Biography
Carlton is one of the founding partners of Burbach & Stansbury. He has decades of experience as a lawyer and mediator guiding clients through all aspects of divorce and complex property division.
He has been listed as one of the Best Lawyers in America for more than 15 years and named as one of the Top 10 Super Lawyers in Wisconsin and amongst Milwaukee’s Best Lawyers. In 2023, he was named #1 Lawyer in Wisconsin by Super Lawyers.
Throughout his career, Carlton has testified before the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Legislature regarding proposed legislation and changes to the judicial code. He is a member of the Uniform Law Commission. He has presented at the University of Wisconsin Law School and Marquette University Law School.
He has published many notable articles in the Wisconsin Journal of Family Law, American Journal of Family Law, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Wisconsin Chapter Newsletter, and other eminent publications.
Carlton is a fellow and past president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers, and a fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation. Over his career, Carlton has been a member and officer of the State Bar of Wisconsin Family Law Section, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Leander J. Foley Society of Family Lawyers, American Bar Association and Family Law Section, and Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc. He is also a member of the Milwaukee and Ozaukee County Bar Associations.
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Memberships & Leadership Positions
- Court Commissioner, Honorable Frederick C. Rosa, Milwaukee County , Circuit Court Judge
- Fellow, International Academy of Family Lawyers
- Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, President, Wisconsin Chapter (2009 to 2010)
- Fellow, Wisconsin Law Foundation
- State Bar of Wisconsin, Family Law Section, Editor-in-Chief, Wisconsin Journal of Family Law (2011-2016) Chair, Board of Directors (2008 to 2009) Member, Child Support Initiative Committee (1999 to 2002) Chairperson, Child Support Committee (1996 to 1997)
- Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Member, Board of Directors (2019 to present), President, Wisconsin Chapter (2015)
- American Bar Association, and Family Law Section (1992 to 2011), Co-Chair, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee (2009 to 2010), Member, Council (1998 to 2007), Chair, Finance Committee (2004 to 2008), Co-Chair, CLE Committee (2004 to 2005), Financial Officer (2003 to 2004), Chair, Publications Development Board (1998 to 2003), Chair, Social Security Committee (1994 to 1998), Member, Diversity Committee (2003 to 2005), Recipient – “Chair’s Cup” for “meritorious service exceeding what is expected of our leadership” 2005 and 2002
- Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc., Chair (2004), Co-Chair, Marketing Committee (2005 to 2006), Co-Chair, Southeastern Chapter (2002), Member and Lecturer, Training Committee (2001 to 2009)
- American Bar Association Advisor to the Uniform Law Commission Drafting Committee on the Uniform Collaborative Law Act (2006 to 2011)
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Drafting Committee for the Model Participation Agreement (2010)
- Milwaukee Bar Association, Family Law Section, Member, Bench/Bar Circuit Court Committee – Family Division (2003 to 2005)
- Leander J. Foley Society of Family Lawyers, Member, Past President (Society of Family Lawyers)
- Ozaukee County Bar Association, Member
Specialized Training
- Matrimonial Law Arbitration Training, sponsored by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
- 25 hours of mediation training through University of Wisconsin-Madison
- 25 hours of mediation training with Zena Zumeta
- More than 50 hours of training in Collaborative Practice, including beginning, intermediate, and advanced training
Recent Speeches Delivered
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“Highlights of the UCCJEA: Continuing Exclusion Jurisdiction Limits and Emergency Jurisdiction,” delivered to the 2023 Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners’ Association Fall Conference, Superior, Wisconsin, October 2023.
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Faculty Member, “Family Law Workshop for New Judges: Setting Maintenance & Child Support Orders,” 2023 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Madison, Wisconsin, July 2023.
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Panelist, “What I Wish I Would Have Known-Reflections on 20 Years of Collaborative Practice,” Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc., Webinar, May 18, 2023.
- Moderator, “Judge’s Panel,” Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 41st Annual Divorce Wisconsin Style Seminar, Milwaukee, Wisconsin March 2023.
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“Maintenance and TaxCalc,” delivered to the 2023 Family Law Seminar, Office of Judicial Education, Appleton, Wisconsin, March 2023.
- Faculty Member, “Maintenance Workshop,” 2022 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Madison, Wisconsin, July 2022.
- “The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act: A Focused Introduction,” Guest Lecturer, Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, April 2022.
- “Nondivisibility of Military Disability Pay: Are Remedies Federally Exempt?” presented to the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 40th Annual Divorce Wisconsin Style Seminar, Virtual, March 2022.
- Moderator, “Judge’s Panel,” Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 40th Annual Divorce Wisconsin Style Seminar, Virtual, March 2022.
- “Maintenance Modification: The When, the Why, and the How,” delivered to the 2022 Family Law Seminar, Office of Judicial Education, Brookfield, Wisconsin, March 2022.
- “Critical Maintenance Principles From Temporary to Modified Maintenance,” presented to the Milwaukee County Family Court Judges and Commissioner’s Annual Retreat, Milwaukee, February 2022.
- “Advanced Issues For Guardians Ad Litem,” presented to the Ozaukee County Family Court Commissioner’s Office Virtual Guardian ad Litem Training, November 2021.
- “Preserve the Business and Support the Family: Effective Use of Business Income for Support,” presented to the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Fall Divorce Wisconsin Style Seminar, virtual, November 2021.
