Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C. is proud to announce the addition of two attorneys and two paralegals. We appreciate the continued trust and confidence our clients have shown in our abilities to maximize their subrogation recoveries anywhere within North America. The increased recovery business entrusted to us has necessitated the addition of several experienced legal professionals to help us meet the demand of our clients. Please join us in welcoming them.
ATTORNEYS
Mollie M. Townsend. Mollie joins our firm as an experienced litigator specializing in insurance and commercial litigation, premises and products liability, and subrogation cases. Mollie obtained her B.A. cum laude in English and Government from Georgetown University and her law degree from Fordham University in New York City. She also studied abroad at University College in London. During law school, Mollie was on the Fordham Law Review, served as a board member on the Fordham Student Sponsored Fellowship, and was a Ruth Whitehead Whaley Scholar. Mollie is licensed to practice in Illinois and Wisconsin. She previously handled commercial and civil litigation with Giffin, Winning, Cohen & Bodewes, P.C. in Springfield, Illinois and was a research assistant for Fordham University Professor Jacqueline Nolan-Haley. Previously, Mollie also served as a Congressional Intern with the U.S. House of Representatives and worked under President George W. Bush as a Presidential Intern in the White House. She is a member of the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel and the Lincoln-Douglas Chapter of America Inn of Courts. Mollie is a member of various charitable organizations and the co-author of “Lobbying, PACs and Campaign Finance: 50 State Handbook”, published by Thompson Reuters in 2014. On her free time, Mollie enjoys traveling, learning to cook, Junior League of Milwaukee, and Georgetown basketball.
Emil Ovbiagele
Emil Ovbiagele. (pronounced “O-via-gáy-lay”) Emil joins our firm practicing in the areas of insurance subrogation and insurance litigation. He is a recent graduate of Marquette University Law School having also received a B.A. in International Affairs from Marquette. Prior to joining MWL, Emil was a student practitioner (under the Wisconsin Student Practice Rule) at the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. He also served as a Judicial Intern for both Federal Judge Charles Clevert in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Patrick Crooks. While in law school, Emil accumulated an impressive record of placing highly in the following legal competitions: AAJ Mock Trial Regional Competition (Midwest) – Spring 2014, Marquette University Law School Negotiation, Marquette University Law School Mediation, ABA Regional Negotiation Competition – Fall 2013, and the ABA Regional Mediation Competition – Spring 2014. He was also a Marquette Law School teaching assistant, student liaison, and a member of the Client Skills Board. Emil is a Thomas More Law Scholar, a Saint Ignatius Scholar, and is currently completing his Masters in International Affairs with a concentration in Comparative Political Economies at Marquette University Graduate School. He was the founder of the Marquette University Chapter of the United Nations Student Alliance and served as co-president of the Marquette University International Law Society. Emil has served with the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic, was a tutor with the Milwaukee Literacy Centre, and is a violinist and an avid soccer enthusiast.
PARALEGALS
Wendy Sommers. Wendy Sommers graduated from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2003 with a double major in Sociology and Spanish. She received her paralegal certificate from Kaplan College in 2008. Prior to joining MWL, Wendy was employed with Progressive Insurance as an injury claims adjuster, an insurance defense firm in Denver, Colorado, as well as plaintiff’s personal injury firms both in Denver, Colorado and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Wendy’s specialties at MWL include auto subrogation and insurance defense with a focus on medical record review and summarization. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, running, and reading.
Brooke Durant. Brooke Durant graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a Bachelor’s Degree in political science and a Bachelor’s Certificate in women’s studies. She has been working in the legal community for more than 10 years. Prior to joining MWL, she was employed at law firms specializing in insurance defense litigation. Brooke’s specialties at MWL include auto subrogation and insurance defense. In her free time, she enjoys raising her two children, traveling, reading, and participating in various outdoor activities including running, camping, and skiing.
