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Kent I. Carnell

Attorney

    Attorney Kent I. Carnell won Best Lawyers' 2014-15 Construction "Lawyer of the Year." He also has been awarded Best Lawyer in Litigation-Construction and Personal Injury Litigation every year since 2008 naming him one of the Best Lawyers in America. Kent has been named a Super Lawyer in Business Litigation every year since 2006. Business Magazine honored him with Executive Register Honor Roll. Kent was a Board Member and past President of Blackhawk Country Club.

    Kent I. Carnell is a shareholder with the Madison firm of Lawton Cates, S.C. He is certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and has achieved great results for clients on personal injury cases. He has gained a reputation for successfully handling business litigation and resolving construction disputes.

    Kent was admitted to the Wisconsin Bar in 1970 and has also been admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, and to the U.S. Supreme Court. He received his bachelor’s degree in 1967 and his J.D. in 1970, both from the University of Wisconsin. He is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, the Dane County Bar Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Wisconsin Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the James E. Doyle Inns of Court. He has been elected to the Litigation Counsel of America and is a Fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation.

    Kent was elected to the State Bar of Wisconsin Board of Governors in 2001. He served on the Executive Committee from 2004-2006 and was the Chair of the Board of Governors for 2005-2006. He has also served as liaison to the Litigation Section, the Construction and Public Contract Law Section, the Energy and Telecommunication Law Section, and the Lawyer Dispute Resolution Committee. In addition, he has served on the Professionalism Committee.

    In addition to his legal accomplishments, Kent has a long record of extensive civic commitments. He is one of the founding members of the Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, Inc. and served on the Board of Directors from 1986 to 1999. In addition, Kent served as a member of the Advisory Board to the Salvation Army for over 40 years, serving as Chair from 2000 to 2002. He has been a board member and chair of the Parkcrest Pool and Tennis Club, served on the John Muir School PTO, and held committee positions with a youth hockey club.

    Representative Cases

    • Empire Bucket v. Contractors Cargo Company, 13-2452, United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
    • Nathan N. Allbaugh v. Paul A. Johnson (Wis.Cir. 2006)
    • Purdy v. Cap Gemini America, Inc., 637 N.W.2d 763 (Wis.App. 2001)
    • Rhein Bldg. Co. v. Gehrt, 21 F.Supp.2d 896 (E.D.Wis. 1998)
    • Capital City Sheet Metal, Inc. v. Voytovich, 578 N.W.2d 643 (Wis.App. 1998)
    • Banc One Bldg. Management Corp. v. W.R. Grace Co. Conn., 565 N.W.2d 154 (Wis.App. 1997)
    • Markweise v. Peck Foods Corp., 556 N.W.2d 326 (Wis.App. 1996)
    • Anderson v. Regents of University of California, 554 N.W.2d 509 (Wis.App. 1996)
    • Florin v. Nationsbank of Georgia, N.A., 60 F.3d 1245 (7th Cir.(Wis.) 1995)
    • Florin v. Nationsbank of Georgia, N.A., 34 F.3d 560 (7th Cir.(Wis.) 1994)
    • Florin v. Nationsbank of Georgia, N.A., 869 F.Supp. 669 (W.D.Wis. 1994)
    • Matter of Liquidation of WMBIC Indem. Corp., 499 N.W.2d 257 (Wis.App. 1993)
    • Maas by Grant V. Ziegler, 492 N.W.2d 621 (Wis. 1992)
    • Lisney v. Labor and Indus. Review Com’n, 493 N.W.2d 14 (Wis 1992)
    • Lisney v. LIRC, 165 Wis. 2d 628, 478 N.W.2d 55 (Ct. App. 1991)
    • Wisconsin Dept. of Revenue v. Dow Jones & Co., Inc., 436 N.W.2d 921 (Wis.App. 1989)
    • W.T. Rogers Co., Inc. v. Keene, 778 F.2d 334 (C.A.7 (Wis.) 1985)
    • Schmitz v. Hunter Machinery Co., 279 N.W.2d 172 (Wis. 1979)

    Bar Admissions

    • Wisconsin, 1970
    • U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
    • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin
    • U.S. District Court Western District of Wisconsin
    • U.S. Supreme Court

    Professional Associations and Memberships

    • Salvation Army, 1979 - Present (Advisory Board Member)
    • Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, 1984 - 1999 (Founding Board Member)
    • State Bar of Wisconsin - Board of Governors, 2001 – 2006 (Chair (2005-2006))
    • State Bar of Wisconsin, Litigation Section (Member)
    • Dane County Bar Association (Member)
    • The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (Member)
    • Wisconsin Academy of Trial Lawyers (Member)
    • James F. Doyle Inns of Court (Member)

    Certifications and Specialties

    • Civil Trial Advocate
    • National Board of Trial Advocacy

    Classes and Seminars Taught

    • Attorney Professionalism (November 7, 2003), State Bar of Wisconsin
    • Ethics Seminar (November 1, 2003), State Bar of Wisconsin
    • Trying the Soft Tissue Injury Case in Wisconsin (December 6, 1997), National Business Institute
    • Trying the Automobile Injury Case in Wisconsin (August 24, 1993), National Business Institute
    • Trying the Automobile Injury Case in Wisconsin (February 25, 1992), National Business Institute

    Honors and Awards

    • AV Peer Review Rating; Martindale-Hubbell
    • Nationally Certified Civil Trial Advocate
    • Fellow; Litigation Counsel of America
    • Fellow, Wisconsin Law Foundation
    • Million Dollar Advocates Forum Member
    • Executive Register Honor Roll; In Business Magazine
    • Super Lawyer 2006 - present; Law & Politics and Milwaukee Magazine
    • Best Lawyer - Litigation - Construction and Personal Injury Litigation 2008 - present; Best Lawyers in America
    • Best Lawyers' 2014-15 Construction "Lawyer of the Year"

    Education

    • University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 1970, J.D.
    • University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 1967, B.S.

    Practice Areas

    • Insurance Coverage
    • Business Litigation
    • Construction Law
    • Personal Injury and Accidents