- “Drafting the Many Options with Stock Options,” Advanced Skills and Techniques for Family Law Practice 2021, presented to the State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin and virtual, October 2021.
- Faculty Member, “Maintenance Workshop,” 2021 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Madison, Wisconsin, July 2021.
- Moderator, “Judge’s Panel,” Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 39th Annual Divorce Wisconsin Style Seminar, Virtual, April 2021.
- “Dividing Unvested Stock Options,” Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 39th Annual Divorce Wisconsin Style Seminar, Webinar, March 2021.
- Co-Speaker, “Maintenance: It’s More Than Just One Factor,” 2021 Family Law Seminar, Office of Judicial Education, Webinar, March 2021.
- Panelist, “Does Diversity Matter in Family Law?” Association of Family Conciliation Courts Webinar, March 2021.
- “Social Security and Divorce: Key Things to Know,” Advanced Skills & Techniques for Family Law Practice,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin, Virtual, December 2020.
- Panelist, “Parenting Time Paradigms Meet the Pandemic,” 14th Symposium on Child Custody, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Virtual, November 2020
- Panelist, “Parenting Time Paradigms Meet the Pandemic,” 14th Symposium on Child Custody, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Virtual, November 2020Faculty Member, “Maintenance Workshop,” 2020 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Madison, Wisconsin, July 2020.
- Moderator, “Judge’s Panel,” Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Annual Divorce Wisconsin Style Seminar, Milwaukee, 2017-2020.
- “Intensive Introduction to the UCCJEA,” Milwaukee County Family Court Judge’s Annual Retreat, Milwaukee, January 2020.
- “Relocation Cases: What to do When Real Life Clashes with the Law,” Marquette University Law School Volunteer Legal Clinic CLE Series, Milwaukee, November 2019.
- “Critical UCCJEA Problems: Getting the Answer Right the First Time,” Advanced Skills and Techniques for Family Law Practice,” State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison, October 2019.
- “Critical Maintenance Principles from Temporary to Modified Maintenance,” 2019 Family Court Commissioners Association Conference, La Crosse, Wisconsin, October 2019.
- Faculty Member, “Maintenance Workshop,” Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Madison, Wisconsin, 2007-2020.
- “Make the UCCJEA Simple,” delivered to the Kanawha County Family Law Bench-Bar Committee, Charleston, West Virginia, May 22, 2019.
- “Parenting Coordinator vs. Special Master/Referee vs. Family Court: Who Can Do What?”, delivered to the 2019 Joint Wisconsin Family Court Commissioner Association/Wisconsin Association of Judicial Court Commissioners Spring Conference, Port Washington, Wisconsin. May 2019.
- Panelist, “What I Wish I Would Have Known—Lessons Learned in Collaborative Practice,” delivered to the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc. Collaborative Academy Webinar Series, January 2019.
- “Deceptively Simple to Unnecessarily Complicated: Lessons From Real Life UCCJEA Cases,” delivered to the 2019 National CLE Conference, Snowmass, Colorado, January 2019.
- “How Estate Planning Professionals Can Add Value To a Divorce Process,” delivered to the Racine Kenosha Estate Planning Council, Kenosha, Wisconsin November 2018.
- “The UCCJEA: Judge in the Box—Basics and Beyond,” delivered to Wisconsin Judicare, Inc., Westin, Wisconsin, November 2018.
- “The UCCJEA Revisited: Digging Deeper Into the Details,” delivered to the Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Association Fall 2018 Conference, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, October 2018.
- “What Judges Are Taught About Maintenance: It’s More Than a Single Factor,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin 37th Annual Family Law Workshop, Door County, August 2018.
- “Federal Filibuster: Social Security, UCCJEA, UIFSA, Military, FVAWA, and ICWA,” presented to the 2018 Family Law Continuing Legal Education Conference, Washington State Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, Spokane, Washington, May 2018.
- “Between Shirking and Earning Capacity: An Analysis of Statutes and Case Law,” presented to the Wisconsin Supreme Court 2018 Family Law Seminar, Madison, February 2018.
- Panelist, “Family Law 101 (Part II): Post Judgment 101 for Family Law Attorneys,” presented to the Milwaukee Bar Association Section of Family Law Seminar, Milwaukee, November 2017.
- “The Nuts and Bolts of Keeping the Judge in the Box,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin 36th Annual Family Law Workshop, Door County, August 2017.
- “How to Maintain Neutrality,” delivered to the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc. and the Wisconsin Association of Mediators program entitled “New Mediation Drafting Rule Training,” Milwaukee, June 2017.
- “How Estate Planning Professionals Can Add Value In a Divorce Process,” Milwaukee Bar Association, Milwaukee March 2017.
- Co-Moderator, “Putting the Young Children and Overnights Issue to Bed,” presented by the AFCC Wisconsin Chapter, et. al., Milwaukee, March 2017.
- “Hearing Without Listening: A Child’s Voice in the Court System,” delivered to 2017 National CLE Conference, Snowmass, Colorado, January 2017.
- “Unique Children/Unique Plans: Revisiting Custody and Placement Issues for Special Needs Children and Divorce,” delivered to Wisconsin Supreme Court 2016 Family Law Seminar, April 2016.
- Co-Moderator, “People Hearing Without Listening: Understanding and Presenting a Child’s Voice in the Court System,” presented by Advanced Interdisciplinary Seminar Series, and the AFCC Wisconsin Chapter, Milwaukee, February 2016.
