Buffalo City Criminal Lawyers

Active Scout leader and Council Board member, Elderly Housing Board, Local party treasurer, Radio broadcasting board member. Past Red Cross Chapter President and Water Safety Chair and WSIT. Concentrate in Criminal Law, Probate, Real Estate and General Practice.

Attorney Cole D. Ruby is universally recognized as one of the leading appellate attorneys in the State of Wisconsin. He focuses his practice on litigating appeals following convictions at jury trials. He has successfully litigated post-conviction issues in cases involving, for example, drug trafficking, sexual assault, possession of child pornography, arson, and homicide. On several occasions, Attorney Ruby has been able to have convictions overturned and charges dismissed completely, even after a client was convicted at jury trial while represented by other attorneys. Attorney Ruby is also an accomplished trial lawyer. Together with Andrew Martinez, he’s a two-time recipient of...

I have successfully defended the rights of the accused in the full range of criminal and traffic offenses since 1992. I am sensitive to the fact that while I have a busy caseload, this may be your only experience with the criminal justice system. Whether your are accused of a minor traffic violation or a serious felony, you can expect that your matter will be handled with a high level of professionalism, integrity and sensitivity. Remember, it's your case.


Proper communication between attorney and client is the hallmark of effective representation. Clients can expect copies of documents filed on their behalf...

Admitted to practice law in Wisconsin since 1995, I have had my own law practice since 1997. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my practice concentrates on litigation in the areas of criminal defense (all levels, state & federal), family law (divorce, child custody/support, paternity), personal bankruptcy (and alternatives), state & municipal licensing and other areas. I am admitted to practice in Wisconsin and in both the U.S. District Courts of the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin. I earned my B.A. at the University of New Orleans in 1991 and my J.D. from Marquette University Law School in 1995. I am...

Atty. Matthew Pinix has represented hundreds of individuals in postconviction, appellate, habeas, and civil rights matters. He has also given several educational talks to lawyers, law students, and the public about criminal appeals and the processes involved.

On multiple occasions, he has been invited by other lawyers to represent individuals or organizations before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in criminal cases.

Every year since 2013, he has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Super Lawyers Magazine as a Rising Star, an award given to no more than 2.5% of the attorneys in Wisconsin.

Prior to becoming a practicing lawyer, Matthew worked as...

Michael F. Hart has been one of Wisconsin's leading criminal defense attorneys for the past twenty-nine years. His imposing courtroom presence has distinguished him as a prominent trial lawyer, and his dedication to justice has earned him the recognition of being a Wisconsin Super Lawyer by many of the state's judges and lawyers.

His successes include a variety of practice areas, and his clients range from high-profile members of the National Football League to white collar workers. Most notably, his triumphs include one of the largest defamation awards in Wisconsin history against a private individual, where Michael successfully helped his client...

An accomplished defense attorney with a background in prosecution.

Eric Schanowski is an Associate with Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Prior to joining the firm, Eric worked as a prosecutor at the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and as an employment litigator. Eric is admitted to practice in Wisconsin. Eric graduated from the University of Michigan in 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and a minor in Spanish. He received his JD from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in 2018. While in law school, Eric was the Online Managing Editor for the Northwestern University Law Review and a member of the Moot Court Society....

Stephen Govin is an experienced and aggressive Criminal Defense Attorney, representing clients in state and federal courts throughout Wisconsin. He is dedicated to providing the highest level of legal services and personal care to clients facing charges from misdemeanors to serious felony offenses.

Stephen received a B.A. in Criminology from Marquette University in 1999. He attended on an athletic scholarship for soccer, where he helped Marquette reach its first NCAA Division I soccer tournament. His J.D. was earned at Marquette University Law School in 2003, focusing on criminal law from his first day. Stephen clerked for the Honorable Victor Manion in...

Since 1994, I have aggressively defended OWI and criminal cases throughout Wisconsin. My practice is statewide, focusing solely on drunk driving, criminal and traffic defense. I have successfully defended hundreds of OWI cases. I have been the lead attorney on more than 1000 OWI jury trials. My years of experience practicing in Wisconsin and my former law clerk experience have given me a unique perspective from both sides of the aisle. I fully understand the necessity of having the representation of a qualified attorney in an OWI case. Prior to working in Wisconsin, I was a law clerk for...

