Linda Benfield, partner at Foley & Lardner, has established herself as one of the most successful female attorneys in the firm’s history over her 36-year career. Since joining Foley & Lardner in 1989, she has become a multiple-time recipient of the “Lawyer of the Year” honor.

Eric Hagen is an attorney at Boardman Clark Law Firm, where he has established himself as a leading municipal attorney in Wisconsin despite his relatively brief time in practice. Early in his career, Hagen assumed sole leadership of one of the firm's satellite offices, inheriting the municipal practice of a highly respected attorney who had built decades-long relationships with clients throughout the region. He successfully navigated this significant transition, maintaining and strengthening client relationships that other attorneys had spent decades establishing. Hagen's expertise in municipal law spans multiple areas, including municipal finance, solar ordinance formation, land use and development, constitutional issues, employment law and collective bargaining agreements. He has also served as a thought leader within his firm on ongoing Act 10 legal challenges. His depth of knowledge has been recognized across the municipal law community. At the League of Wisconsin Municipalities' Municipal Attorneys Institute trivia challenge, Hagen led his firm to a close second-place finish against opponents with significantly more years of experience. Boardman Clark attorney Julia Potter noted that Hagen "practices with a degree of independence that is rare among associates, managing a large book of clients and consistently demonstrating the judgment and leadership of a far more seasoned attorney." Attorney Richard Heinemann said Hagen "handles complex municipal matters with independence and exceptional judgment and has won the confidence of clients." Potter added that clients trust Hagen "not just because he knows the law, but because he listens, communicates clearly, and delivers thoughtful, practical advice that is attentive to the fiscal pressures and political dynamics that municipalities face."