- Co-Moderator and Author, “Utilization of Mental Health, Counseling, and Medical Records in Family Law Cases: A View from the Bench, the Bar, and Healthcare Professionals,” presented by the Advanced Interdisciplinary Seminar Series, and the AFCC Wisconsin Chapter, Milwaukee, February 2015.
- Panelist, “Current Issues and Best Practices in Alternative Dispute Resolution,” Iowa State Bar Association 2014 Family Seminar, West Des Moines, Iowa, October 2014.
- “The UCCJEA: Judge in the Box—Basics and Beyond,” delivered to the Iowa State Bar Association 2014 Family Seminar, West Des Moines, Iowa, October 2014.
- “Social Security and Family Law,” delivered to the Oregon State Bar Association Family Law Annual Conference, Gleneden Beach, Oregon, October 2014.
- “Maximizing Support and Property Division When Public Benefits or Long Term Care May Be Needed; Can We Get the Government to Add Value to Our Cases?” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin 33rd Annual Family Law Workshop, Door County, August 2014.
- “Parental Alienation,” delivered to the Office of Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Stevens Point, Wisconsin, April 2014.
- Panelist Member, “Drafting, Interpreting, and Challenging Prenuptial Agreements,” delivered to the Society of Family Lawyers, Milwaukee, February 2014.
- “Advanced Issues on Subchapter S Income for Determining Support,” delivered to 2014 National CLE Conference, Vail, Colorado, January 2014.
Sample Publications
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Article: “Not Empty Promises: Wisconsin Supreme Court Upholds Divorce Agreement Integrity,” 38 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 73 (October 2021).
- Article: “Stimulate Your Value with Stimulus Language,” 38 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 62 (July 2021).
- Book: The Family Law Practitioner’s Guide to Social Security (ABA Family Law Section 1995, 2nd printing February 1996).
- Chapter: Supplement on Wisconsin Prenuptial Law, published in Drafting Prenuptial Agreements, Skoloff, Singer, Jr. and Brown (Wolters Kluwer 1994; sup. 2014-2021).
- Chapters: Creative Uses of Mental Health Professionals, and Prepare, Prepare, Prepare is Not Just for Trials, 101+ Practical Solutions for the Family Lawyer (3rd ed. ABA Family Law Section 2009).
- Chapter: Subchapter S Income for Support: Real or Illusionary?, 2008 Family Law Update (Aspen Publishers 2008).
- Chapter: Social Security Retirement and Disability Benefits: A Primer for the Family Law Lawyer, 2006 Family Law Update (Aspen Publishers 2006).
- Article: “On Reaching an Equitable Maintenance Result: The Case Against Rules of Thumb,” 36 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 65 (September 2019).
- Article: “Increasing the Likelihood of Enforcing a Prenup,” 33 American Journal of Family Law 221 (Spring 2019).
- Article: “The Maintenance Statute: Application of ‘Such Other Relevant Factors’,” 36 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 34 (2019).
- Article: “Less Talk-More Listening,” Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Wisconsin Chapter Newsletter, Summer 2016.
- Article: “Creative Use of ADR Techniques in Family Law Litigation,” 26 American Journal of Family Law 136 (2012).
- Article: “Creative Uses of Alternative Dispute Resolution Techniques in Family Law Litigation Produce Better Outcomes,” Unified Family Court Connection Summer 2012 (University of Baltimore School of Law Center for Families, Children and the Courts).
- Article: “Accessibility to a Parent’s Psychotherapy Records in Custody Disputes: How Can the Competing Interests Be Balanced?” 28 Behavioral Sciences & the Law 522 (2010).
- Article: “All Family Law Parties Need Access to Justice,” 29 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law (September 2009 and reprinted by the American Bar Association).
- Article: “As Family Law Changes, So Should the Judiciary,” 29 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law (June 2009 and reprinted by the American Bar Association).
- Article: “As Family Law Changes, So Should Family Lawyers,” 29 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law (March 2009).
- Article: “Family Lawyers – Valued Advisors or Dinosaurs?” 28 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law (October 2008).
- Article: “Family Law is Real Law, Even If a Judge Must Hold an In-Person Final Hearing,” 37 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 58 (July 2020).
Teaching
- Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, Washburn University School of Law, Fall 2009.
- Instructor, Lawyering Skills Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School, February 2006.
- Guest speaker, Marquette University Law School, 2004-2008.
Other Speeches Delivered
- “How Estate Planning Professionals Can Add Value During a Divorce Process,” Waukesha County Estate Planning Council, Waukesha, Wisconsin October 2016.
- Faculty Member, “Maintenance Workshop,” 2016 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Green Lake, Wisconsin, September 2016.
- “Interstate Custody Agreements: What You Need to Know About the UCCJEA to Make Them Stick,” delivered to the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, June 2016.
- “Case Update: Point/Counterpoint,” delivered to the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 34th Annual Divorce Wisconsin Style Seminar, Milwaukee, March 2016.
- “Unique Children/Unique Plans: Revisiting Custody and Placement Issues for Special Needs Children and Divorce,” delivered to the Milwaukee Bar Association, February 2016.
- “Unique Children/Unique Plans: Revisiting Custody and Placement Issues for Special Needs Children and Divorce,” delivered to 2016 National CLE Conference, Vail, Colorado, January 2016.
- “Planning for Same Sex Couples After Obergefell: Is There Anything Left to Talk About?”, delivered to the 36th Annual Estate Planning Update seminar, State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison, November 2015.
