Fired in Milwaukee? Wisconsin's at-will rule has more exceptions than employers like to admit.
Top 10 Wrongful Termination Lawyers in Milwaukee
Wisconsin's Fair Employment Act protects more categories than federal law alone — arrest and conviction record, use of lawful products off-duty, military service, and more. The deadline to file is 300 days. The firms below have built their practices on exactly these cases.
Updated February 26, 202613 min readEditorially independent
These 10 Milwaukee-area employee-side employment firms are the most often cited by Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, Avvo, and the Wisconsin State Bar. Each firm handles wrongful termination across the full range of federal (Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA) and Wisconsin (WFEA) statutes. We did not accept payment for placement and we do not write sponsored reviews.
How we picked these 10: We reviewed verifiable peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Chambers and Partners, Avvo), bar association recognition, state bar standing, published verdicts and settlements, client review patterns, and board certifications where applicable. Firms that appeared consistently across independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
1
Cross Law Firm, S.C.
Milwaukee, WIFounded 1980Boutique
Practice focus: Employee-side employment, wrongful termination, retaliation
Located at 845 North 11th Street in the Lawyers' Building. Founder Nola Hitchcock Cross has 40+ years representing Wisconsin workers; the firm handles wrongful termination, FMLA, discrimination, harassment, wage & hour, and workers' comp retaliation cases for clients from CEOs to factory workers.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: Four decades of Wisconsin plaintiff-side practice. They know every WFEA argument because they helped develop them.
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, sexual harassment, employment discrimination
Milwaukee-metro employment-rights firm in New Berlin. 30+ years of focus on wrongful termination and discrimination; Super Lawyers recognized and known for FMLA and ADA cases.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: FMLA-retaliation depth — a common termination fact pattern where the timing alone often wins the case.
Practice focus: Employment, union labor, wrongful termination, FMLA
Milwaukee office at 222 East Erie Street. U.S. News "Best Law Firm" honoree for employment law. One of Wisconsin's oldest plaintiff-side labor and employment shops, with offices in Milwaukee, Madison, Appleton, and Waukesha.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: The bench depth other Milwaukee employment plaintiff firms lack. Useful when the case has union, FMLA, and discrimination angles all running together.
Practice focus: Wrongful termination, discrimination, severance
National employee-side firm with a Milwaukee office. Handles wrongful-termination and severance-negotiation matters across Wisconsin, with multi-state firm resources for cases that span jurisdictions.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: Strong fit for remote workers and multi-state employees where the right venue and choice-of-law question is part of the case.
Practice focus: Employment, wrongful termination, harassment
Full-service Milwaukee employment law boutique providing strategic advice to employees facing harassment, wrongful termination, and other workplace issues. Emphasizes early documentation and well-drafted internal complaints.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hourly
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: They will help you document the complaint correctly before you complain — which is when most cases are won or lost.
Practice focus: Wage & hour, wrongful termination, FMLA
Milwaukee-metro wage-and-hour and employment plaintiff firm in Brookfield. Handles individual wrongful-termination cases and FMLA-retaliation claims; strong on collective and class wage actions.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: When your termination is bundled with unpaid wages or misclassification, this is the right pairing of practice areas.
Practice focus: Sexual harassment, wrongful termination, personal injury
Milwaukee plaintiff boutique with a respected employment-side practice. Handles sexual-harassment-driven wrongful terminations and other retaliation matters.
Fee structure
Contingency
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: Right pick when the termination followed a harassment complaint and the retaliation theory carries the case.
Practice focus: Employment, disability, wrongful termination
Milwaukee plaintiff firm appearing on Super Lawyers for employment law. Handles wrongful-termination matters in tandem with disability and ERISA cases when both run together.
Fee structure
Contingency / Hybrid
Free consultation
Free
Why they made the list: Useful when termination follows a disability disclosure or a denied accommodation — the ADA and ERISA pieces are handled by the same team.
Practice focus: Employment litigation, wrongful termination, business disputes
Long-tenured Milwaukee litigation firm. Employment group handles wrongful-termination and executive-separation matters with both plaintiff and selected defense work; multiple Super Lawyers honorees.
Fee structure
Hourly / Hybrid
Free consultation
Initial paid
Why they made the list: Trial-tested. The firm has tried more employment cases in Milwaukee County than most of the pure plaintiff shops.
What to expect from a Milwaukee wrongful termination case
First call is free and runs 30–60 minutes. If your case is viable, the firm files either an EEOC charge or a WFEA complaint with the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division (Department of Workforce Development). Administrative investigation runs 6–14 months. After a probable-cause finding or a right-to-sue letter, the lawsuit is filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin (Milwaukee Division) or Milwaukee County Circuit Court. Most cases settle in 9–18 months; trial is 18–36 months. Severance-only matters often resolve in 2–6 weeks.
What does a Milwaukee wrongful termination lawyer cost?
Most viable Milwaukee wrongful-termination cases are taken on contingency (33–40% of recovery) or hybrid fee. Severance-review and negotiated separation work is often billed flat or hourly: $275–$575/hour, or a $1,500–$4,000 flat to review and negotiate a severance package. Federal civil-rights claims and WFEA claims both have fee-shifting, meaning a successful plaintiff can recover attorney's fees from the employer in addition to damages — which is what makes contingency representation economically viable for smaller cases.
How to choose between these 10 firms
All ten firms above are competent practitioners. The right pick depends on the shape of your matter, not on which firm has the biggest billboard. The patterns we see:
Pick a boutique when your case is high-stakes but narrow in scope, you want a senior attorney doing the actual work, and you are willing to trade brand recognition for senior attention. Boutiques typically run $325-$525 per hour for the lead attorney and have lower overhead. The risk: if the firm gets conflicted out or busy, your case may stall.
