Dan Conley Provides Insight on How Law Firms Create Culture in Which Attorneys Earn Judicial Appointments

Dan Conley, a Quarles & Brady Litigation & Dispute Resolution partner in the firm’s Milwaukee office, shared insights in a Chicago Lawyer Magazine article on how big law firms can create a culture that eventually helps their attorneys earn federal judicial appointments and confirmations.

Conley discussed how Quarles’ training and mentorship allows attorneys to develop experience that translates well into what appointing authorities are looking for in a judge.

An excerpt:

About 90 minutes away from Chicago, Quarles in Milwaukee also saw alumni go from its office to the federal bench. Partner Daniel Conley has firsthand experience on the matter — since he was a law clerk for Milwaukee senior federal district Judge John Reynolds from 1985 to 1987 when he was serving as chief judge.

And, more recently, Katherine Perhach left her role at Quarles in 2019 to serve on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

“Judge Perhach took particular advantage of the training and mentorship she got at Quarles which, combined with her natural ability and practical approach to the law, allowed her to build up a broad practice in debtor-creditor law,” Conley said.

Conley said while clients and the firm were sad to see Perhach go, “she met the exact profile” the Eastern District seeks out in appointees.