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Lisa Neubauer (née Stephens; born July 21, 1957) is an American lawyer and judge, currently serving as a judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in the Waukesha-based District II. Judge Neubauer has served on the Court of Appeals since 2007 and was chief judge from 2015 through 2021.

Early life and education

Neubauer graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1979. Prior to attending law school, she worked as an aide to state senator Fred Risser of Madison. In 1987, Neubauer graduated from the University of Chicago Law School where she was a member of the Order of the Coif. Following her graduation from law school, she was a law clerk to Judge Barbara Brandriff Crabb of the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.

Community involvement

Neubauer is a recipient of the Community Service Award from the Association for Women Lawyers. She is a former board member of the Wisconsin Equal Justice Fund, Racine Area United Way, the Equal Justice Coalition, and Legal Action of Wisconsin. She has been a reading tutor in the Racine public elementary schools through the United Way Schools of Hope program, a big sister with a Big Sisters of Greater Racine, and a mentor for breast cancer survivors through "After Breast Cancer Diagnosis" (ABCD).

Neubauer is on the Supreme Court Finance Committee and is co-chair of the Wisconsin Bar Association’s Bench and Bar Committee and Chair of the Bench/Bar Court Funding Subcommittee. She previously served on the Planning and Policy Advisory Committee, the Judicial Conduct Advisory Committee, and the Wisconsin Supreme Court Committee on Community Outreach.

Legal career

Neubauer was employed from 1988 until 2007 at the Milwaukee law firm Foley and Lardner, specializing in environmental cleanup litigation and rising to the level of partner. While at the firm, she chaired the Insurance Dispute Resolution Practice Group and co-chaired the firm's national recruiting committee.

In December 2007, Democratic governor Jim Doyle appointed Neubauer to a seat on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals vacated by retired Judge Neal Nettesheim. Neubauer was the first woman to serve as a judge of the court's District II, headquartered in Waukesha. Neubauer was elected to a full term on the court in the April 2008 general election, defeating attorney William C. Gleisner III. She enjoyed bi-partisan support in her campaign for the position, including the endorsement of Michael Grebe, the former state chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. In 2009, Neubauer was appointed presiding judge of District II.

On May 8, 2015, the Wisconsin Supreme Court appointed Neubauer chief judge of the Court of Appeals. Neubauer took office on August 2, replacing retiring Chief Judge Richard S. Brown.

Neubauer was a candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2019. Despite endorsements from 150 current and former Wisconsin judges, including 18 from the court of appeals, she was narrowly defeated by Judge Brian Hagedorn.

Neubauer was re-elected to another term on the Court of Appeals in 2020. On June 28, 2021, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued an order ending her term as chief judge on July 31, 2021; she will be replaced by presiding judge William W. Brash III.

Personal life

Lisa Stephens took the last name Neubauer in 1986 when she married Jeffrey A. Neubauer, who was then serving as a state representative and would later serve four years as chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. They have three adult children, including Greta Neubauer, the current Democratic minority leader in the Wisconsin State Assembly. The Neubauers reside in Racine, Wisconsin.

Electoral history

Wisconsin Court of Appeals (2008, 2014)

Wisconsin Supreme Court (2019)

Wisconsin Court of Appeals (2020)

References

1. "Neubauer announces candidacy for Wisconsin Supreme Court". SFGate. July 12, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
2. "Judge Lisa Neubauer | Judge Neubauer for Justice". judgeneubauer.com. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
3. ^ "Presiding Judge Lisa S. Neubauer". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
4. Hetzner, Amy (March 17, 2008). "Political ties raise interest in state Appeals Court race". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
5. Burke, Michael (December 4, 2007). "Racinian is first female judge on District II Court of Appeals". Racine Journal Times. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
6. "Judge Neubauer retains Court of Appeals seat". Wisconsin Law Journal. The Daily Reporter Publishing Company. April 7, 2008. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
7. ^ "Neubauer Appointed Chief Judge of Appeals Court, District Chiefs Appointed". Wisbar News. State Bar of Wisconsin. May 8, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
8. "State appeals court judge Lisa Neubauer announces run for Supreme Court". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
9. "Election Results". Wisconsin Vote. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
10. Vielmetti, Bruce (April 13, 2020). "Lisa Neubauer defeats Paul Bugenhagen, keeps seat on Court of Appeals". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
11. Conniff, Ruth (June 30, 2021). "Supreme Court summarily ends Court of Appeals chief judge's term". Wisconsin Examiner. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
12. Hill, Mike (May 20, 1986). "Neubauer decides against lieutenant governor bid". Racine Journal Times. p. 1. Retrieved January 13, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Canvass Summary, Spring General Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. April 1, 2008. p. 2. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
14. Canvass Results for 2014 Spring Election (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. April 1, 2014. p. 2. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
15. "Election results and Wisconsin parties". Wisconsin Blue Book 2019-2020 (Report). State of Wisconsin. 2019. pp. 618–620. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
16. Canvass Results for 2020 Spring Election and Presidential Preference Vote - 4/7/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. May 4, 2020. p. 2. Retrieved May 15, 2020.

External links

• Lisa Neubauer at Ballotpedia
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Neubauer, Lisa at Our Campaigns

• 1957 births
• Living people
• 20th-century American lawyers
• 21st-century American judges
• University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni
• University of Chicago Law School alumni
• Wisconsin Court of Appeals judges
• Wisconsin lawyers
• 20th-century American women lawyers
• 21st-century American women judges