Announcements

MILWAUKEE, WI – Randall D. Crocker, President and CEO of von Briesen & Roper, s.c., today announced the addition of five attorneys: Shareholder Sally C. Merrell and Associates Nathan G. Erickson, Sally A. Ihlenfeld, Whitney R. Vallier and Jessica M. Zeratsky.


Attorney Sally C. Merrell is a Shareholder in the Business Practice Group focusing on estate planning, estate and trust administration, charitable gift planning and private foundations. Merrell has been advising individuals and family-owned businesses in preserving, protecting, and enhancing their wealth for nearly thirty years.

Merrell is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, Planned Giving Council of Eastern Wisconsin, Association of Women Lawyers, Professional Dimensions, National Committee on Planned Giving and the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. She has been recognized in the Best Lawyers in America® continuously since 1995 in the Trusts and Estates area. Since 2005 she has been named as a “SuperLawyer” in the area of Estate Planning & Probate and in 2005 and 2006 was listed as one of Wisconsin’s Top 25 Women Attorneys, both by Law & Politics and Milwaukee Magazine. She has been awarded an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating possible.

Merrell currently serves as the Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Donors Forum of Wisconsin; Member of the Planned Giving Advisory Council of UW-Milwaukee; Member of the Board of Directors of Lake Park Friends; Member and Past Chair of the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee; and, Member of the Professional Advisory Council of the Alzheimer’s Association of Southeastern Wisconsin.

Merrell earned a J.D. in 1980 from the University of Virginia School of Law and a B.A. in 1976 from Wesleyan University. She resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with her husband.

Attorney Nathan G. Erickson is a member of the Business Practice Group where he focuses on general corporate law, securities, and the purchase, sale and leasing of commercial real estate. Prior to joining von Briesen, Erickson worked for eight years in the insurance and financial industries in various business and technical roles including regulatory and compliance and earned numerous insurance and financial certifications and securities licenses.

Erickson is a member of the Milwaukee Bar Association and the State Bar of Wisconsin. He earned a J.D. in 2008 from Marquette University and a B.S. in 1998 from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. He resides in Glendale, Wisconsin with his wife.

Attorney Sally A. Ihlenfeld is a member of the Health Care Practice Group. Her practice focuses on general health law, including medical staff, risk management and patient care matters. Prior to her law career, Ihlenfeld worked for several years in health care administration; most recently she directed clinic operations and managed several physician group practices at a comprehensive community health care network.

Ihlenfeld is a member of the Milwaukee Bar Association, the State Bar of Wisconsin and the American Health Lawyers Association. She earned a J.D. in 2008 from Marquette University and a B.S. in 1998 from Silver Lake College. She resides in St. Francis, Wisconsin.

Attorney Whitney R. Vallier is a member of the firm’s Health Care and Business Practice Groups. Her practice focuses on providing comprehensive corporate transactional services to the firm’s hospital and health system industry clients by reviewing and crafting corporate organizational documents and contracts.

Vallier is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association, the Association for Women Lawyers, the Milwaukee Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the State Bar of Wisconsin. She earned a J.D., cum laude, in 2008 and a B.A. in 2001, both from the University of Wisconsin. She resides in Waukesha, Wisconsin with her husband and two sons.

Attorney Jessica M. Zeratsky is a member of the Banking, Bankruptcy, Business Restructuring and Real Estate Practice Group. Her practice focuses on commercial and bankruptcy litigation, business restructuring, loan documentation, work-outs, and general debtor and creditor law. She has significant experience advising and representing clients on bankruptcy, commercial/creditors rights and real estate matters.

Zeratsky is an active member of the Milwaukee Bar Association and the State Bar of Wisconsin. She earned a J.D. in 2003 from Marquette University and a B.A., summa cum laude, in 1999 from the University of Minnesota. She resides in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin with her husband.

About von Briesen & Roper: von Briesen & Roper, s.c. is a 105-year-old Milwaukee-based law firm with over 100 attorneys in offices in Milwaukee, Madison, Racine and Mequon. The firm provides legal services to businesses, institutions and individuals, with an emphasis on matters involving banking, bankruptcy, business restructuring, construction law, corporate law, employee benefits, health law, labor, litigation, risk management, real estate, and wealth management. For more information, please visit the firm’s web site at http://www.vonbriesen.com.