2020 Distinguished Professional Service Award: Carmelo A. Puglisi

Congratulations to Carmelo A. Puglisi for being selected by the WDC Board of Directors as the recipient of the 2019 Distinguished Professional Service Award! The Distinguished Professional Service Award recognizes a longtime member who has given consistent effort to grow and improve WDC. Carmelo served on WDC’s Board of Directors and was President of the WDC from 1996-1997 (at the time, the organization was known as the Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin). Prior to that, he was the Treasurer from 1994-1995 and Program Chair from 1993-1994. During his term as President, he helped WDC draft, support, and see a bill enacted which enlarged the time to answer a complaint. Carmelo has been a frequent presenter at WDC seminars. 

Carmelo Puglisi graduated from Marquette Law School in 1980. He started his career with American Family Mutual Insurance Company in June 1983 as a trial attorney for their Brookfield legal office that covered southeast Wisconsin. During this time, he tried court and jury trials. In 1986, he became the managing attorney for the Brookfield office. In 2009, he became the Associate General Counsel of Performance and Quality for the American Family Litigation Division. Carmelo taught legal research to paralegals at Concordia University, in Mequon, for 10 to 12 years. During his time at Concordia, he helped the 4-year paralegal program secure ABA accreditation. Carmelo testified before the legislature on the modified joint and several liability bill that was passed into law. He has served as an expert bad faith litigation. Carmelo retired in October 2019 after practicing law in insurance defense for 40 years.