Lisa L. Derr

       I graduated from law school in 1987.  After working for a large firm in Chicago for a couple years, I moved back to my home town to work for my father.  After litigating divorce cases for years, I truly believed that litigation was not the best method to help families going through divorce.  In 1995, my partner and father died of brain cancer and it forced me to reevaluate what worked and what didn't.  In that same year, I began my divorce mediation practice to help couples address both financial issues as well as those relating to children in the most healthy way possible. 

            In 2005, we opened an office in West Bend to provide mediation services to people living north of Milwaukee and south of the Fox Valley.  In 2009, we opened a mediation office downtown Oshkosh.

            After mediating thousands of divorces, I know that the vast majority of people just want to get through it, be treated fairly and not feel they were "taken for a ride."  Our cost is a fraction of what our legal clients have paid when the case is litigated.  I have learned so much from clients both informally during the sessions as well as more formally using surveys. 

            Personally my husband, Mike, and I have three boys.  Nick is a sophomore at college at UW Madison.  Alex attends Wayland Academy as a senior in Beaver Dam and Paul is in 7th grade at St. Katharine Drexel School.   My mediation practice has helped me to be a better partner, a better parent and a better person.  But we are all a work in progress and my goal is to always try to continue to improve. 

             As for hobbies, I direct a choir during the holiday seasons and am active in groups such as the Women's Affiliate of the Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce, Beaver Dam lake Citizens Alliance, Sacred Heart Parish, and Beaver Dam Community Theater.  This past summer, I played the part of "Muzzy" in "Thoroughly Modern Millie."  What a blast that was - but I'm not about to quit my day job!