- “Initial and Modification Custody Jurisdiction: Judge in the Box is Alive and Well in Wisconsin,” and “Enforcement of Sister-State Custody Orders & Temporary Emergency Jurisdiction: You Can’t Be Serious!”, both delivered to the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Judicial Conference, Madison, November 2015.
- Faculty Member, “Maintenance Workshop,” 2015 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 2015.
- Co-Moderator and Author, “Utilization of Mental Health, Counseling, and Medical Records in Family Law Cases: A View from the Bench, the Bar, and Healthcare Professionals,” delivered to Wisconsin Supreme Court 2015 Family Law Seminar, June 2015.
- “Case Update: Point/Counterpoint,” delivered to the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 33rd Annual Divorce Wisconsin Style Seminar, Milwaukee, March 2015.
- Panelist, “New Limited Scope Rules Meet Collaborative Law,” delivered to the Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Appleton, Wisconsin, November 2014.
- “Everything You Wanted to Know About the UCCJEA,” delivered to the 2014 Family Court Commissioner Fall Conference, Pewaukee, Wisconsin, October 2014.
- Faculty Member, “Maintenance Workshop,” 2014 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, LaCrosse, Wisconsin, August 2014.
- “As I See It: Hot Topics in Child Support,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin Family Law Section Webinar series, Autumn 2014.
- “Maximizing Support and Property Division When Public Benefits or Long Term Care May Be Needed; Can We Get the Government to Add Value to Our Cases?” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin 33rd Annual Family Law Workshop, Door County, August 2014.
- “Parental Alienation,” delivered to the Office of Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Stevens Point, Wisconsin, April 2014.
- Panelist Member, “Drafting, Interpreting, and Challenging Prenuptial Agreements,” delivered to the Society of Family Lawyers, Milwaukee, February 2014.
- “Advanced Issues on Subchapter S Income for Determining Support,” delivered to 2014 National CLE Conference, Vail, Colorado, January 2014.
- Panelist Member, “Client Process Choices—How to Grow Your Collaborative Process,” 13th Annual Meeting of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc., Milwaukee, November 2013.
- “Handling Custody and Placement Disputes,” 2013 Legal Action of Wisconsin’s Volunteer Lawyers Project, Madison, Wisconsin, November 2013.
- Faculty Member, “Maintenance Workshop,” 2013 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Door County, Wisconsin, August 2013.
- Moderator, “Milwaukee County Family Court Judges and Commissioners—Live and in Concert,” sponsored by the Milwaukee Bar Association, Milwaukee, April 2013.
- “Case Law Update,” delivered to the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, February 2013 and the Office of Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Waukesha, Wisconsin, April 2013.
- “Minimizing the Impact of Compassion Fatigue: Is It Possible to Truly Live the Dream?” delivered to 2013 National CLE Conference, Snowmass, Colorado, January 2013.
- Panelist Member, “Guidelines, Ethics and Resources for the Guardian ad Litem,” delivered to the Ozaukee County Guardian ad Litem Training Session, Port Washington, Wisconsin, December 2012.
- Panelist Member, “The Placement Controversy for Infants and Small Children,” 12th Annual Meeting of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc., Milwaukee, November 2012.
- “Critical Data for Special Needs Children and Divorce,” delivered to the 10th Symposium on Child Custody Evaluations, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Phoenix, Arizona, November 2012.
- Faculty Member, “Maintenance Workshop,” 2012 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 2012.
- “The UCCJEA: Basics and Beyond,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin 31st Annual Family Law Workshop, Door County, August 2012.
- “Case Law and Legislative Update,” delivered to the Office of Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Green Bay, Wisconsin, April 2012.
- “Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act-Application to Real Facts,” delivered to the Office of Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Green Bay, Wisconsin, April 2012.
- Panelist Member, “Best Practice Techniques,” delivered to the American Bar Association Section of Family Law Fall CLE Conference, Las Vegas, October 2011.
- Panelist Member, “Post-Separation Parenting Arrangements: Patterns and Developmental Outcomes,” delivered to Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Association Fall 2012 Conference, Onalaska, Wisconsin, October 2011.
- Faculty Member, “Maintenance Workshop,” 2011 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Green Lake, Wisconsin, September 2011.
- “Advanced Maintenance Problems,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin 30th Annual Family Law Workshop, Door County, August 2011.
- “Using Mediation to Expand Your Practice,” delivered to the Southeast Chapter of the Collaborative Family Law Counsel of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, June 2011.
- “Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act – Application to Real Facts,” delivered to the Office of Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Green Bay, Wisconsin, April 2011
- “Case Law and Legislative Update,” delivered to the Office of Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, April 2011.
- “Primer and Update on Gifted and Inherited Property,” delivered to the Office of Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, April 2011.
- “Minimizing the Impact of Divorce on Special Needs Children: Importance of Maintaining Evidence-Based Treatment,” delivered to 2011 National CLE Conference, Vail, Colorado, January 2011.
- “Lessons Learned from Drafting the Uniform Collaborative Law Act,” presented to the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Washington, D.C., October 2010.
- Panelist, “Release of Mental Health Records,” presented to the State Bar of Wisconsin Continuing Legal Education seminar, Madison, Wisconsin, September 2010.
- Faculty Member, “Maintenance Workshop,” 2010 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, September 2010.
- “Collaborative Family Law: What Is It and Why the Judiciary Should Care, delivered to the Office of Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Racine, April 2010.
- “Discovery of Mental Health Records in Child Custody Cases,” delivered to the Office of Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Racine, April 2010.
- “Collaborative Negotiations and Money … When the Going Gets Tough,” delivered to the Southeast Chapter of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc., April 2010.
- “Can a Maintenance Payor Ever Retire?” delivered to the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 28th Annual Divorce Wisconsin Style, Milwaukee, March 2010.
- “Are We Reaching the Tipping Point? Arbitrating Custody Disputes,” delivered to the 2010 National CLE Conference, Vail, Colorado, January 2010.
- “The Uniform Collaborative Law Act,” panelist for the Hofstra Law Symposium Collaborative Law: Opportunities, Challenges and Questions for the Future, Hofstra University Law School, Hempstead, New York, November 2009.
- “Tough Times Force Change in Your Practice,” panelist for Wisconsin Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company 2009 Fall Showcase Seminar, Waukesha, Wisconsin, November 2009.
- “Limited Scope Representation in the Courtroom,” panelist for the 2009 Wisconsin Judicial Conference, Milwaukee, November 2009.
- “Collaborative Negotiations and Money … When the Going Gets Tough,” delivered to the Dane County Chapter of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc., October 2009.
- “Case Law Update and Legislative Update,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin 28th Annual Family Law Workshop, Door County, August 2009.
- “Hot Tips From the Experts: Five Techniques to Increase Your Business When Pro Se Cases Are on the Rise,” delivered to the American Bar Association Annual Convention, Chicago, July 2009.
- “The Uniform Collaborative Law Act—Where it Came From and Where It’s Going,” International Academy of Collaborative Professionals phone bridge, June & July 2009
- “Recent Case Update: Point/Counterpoint,” delivered to the Office of Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Stevens Point, April 2009.
- “Recent Case Update: Point/Counterpoint,” delivered to the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 27th Annual Divorce Wisconsin Style, Milwaukee, March 2009.
- “Creative Uses of Dispute Resolution Techniques in Family Law Litigation,” delivered to the 2009 National CLE Conference, Vail, Colorado, January 2009.
- “Discoverability of Mental Health Records in Child Custody Cases,” delivered to Legal Action of Wisconsin’s CLE for the Volunteer Lawyer Project, Pewaukee, Wisconsin, November 2008.
- “Update on the Progress of the Uniform Collaborative Law Act,” delivered to the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals 9th Annual Networking and Educational Forum, New Orleans, October 2008.
- “Collaborative Negotiations and Money … When the Going Gets Tough,” delivered to the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals 9th Annual Networking and Educational Forum, New Orleans, October 2008.
- “Determining Income of the Self-Employed,” delivered to the Wisconsin Family Court Commissioner’s Association and Wisconsin Child Support Enforcement Association Joint Fall Meeting, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, September 2008.
- Faculty Member, “Maintenance Workshop,” 2008 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, August 2008.
- “Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcing Placement Across State Lines: Demystifying the New UCCJEA,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin 27th Annual Workshop, Door County, Wisconsin, August 2008.
- “Child Support Symposium: Can Child Support Modification Be Eliminated or Restricted?” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin 2008 Annual Convention, Madison, May 2008.
- “Privacy, Confidentiality and Privilege of Health Care Records and Psychotherapy Notes,” delivered to the Joint Conference of the ABA Section of Family Law and the American Psychological Association 2008 Spring CLE Conference, Chicago, May 2008.
- “Child Support 101: Necessary Information for Guardian Ad Litems,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin Guardian Ad Litem Training Program, Madison, April 2008.
- “Determining Income for Owners of Pass Through Businesses,” Office of Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Green Bay, April 2008.
- “Hot Tip: Turning Subchapter S Income from Illusionary to Real,” delivered to the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 26th Annual Divorce Wisconsin Style, Milwaukee, March 2008.
- “Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcing Placement Across State Lines: Demystifying the New UCCJEA,” delivered to the Family Law Section of the Milwaukee Bar Association, Milwaukee, October 2007, and to the Ozaukee County Bar Association, Cedarburg, Wisconsin, November 2007.
- “I Worked for It, Nurtured It, Sweated for It: It’s Mine. Representing Small Business Owners in Divorce,” delivered to the American Bar Association Section of Family Law Fall CLE Conference, Memphis, October 2007.
- “Primer on Child Support and Trial Preparation,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin Building Your Practice Seminar, Madison, October 2007.
- “Social Security Retirement and Disability: How it Works and How it Impacts Your Cases,” delivered to the Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Association Fall 2007 Conference, Rice Lake, Wisconsin, September 2007.
- “Wisconsin’s Adoption of the UCCJEA: Significant Changes Commissioners Need to Know,” delivered to the Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners Association Fall 2007 Conference, Rice Lake, Wisconsin, September 2007.
- Faculty member, “Maintenance Workshop,” 2007 Wisconsin Judicial College, Wisconsin Supreme Court Office of Judicial Education, Appleton, Wisconsin, August 2007.
- “The Perils of Oral and Written Agreements: Property Related Challenges for Non-married Couples,” presented to the Society of Family Lawyers Biennial CLE Program, Milwaukee, May 2007.
- “Collaborative Practice—Beginning to Collaborate in the Interdisciplinary Model,” presented to the Collaborative Practice Institute of Michigan,” Grand Rapids, Michigan, May 2007.
