Photo of attorney James A. Button

James A. Button

Jim joined the Firm in 2004. Throughout his career, Jim has practiced extensively in commercial, corporate and employment law, estate and succession planning, health law, information technology, intellectual property, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, real estate law, risk management and strategic relationships. He has provided substantial management and employee training and has spoken at numerous legal seminars and gatherings of business owners and executives.

Jim enjoys working with businesses at every level, serving almost every legal need a business may have. He strives to intimately understand his client's business, objectives and industry, work closely with the client to find practical solutions to business opportunities and challenges, and to help minimize legal risks and expenses. As former in-house counsel for both large and small companies, he knows first-hand what clients want and need from their law firm and how best to deliver excellent, value-driven legal services. His significant experience as both in-house and outside counsel, combined with strong business acumen and extensive legal, financial and practical skills, makes him a very effective advisor to individuals and business owners and their teams to help them achieve their objectives while maximizing value and effectively managing risk; while his competitive spirit and passion for success makes him an excellent advocate.

Jim can help you start a new business, including making sure appropriate corporate, shareholder and other agreements are put in place; grow a business through merger or acquisition; ensure your business has solid but fair customer, supplier and other contracts; deal with employee issues; address shareholder issues that may arise; help protect your business, brand and other intellectual property with trademark, copyright and other intellectual property protection; help manage risk through proactive measures; create succession and estate plans; and help resolve disputes.

Practice Areas

  • Business Law
  • Corporate Law
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Contracts
  • Employment Law
  • Dispute Resolution
  • Real Estate Law
  • Wills, Trusts, and Probate
  • Trademark, Trade Secret and Copyright protection

Education

  • Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington, Indiana
    • J.D. - 1986
    • Honors: magna cum laude
    • Honors: Order of the Coif
    • Honors: Inmate Legal Assistance Clinic, Member
    • Major: Emphasis in Commercial and Corporate Law Matters
  • Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana
    • B.A. - 1983
    • Honors: summa cum laude
    • Honors: Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics)
    • Major: Economics
    • Minor: Business
    • Minor: Political Science

Bar Admissions

  • New York, 1987
  • Wisconsin, 2000
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin, 2003

Representative Clients

  • Bank of America
  • Bodi Company
  • CL Verify, LLC
  • CU Cooperative Systems, Inc.
  • DP Bureau, LLC
  • Digital Currency Systems
  • eFunds Corporation
  • EMR Technology Ventures Pvt. Ltd.
  • EMR International Services, Inc.
  • Fidelity National Information Systems, Inc.
  • Herbst Oil, Inc.
  • iCertify LLC
  • iStream Financial Servies, Inc.
  • Smarte Cash International, Inc.
  • Taylor-Made Floors, Inc.
  • Thomas J. Ward Agency LLC

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Wisconsin Bar Association, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member
  • American Intellectual Property Law Association, Member

Past Positions

  • Istream Financial Services, Inc., General Counsel
  • eFunds Corporation, General Counsel
  • Bank of America (Works Inc.), Corporate Counsel
  • Citibank, N.A., Corporate Counsel
  • IBM Corporation , Corporate Counsel

Current Employment Positions

  • Attorney