At the Bar powered by Hansen Reynolds

From a chance lunch that changed his life to prosecuting Milwaukee's most notorious mob boss, Frank Gimbel takes us behind the scenes of his remarkable career. Hear how a young lawyer's political savvy caught Bobby Kennedy's attention, leading to a dramatic showdown with Frank Balistrieri in a tax evasion case that involved hidden microphones and courtroom theatrics. Beyond the mob trials, Gimbel offers a candid look at Milwaukee's transformation from a city of ethnic enclaves to a modern metropolis, sprinkling in tales of psychic FBI impersonators, puzzling closing arguments, and Southern courtroom culture clashes that shaped his legendary six-decade legal career.https://hansenreynolds.com/

In this episode, Tim Hansen and Toby Reynolds sit down with Geoff Morgan, founding partner of the nearly 90-lawyer firm Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres, for a lively conversation about law, leadership, and life. Geoff shares his journey—from burning trash in Southern California to becoming a skier, lawyer, and firm leader—while reflecting on how the business of law has evolved and why firm culture is more critical than ever.Geoff also flips the script to interview the hosts, diving into topics like therapeutic hobbies, top TV shows, underrated vs. overrated trends (QR code menus, anyone?), and Milwaukee's best restaurants. With laughs, insights, and debates over everything from skiing to touchscreens in cars, this episode is packed with stories you won't want to miss.https://hansenreynolds.com/

In this episode of 'At the Bar,' hosts Tim Hansen and Toby Reynolds sit down with Omar Shaikh, a true Milwaukee icon whose journey is as diverse as it is inspiring.Omar takes us on a whirlwind tour of his life, from his early days training in jiu-jitsu at the prestigious Gracie Academy to becoming a culinary powerhouse in Milwaukee. We dive into the creation of Sake Tumi in 2005 and the birth of Carnevor, the upscale steakhouse that put Omar on the map.But that's just the appetizer. Omar serves up a feast of incredible stories. Hear about his clever ploy to snag a coveted Chilean sea bass recipe, the jaw-dropping $5,000 tip left for one of his servers, and how he accidentally charmed a restaurant critic.The main course of our conversation covers Omar's views on work-life balance and his passionate belief in the power of kindness, illustrated by a moving story about helping an ex-con turn his life around. We also delve into his thoughts on social media—a necessary tool he views with healthy skepticism.For dessert, Omar shares his thoughts on the upcoming 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. And just when you think the meal is over, Omar treats us to a sampler platter of Milwaukee's finest attributes, reminding us why this city holds a special place in his heart.So, grab a glass of wine and join us for this jam-packed episode.https://hansenreynolds.com/

Join us for an insightful discussion with Ben Christiansen as he shares his experiences running Waterford Wine & Spirits. From the challenges of managing inventory and cash flow to navigating the ever-changing landscape of the wine industry, Ben provides valuable insights into the highs and lows of his 19-year journey.Throughout the episode, Tim, Toby, and Ben dive into a variety of topics including Ben's take on overrated vs. underrated foods, his unique philosophy on wine ratings, and his journey from culinary school to Milwaukee chef. Gain insight into wine curation, elevate your wine knowledge, and even uncover hidden wine gems.https://hansenreynolds.com/

In this episode, we introduce Matt Gavronski, the newest partner at Hansen Reynolds, leading a new practice area focused on patent prosecution and intellectual property law. Together we navigate the world of patents, share insights into Matt's unique journey from engineering to patent law, and engage in a lively debate on overrated and underrated foods—where lobster takes center stage. From vintage Mustang race teams to co-op engineering at Harley Davidson, Matt's anecdotes provide a fascinating backdrop to the exploration of patent prosecution. Tune in for a blend of legal expertise, culinary insights, and engineering tales that promise to both educate and entertain.

This week we interview Saj Thachenkary, Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement at MSOE. We enjoyed a wide-ranging discussion about not only MSOE and its vital role in downtown Milwaukee, but higher education, the Milwaukee restaurant scene, insights into the marketing world, and Saj's seasonal drinks of choice. All aided with a few Miller Lites. 

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with guitar legend Greg Koch. Greg is one of the best guitar players on planet Earth. And he lives in Tosa! Hard to believe that a six-foot-seven-inch man with a huge personality is somehow a “best-kept secret,” but there ya go! We get into the music biz, Milwaukee rock history, and learn Greg's origin story. So grab a pint of your favorite beer and prepare to get rocked.

On this episode, we sit down with local entrepreneur and a true Milwaukee booster, Andy Nunemaker. Andy started with an extraordinary corporate career and ultimately ventured out to create multiple companies in a range of industries. He's also a huge art and architecture aficionado – a true Renaissance man and Milwaukee fan. So grab a glass of wine and enjoy the conversation.

Born and raised in Iowa, but now a Milwaukee devotee, Susan Lovern is the President and CEO of von Briesen & Roper, s.c. and Chairs the firm's Commercial and Business Litigation Section. In this episode of “At the Bar,” Tim and Toby discuss with Susan the state of litigation, navigating a firm through the pandemic, and taking advantage of all that the City of Milwaukee has to offer.

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performing professionals. During our conversations, our guests share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way.In this episode, we interview Ken Dortzbach, a lawyer-turned-author, aspiring filmmaker, and runner-with-bulls. Despite his mild-mannered persona, pedigreed education, and corporate law background, it's clear that Ken is actually a madman (in a good way). For this show, we recommend pairing it with dry Sherry and Iberico ham. Let's go!

