A number of cherished UW Law School faculty and staff have recently retired. UW Law School bids farewell to these individuals who have given so much to the Law School community.
Tammy Kempfert
Tammy Kempfert served as a valuable member of our communications team since 2012. Kempfert had many tasks, but her focus was on telling the Law School’s story to a variety of audiences, a job she performed amazingly well. Her excellent work is visible on digital platforms — including the website, social media, and YouTube. She often worked with faculty to publicize their scholarship or pitch them to media sources.
Joanne Fitz
Joanne Fitz began working at the Law School in 1981. A valuable member of the Continuing Legal Education of Wisconsin (CLEW) team, she served in multiple roles over the years. Fitz assisted the publication process, supported CLE programs, and processed CLEW’s finances. She also supported a number of website projects.
Wenjie Hu
Wenjie Hu worked on a wide variety of programs and initiatives for both Graduate Programs and the East Asian Legal Studies Center over the past eighteen years, including the successful Shanghai Judges Program. Hu has also been invaluable in developing and maintaining relationships with visiting scholars, partner universities, and alumni; in recruiting LLM-LI students from mainland China; and in establishing partnership relations with institutions in Asia.
Alta Charo
Alta Charo, the Warren P. Knowles Professor of Law and Bioethics, joined the Law School in 1989. An expert on bioethics, stem cell policy, and women’s reproductive health, Charo serves on numerous national committees and boards. She is an elected member of the World Technology Network and a member of the National Academy of Medicine, as well as the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She served on President Obama’s transition team, where she was a member of the Health and Human Services review team. Charo taught courses on public health law, bioethics, biotechnology law, food and drug law, stem cell policy, torts, and legislative drafting.
Gretchen Viney ’78
Gretchen Viney ’78, a distinguished clinical professor, directed the Lawyering Skills Program (formerly known as General Practice). Through the program, students learned the fundamentals of law practice from practicing lawyers on a range of substantive topics. She also taught courses on client interviewing and counseling, real estate transactions, and guardian ad litem practice. Since arriving at the Law School in 1997, through 2017, Viney practiced law on a part-time basis in Baraboo, where she was a partner with her husband in the firm of Viney & Viney. She is recognized for her work and expertise as a guardian ad litem for children, elders, and the disabled.