesses and individuals before administrative agencies and in environmental litigation. We assist our clients in site investigation and remediation, business and real estate transactions involving environmental concerns, responses to governmental enforcement actions and environmental litigation.

Health Law
A key to protecting quality health care is protecting quality professionals. At Johns, Flaherty & Collins, one of our partners, Thomas Taylor, is former chief legal counsel for one of the area's leading regional medical institutions, positioning us to provide comprehensive legal counsel to those in the health care industry.

As a result, we provide legal advice and representation to a number of physicians and health care organizations in areas such as medical malpractice, licensure, compliance, ethics, patient confidentiality, patient safety and risk management. We also bring unusual experience to legal negotiations and contract development in the health care industry.

Real Estate
We represent businesses, individuals and real estate companies in buying, selling and developing real estate. Our services include the sale and purchase of land and commercial properties; landlord-tenant law; drafting and negotiation of leases; zoning, annexation and other land use matters; tax issues related to real estate; the defense and prosecution of environmental matters; and representation before government entities.

Employment Law

Employment and labor laws are constantly changing, making it difficult for even the most seasoned human resources professional to stay abreast of current rules. Johns, Flaherty & Collins' Employment Group can help.

We represent clients before administrative agencies, draft policies and employment handbooks and provide legal counsel to companies in virtually all aspects of employment, including grievances, hiring, discipline, termination and compliance with state and federal laws.

We work hard to help our clients prevent employment-related problems and are well equipped to help when litigation does occur.

Government Relations

Johns, Flaherty & Collins is the first firm in Western Wisconsin to offer a government relations practice group to help companies move business ideas from concept to reality. Our experienced, bi-partisan government relations attorneys have been involved in rewriting a number of Wisconsin's economic development programs and are well equipped to help clients work with government agencies to achieve their business objectives.

We help clients access federal and state loans and grants for economic development and job creation; obtain low-interest-rate financing through industrial development revenue bonds; pursue enactment of local and state legislative initiatives; manage bureaucratic obstacles at all government levels and work with neighbors to avoid legal objections. Our government relations practice group has cultivated relationships with numerous local, state and federal government contacts and built a successful track record in helping companies work with regulatory agencies to achieve results that are good for business and good for the community.

Municipal Law

We represent local governments throughout the region, providing advice and representing them in litigation and before administrative agencies. Our attorneys have also served as legal counsel to city and municipal attorneys.