Though I was born and raised in the cornfields of Western Illinois, I have been proud to call Northeast Wisconsin home for nearly fifteen years (except during winter!). I am a shareholder of the Firm practicing with Menn’s Business Practice Group, of which I am also the chairman. I graduated with honors from both Marquette University undergraduate and law school, and as a result, while the rest of state bleeds red, I bleed blue and gold, so Ring Out a Hoya!
I devote 
a large portion of my legal practice towards serving my business and corporate clients, especially those in the medical and dental fields, helping them tackle real estate, corporate, employment, and sale/acquisition issues. I also have significant litigation experience, partnering with my litigation colleagues in taking on a wide variety of cases in state circuit and federal district court, along with the Wisconsin Court of Appeals. I have also appeared before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. I routinely serve as local counsel for large corporations dealing with litigation in courts throughout Northeast Wisconsin.
Every Friday you can catch my regular morning segment called “Lawyer Up!”, with “Matt, Earl, and the Morning News” on News Radio WTAQ (97.5 FM / wtaq.com). To listen to prior segments, click here.
I have been recognized as a “Future 15” Young Professional by the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, have been selected as a Super Lawyer – Rising Star in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 in the fields of healthcare law and business litigation. In 2019, I was also selected as a Wisconsin “Bet the Company Litigator” in business litigation, and is the only lawyer in Wisconsin to be recommended by Premier Health Care Lawyers.
Prior to practicing law, I served a two-year stint as a corps member with Teach for America, serving as a high school special education teacher in Crownpoint, N.M. My wife (a patron saint) and I, along with my family circus, reside in Appleton. During those hours when I am not practicing law or managing the firm, you can find me shuttling kids to various activities, or otherwise I am typically found destroying (literally) the golf course at North Shore Golf club.”
“The old saying is that where there’s a Will, there’s a way. As a lawyer, the best part of my job is helping clients find solutions to problems thought to be unsurpassable. Working with me, I will do whatever I can to help you or your organization find your way.”
“A professional colleague and friend recommended Will to me when I needed a tough and detail-oriented lawyer to represent me in a personnel matter against my employer. Will was all of that, and THEN SOME! Throughout the six months of negotiations with my employer’s attorney, Will always kept me informed and up-to-date on all important matters concerning my case. He even answered some of my “off-the-wall” questions with directness, and when necessary, a bit of “McKinley humor,” which I appreciated. At the end of the process, we executed an excellent settlement, hitting all of the important “targets” we needed. I would never hesitate to retain Will in the future, for any legal work, nor would I pause for a second, to recommend him to a friend or colleague.”
— Prof. Steve Brown, Ph.D.
“At one of the most unsettling times in my career, Attorney McKinley was there to guide me through a nasty contract dispute, and due to his keen knowledge of contact law, he facilitated the best possible financial outcome for me. Throughout the entire process, he was readily available via email or phone and was quick to respond to my questions and concerns. The peace of mind he gave me was priceless, and I will be forever grateful.”
— Kara Harbick, M.D.
“Will serves as our organization’s outside general counsel, providing a full range of legal services for us. He is always available when we need him, and provides us with common sense, understandable legal advice. Will always tries to find a pragmatic solution to every problem, and definitely tries to keep the big picture in mind, which is important from a business perspective. If your business or practice is looking for legal assistance, Will is definitely your go-to guy.”
— Eric Eberts, M.D., owner of Women’s Care of Wisconsin, S.C.