- “Wisconsin’s Adoption of the UCCJEA: Significant Changes the Judiciary Needs to Know,” delivered to the Wisconsin Supreme Court Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Appleton, April 2007.
- “Beyond the Basics: Maintenance Issues in Difficult Cases,” delivered to the Wisconsin Supreme Court Judicial Education Family Law Seminar, Appleton, April 2007.
- “Wisconsin’s Adoption of the UCCJEA: Significant Changes the Judiciary Needs to Know,” delivered to the Wisconsin Family Court Commissioners’ Education Seminar, Milwaukee, February 2007.
- “Subchapter S Income for Support: Real or Illusionary?” delivered to the 2007 National CLE Conference, Snowmass, Colorado, January 2007.
- “Wisconsin’s Adoption of the UCCJEA: Significant Changes Family Lawyers Need to Know,” delivered to the Leander J. Foley, Jr. Matrimonial Chapter of the American Inns of Court, Milwaukee, November 2006.
- “Great Debates on Child Custody Evaluations From a Lawyer’s Perspective,” delivered to the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Seventh International Symposium on Child Custody Evaluations, Atlanta, Georgia, October 2006.
- “Seven Principles of Highly Effective Collaborative Professionals,” delivered to the Southeastern Chapter of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc., Milwaukee, September 2006.
- “Legal Consequences of the Proposed Constitutional Amendment,” delivered to the Milwaukee Chapter of the League of Woman Voters, Milwaukee, September 2006.
- “Hot Tips From the Experts: Creative Uses of Mental Health Professionals in Divorce,” delivered to the American Bar Association Annual Convention, Honolulu, Hawaii, August 2006.
- “Ethical Issues and Challenges in Multidisciplinary Practice,” delivered to New Mexico Collaborative Practice, Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 2006.
- “Ethical Issues and Challenges in Multidisciplinary Practice,” delivered to Collaborative Practice California and International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, Sonoma, California, March 2006.
- “Protecting and Collecting Attorney Fees,” delivered to the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 24th Annual Divorce Wisconsin Style, Milwaukee, March 2006.
- “Discoverability and Admissibility of Mental Health Records in Custody Disputes,” delivered to Law Education Institute National CLE Conference, Snowmass, Colorado, January 2006.
- “Laying the Foundation to Keep Collaborative Cases From Impasse,” Joint ADR Conference, Coming Together for Peace, Chicago, Illinois, December 2005.
- “Collaborative Law and Mediation: Is There a Fit?” Wisconsin Association of Mediators 14th Annual Conference on Emerging Issues in Mediation, Madison, Wisconsin, November 11, 2005.
- “Social Security and Family Law,” Iowa State Bar Association Annual Family Law Seminar, Des Moines, Iowa, October 2005.
- Moderator, “Domestic Unions—Taking a Look at the Challenges and a Preview of What is on the Horizon,” American Bar Association Section of Family Law 2005 Fall CLE Conference, San Diego, California, September 2005.
- “Latest Developments in Child Placement in Wisconsin,” sponsored by the National Business Institute, September 2005, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
- “Collaborative Family Law Building Blocks,” sponsored by the Wisconsin Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc., November, 2007, January, 2007, March 2006, November 2005, May 2005, November 2004, May 2004.
- “Breaking the Impasse in Collaborative Cases: Laying the Foundation Before Impasse Occurs,” delivered to the American Bar Association Section of Family Law 2005 Spring Committee and CLE Conference, Austin, Texas, April 2005.
- “Discoverability and Admissibility of Mental Health Records in Custody Disputes,” together with the Honorable Deborah Lehrmann, delivered to the American Bar Association Section of Family Law National Teleseminar, March 2005.
- “Lessons and Insights”, delivered to the Southeastern Chapter of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc., February 2005.
- “The Social Security Act and Its Role in Family Law,” delivered to the Law Education Institute National CLE Conference, Snowmass, Colorado, January 2005.
- “Discoverability and Admissibility of Mental Health Records in Custody Disputes,” together with the Honorable Deborah Lehrmann, delivered to the American Bar Association Section of Family Law 2004 Fall Committee and CLE Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 2004.
- “Re-Defining Advocacy-An Examination of the Practice of Collaborative Law and Contemporary Concepts of Lawyer,” panelist presentation at the American Bar Association Section of Family Law 2004 Fall Committee and CLE Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 2004.
- “Collaborative Family Law: Divorce is a Problem to Be Solved, Not a Battle to be Fought,” delivered to the Southern Wisconsin Chapter 15th Annual Conference on Employee Assistance, June 2004.
- “Collaborative Divorce: A Better Way to Integrate Legal, Emotional, Financial, and Familial Transitions,” delivered to the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin Annual Training, May 2004.
- “Working with Divorce Clients and Opposing Counsel,” delivered to Half Moon Seminar for Paralegals, Milwaukee, WI, May 2004.
- “Primer on Child Support and Post-Judgment Issues,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin, March 2004.
- “Social Security and its Role in Family Law,” delivered to the Legal Action of Wisconsin Annual Seminar, December 2003.
- “The Collaborative Team: Roles, Forms, Case Experience,” Member of panel, presented to the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Collaborative Family law Council of Wisconsin, Inc., November 2003.
- “Discovery of Mental Health Records in Custody Disputes,” together with the Honorable Deborah Lehrmann, delivered to the American Bar Association Section of Family Law Fall CLE Meeting, Seattle, Washington, October 2003.
