Marsha Mansfield

Madison Family Law Attorney

Madison Mediation Attorney

Marsha Mansfield

Madison Family Law Attorney

Madison Mediation Attorney

One of the biggest challenges in our justice system today involves those embroiled in family law disputes. The court system is not well designed for addressing the needs of those experiencing such emotional and economic upheaval in their lives. That is why I have dedicated most of my career to making the justice system more accessible, particularly for those involved in family law cases.
One of the biggest challenges in our justice system today involves those embroiled in family law disputes. The court system is not well designed for addressing the needs of those experiencing such emotional and economic upheaval in their lives.

Attorney Marsha Mansfield

Overview

In one form or another, Marsha Mansfield has championed equal access to justice throughout her legal career. Over 18 years of private practice, she built a reputation representing consumers and family court litigants. Marsha was the Director of the U.W. Law School’s Economic Justice Institute from 2007-2019, and supervised students in the Family Court Clinic, one of the civil legal clinical programs housed in EJI.  Since her retirement from the Law School, she has served as the Director of LIFT Dane, a tech-driven initiative to help Dane County residents clear civil legal barriers to better employment and economic stability.

Marsha joined Hawks Quindel in 2015 in an “of counsel” capacity, after a long career as a family lawyer and clinical professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Marsha works closely with other attorneys to expand Hawks Quindel’s family law practice, bringing to the firm her many years of experience in all aspects of family law. She co-counsels cases with other family lawyers, and provides assistance in all aspects of family law representation. She also mediates family law cases for both represented and unrepresented litigants. 

Marsha enjoys running, biking, and cooking – her favorite form of procrastination.

Experience

Marsha practiced law with Lawton & Cates, S.C. in Madison, for over 18 years, primarily in the areas of civil litigation and family law. She advocated for a variety of plaintiffs, from farmers whose cattle had been affected by stray voltage, to injured employees and their families. She has represented clients in family law matters, including serving as a Guardian ad Litem for children in divorces. She was on the clinical faculty of the University of Wisconsin Law School for over 15 years, and is now a Distinguished Clinical Professor Emerita.   

Marsha also taught Professional Responsibilities at the Law School, and served for three terms on the District 9 Committee of the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation. Marsha was a member of the statewide Access to Justice Commission, and served on its executive board. She has been active in the State Bar of Wisconsin as a member of the Legal Assistance Committee and Board of Governors, including its Executive Committee, as well as with the Dane County Bar Association, where she has chaired the Delivery of Legal Services Committee and served as Dane County Bar President. She served as a board member of both the Domestic Abuse Intervention Service, and UNIDOS Against Domestic Violence, and currently serves on the board of the Violence Against Women Advisory Committee. She has spoken at State Bar CLE seminars related to ethics and family law, and trained attorneys for Legal Action’s Volunteer Lawyer’s Project.

Marsha helped create the U.W. Law School’s Pro Bono Project, and was a member of its steering committee. She is co-author of law review and State Bar articles on a variety of topics related to family law and access to justice.

Attorney Marsha Mansfield

Practice Areas

Education

Law School

J.D.
University of Wisconsin Law School

Undergraduate

B.A. Elementary Education
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Awards

Wisconsin Equal Justice B. Eisenberg Lifetime Achievement Award (2018)

Wisconsin Law Journal, Leader in the Law, 2017

University of Wisconsin Law School, Clinical Teacher of the Year Award, 2010

Legal Association of Women, Margo Melli Award, 2009

State Bar of Wisconsin, Gordon Sinykin Award of Excellence, 2006

Madison Magazine, Madison’s Best Lawyers, 2005

Wisconsin Law Journal, Women in the Law, 2005

10.0Larry Johnson

Family & Divorce

Labor Law

Social Security

Employee Benefits

Wage & Hour

Worker's Compensation

Disability Benefits

Duty Disability