Experienced legal counsel on financial and business matters across varied industries
Jim Friedman provided legal counsel to clients in challenging legal, financial and business matters for more than 40 years. He represented clients with diverse businesses including a nationally recognized health care system, the independent directors of a Major League Baseball franchise, a German auto parts manufacturer, an educational opportunity foundation and one of America's most recognized universities, to name a few.
He was well-known for his representation of banks in Wisconsin and for his experience in dealing with federal and state bank regulators. His in-depth knowledge of the banking industry and his creative approach to navigating legal issues resulted in several first-of-a-kind transactions for his bank clients. Jim represented clients in a vast array of industries such as:
- Financial institutions of all types and sizes and their holding companies, in all aspects of their business, including regulatory, merger and acquisition, corporate and securities matters
- Manufacturers, service businesses and health care providers in a full array of corporate, transactional and international matters
- Businesses, boards of directors and independent directors or committees of directors in corporate governance, audit or transactional matters
- Family-owned businesses and successful entrepreneurs, ranging from the auto industry to the banking industry
Whether the client was a multi-billion-dollar, publicly owned bank holding company, a community bank or a family business, his clients received responsive, reliable advice to guide them through their legal needs.
Jim was chair of the Quarles Financial Institutions team and a director and past member of the executive and audit committees of the Wisconsin Association of Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC).
Professional Recognitions
- Recognized as Best Lawyers® 2016 Milwaukee Litigation - Banking and Finance "Lawyer of the Year"
- Recognized as Best Lawyers® 2014 Milwaukee Financial Services Regulation Law "Lawyer of the Year"
- State Bar of Wisconsin – Pro Bono Honor Society (2013, 2015, 2018)
- Received the 2012 Charles L. Goldberg Distinguished Service Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Legal Profession from the Wisconsin Law Foundation
- Selected as a Wisconsin Super Lawyer® (2006-2018; Banking)
- Wisconsin Law Journal, 2006 Wisconsin Leader in the Law
- Listed in Best Lawyers In America® (1995-2020: Banking and Finance Law / Financial Services Regulation Law / Litigation - Banking & Finance / Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law)
- American Bar Foundation (Life Fellow)
- Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent Peer Review Rated for Highest Level of Professional Excellence
- Wisconsin Law Foundation (Life Fellow)
Professional & Civic Activities
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Referee (2020-present)
- American Bar Association (Banking Law Committee and Corporate Governance Committee of the Business Law Section, 1985-present; Member, House of Delegates, 1980-1982)
- Wisconsin Bankers Association (Associate Member, 1972-2019)
- Director: Wisconsin Association of Manufacturers and Commerce (2008-2018; Finance Committee 2011-2018; Executive and Audit Committees 2012-2018)
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Lawyer Regulation (Member and Vice Chair Preliminary Review Committee, 2000-2007)
- State of Wisconsin, Department of Financial Institutions, Task Force on Financial Competitiveness 2005, (Member, 2000)
- State of Wisconsin, Member Legislative Council Special Study Committee on the Regulation of Financial Institutions (1986-1987)
- Governor's Advisory Council on Judicial Selection of the State of Wisconsin for Ozaukee County, (2002)
- State Bar of Wisconsin (Director, Senior Lawyers Division, 2017-2019; Member, Emeritus Task Force, 2019; Chair, Board of Governors, 1999-2000; Member, Board of Governors, 1996-2000; Member, Executive Committee, 1998-2000; Member, Finance and Investment Committees 1997-1998; Director, 1984-1999, Chair, 1989-1990, International Practice Section)
- Center for the Study of Entrepreneurship, Marquette University (Member, Board of Visitors, 1987-1995)
- Alderman, City of Mequon, Wisconsin 4th & 7th Districts, (1979-1983); President, Common Council, (1980-1982); Chair (2008-present) and Member, Board of Ethics (1996-1998 and 2000-present); Chair, Blue Ribbon Visioning Committee, (1998-2000)
- Director, Cristo Rey Jesuit Milwaukee High School (2015-2018)
- Director, Weyenberg Public Library Foundation, Inc. (1983-present; President 1983-present)
- Director, Concours Motors, Inc. (1998-2018)
- Director, Partners Advancing Values in Education, Inc. now known as City Forward Collective, Inc. (1982-2018; Finance Committee 1987-2018; Governance Committee 1987-2018, Secretary 2014-2018)
- Director, Wisconsin Law Foundation (1998-2014; President 2007-2008; Executive and Finance Committees 1998-2014)
- Director, Wisconsin’s Equal Justice Fund, Inc., (1998-2008; President, 2006)
News & Insights
Education
- Marquette University (A.B.)
- Outstanding Senior, College of Liberal Arts
- University of Notre Dame Law School (J.D.)
- Managing Editor, Notre Dame Law Review
Bar Admissions
- Wisconsin
- Illinois
Court Admissions
- U.S. Tax Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit