Practice Areas

A La Crosse Full-Service Law Firm

Serving the Area Since 1919

The law firm of Hale, Skemp, Hanson, Skemp & Sleik offers legal representation and services in both Wisconsin and Minnesota. Our attorneys offer outstanding representation in all areas of practice, and our highly skilled paralegals and staff round out our legal team.

No matter the complexity of your legal needs, our team of attorneys can assist you in resolving them. Some of the services we offer are:

• Automobile accidents
• Farm accidents
• Product defects
• Slip and fall accidents
• Work injuries
• Dog bites
• Wrongful death

Commercial and civil litigation - Our trial lawyers have the experience and skills to handle your court case in Wisconsin or Minnesota, and to protect the interests of you or your company. Our commercial litigators include Jim Curtis, Frank Doherty, Mike Gill, Bryant Klos, Mark McCabe and Tom Horvath. We represent individuals and companies in all types of disputes, including:

• Breach of contract
• Commercial construction disputes
• Residential construction disputes
• Business disputes
• Damage to businesses or property
• Insurance issues
• Fire loss

Corporate law - Whether your business is just getting started or is well established in the community, our corporate law attorneys Kevin Roop, Richard Schroeder, Roger Imes and Tom Kieffer can meet all your legal needs including:

• Establishing limited liability companies, corporations or other business entities
• Contracts, leases and real estate matters
• Employment discrimination disputes
• Creditors' rights
• Local, state and federal administrative agency matters

Criminal defense litigation - Our attorneys Frank Doherty, Craig Steger and Mark McCabe have the experience to help clients avoid or minimize civil or criminal liability. We have maintained a reputation as aggressive and prepared attorneys with judges, prosecutors and police officers. Our experience includes successful defense of clients against all types of alleged offenses, including:

• White collar crimes
• OWI/DWI/DUI
• Trafficoffenses
• Drug offenses
• Sex crimes

Insurance defense and insurance coverage litigation - Attorneys Jim Curtis, Frank Doherty, Mike Gill and Bryant Klos have extensive trial and appellate experience involving insurance defense litigation and complex insurance coverage litigation in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. Our attorneys are frequently asked to speak at seminars addressing insurance-related litigation issues.

Family law - Our team of family law attorneys has years of experience dealing with difficult family law issues, including the following:

• Divorce
• Child custody
• Adoptions
• Child support
• Guardianships
• Marital property issues
• Property settlements
• Pre-marital matters

Our family law attorneys are Peggy Herlitzka, Tom Sleik and Tom Horvath. Attorneys Sleik and Herlitzka have recently been recognized as "Super Lawyers" by their peers in the area of family law.

Workers' compensation - Chuck Hanson and Tom Horvath are each experienced in workers' compensation matters. We work closely with those who have been injured as we strive to ensure the best possible outcome and to help them get through the legal and personal issues that often accompany work injuries. Our attorneys assist clients in matters such as:

• Physical and emotional problems caused by work-related stress
• Accidents
• Death of the worker
• Injuries caused by normal work activities
• Repetitive motion injuries
• Re-training and other vocational issues
• Loss of earning capacity claims

Employment law - Our employment law attorneys Tom Kieffer and Tom Sleik have significant experience representing both employees and employers in all types of employment law cases, including:

• Wrongful termination
• Civil rights claims
• Union issues
• Discrimination
• Non-compete agreements
• Unemployment compensation

Insurance subrogation - We have developed a significant practice in subrogation and recovery for various insurance companies. Jim Curtis, Frank Doherty, Mike Gill, Bryant Klos, Mark McCabe and Craig Steger pursue subrogation on various lines of insurance, including claims involving recovery of medical expenses, property damage and more.

Social Security law - Our attorneys David Russell and Chuck Hanson possess the skills and experience to successfully assist clients in matters of Social Security benefits. We help those who are unable to work pursue the benefits to which they are entitled.

Probate and estate administration - Hale Skemp attorneys Kevin Roop, Roger Imes, Robert Skemp, Richard Schroeder and Bryant Klos have the years of experience necessary to successfully:

• Care for all property of the decedent and distribute assets via the probate court
• Pursue payments due the estate and collect debts, claims and notes
• Determine valid relationships and beneficiaries of a will
• Investigate validity of all claims against the estate and resolve outstanding obligations
• Plan for taxes and prepare and file tax returns when required

Estate planning - Kevin Roop, Roger Imes, David Russell, Robert Skemp and Richard Schroeder are talented attorneys who can guide you along the complex road of federal and state estate tax laws and other planning issues to help you avoid needless taxes or even eliminate the need for probate. Our informed lawyers will handcraft the basic tools of estate planning - such as wills, trusts, durable powers of attorney, healthcare powers of attorney and living wills - and will explain more complex tax and planning strategies such as:

• Irrevocable and revocable trusts
• Testamentary and special needs trusts
• Insurance trusts
• Charitable trusts
• Family limited partnerships
• Marital property agreements
• Generation skipping trusts
• Deferred compensation and IRA trusts
• International tax, gift tax, income tax, business tax and much more

Tax issues - Kathy Martin is our in-house CPA. She is experienced in complex tax matters and disputes involving:

• Tax planning
• Tax disputes
• Preparation of commercial, corporate, individual and family tax returns

We can help you make sure your issues are handled correctly so you can avoid future disputes with the IRS and Wisconsin Department of Revenue.

Real estate, title insurance and foreclosure - Kevin Roop, Richard Schroeder and Tom Kieffer are experienced attorneys who have worked in real estate law for several decades in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. They represent clients on various real estate matters, including:

• Purchase and sale of property
• Landlord/tenant resolution
• Leases
• Construction
• Eminent domain
• Title insurance
• Foreclosure
• Property valuation
• Zoning
• Commercial property
• Land development

Collections/bankruptcy - Attorney David Russell focuses his practice in the area of bankruptcy and can assist clientswith collection of debts and discharge of debts in bankruptcy proceedings. We can:

• Provide for the development of a plan that allows the debtor resolve his or her debts
• Allow our client, when possible, to stay in business and use revenue to resolve debts
• Assist our clients in the discharge, when appropriate, of accumulated financial obligations after their assets are distributed
• Help clients avoid having debts owed to them discharged in bankruptcy

Arbitration/mediation - Jim Curtis and Mike Gill possess the background and knowledge to represent clients in all alternative dispute resolution (ADR) forums, including mediation and arbitration. Jim Curtis is a highly sought after mediator in the Coulee Region, based upon his vast litigation experience, helping other lawyers and their clients resolve disputes that they have been unable to resolve on their own. Mike Gill is often asked to serve as an arbitrator on complex legal matters based upon his extensive experience and reputation.

Construction law - Our commercial and residential construction law attorneys Roger Imes, Richard Schroeder, Tom Kieffer and Kevin Roop assist clients with the following:

• Project assessments
• Planning
• Developing
• Contract drafting
• Liens
• Zoning
• Surety bonds
• Hazardous waste and environmental issues
• Architectural copyright

Our commercial and civil litigation attorneys are able to protect you or your company's interests if a dispute has already arisen.

Products liability law - Attorneys Jim Curtis and Mike Gill have extensive experience involving products liability cases, including claims for defective design and failure to warn.

Elder law - Our attorneys Kevin Roop and Richard Schroeder cover every legal issue affecting the lives of seniors and their families. Our services include:

• Protecting assets from nursing home costs
• Helping qualify seniors for Medicaid
• Preparing all estate planning tools, from a simple will to a comprehensive estate plan
• Probate services

To schedule a consultation with a lawyer concerning your legal concern, contact us online or call our law firm at (888) 784-3540.