Robert J. Dvorak
Attorney
Phone: (414) 271-3400
Fax: (414) 271-3841
E-mail: rjd@hallingcayo.com
Areas of Practice:
Bar Admissions:
- Wisconsin, 1979
- Minnesota, 1982-2016
- U.S. District Court Western District of Wisconsin, 1978
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1978
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1987
- U.S. Federal Courts, 1979
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1994
Robert J. Dvorak graduated from St. John’s University in Collegeville Minnesota with a Bachelor of Arts (honors program) in 1973 and from Marquette University Law School in 1978. He is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin (Member: Sections on, Criminal Law; Appellate Practice; Individual Rights), The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, The Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin. He is on the emeritus panel of Federal Defender Services for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He recently defended the first person charged with a capital indictment in the State of Wisconsin in over 150 years. His client avoided both death and a life sentence. In July 2015, President Obama granted his client’s clemency position. You can also see Bob at work in episode 10 of Netflix’s Making a Murderer. He is a part of Brendan Dassey’s post conviction defense team.
Bob is admitted to practice in Wisconsin, as well as the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin , the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit; and the U.S. Supreme Court. Bob’s practice is concentrated primarily in criminal law in state and federal courts (both trial and appeals).
Past Employment Positions:
- Dvorak & Fincke, S.C., 1987 – 1996
- Private Practice, 1983 – 1987
- Public Defenders Office, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Public Defender, 1978 – 1983
Education:
- Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1978
Juris Doctor - St John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1973
Bachelor of Arts
Honors: Member of Honors Program
Major: English - National Criminal Defense College, Macon, Georgia, 1979
Honors and Awards:
- AV Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- Listed in Best Criminal Defense Lawyers, Milwaukee Magazine, February 1995 to present
- SuperLawyers, 2005 through 2016
Representative Cases:
- State v. Cloud, 393 N.W.2d 123 (Wis.App. 1986)
- State v. Hanson, 439 N.W.2d 133 (Wis. 1989)
- State v. Mayhall, 535 N.W.2d 473 (Wis.App. 1995)
- U.S. v. Goines, 988 F.2d 750 (C.A.7 (Wis.) 1993)
- U.S. v. Espino, 32 F.3d 253 (C.A.7 (Wis.) 1994)
- Johnny B. Griffin v. State of Wisconsin
- U.S. v. Brisk, 171 F. 3d514 (7th Cir. 1999)
- U.S. v. Conant, 116 F. Supp. 2d 1015 (E.D. WI 2000)
- U.S. v. Hondras, 176 F. Supp. 2d 855 (E.D. WI 2001)
- U.S. v. Hondras, 296 F. 3d 601 (7th Cir 2002)
- Hubanks v. Frank, 392 F. 3d 926 (7th Cir. 2004)
Classes/Seminars Taught:
- Defending a Criminal Case in Federal Court, United States District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1991
- Defending a Federal Drug Case, United States District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1992
- Real Evidence for the Trial Practitioner in Wisconsin 2003 and 2007, Lorman
- Forensic DNA for Lawyers, 2000 and 2001, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee
- Appeal Waivers 2000, Federal Defender’s Service of E.D.WI
- Criminal History under the U.S.S.G., Federal Defender’s Service of E.D.WI, 2001 – Present
- Criminal Law Section – Ethics, State Bar of Wisconsin, 1997 – Present
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1978 – Present, Member
- American Civil Liberties Union, 1978 – Present, Member
- Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 1987 – Present, Member
- Amnesty International, 1991 – 1994, Freedom Writer
- Milwaukee Bar Association, 1995 – Present
- Chair, Section of Criminal Law
- State Bar of Wisconsin, Criminal Law Section, Member
- State Bar of Wisconsin, Appellate Practice Section, Member
- State Bar of Wisconsin, Individual Rights Section, Member