- “Social Security Interface with Maintenance Establishment and Modification,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin 22nd Annual Family Law Workshop, August 2003.
- “Drafting and Funding College Education Provisions in Settlement Agreements,” delivered to the Law Education Institute National CLE Conference, Aspen, Colorado, January 2003.
- “Public Benefit Law: Social Security,” delivered to the Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc. Family Law Training Seminar, December 2002.
- “Primer on Child Support and Post-Judgment Issues,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin, February 2002.
- “Working with Divorce Clients and Opposing Counsel,” delivered to Half Moon Seminar for Paralegals, January 2002.
- “Discoverability and Admissibility of Mental Health Records in Custody Disputes,” delivered to Law Education Institute National CLE Conference, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, January 2002.
- “Jurisdiction Issues Involving the UCCJA, PKPA, & UIFSA,” panel presentation to Legal Action of Wisconsin Annual Seminar, November 2001.
- “Maintenance Modification Upon Retirement: Case Law Update and Analysis,” delivered to the Wisconsin Family Court Commissioner’s Education Conference, October 2001.
- “Maintenance Modification Upon Retirement: Case Law Update and Analysis,” delivered to the Milwaukee Bar Association, June 2001.
- “Hot Tips From the Experts: Update on Significant Family Law Cases,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin, May 2001.
- “Maintenance Modification: When Is It Time to Retire?” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin Advance Issues in Family Law Seminar, October 2000.
- “Hot Tips From the Experts: Preparing for Financial Mediation,” delivered to the American Bar Association Annual Convention, New York, July 2000.
- “Once is Not Enough: Dissolving a Second Marriage Between the Same Spouses,” delivered to the American Bar Association Family Law Section Spring CLE Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 2000.
- “Primer on Child Support and Post-Judgment Issues,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin Building Your Practice Seminar, February 2000.
- “Working with Divorce Clients and Opposing Counsel,” delivered Half Moon Seminar for Paralegals, January 2000.
- “Cutting Edge Issues in Shared Placement: Proposed Legislation and Policy Issues,” delivered to the Society of Family Lawyers Spring CLE Program, May 1999.
- “Child Support Trusts: Boon or Boondoggle?”, delivered to the American Bar Association Family Law Section Spring CLE Conference, Miami, Florida, April 1999.
- “What the Family Law Lawyer Needs to Know About and Current Trends on Social Security,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin 17th Annual Family Law Workshop, August 1998.
- “Hot Tips From the Experts: Internet Sites You Can Actually Use,” delivered to the American Bar Association Annual Convention, Toronto, Canada, August 1998.
- “A Nuts and Bolts Primer on Handling Family Law Appeals,” delivered to the Society of Family Lawyers Spring CLE Program, May 1998.
- “What the Judiciary Needs to Know About Social Security,” delivered to the Wisconsin Regional Judicial Education Conference, Spring, 1998.
- “Practice Pointers: Case Law Update,” delivered to the Wisconsin State Bar Summer Convention, June 1997.
- “Advanced Maintenance Litigation: Finding Hidden Income,” delivered to the Society of Family Lawyers, May 1997.
- “Social Security Traps for the Attorney,” delivered to the Milwaukee Bar Association Family Law Section, May 1997.
- “Posthumous Paternity and the Impact on Social Security,” delivered to the American Bar Association Family Law Section Fall CLE Conference, Washington, D.C., 1996.
- “Gender Bias in Third Party Custody Litigation,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin 15th Annual Family Law Workshop, August 1996.
- “Tukker M.O.: Perspectives From the Attorneys,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin CLE program entitled “Maintenance and Child Support in Wisconsin,” May 17 & 23, 1996.
- “Tukker M.O.: How Will It Affect Child Support Litigation?” delivered to the Society of Family Lawyers, March 19, 1996, and to the Milwaukee Bar Association, March 25, 1996.
- “Social Security Benefits and Family Law,” delivered to the American Bar Association Family Law Section Spring Meeting, Washington, D.C., 1995.
- “The Social Security Act and Its Role in Family Law,” delivered to the Law Education Institute National CLE Conference, Vail, Colorado, 1995.
- “What You Really Need to Know About QMCSOS,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin Midwinter Convention, 1995.
- “Social Security Benefits and Family Law: What Family Lawyers Must Know,” delivered to a national telephone seminar sponsored by the American Bar Association Family Law Section, 1995.
- “Alimony Issues for the 90’s: Social Security and Alimony,” delivered to the American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, 1995.
- “The Aging Family,” delivered to the American Bar Association Family Law Section Fall Meeting and to a national telephone seminar, 1995.
- “What Every Lawyer Must Know About Social Security,” delivered to the State Bar of Wisconsin, 1995.
- “The Aging Family: Social Security Benefits,” and “What Every Lawyer Must Know About QMCSOS,” both delivered to the State Bar of South Dakota, 1995.
- “The Social Security Act and Its Role in Family Law,” delivered to the American Bar Association Family Law Section Spring CLE Conference, Charleston, South Carolina, 1994.
- “Kiddie QDROS,” delivered to the Society of Family Lawyers, 1994.
- “QMCSOs-New Rights, New Obligations,” delivered to Professional Education System Institute Fall Wrap-up, 1994.
Other Publications
- Chapter: Preparing Your Client for Mediation, 101+Practical Solutions for the Family Lawyer (2nd ed. ABA Family Law Section 2003).
