Legal Leader Michelle Behnke to Join Boardman Clark this August

Boardman Clark is proud to announce that attorney Michelle Behnke, who was recently named by the American Bar Association (ABA) Nominating Committee to become the 2025-2026 president of the ABA, will join the firm this August.

“Michelle is an exceptional addition to our team,” said attorney Jennifer Mirus, chair of Boardman Clark’s Executive Committee. “She is an accomplished attorney, renowned for her skilled leadership in raising the bar for the legal profession and a dedicated advocate in our community. We couldn't be more pleased to welcome her to Boardman Clark.”

Michelle has been practicing law for 35 years and has spent the past 26 of those managing her own firm, where she assists her clients with a variety of legal matters, including cross-border acquisition, real estate refinancing with insurance companies, and annexation of property into city limits. Additionally, she has held leadership positions with several community organizations and industry associations. Michelle serves on multiple boards, including Capitol Bank, the University of Wisconsin Foundation, and the University of Wisconsin Law School Board of Visitors. She is also an active member of the Dane County Bar Association, the Wisconsin Association of African American Lawyers, and the State Bar of Wisconsin—where she formerly served as president and treasurer.

In February, the Nominating Committee of the ABA named Michelle to become the 2025-2026 president. An association of over 400,000 legal professionals, the ABA is the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world. The ABA serves as the legal profession’s national representative and supports the public and the legal community by promoting justice, professional excellence, and respect for the rule of law. Pending a formal vote by the ABA House of Delegates, Michelle will begin a one-year term as president-elect in August 2024 before taking office as president in August 2025.

“I am excited to serve the legal profession and our communities across the country and around the world,” Michelle said. “This service is important, but I also want to ensure my clients have quality legal representation. I’m very glad to join Boardman Clark, a firm I know shares my commitment to serving the legal profession and is superbly equipped to help support the needs of my clients.”

Boardman Clark is one of Madison’s largest and longest-standing law firms. The firm serves individuals, businesses, school districts, and local governments. Its areas of service include litigation, franchise and dealership law, business law, taxation, estate planning and probate, intellectual property, family law, municipal law, banking, labor and employment, land use, elder services, real estate, and school law.