Overview

Lauren is a Partner in the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. With over a decade of experience, Lauren provides strategic guidance to clients in the construction industry, including contractors, design professionals, owners, and home inspectors, among others. Specifically, she delivers pragmatic advice and representation through matters involving:

  • complex construction litigation, including defect and payment disputes;
  • advising clients on risk avoidance procedures;
  • assisting construction clients with perfecting lien claims;
  • negotiating and preparing construction contracts for general contractors, construction managers, architects, engineers, consultants, and other professionals;
  • defending home inspectors against claims of property owners; and
  • drafting and reviewing commercial leases for local and national corporations.

Additionally, Lauren has experience in the Banking & Financial Services Industry assisting with the documentation process of new loans, amending existing loans, and restructuring troubled loans for lenders. She has worked on numerous multi-million dollar loan transactions and high-level workouts for local and national banks.

Prior to joining Michael Best, Lauren was a Partner in the Construction, Real Estate, and Banking groups at a Midwest-based law firm.

Experience

  • On behalf of a general contractor, successfully recovered nearly $1,000,000 in damages and fees required to repair damaged radiant heating system in two multifamily complexes.
  • Successfully defended a mechanical subcontractor from a $2,000,000 delay damages claim by an electrical subcontractor on the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences (published as Mech., Inc. v. Venture Elec. Contrs., Inc., 2020 WI App 23).
  • Drafted and negotiated architect and general contractor agreements for Ascendium Education Group’s new $34,000,000 headquarters facility.
  • Drafted and negotiated architect and general contractor agreements for two new dormitories on Lakeland University’s Plymouth, WI campus.
  • Drafted and negotiated general contractor agreement for Milwaukee Tool’s $32,000,000 headquarters expansion in Brookfield, WI. 

Honors & Recognitions

  • “Lawyer of the Year” (Milwaukee, WI), Construction Law, The Best Lawyers in America©, 2023
  • Best Lawyers®, Women in the Law (Milwaukee, WI), Banking and Finance Law, Construction Law, and Real Estate Law, 2022-Present
  • The Best Lawyers in America©, Banking and Finance Law, Construction Law, Real Estate Law, 2020-present
  • The Midwest’s Best Lawyers©Banking and Finance Law, Construction Law, Real Estate Law, 2021-present
  • Women in Construction, The Daily Reporter, 2019
  • “Up and Coming Lawyer,” Wisconsin Law Journal, 2015

Professional Activities

  • Member, American Bar Association’s Forum on Construction Law, State Bar of Wisconsin
  • Vice Chair, State Bar of Wisconsin, Construction and Public Law Section
  • Member, State Bar of Wisconsin
  • Participant, Women in Commercial Real Estate Wisconsin (WCREW)
  • Participant, Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin (CARW)
  • Participant, National Association for Women Lawyers in Construction (NAWIC)
  • Participant, Association for Women Lawyers (AWL)
  • Participant, Wisconsin Underground Contractors Association (WUCA)
  • Member, American Bar Association

Education

Bar Admission

Court Admissions

Community Involvement

  • Board Member, Charles Allis Art Museum and Villa Terrace
  • Chair, Architectural Review Commission, Village of Whitefish Bay
  • Board Member, Arts @ Large

Insights

Education

Bar Admission

Court Admissions

Community Involvement

  • Board Member, Charles Allis Art Museum and Villa Terrace
  • Chair, Architectural Review Commission, Village of Whitefish Bay
  • Board Member, Arts @ Large
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