- Chapter: Balancing the Competing Interests When Piercing the Privilege: Discovery of Mental Health Records in Custody Disputes, 2003 Family Law Update (Aspen Publishers 2003).
- Chapter: Deviating from the Percentage Guidelines in High Income Cases: Formulating Persuasive Arguments, 1997 Wiley Family Law Update (Wiley & Sons 1997).
- Chapter: Creative Techniques for Breaking the Impasse, Settlement Tips and Techniques for the Family Lawyer (ABA Family Law Section 1997).
- Chapter: Qualified Medical Child Support Orders, System Book for Family Law (State Bar of Wisconsin).
- Chapter: Social Security Benefits: A Primer for the Family Lawyer, 1996 Wiley Family Law Update (Wiley & Sons 1996).
- Article: “Is the Haugen Decision Functionally Obsolete?”, 22 Wisconsin Law Journal (February 2008).
- Article: “Law School’s Behind Me—Now What?” 30 Family Advocate 8 (Fall 2007).
- Article: “Wisconsin’s Adoption of the UCCJEA Significantly Alters and Clarifies Child Custody Jurisdiction,” 26 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 93 (Fall 2006).
- Article: “Discovery of Mental Health Records in Custody Disputes,” The Family Law Review, published by the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia (May 2005).
- Article: “Practicing the Five Ps,” 1 Perspectives (Spring 2005) (published by the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin).
- Article: “Proactive Advise for Starting Your Own Law Firm,” 27 Family Advocate 4 (Spring 2005).
- Article: “Drafting Enforceable College Education Provisions in Settlement Agreements,” 24 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 111 (2004).
- Article: “A National Blanket of Health Care Coverage: Making QMCSOs and COBRA Work,” 18 GPSOLO 14 (September 2001).
- Article: “Update on Significant Family Law Cases,” Wisconsin Legal Opinions (May 2001).
- Article: “Federal Insurance Provisions You Must Understand: COBRA, QMCSO, and Social Security,” 23 Family Advocate 18 (Spring 2001).
- Article: “When is Enough Enough? Maintenance Modification Due to Retirement,” 21 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 7 (2001).
- Article: “The Pendulum Swings Again: Credit for Child Support Arrears Now Allowed in Limited Scenarios,” 19 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 40 (1999).
- Article: “Map Out Your Relocation Case on the Web” 20 Family Advocate 43 (1998).
- Article: “The Internet: An Efficient and Cost Effective Tool for Successfully Litigating the Custody Relocation Case,” 17 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 73 (1997).
- Article: “Deviating from the Percentages Guidelines in High Income Cases: Formulating Persuasive Arguments,” 10 American Journal of Family Law 135 (1996).
- Article: “Deviating from Child Support Percentages in High Income Cases,” 16 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 83 (1996).
- Article: “Which Came First: An Examination of the Serial Family Payor Provision”, 68 Wisconsin Lawyer 18 (1995).
- Article: “Kiddie QDROs’ Now Available to Insure Medical Benefits for Children,” 14 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 21 (1994).
- Article: “New Federal Laws to Ensure Medical Benefits for Children,” 6 New York Domestic Relations Reporter 141 (Matthew Bender 1994).
- Article: “Deadly and Dangerous Weapons and AIDS: The Moore Analysis is Likely to be Dangerous,” 74 Iowa Law Review 951 (1989).
- Book Review: “The Military Divorce Handbook,” 27 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 55 (2007).
- Book Review: “Pension Distribution Answer Book,” 16 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 37 (1996).
- Book Review: “When your Ex Won’t Pay,” 15 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 53 (1995).
Testimony & Newspaper Interviews
- Testified before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in support of Amendment to Judicial Code 60.04, February 2014.
- Testified in support of 2005 Assembly Bill 311 (Wisconsin) (amendments to placement provisions of Ch. 767), December 2005.
- Testified in Support of 1999 Assembly Bill 133 (Wisconsin) (amendments to custody and placement provisions of Ch. 767), September 1999.
- Article: “Splitting Up: Unmarried Couples Increasingly Likely to Duke It Out in Court,” Wisconsin Law Journal (March 2011).
- Article: “After Years of Work, Collaborative Law May Finally Get Uniform Standards,” Wisconsin Law Journal (July 2010).
- Consulted and named as expert witness regarding Social Security issues.
- A list of appellate decisions in which Carlton D. Stansbury was involved in briefing and/or oral argument is available upon request.
Practice Areas
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America
- Listed one of Milwaukee’s Best Lawyers in Milwaukee Magazine
- Named as one of Wisconsin’s Top 10 Super Lawyers
- Selected for Lifetime Achievement in America’s Top 100 Attorneys
- AV-Preeminent Rating in Martindale-Hubbell Directory
- AV-Preeminent Rating in Martindale-Hubbell Directory Judicial Edition
Education
- University of Iowa College of Law, with distinction
- University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, cum laude
- Clerkship – Honorable Daniel P. Anderson, Wisconsin Court of Appeals
Honors
- Ranked as #1 Lawyer in Wisconsin – 2023
- Listed in Best Lawyers in America
- Listed one of Milwaukee’s Best Lawyers in Milwaukee Magazine
- Named as one of Wisconsin’s Top 10 Super Lawyers
- Selected for Lifetime Achievement in America’s Top 100 Attorneys
- AV-Preeminent Rating in Martindale-Hubbell Directory