Mark A. Klinner
715-203-4534 ext. 12
Mark is board-certified in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA), a division of the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification (NBLSC). He has been board-certified continuously since 1997. The NBLSC is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) to confer certification to qualified attorneys – a rigorous process that officially recognizes extensive education, training and courtroom experience. Certified trial lawyers undergo a thorough screening of their credentials, including documentation of trial experience, recommendations by judges and other attorneys, and successful completion of a written examination. For more information, go to http://www.nblsc.us/.
In addition, Mark has been selected multiple times for inclusion in Wisconsin Super Lawyers (2009, 2010, and 2011). To be designated as a Super Lawyer, a demanding multi-phase rating and selection process is used. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and verified professional achievement. Selections are made on an annual state-by-state basis and only five percent of the attorneys in Wisconsin are chosen as Super Lawyers. For more information, go to http://www.superlawyers.com.
Mark is a founding partner at Zalewski, Klinner & Kramer, where he primarily defends insurance companies and their policy holders in a variety of civil litigation, with an emphasis on negligence and tort-based claims. He regularly represents individuals, municipalities (counties, cities, villages and towns) and businesses. Mark also routinely handles selected plaintiff’s cases (primarily personal injury claims). During his legal career, Mark has successfully represented clients at the trial and appellate level throughout Wisconsin. In personal injury cases alone, he has taken nearly 50 cases to jury verdict in 17 different counties.
A native of central Wisconsin, Mark graduated from Medford Senior High School in 1978. He then earned his bachelor’s degree at UW – Eau Claire in 1982, followed by his Juris Doctor degree from UW – Madison Law School in 1985. Mark then returned to the Wausau area, where he has been in private practice for more than 25 years.
Areas of Practice
- Insurance Defense Litigation
- Municipal Liability Litigation
- Personal Injury Litigation
- General Civil Litigation
- Municipal Employment--Employer
- Defamation & Privacy-- Defense
- Property Damage-- Defense
- Slip and Fail--Defense
- Law Enforcement Agencies
- Complex Litigation
- Federal Appellate Practice
- Federal Trial Practice
- State Appellate Practice
- State Trial Practice
- Animal Bites -- Defense
- Assault & Battery -- Defense
Litigation Percentage
- 95% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Certified Legal Specialties
- Civil Trial Advocacy, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1997 - Present
Bar Admissions
- Wisconsin, 1985
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1985
- U.S. District Court Western District of Wisconsin, 1985
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1985
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1997
Education
- University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
- J.D. - 1985
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
- B.A. (Cum Laude) - 1982
- Honors: Kappa Tau Alpha Honor Society
- Major: Journalism
Published Works
- A Discussion of Wisconsin's New Completion Statute, Sec. 893.89, (Co-Author), Substantive Law Committee Report, CTCW News, 1994
Representative Cases
- Sukala v. Heritage Mut. Ins. Co., 275 Wis. 2d 469, 685 N.W.2d 809 (Ct. App. 2004)
- Grothe v. Valley Coatings Inc., 239 Wis. 2d 406, 620 N.W.2d 463 (Ct. App. 2000)
- Sukala v. Heritage Mut. Ins. Co., 240 Wis. 2d 65, 622 N.W.2d 457 (Ct. App. 2000)
- Matthiesen v. Continental Casualty Co., 193 Wis. 2d 192, 532 N.W.2d 729 (1995)
- Garceau v. Bunnell, 148 Wis. 2d 146, 434 N.W.2d 794 (Ct. App. 1988)
- Calvary Temple Assembly of God v. City of Marinette, No. 06-C-1148, 2008 WL 2837774 (E.D. Wis. 2008)
- Anderson v. Cincinnati Casualty Co., 298 Wis. 2d 550, 2006 WL 3512022 (Wisconsin Court of Appeals - Unpublished)
- Hammock v. Koderl, 222 Wis. 2d 220, 1998 WL 596401 (Wisconsin Court of Appeals - Unpublished)
- Armament Systems v. Federated Mut. Ins. Co., 218 Wis. 2d 831, 1998 WL 205805 (Wisconsin Court of Appeals - Unpublished)
- McKee v. Price County, 215 Wis. 2d 324, 1997 WL 713990 (Wisconsin Court of Appeals - Unpublished)
- Weaver v. Drew, 205 Wis. 2d 737, 1996 WL 588060 (Wisconsin Court of Appeals - Unpublished)
- Jensen v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co., 150 Wis. 2d 315, 1989 WL 65258 (Wisconsin Court of Appeals - Unpublished)
Classes/Seminars
- Opinion Testimony in Wisconsin: The Effect of Recent Changes to Wis. Stat. §907.01 and §907.02, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, Milwaukee Operations Center, 2011
- What Do Ministerial Duty, Discretionary Immunity and Sewer Backups Have In Common, League of Wisconsin Municipalities Mut. Ins., Service Provider Conference, 2007
- Preparing and Trying a Low-Velocity Impact Case, American Family Regional Legal Conference - Wisconsin North, 2005
- Trial Tips and Techniques, American Family Regional Legal Conference - Wisconsin North, 2003
- Admissibility of Expert Testimony in Low-Velocity Impact Cases, Wisconsin Academy of Trial Lawyers, Spring Conference, 2000
- Jury Selection: Some Objectives and Techniques, Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin, Fall Conference, 1998
- Defense Tactics for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Claims, Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin, Fall Conference, 1996
- Recent Developments in Recreational Immunity under Wis. Stat. Sec. 895.52, Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin, Fall Conference, 1994
- Protections and Pitfalls of Wis. Stat. Sec. 893.80, State Bar of Wisconsin, Young Lawyer's Division Seminar, 1994
- Liability Exposure of Insurance Intermediaries to Insureds, Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin, Fall Conference, 1993
Honors and Awards
- Selected for inclusion in Wisconsin Super Lawyers, 2009, 2010, 2011
Professional Associations and Memberships
- State Bar of Wisconsin, 1985 - Present
- Wisconsin Defense Counsel (formerly Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin), 1988 - Present
- Marathon County Bar Association, 1985 - Present
Past Employment Positions
- Zalewski, Klinner & Kramer, LLP, Trial Attorney, 2001 - Present
- Sandfort, Zalewski & Klinner, LLP, Trial Attorney, 1998 - 2000
- Terwilliger, Wakeen, Piehler & Conway, SC, Trial Attorney, 1988 - 1998
- Rogers & Bremer, Trial Attorney, 1985 - 1988
