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2023 DRI International Day of Service This year, the DRI Foundation held its second annual International Day of Service. DRI is the largest international membership organization of attorneys defending the interests of business and individuals in civil litigation. The DRI Foundation’s mission is to provide financial, educational, and volunteer aid to those with needs. The DRI Foundation asked state and local defense organizations (SLDOs) to hold a service project of their choice anytime during the month of October. Participation in the DRI International Day of Service gives SLDOs an opportunity to give back to the community and strengthen relationships. The International Day of Service is one of the first steps the Foundation is taking to expand, better coordinate, and streamline the holistic betterment of the civil defense bar. WDC’s Women in the Law Committee held the following service projects in the Madison, Milwaukee, and Green Bay/Fox Valley areas as part of WDC’s involvement in DRI’s second annual International Day of Service. Green Bay/Fox Valley Area Service Project On September 20, 2023, WDC members in the Green Bay/Fox Valley area served a meal at the New Community Shelter in Green Bay. The New Community Shelter was founded in 1994 to help the homeless and the hungry. In addition to serving dinner to its residents daily, the shelter also serves an evening meal to any members of the community who find themselves in need. WDC members served between 150 and 180 meals in the hour-long dinner service. The event was sponsored by the Everson Law Firm, which generously purchased the ingredients for the meal. Thanks to the volunteers for taking time out of their busy schedules to give back (Heather Nelson, Wendy Diehlmann, Tracy Merkle, and Christine Mankse)!
Madison Area Service Project On September 22, 2023, WDC members in the Madison area volunteered at Way Forward Resources (previously Middleton Outreach Ministry), an organization that assists area residents with food security and housing stability. Thanks to the volunteers for taking time out of their busy schedules to give back (Andrew Hebl, Julie Piper-Kitchin, John Moroney, Amy Scholl, Grace Kulkoski, Megan McKenzie, Roger Flores, and Ashleigh Johnson)!
Milwaukee Area Service Project On October 10, 2023, WDC members in the Milwaukee area volunteered at the Kinship Community Food Center located at 924 E. Clarke St. Kinship strives to use the work of feeding hunger as a catalyst for well being in the community. Thank you to the volunteers for making the time to give back (Mollie Kugler, Janet Cain, Maria Sanders, John Pinzl Sarah Laughlin, and Terra Ensley)!
Stay tuned to hear about other volunteer events taking place throughout the state as part of this and other initiatives! Author Biographies: Grace M. Kulkoski is Legal Counsel at Wisconsin Mutual Insurance Company in Madison. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame du Lac and her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School. She is a member of the Wisconsin Defense Counsel and currently serves as the Program Chair of WDC. Heather L. Nelson is President and Shareholder at The Everson Law Firm in Green Bay. She is an experienced trial attorney, having successfully tried cases before juries in state and federal courts throughout Wisconsin and Illinois. She obtained her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago and launched her legal career in the Chicago area. Heather became licensed to practice law in Wisconsin in 2000, defending cases in both Illinois and Wisconsin. Joining The Everson Law Firm in 2016 brought Heather back to her Green Bay roots. Her practice areas include motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, and products liability. Heather is currently the Secretary/Treasurer of WDC. Mollie T. Kugler is a shareholder in the Litigation and Risk Management Practice Group at von Briesen & Roper, S.C. in Milwaukee. She focuses her practice on representing and counseling insurance companies in litigation and disputes. Mollie graduated from Georgetown University, cum laude, in 2008. She earned her JD from Fordham University in 2022. She is admitted to practice in Wisconsin and Illinois state courts, the eastern and western federal district courts in Wisconsin, the central and northern federal district courts in Illinois, the eastern federal district court in Michigan, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. In addition to WDC, Mollie is a member of the Defense Research Institute, the National Association of Women Lawyers, the Association for Women Lawyers, the State Bar of Wisconsin, and the Milwaukee Bar Association. She also serves as Georgetown’s Milwaukee-area Chair and Alumni Interviewer for the Georgetown University Alumni Admissions Program. Mollie was selected by The Best Lawyers in America© in Insurance Law in 2022. |