Attorney David K Anderson has been practicing criminal defense for over 6 years. Attorney Anderson focuses solely on Criminal Defense. He defends individuals charged with violating Wisconsin's criminal statutes. His firm, DK Anderson, S.C. specializes in defending against OWIs, drug crimes, property crimes, domestic violence, and violent crimes. We are client focused and work hard to keep the communication channels open so our clients are not left in the dark. We will aggressively defend you and your rights all at an affordable fee.

Rick Coad is the founder and principal of Coad Law Office, S.C., in Madison, Wisconsin. He is a top-rated criminal defense attorney with more than 19 years of experience. Rick focuses his practice on defending individuals and corporations in state and federal court. His skills have carried him to courts throughout the midwest, and he has argued a case in the United States Supreme Court. He has been named by Super Lawyers thirteen times in his career, most recently in 2023. He is widely considered a leading defense lawyer in Wisconsin.

Before joining Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP as an Associate, Adam J. Schleis worked for seven years in the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office where he did trial-level defense work. His practice later expanded to include cases beyond criminal defense such as those involving mental health, guardianship, child protective services and family law— working with clients from pre-charging all the way through jury trial. In his eight years of experience, Adam has tried plenty of cases in front of a jury. To schedule your initial consultation with the Wisconsin Criminal Defense Attorney, visit online or call 414-271-1440.

Attorney Westley practices criminal defense and DUI/OWI all over Wisconsin. She graduated from Marquette University Law School in 2015 with a certificate in litigation and uses that every day. She did her undergrad at the University of Minnesota and graduated from there in 2011. She has done a stint with Americorps and regularly volunteers for Teen Court in Waukesha County as a judge.

She has won numerous awards for client satisfaction and works hard to get the best case scenario for her clients on a daily basis.

An accomplished criminal defense attorney in Wisconsin, Corey C. Chirafisi devotes his legal career solely to defending individuals charged with criminal and drunk driving offenses. He handles cases involving Wisconsin state law as well as federal law, and has represented people on every type of criminal charge and all levels of drunk driving charges with rather impressive results in numerous difficult cases. A former prosecutor, Mr. Chirafisi began his career as an assistant district attorney handling criminal matters ranging from disorderly conduct to homicide. He provides this experience to current clients whether they are charged with battery, computer...

Michael M. Hayes was a founding partner of the Milwaukee law firm of Hayes & Rothstein, 1983-2019.

A Milwaukee native, Mr. Hayes earned his Juris Doctor law degree in 1981 from Marquette University Law School, where he was the Lead Articles Editor on the Law Review. During this time, he also served as a Judicial Intern for Wisconsin Court of Appeals Chief Judge John Decker. His undergraduate studies were completed at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he graduated in 1977. Within 3 years he was listed in Best Lawyers in America after founding what had...

Attorney Nicole A. Muller has recently joined Birdsall Obear & Associates, SC as an associate attorney. Not only is Attorney Muller a graduate of Catholic University in Washington D.C. where she studied Political Science and Studio Art, but before going to law school also graduated from Columbia University in New York City. After graduating from Columbia, Attorney Muller decided to dedicate her life to fixing our broken criminal justice system in this country. This passion to bring about positive change is what brought Attorney Muller to the great state of Wisconsin and Marquette University Law School.

Attorney Muller graduated from Marquette...

Kristen Nelson is a Partner at Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Prior to joining the firm, Kristen was a solo practitioner in private practice, specializing in criminal and health care defense. She has represented clients before the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, the Wisconsin Department of Hearings and Appeals, Wisconsin State Courts, and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Kristen graduated from DePaul University College of Law, earning a Health Law Certificate along with her law degree. In September 2012, she became licensed to practice law in the...

Breanne Bucher joined the firm in April, 2014. She previously was an associate attorney at a general practice law firm in Waukesha County. Breanne graduated from Valparaiso University School of Law in 2010 and passed the Wisconsin Bar Examination on her first attempt.

In law school, she was a member of the Valparaiso Law Criminal Law Clinic, in which she represented indigent clients charged with both low-level misdemeanors and violent felony offenses. She also interned with the Lake County Public Defender’s Office in Lake County, Indiana and continued to gain experience in criminal defense. Although passionate about criminal law, she discovered...

As an young and energetic attorney at Tracey Wood & Associates, Teuta Jonuzi fights hard for the rights or her clients.

Over the past 15 years, Sydne has earned a solid reputation for fighting and winning probation violation revocation hearings. She is known by judges and probation agents for her creative and persuasive Alternatives to Revocation (ATRS). Sydne's background in clinical psychology gives her an edge over other criminal defense attorneys. Her clinical experience and training allows her to find the root cause of behaviors and uses this to help her clients avoid revocation. "I've spent the past 15 years helping people beat revocations, get ATRs, and go back home to their life and their loved...

Attorney Amy C. Scholz is a former state criminal prosecutor who primarily focuses her practice on providing the best defense to clients with criminal defense, traffic, and drunk driving matters. Amy began her practice in Ohio where she worked for the City of Akron Prosecutors Office. She then returned to Wisconsin where she worked as an assistant district attorney before refocusing her practice to criminal defense. Amy is a zealous advocate for her clients. She has successfully argued motions to the court, negotiated the reduction of felony and misdemeanor charges, prevailed at jury trials, and earned...

Attorney Andrew I. Martinez has devoted his entire legal career to helping people accused of crimes. He focuses his practice on defending people facing charges of homicide, attempted homicide, and sex-based crimes involving adults or children. He also handles cases involving allegations of domestic abuse. Attorney Martinez is an experienced and accomplished trial lawyer, having tried cases throughout Wisconsin on charges at all levels of severity. Together with Cole Ruby, he’s a two-time recipient of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Hanson Award, each for winning a not-guilty verdict in a jury trial involving a charge of first-degree intentional...

Attorney John Birdsall has more than 30 years of experience and has earned a reputation as one of the most trusted criminal defense lawyers in Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin. With over 250 jury trails, mostly for serious felonies such as homicide, he has an acquittal rate that is three times the Wisconsin average. John’s practice is focused exclusively on defending the wrongly accused, and has recently helped a client named Eddie Gill. After being accused of shooting and killing a Milwaukee resident, John helped uncover that the police has interrogated Gill into confessing when he was in...

Attorney Jeremiah Meyer-O’Day has dedicated his career to the service of others and the protection of the “little guy.” His legal career began at a non-profit law firm in Madison, Wisconsin, where he helped people in both criminal and civil proceedings, including evictions, collections, and family-law issues. Attorney Meyer-O’Day then joined the Office of the State Public Defender, working in the Lancaster, Wisconsin office. There, he defended people accused of crimes at all levels of severity. He has extensive trial experience, and a record of successfully litigating issues involving the violation of clients’ constitutional rights. He’s convinced judges to throw...

Attorney John K. Smerlinski has over 20 years of experience practicing criminal, divorce, and personal injury law in the state of Wisconsin. Attorney Smerlinski specializes in criminal law and can help you with DUI charges, drug charges, misdemeanor charges, and felony charges just to name a few. Smerlinski Law Office S. C. has extensive experience in divorce/family law and personal injury law. The firm has secured over 50 acquittals for clients over the years, and will work hard to get you the best results possible with your case. Contact Smerlinski Law Office today, for a free consultation, to discuss...

Mr. Chadwick Kaehne graduated from the University of Wisconsin
with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. Shortly after his
undergraduate studies, Mr. Kaehne founded a mental health clinic serving
clients throughout Winnebago, Fond du Lac, Outagamie, and Brown
counties. Mr. Kaehne established his law practice shortly after
receiving his Juris Doctorate from the University of Dayton School of
Law in Ohio. Using the philosophy grounded from his experiences from the
mental health field, Mr. Kaehne believes that not only should a law
firm be both reputable and aggressive in serving the needs of their
clients; but also passionate, with...

Attorney Johansen is a Superior native who graduated from the UWS-Superior with a B.A. in History, cum laude. He earned his J.D. in San Diego, California. While in law school, Johansen worked for Federal Defender's of San Diego, Inc. After passing the bar examination, Johansen began handling cases in Douglas County and surrounding Wisconsin counties. Attorney Johansen has served as both President and Vice President of the Douglas County Bar Association and is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin. For the past two decades, he has been President of Johansen Law Office, S.C. where he focuses...

I understand that when someone comes to me for legal advice, that person is likely at the lowest point in their life, due to a wrongful allegation, terrible decision or unfortunate accident. I am truly committed to helping all of my clients receive the best result in their situation. I treat each case as the unique situation that it is and am committed to going above and beyond what other attorneys would do to ensure that best possible result.

I primarily focus on Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Law. I have found those to be the...

