Susan E. Lovern, President and CEO of von Briesen & Roper, s.c., today announced that the firm opened an office in Eau Claire at 310 Pinnacle Way, Suite 201. The Eau Claire location marks von Briesen’s first office in northwest Wisconsin. The following lawyers and professionals are located in the firm’s Eau Claire office:
- Michael J. Happe, Shareholder
- Bryan T. Symes, Shareholder
- Mindy K. Dale, Counsel
- Lindsey S.M. Minser, Principal Associate
- David A. Richie, Associate
- Janet M. Starck, Paralegal
Lovern said, “We are pleased to open an office in Eau Claire and to welcome Mike Happe and Bryan Symes to the firm. This further expansion of our footprint in Wisconsin has been warmly welcomed by our existing client base in northwest Wisconsin and will enable us to enhance and grow our service capabilities in this important region of the state”.
Michael J. Happe and Bryan T. Symes join the firm as Shareholders. Happe and Symes will practice with attorneys Mindy K. Dale, Lindsey S.M. Minser and David A. Richie, who joined the firm in September of 2020.
Michael J. Happe is a Shareholder in the Litigation and Risk Management Practice Group. He focuses his practice on insurance defense and civil litigation including the defense of medical malpractice, personal injury and premises liability claims. He represents individuals, small business, and large corporations in business and commercial litigation, including shareholder disputes, fair dealership and non-compete agreements. Happe has served on numerous charitable, business, and professional boards, including Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity (president), Literacy Volunteers of the Chippewa Valley, Friends of Sacred Heart Hospital, Eau Claire Golf and Country Club (vice president) and Charter Bank Business Advisory Board. He is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin (Fellow, Wisconsin Bar Foundation), Eau Claire County Bar Association (former president), the Wisconsin Defense Counsel and the Defense Research Institute (DRI) where he serves as the State Representative for Wisconsin. He received a J.D. (1989) from Creighton Law School and a B.S.B.A. (1986) from Creighton University.
Bryan T. Symes is a Shareholder in the Labor and Employment Section. He focuses exclusively on employment and traditional labor law issues for private and public sector employers. Symes also represents churches and other religious organizations in connection with a broad range of issues including, but not limited to, congregational governance and personnel matters. He is a board member of the State Bar of Wisconsin Labor and Employment Section, and serves as the Sections’ Co-Chair of the Blog Committee. Symes is a member of the St. Croix Valley Employers Association (Board Member and Co-Chair of Membership), Chippewa Valley Society for Human Resources Management, the Christian Legal Society, and the Federalist Society (Co-Chair of the Western Wisconsin Lawyers Chapter). He is a member of the American Bar Association, State Bar of Wisconsin, Eau Claire County Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, and Minnesota Bar Association. He received a J.D., with honors, (2004) from Chicago-Kent College of Law and a B.A. (2001) from the University of Wisconsin.