Pick a mid-size firm when your matter has multiple moving parts, or when you need a steady team with a bench behind it. Mid-size firms in Milwaukee typically charge $375-$650 per hour and are the natural fit for most wrongful termination cases.
Pick a large firm when the matter is genuinely large in dollars at stake, complex in legal issues, multi-jurisdictional, or institutionally sensitive. Large firms charge $450-$850 per hour but bring depth across practice areas. The risk: junior attorneys do most of the day-to-day work unless you push for senior involvement.
What is specific about wrongful termination cases in Milwaukee
Milwaukee is its own market. The procedure, the courts, and the strategy are city- and state-specific in ways that matter to your outcome.
The local courthouse matters. Milwaukee County Circuit Court is the venue for most wrongful termination matters originating in Milwaukee. The judges have published procedures, scheduling preferences, and trial calendars that an experienced local lawyer knows by heart. A firm that has never appeared in front of your judge is starting from scratch on the procedural side, and that costs you time and money.
Filing deadlines are strict. Statutes of limitations, notice requirements, pre-suit certifications, and Wisconsin procedural rules are unforgiving. A missed deadline often means a lost case — full stop. Your first conversation with a lawyer should include a written confirmation of the controlling deadlines.
Wisconsin law has specific quirks. Wisconsin statutes governing this practice area shape strategy, leverage, damages, and settlement value. A firm that primarily practices in another state is starting at a disadvantage even when admitted in Wisconsin.
Local juries and judges have patterns. Verdict patterns, judicial temperament, and settlement norms in Milwaukee County Circuit Court are local knowledge. A trial-capable firm uses venue, judge assignment, and jury demographics strategically.
Red flags to watch for when picking a wrongful termination lawyer in Milwaukee
Most firms in Milwaukee are competent. A few are problematic. The patterns to avoid:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, dismissal, custody outcome, or settlement number, walk away. Ethics rules in every U.S. state prohibit guarantees, and any lawyer making them is either uninformed or willing to lie to get your business.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior partner at intake, then never speak to them again. The case is handled by an unsupervised junior or a paralegal. Ask in writing who will be your day-to-day attorney, how often you will hear from them, and what happens when they are unavailable.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the retainer in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a sign of a volume mill rather than a craftsperson's practice.
No verifiable track record. The firm should be able to point to verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, or bar association recognition. "We have helped thousands of clients" is marketing copy. Specific numbers, named cases, and third-party rankings are evidence.
Vague fee terms. "Do not worry about cost" is a red flag. Every legitimate Milwaukee lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them.
10 questions to ask in your free consultation
Most firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions and write down the answers. Compare across at least two firms before you sign.
Who, specifically, will handle my case day to day? Get a name. Get an email. Get their bar number so you can verify their standing.
How many cases like mine have you handled in the last three years? You want a number, not a brochure line.
How many of those went to trial? Settlement skill is important. Trial skill is what gives you leverage to settle well.
What is your fee, and what does it cover? Get the answer in writing before you sign anything.
What case expenses am I responsible for, and when? Out-of-pocket costs (filing fees, deposition costs, expert witnesses) surprise people. Ask now.
What is the realistic range of outcomes for a case like mine? A good lawyer will give you a range. A bad one will promise the high end.
How long will it take? Honest estimate, with the assumptions stated.
How and how often will I hear from you? Email-only? Calls? Monthly updates? Set the expectation now.
What happens if I want to change lawyers later? Rules allow it; the fee is sorted between firms. Make sure you understand the mechanics.
What is the worst-case outcome for my case? A lawyer who refuses to discuss downside risk is selling you something.
Get matched with a vetted Milwaukee wrongful termination firm
Tell us about your situation. We will forward your details to the firms on this list (or others nearby) best fit for your matter. No fees to you. Confidential.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wisconsin an at-will state?
Yes — but at-will only means the default rule is no contract term. You still cannot be fired for an illegal reason (discrimination, retaliation, refusing to commit a crime, exercising a legally protected right). Wisconsin also recognizes contract-based and public-policy exceptions.
What's protected under the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act that isn't under federal law?
WFEA covers arrest and conviction record (with limits), use of lawful products outside of work (think off-duty smoking), military service, declining to attend a meeting on religious or political matters, and others. That broader list is why a Wisconsin-bar plaintiff lawyer is worth more than a generalist.
How long do I have to file?
300 days for an EEOC charge in Wisconsin; 300 days for a WFEA complaint with the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division. FMLA, FLSA, and contract claims have separate (usually longer) statutes — but never delay.
Should I sign the severance my employer offered?
Not until a lawyer reads it. Severance agreements typically include broad waivers of every possible claim. You usually have leverage to negotiate more money or better terms in exchange for the waiver — but only before signing.
Can I be fired for taking FMLA leave?
No. The FMLA prohibits both interference and retaliation. If you were fired during or shortly after FMLA leave, that timing alone is often enough to bring a strong claim.
What can I recover?
Back pay, front pay, emotional-distress damages, punitive damages (in some federal claims), reinstatement (rare), and attorney's fees on civil-rights claims. Title VII caps combined compensatory and punitive damages from $50,000 to $300,000 by employer size.
Do I have to file with the EEOC first?
For most federal discrimination claims, yes. WFEA claims go through the Wisconsin Equal Rights Division. Some retaliation claims (FLSA, FMLA, NLRA) skip the agency step.
What evidence matters most?
Your written termination notice, performance reviews, emails about your work, your employee handbook, any internal complaints you made before being fired, and the timing of everything. Save all of it before you call a lawyer.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many wrongful termination matters like mine have you handled in the last three years, and how many went to trial? The answer tells you what kind of lawyer you are actually hiring. — The LawFirmSquare team