Beth Bennett
Bennett, who has led the Wisconsin Newspaper Association since 2010, previously served as director of government relations for the Illinois Press Association.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from St. Joseph’s College in Indiana and a master’s degree in political studies from the University of Illinois.
Prior to representing the newspaper industry she served as the Legislative Liaison for the Illinois General Assembly Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR).
Bennett grew up in the newspaper industry; her family owned and operated four newspapers in central Illinois.
Kate Roberts Edenborg
Kate Roberts Edenborg is a professor and the program director for the professional communication and emerging media degree at University of Wisconsin-Stout. She teaches journalism and media courses and also mentors students. Edenborg pursues grants that allow her pay students to intern for non-profit community news outlets and collaborates with community members. She also was previously the faculty advisor for the campus news source, the Stoutonia.
Before she came to UW-Stout, Edenborg worked as the patient education communication specialist for Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul, Minnesota. She also worked as an editor and reporter for a variety of publications, including the two metropolitan newspapers (Minnestota Tribune and St. Paul Pioneer Press) in the Twin Cities. Edenborg was also the assistant news editor for the Wausau (Wis.) Daily Herald.
Her academic research focuses on journalism history with particular emphasis on how people, ideas, and concepts have been represented by images, text, and other symbols in mass media throughout American history. She is also very interested in health communication.
Max Lenz
Max is an associate in the Litigation practice at the firm’s Madison office. Max assists clients in all phases of litigation, including appeals. Max has appeared in trial courts at the state and federal levels and has represented clients before the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
Max assists clients seeking to acquire utility easements through Eminent Domain. Max represents clients at all stages of the Wisconsin condemnation process—from the county condemnation commission to circuit court to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. Max has significant experience with both just compensation and right-to-take actions.
Max is a member of the Litigation team’s Media & First Amendment practice. Max has defended media clients in defamation actions, protected reporters from illegal subpoenas, and fought government attempts to withhold public records. Max has also served as amicus counsel in First Amendment and media law appeals to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and Wisconsin Supreme Court. Max staffs a media law hotline for journalists, editors, publishers and broadcasters to call with legal questions.
In addition to Eminent Domain and media law work, Max’s practice includes insurance and commercial litigation and solar energy generation development. When not working, Max serves on multiple non-profit boards, including the advisory board for the Daily Cardinal, the University of Wisconsin’s oldest student newspaper. Max enjoys reading, the outdoors, and spending time with his wife and kids and dog, George.
Brian Spahn
Brian Spahn is an experienced litigator who focuses on complex commercial litigation, media law, and government/internal investigations. He helps businesses and organizations resolve disputes, often leading investigations that are necessary to gather facts and address issues before efficiently reaching a resolution.
Brian has assisted clients through both complex litigation, internal investigations as well as government enforcement actions. In addition, Brian defends media companies and individual journalists in lawsuits alleging defamation and invasion of privacy. He also advises media clients in pre-publication reviews as well as open meetings and public records issues.
Brian’s work includes successfully defending against a multimillion-dollar trade secret misappropriation case, a breach of contract claim brought against members of a failed investment vehicle, fraudulent transfer claims related to loans allegedly involved in a Ponzi scheme, as well as successfully defending against many defamation claims brought against both state and national media outlets.
Additionally, a significant part of Brian’s practice focuses on government investigations and corporate compliance issues. He routinely advises clients with respect to compliance policies including anti-bribery and corruption policies, supplier codes of conduct, and protocols for addressing and responding to government subpoenas and civil investigative demands.
Brian has been involved in numerous internal investigations working for municipalities, nonprofit organizations and corporate boards of directors and audit committees on issues ranging from employment matters to securities and corporate governance issues.
Before joining the firm in 2011, Brian practiced law for more than three years in Washington, D.C. He is licensed in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Washington, D.C. He also has a significant background working in Wisconsin government and politics. Prior to law school, Brian worked for U.S. Senator Herb Kohl.