Adam E. Witkov

A group of corporations came to me facing a federal lawsuit in the Eastern District of Wisconsin — Lanham Act violations, Wisconsin Deceptive Trade Practices Act, breach of contract, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing, tortious interference, and contractual indemnification. Six claims. All designed to maximize pressure and make the defendants settle. We didn't. I obtained summary judgment across every claim and ended the case before it ever reached a jury. For businesses facing a competitor or a former partner who's using litigation as a business tactic, that outcome is what proactive legal strategy — combined with courtroom-tested preparation — actually looks like.

A former employee brought a $475,000 breach of contract claim against an insurance brokerage firm — and a separate $55,000 commissions claim on top of it. The case went to a jury. I obtained a directed verdict during trial and dismissed both claims entirely. The company walked away protected not just from the dollar exposure, but from the precedent a loss would have set for every employment dispute that came after it.

A group of property owners needed to enforce restrictive covenants against a neighbor whose actions were threatening the character and value of the surrounding properties. I obtained summary judgment and a permanent injunction at the trial level — and then took it further. The Wisconsin Court of Appeals affirmed the outcome in a published decision: Nordstrom v. Kane, 2021 WI App 71. Published decisions are rare. This one now provides legal authority that property owners and attorneys across Wisconsin can rely on.

When a company's former employees left and took valuable trade secrets and client relationships with them, I pursued it — breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation of trade secrets, and related claims. Separately, I obtained a directed verdict in a jury trial on behalf of a manufacturer against a former salesman's six-figure commission claim. These cases reflect a pattern I've seen consistently: business disputes have internal dynamics that matter as much as the legal theory. Understanding both is what makes the difference between a decisive outcome and a prolonged one.

• Obtained summary judgment on behalf of defendant corporations in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, defeating claims under the Lanham Act, the Wisconsin Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and claims for breach of contract, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing, tortious interference with contract, and contractual indemnification.
• Obtained dismissal with prejudice on behalf of corporate officer and director in breach of fiduciary duty lawsuit filed by a corporate shareholder in Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
• Obtained favorable decision and order in Wisconsin circuit court probate division barring an individual from attempting to establish paternity and inherit a six-figure sum from a decedent on the grounds of claim preclusion.
• Serve as local counsel for law firms and businesses in Wisconsin state courts, working closely with national counsel and client to achieve successful results.
• Serve as local counsel for law firms and businesses in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.
• Serve as pre-litigation local counsel for law firms and businesses to assist in resolution of matters under Wisconsin law or with Wisconsin venue or law provisions.
• Obtained a permanent injunction on behalf of a group of property owners in Door County, Wisconsin enforcing restrictive covenants and requiring remedial actions by the violating property owner
• Defeated a motion for preliminary injunction in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas on behalf of an inventor and chemical company
• Obtained a temporary restraining order in Waukesha County, Wisconsin Circuit Court on behalf of a medical device company
• Obtained a favorable extension to a preliminary injunction in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin without the need to post a bond and reached a favorable resolution after the preliminary injunction hearing that resulted in a permanent injunction
• Obtained the emergency appointment of a receiver in Illinois state court on behalf of a national bank
• Obtained directed verdict during jury trial dismissing former employee’s $475,000 breach of contract claim and $55,000 commissions claim
• Defended manufacturer in federal lawsuit brought by former salesman concerning six-figure commission claim.
• Defended corporation in Wisconsin state court lawsuit brought by former employee and shareholder for claimed wages owed.
• Prosecuted claim on behalf of corporation in seven-figure arbitration concerning breach of contract claim against employee.
• Prosecuted claim on behalf of corporation against former employees related to misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duties, and other claims.

Med spa owners and aesthetic practitioners operate in a highly regulated environment where a single complaint to the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) can threaten a license, a business, and a career. I’ve assisted multiple APNPs and med spa businesses in achieving decisions from DSPS to take no action on filed complaints — and have represented practitioners through yearslong investigations, reaching favorable resolutions. I serve as annual speaker to the Wisconsin Aesthetic Provider Coalition (WAPN) and act as legal counsel to WAPN — a depth of Wisconsin-specific regulatory fluency few attorneys in this state can match.

• Provide regular compliance and regulatory governance to MedSpas
• Assisted Cosmetologist and Aesthetic Practice in 2025 achieve decision from DSPS “not to take any action” based on complaint against aesthetician and business
• Assisted APNP and MedSpa in 2025 achieve decision from DSPS “not to take any action” based on complaint against aesthetician and business
• Represented APNP and MedSpa in yearslong investigation by DSPS and assisted in achieving favorable settlement
• Annual Speaker to Wisconsin Aesthetic Provider Coalition (WAPN) annual conference and legal counsel to WAPN

Shareholder disputes inside family businesses carry stakes that go beyond dollars — they put relationships, legacies, and business continuity at risk. Adam has successfully navigated multiple shareholder conflicts involving family members, including achieving a favorable settlement for majority owners in a dispute with a minority shareholder sibling, and securing a favorable outcome in a business divorce involving former spouses and business co-owners. These matters require legal skill and the judgment to know when to push and when to resolve.

• Achieved favorable settlement for majority owners in shareholder dispute with minority shareholder sibling
• Achieved favorable settlement during litigation for 50/50 shareholder and in business divorce involving former spouse and children
• Defeated lawsuit filed by minority shareholder against majority shareholder family members
• Obtained favorable pre-litigation settlement on behalf of majority shareholder against minority shareholder