Hamilton, Michael A.

David Russell has more than 30 years legal experience in a variety of practice areas. He is highly regarded as a bankruptcy attorney, having represented hundreds of debtors and creditors, and having been a finalist for appointment as a federal bankruptcy judge. His clients have included doctors, lawyers, teachers, and other professionals. He also is counsel for small businesses, including financial, retail, wholesale and distribution enterprises. David has performed management and administrative duties within the law firm since 1993.

Another area of specialization is Social Security Disability cases. David has been successful for hundreds of claimants in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He also does mediation, having provided alternative dispute resolution services in civil litigation, farmer-creditor conflicts on a volunteer basis, and even disputes within law firms, drawing on management experience in his own firm.

David has a long record of community involvement and is past president of the United States Curling Association. He played an integral role in the collaboration between the Boys & Girls Club and Viterbo University in building a joint recreational facility, the first of its kind in the nation. David received the State Bar of Wisconsin Pro Bono Award in 1993. His passion for service to others in the community is the same passion which he brings to serving his clients.

Representative Experience

• Reached settlement for less than half of the amount sought, on behalf of the defendant, in a bankruptcy litigation case. The defendant was a small business being sued by a bankruptcy trustee to recover preferential transfer.
• Successfully defended a client in bankruptcy litigation against a fraud claim, leading to the dismissal of the fraud claim. The debtor client was being sued by a relative for fraud, when no fraud was involved.
• Recovered real estate for a creditor client, who needed to foreclose on a delinquent land contract. The adverse party deeded back the real estate after being convinced of an alternative to litigation.
• Secured disability benefits for a middle-aged farmer who was no longer physically able to work the farm. Disability benefits were awarded upon representing the client at the hearing and referring him for vocational counseling.