Where Success Means More Pages

WLHS prepares students for careers that range from the trades to technology to teaching. Meet four alumni who are in the legal profession.

JoAnn Gromowski (’88)

Gromowski Law Firm, LLC

Marquette University Law School, Juris Doctor

My Career: I am a solo practitioner with a focus on contracts, real estate, business law, estate planning, and elder law.

WLHS Experience: For me, high school was a social event. I loved all of the activities – playing sports, being in the choir, singing at different churches on Sunday mornings, staying after school to work on projects, and hanging out with friends and goofing around. Since we spent so much time together, I’m still close with many of my Wisco friends.

Wise Words: Vice Principal Luedke was the one who really impacted my career choice. He was honest and direct with me. He advised me to find something

I liked, put some effort into it, and challenge myself.

His words stuck with me and are what influenced me to become a lawyer.

Dedication: The Wisco teachers were always so involved and cared about us. They’d take extra time to check in and see if you needed help with anything. It’s the same when I visit now. I see how

the students and teachers interact and it’s like a big

family that’s filled with love. That’s truly something special at Wisco.

Christian Foundation: While I didn’t realize how important it was at the time, I’m so thankful for the Christian foundation that was instilled in me. It’s stayed with me throughout my life. I learned to trust in Christ and come to him in good times and bad.

Paul Bugenhagen, Jr. (’98)

Waukesha Circuit Court Judge

Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Juris Doctor

My Career: First elected in 2015, I am in my second term as a Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge.

High Standards: Wisco was challenging in a good way. A lot was expected of you. You were pushed

and your abilities were tested but there was always Christian support around you.

Role Models: I didn’t realize it at the time but my wrestling and cross country coaches helped shape my life. Coach Greschner, Coach Plamann, Coach Lueck, and Coach Schaper cared about you as a person. They wanted you to challenge yourself and were encouraging and helped you grow from your wins and losses. My high school coaches taught me

to trust in God and trust your faith.

Career Growth: My wife, Crosby (Janda) Bugenhagen, and I are both 1998 Wisco grads. I was a lawyer first and decided to take a leap of faith to run for judge. Crosby supported me in that just like my Wisco coaches and teachers supported me.

Giving Back: I’ve been coaching wrestling at Wisco since 2004 because I wanted to give back to today’s students. My Wisco coaches gave me guidance

and were so instrumental in my life that I felt it was important for me to contribute my talents as I could.

Lifelong Friends: I still see my Wisco friends regularly. We have a common bond of faith and a shared understanding of where we come from.

Robin Lehninger (‘07)

Dykema Gossett PLLC

University of Minnesota Law School, Juris Doctor

University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Master of Public Policy

My Career: I advise healthcare clients and a variety of other businesses in corporate and transactional matters – from initial formation and investment to general contracting to an exit event or public offering.

Advanced Academics: Wisco set me up to succeed academically in college. My AP courses let me skip some gen ed requirements, and the strong foundation in writing and analysis prepared me for the honors college coursework at Valparaiso.

Even today, I spend most of my work hours reading, analyzing, and writing. While the content has evolved over time, I started developing that skillset at Wisco.

Musical Impact: I was very involved in music all four years, participating in choirs, the musicals, and playing piano. That hasn’t changed much – I have continued to sing and play in church ever since.

I credit Mrs. Schram, Mrs. Flanagan, and Mr. Goede’s excellent instruction and passion for choral music for cultivating my love of music and encouraging me to remain active in it.

Guiding Light: One of Mr. Zellmer’s sayings has always stuck with me, “Remember who you are in Jesus.” It’s a comforting reminder I have kept close

in navigating both a secular profession and the “real world” in general.

Real World: The diversity of Wisco’s student body continues to increase. It is so important that students get to know peers from a wide variety of backgrounds in a supportive environment, and it’s exciting to watch that continue to evolve with every new class of students both from the Milwaukee metro and across the world.

Randall Guse (’87)

Otjen Law Firm, S.C.

Marquette University Law School, Juris Doctor

My Career: I currently practice with the Otjen Law Firm in Waukesha as a trial attorney defending doctors, nurses, and hospitals – throughout Wisconsin and in federal court – who are defendants in medical malpractice lawsuits.

Career Interest: At Wisco, I took American Government and Business Law with Mr. Probst. Through those two classes, I discovered law was a subject of interest to me.

Teacher Influence: Mr. Probst remains one of my favorite teachers and he was a good friend for a long time. He taught his classes much like a college

course since he expected you to establish a position

and argue it. For a number of years, I helped coach the WLHS mock trial team.

Welcoming Environment: I came to Wisco from a small school and I knew only one person but I found everyone was welcoming and I was able to meet people quickly. My friends were the ones I could count on to pick me up when I needed it.

Family Feeling: To me, Wisco was like a family even though we were over 900 students. It felt

like everyone was looking out for you – teachers,

coaches, and classmates. We were a tight-knit class and it seemed like we were there for each other.

Christ Centered: During high school, I established a firm faith foundation that was reinforced through chapel and religion classes. Having that faith has

been so important because it gets you through the challenges and difficult times that can be part of life.