Peter J. Prusinski is your personal, professional defense attorney. Mr. Prusinski focuses 100% of his practice on criminal law and drunk-driving (DUI) matters, and is not afraid to take your case to trial. He champions individual Constitutional rights not only to protect his clients, but also to maintain integrity and justice for all. Mr. Prusinski is admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin and the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. He is a member of the American Bar Association, and the National, Wisconsin and Marathon County Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Mr. Prusinski has served as...

Criminal defense attorney Gregory Isaac earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Marquette University in 2012. He continued his legal education at Marquette and earned his Juris Doctor in 2016. Before his third year in law school, Mr. Isaac interned with in the Milwaukee office of the Wisconsin State Public Defender in the Revocation Division. Throughout his third year, Mr. Isaac again interned with the Milwaukee office of the Wisconsin State Public Defender in the Trial Division.

After graduation, Mr. Isaac worked as a clerk for one year in a large personal injury firm. He then worked as an...

Attorney Amaro Lopez received his B.A. degree in Spanish Literature from the University of Dallas. He then continued on at the University of Dallas and obtained his Master’s Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resources. After pursuing a career in Human Resources, Mr. Lopez realized that in order to make a difference in people’s lives the way he wanted, he would need to advance his education. He was accepted into the law school at the University of Wisconsin Madison and earned his Juris Doctorate degree. He feels a strong connection to his community and believes that a...

Jerome Buting was featured as one of Steven Avery's defense lawyers in the Netflix docuseries "Making a Murderer." He has handled many high profile cases and spoken worldwide about America's criminal justice system. His first book is "Illusion of Justice: Inside Making a Murderer and America's Broken System" (Harper 2017). His current and past speaking engagements are found at http://jbuting.com/speaking-engagements/

Mr. Buting is a shareholder in the Milwaukee area law firm of BUTING, WILLIAMS & STILLING, S.C., where he practices exclusively in the field of criminal law, handling both trials and appeals. He received his B.A. in Forensic Studies from Indiana...

I practice as a criminal defense lawyer because I believe that the rights of all depend on the rights of one. As a result, each person’s rights must be vigilantly safeguarded against the powers of the state. An unfettered state results in the very tyranny our Founding Fathers sought to protect us against with the Constitution.

Nicole M. Masnica is a Partner at Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Working to serve Wisconsin clients and bettering her community has always been a top priority. Nicole has spent countless hours in circuit courts in Southeastern Wisconsin both as a trial attorney and appellate advocate. Prior to joining the firm, Nicole spent nine years representing countless individuals in all stages of criminal litigation at the Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office, from pre-charging conferences to appellate representation to administrative revocation proceedings. She has tried multiple cases to a jury with successful outcomes and has achieved relief for...

Attorney Zachary P. Hoff is an Associate Attorney with experience in criminal, traffic and family law. He believes that it is important to understand the details of each case, but that it is also important to get to know his clients as people and not just a case number. To establish a relationship of trust and honesty with them, he believes will bring the best possible outcome of their case.

Zachary gained valuable Courtroom experience as a Law Clerk in the Waukesha County Circuit Court. Under the mentorship of the Honorable J. Mac Davis and the Honorable Patrick...

Shane Laughton Brabazon is the Owner and Managing Attorney of Brabazon Law Office, LLC. A native of Northeastern Wisconsin, Shane attended Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska where he earned degrees in Economic and Finance and Minored in Speech Communication. He served three terms as President of the Creighton University Speech and Debate Team and won numerous awards for debating and persuasive speaking. He graduated from Creighton Magna Cum Laude. Shane graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Law in 1995 and passed the Wisconsin State Bar that same year. While at the University of Minnesota, Attorney Brabazon was an intern...

Brian Brophy is a civil litigation and criminal defense attorney. He’s had the benefit of extensive experience both prosecuting and defending criminal and civil actions. The majority of his practice is devoted to defending those charged with crimes and representing people who have been seriously injured in accidents.

Zak Wroblewski is an Associate at Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before joining GRGB, Zak helped clients with a variety of criminal and civil cases at another small law firm based in Milwaukee. He is currently licensed to practice law in the state of Wisconsin. Zak graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2019, majoring in Marketing and minoring in History. While at UWM, Zak had the opportunity to study abroad at both the Universite Catholique de Lille in Lille, France and Viadrina University Frankfurt Oder in Germany. Later on, in law school, Zak served an internship...