Lawyers Who Put You First
Biography
John has been assisting insurance companies and their policyholders since 1988. He focuses on representing insurers in coverage matters and defending companies and their insureds in third-party negligence claims. With over 30 years of insurance coverage and insurance defense experience, John's practice includes trials, appeals, mediations and arbitrations, assistance with and consultation on insurance claims, drafting coverage opinions and reservation of rights/disclaimer letters, examinations under oath, and consulting or co-counseling with other attorneys in insurance matters.
After obtaining his Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School in 1988, John was a trial attorney with Grzeca & Stanton, S.C., an insurance defense firm in Green Bay. In 1993 he joined American Family Insurance in Wausau as an in-house trial attorney. While at American Family, John tried cases on behalf of the company and its insureds, supervised outside counsel, and consulted with and advised insurance claims representatives in a variety of coverage matters. John returned to private practice with Zalewski, Klinner & Kramer, LLP, now Klinner Kramer Shull LLP.
Education
- Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- J.D. - 1988
- Adrian College, Adrian, Michigan
- B.A. - 1985
- Major: Political Science
Past Positions
- Grzeca & Stanton, S.C., Trial Attorney, 1988 to 1993
- American Family Insurance Co., Senior Claim Attorney, 1993 to 2000
- Zalewski, Klinner & Kramer, LLP, Senior Partner, 2001 to 2014
Published Works
- Not Just Another "Dog Bite" Case: The Impact of Public Policy Concerns on the Defense of Dog Bite Cases, Wisconsin Civil Trial Journal, Fall, 2004
Fraternities or Sororities
- Phi Kappa Sigma
- Delta Theta Phi
- Phi Alpha Theta
Professional Associations
- State Bar of Wisconsin, 1988 to Present
- Defense Research Institute, 1995 to Present
- Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, 2012 to Present
- Wisconsin Defense Counsel (formerly Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin), 1988 to Present
- Marathon County Bar Association, 1993 to Present
Current Employment Position
- Partner
Practice Areas
- Insurance Coverage
- Insurance Defense Litigation
- Auto Liability Insurance
- UM/UIM Coverage
- Home Owners Insurance
- Commercial General Liability (CGL) Insurance
- Other Property & Casualty Insurance
Bar Admissions
- Wisconsin, 1988
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1988
- U.S. District Court Western District of Wisconsin, 1988
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1991
Honors
- Selected for inclusion in Wisconsin Super Lawyers Magazine for Insurance Coverage, 2008
- Selected for inclusion in Wisconsin Super Lawyers Magazine for Insurance Coverage, 2019 - 2020
Representative Cases
- Uneeda Rest, LLC v. Hexum, 2020 WI App 55, 948 N.W.2d 499 (Unpublished)
- Security Health Plan of Wisconsin, Inc. V. American Standard Ins.Co. Of Wisconsin, 2018 WI App 68, 384 Wis. 2d 545, 920 N.W. 2d 340
- Drexler v. Mcmillan Warner Mut.Ins.Co., 2017 WI App 21, 374 Wis.2d 436, 896 N.W. 2d 390 (Unpublished)
- Hammerlund v. The Auto Club Group, 2017 Wl 3142113 U.S. District Court, W.D. Wisconsin
- Pierce v. Mid. Century Ins.Co., 2016 Wi App 171, 372 Wis.2d 171, 887 N.W.2d 115
- Pettis v. Price, 2015 WI App 68, 364 Wis. 2d 759, 869 N.W. 2d 170
- Town of Lafayette v. Balsiger, 2011 WI App 75, 334 Wis.2d 146, 799 N.W.2d 928 (Table) (Wisconsin Court of Appeals -- Unpublished)
- Welin v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co., 2006 WI 81, 292 Wis. 2d 73, 717 N.W. 2d 690
- Mueller v. McMillan Warner Ins. Co., 2005 WI App 210, 287 Wis. 2d 154, 704 N.W. 2d 613
- Fandrey v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co., 2004 WI 62, 272 Wis. 2d 46, 680 N.W. 2d 345
- Mullen v. Walczak, 2003 WI 75, 262 Wis.2d 708, 664 NW.2d 76
- Mullen v. Walczak, 2002 WI App 254, 257 Wis. 2d 928, 653 N.W. 2d 529
- Griebler v. Doughboy Recreational, Inc., 160 Wis. 2d 547, 466 N.W. 2d 897, 1991
- Gilbert v. American Family, 199 Wis. 2d 125, 545 N.W. 2d 521 (Table), Wisconsin Court of Appeals -- Unpublished 1995
- Drew v. Gunderson,, 189 Wis. 2d 491, 527 N.W.2d 399 (Table), Wisconsin Court of Appeals -- Unpublished 1994
- Griebler v. Doughboy Recreational, Inc., 152 Wis. 2d 622, 449 N.W. 2d 61, 1989, Ct. App.
- Owen v. Wangerin, 985 F. 2d 312, 1993, 7th Cir.