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performing professionals. During our conversations, our guests share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way. In this episode, we interview Milwaukee lawyer Sean Sweeney from Halling & Cayo. Sean is a litigator who focuses his practice on securities litigation and developed a data-based model for pricing flat-fee structures. He also brews beer! We dive into his background and get pretty geeky with data analytics, so open an IPA and try to keep up, will ya?

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performing professionals. During our conversations, our guests share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way.Today's episode is a first! We have not one but two guests, Chef Adam Siegel and developer Michael DeMichele. Why those two? Well, they've partnered up to create Milwaukee's newest restaurant, Lupi and Iris. We discuss that project, which sounds incredible and will focus on French and Italian Mediterranean cuisine, as well as origin stories, the Milwaukee dining scene and its evolving real estate market. So while you're preparing bouillabaisse and drinking Sherry, crank the podcast and enjoy.

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performing professionals. During our conversations, our guests share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way.On today's episode, we're joined by Giacomo Fallucca, president and CEO of Palermo Villa, Inc., makers of Palermo's frozen pizza. Giacomo's is a classic American success story. Hard-working Italian immigrant parents started a little Sicilian bakery on Milwaukee's East Side. Giacomo literally grew up in the kitchen, eventually taking the reins and growing Palermo's into a global frozen pizza powerhouse. So preheat your oven, pop a little Chianti and listen in.

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performing professionals. During our conversations, our guests share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way. On today's episode, we're joined by Brian Dranzik, the Airport Director of Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. We'll get into all sorts of interesting topics, like airport operations, current MKE initiatives, and future plans. We'll also discuss what makes Mitchell International unique, and Brian even shares an interesting airport animal story. Let's take flight.

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performing professionals. During our conversations, they'll share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way. On today's episode, Steve Biskupic hops on the mic. He's an experienced litigator with years of experience as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, trial lawyer, and now co-owner of his own firm, Biskupic & Jacobs. We cover a LOT of ground in this conversation, including: what it's like to work at a small vs. large firm, the "golden age of litigation", why cases don't go to trial as often nowadays, criminal vs. civil bar, how to learn from your losses, and even 1870's Wisconsin whiskey law. So settle in with Steve Biskupic.

Well folks, season one sure has been a wild ride. We've talked to some interesting people, heard their stories, and learned quite a few things along the way. If you've listened this far, we'd like to extend our most genuine thanks.We're beyond excited to bring things back around for season two — we'd like to feature more guests that you, our listeners, would like to hear, and they don't just have to be lawyers! We're open to having any professionals on who have intriguing stories and takeaways. Until next time, thanks for listening.PS: Listen through to the end of this one, and if you're a fan of the show, it should be quite easy to score a free dinner on our hosts. 

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performance professionals. During our conversations, they'll share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way. Today, we're joined by John Busch, Tim's old boss from Michael Best. Somehow, the tables turned along the way, and John ended up working for Hansen Reynolds. We're not quite sure how that happened, but we sure are glad it did — John's a fantastic guy that brings a lot to the table.During our chat, we'll go over a few interesting stories, including how John got his start in the law field, bumped elbows with Julius Erving, watched the inception of the internet unfold, and everything in-between. Let's dive in with John Busch.

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performance professionals. During our conversations, they'll share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way. C.J. Krawczyk might be intimidating to pronounce, but lucky for us, he's a really nice guy and a great conversationalist. On today's episode, we'll talk to CJ about publishing his book, what it's like to be in a family law business, and what the key differences are between trial and litigation law. We'll also get into CJ's outlook on the city of Milwaukee's future, and take a look at how the pandemic has impacted our world. Let's dive in.

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performance professionals. During our conversations, they'll share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way. No, Scott Hansen and Tim aren't related — but he's a cool guy anyway, so we had him on the pod. Today, we'll pick his bonafide law-nerd brain and experience his excellent storytelling prowess firsthand. So, let's dive in with Scott as we learn about Green Bay paper mills and the Butcher of the Balkans.

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performance professionals. During our conversations, they'll share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way. Today, we're joined by one of our very own, Jessica Mederson. Jessica started her career at Vinson and Elkins in Texas, and now runs the Hansen Reynolds Madison office. She has a bunch of interesting stories to share with us today, covering the cases she's ran and the characters involved.

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performance professionals. During our conversations, they'll share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way.  Today, we're joined by Dean Strang. While he's probably most famous for his appearance in the documentary Making a Murderer, he also has a fascinating background. He's published multiple books and even began his career as a political cartoonist. So without further ado, let's dive in with Dean Strang. 

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performance professionals. During our conversations, they'll share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way. Today, we're joined by Bill Levit of Levit ADR. Bill's done just about everything that a lawyer can do, and as you'll hear, he has one of the most remarkable memories of any human being we've ever met. So prepare to be impressed as we dive in will Bill Levit.

Welcome to At the Bar podcast, powered by Hansen Reynolds, where we give you a look inside the minds of top trial lawyers and other high-performance professionals. During our conversations, they'll share eye-opening war stories and break down their best negotiation, persuasion, and communication tactics along the way. Before running his own firm, Cade Law Group LLC, Nate Cade had a lot of interesting twists and turns in his career. Many moons ago, he was even the Penn Quaker — needless to say, he's got a lot of great stories to tell. So pull up a stool, and let's dive in with Nate Cade.

Welcome to 'At the Bar' podcast powered by Hansen Reynolds.  Tim Hansen and Toby Reynolds are just a couple of lawyers who spent the last 20 years honing their craft of trying cases and litigation.  Along the way, they've met a ton of characters who have their own interesting stories to tell. So, they decided to haul them into the studio, fire up the mics, and see what played out. This intro episode will give you a sneak peek of what to expect in Season 1, along with an idea of where season 2 may take Tim and Toby. So grab a seat and pony up for season 1 of At the Bar.