Jessa Nicholson Goetz ’06
Jessa Nicholson Goetz ’06 died Aug. 5, 2025.
Nicholson Goetz was the founding partner of Nicholson Goetz & Otis, S.C., based in Madison, and was widely regarded as one of the most skilled sensitive crimes defense attorneys in the state.
She received an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan at the age of 20 and quickly enrolled at University of Wisconsin Law School. By age 23, she pursued her passion of advocating for the rights of others as a criminal defense attorney.
In 2021, the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (WACDL) created an award to honor attorneys who successfully secured an acquittal on a felony sexual assault case (some of the most challenging cases to defend). Because of her career-long successes in defending and teaching on these types of cases, the award was named after Nicholson Goetz and two defense bar colleagues; today the Kuchler-Nicholson-Stilling Award is given each spring by WACDL and is a branding of one of the utmost achievements for any attorney to be named.
Nicholson Goetz held one of the most successful trial records of any attorney in the state. She was the recipient of many awards and honors, and was a three-time recipient of WACDL’s Hanson Award, which is given to attorneys who secure an acquittal in a homicide case. Nicholson Goetz handled several high-profile cases and was comfortable navigating the often complicated relationship between the press and the accused.
Nicholson Goetz also had success litigating pre-trial motions, receiving favorable rulings with respect to piercing rape shield law, suppressing evidence, severing crimes/charges and excluding prior bad acts.
She also worked to advocate for legal reform; one of her proudest accomplishments was working with prosecutors and law enforcement to get legislation on outlawing stalking passed in Oklahoma.
While Nicholson Goetz had a prolific career with many accomplishments, she always said that what she was most proud of was her family. In 2012, she met her husband, James; they have two children.
Michael J. Remington ’73
Michael J. Remington ’73, a distinguished figure in intellectual property law, died March 30, 2025. His life was marked by a profound commitment to justice, a passion for the arts and a deep love for his family.
Over the course of a remarkable career spanning more than four decades, Remington made significant contributions to intellectual property law, legal reform, government relations and lobbying. He served as Chief Counsel to the House Judiciary Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives on Intellectual Property and Judicial Administration for nine years, where he played a pivotal role in the enactment of over 20 public laws aimed at improving the administration of justice.
The subcommittee was chaired by Congressman Robert Kastenmeier. Prior to this role, he was a key member of the Congressman’s staff.
Remington was an important supporter of University of Wisconsin Law School and key to the creation of the Kastenmeier Lecture, one of the school’s premier events. He remained active with the series and served as a long-standing member of the lecture’s committee, which traditionally included one or more individuals with a close connection to Congressman Kastenmier, leading lawyers and judges and faculty members.
A partner at Drinker Biddle in Washington, D.C., Remington was the founding chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Group. Throughout his career, he worked with a diverse array of clients, from a performing rights organization representing thousands of songwriters and music publishers, to a university foundation involved in technology licensing, individual authors and creators, and an alliance of inventors and start-ups.
In addition to his professional achievements, Remington was affectionately known as a “Renaissance Man” among family and friends. He was celebrated for his talents in painting, photography, cooking, writing and his deep appreciation for other cultures.
His love for exploration took him around the world, where he made lasting connections in places such as Africa, India and France, where he became fluent in French.
A proud graduate of UW Law School (Order of the Coif), Remington was a former Fulbright Scholar in Paris, France and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Côte dʻIvoire, where he met his wife, Françoise. Together, they shared 53 years of marriage and raised three children: Cecile (Todd Deutsch), Elise and Christophe (Elizabeth Remington).
Remington is the son of Professor Frank Remington, founder of the Frank J. Remington Center at UW Law School. The Center houses one of the oldest, largest and most diverse clinical programs in American legal education.
1950s
- Charles White ’51
- Joseph Becker ’54
- Donald Losby ’55
- Lowell Sweet ’55
- Stanley Roberts ’57
- Dennis Selby ’58
- Donald Ray ’59
- William Slate ’59
1960s
- Robert Lee ’60
- William Nelson ’60
- Douglas Yanggen ’60
- George Christianson ’61
- Richard Neuheisel ’61
- James Cummings ’62
- Harry Garwood ’62
- Warren Schmidt ’62
- Craig Hunt ’64
- Darrell Lynn ’64
- Richard Hemming ’65
- Jack Olson ’65
- George Whyte ’65
- John Andrews ’66
- William Broll ’66
- John Hibbard ’66
- Joseph Jochman ’66
- Ronald Pipkin ’66
- Gerald Opgenorth ’67
- Charles Pellino ’68
- Richard Boynton ’69
- Edward Lalor ’69
1970s
- Arthur Kroos ’70
- Penn Rhodeen ’70
- Kenneth Casey ’71
- Troy Brown ’72
- William Lewis ’72
- James McCord ’72
- Ronald Ziwisky ’72
- Michael Remington ’73
- John Kreitler ’74
- William Clark ’75
- William Heibl ’75
- Barbara Husseini ’75
- Barbara James ’75
- John Louderman ’75
- Clarence Sherrod ’75
- Mark Stern ’75
- Leroy Lokken ’76
- Stephen Schultz ’77
1980s
- Walter Isaacson ’82
- Narciso Aleman ’83
- Kevin O’Brien ’84
- Ingrid Keiser ’87
- Rod Koenen ’88
1990s
- Mark Shore ’90
- Gerald Wright ’90
- Nathan Hart ’92
- Amy Moran ’97
2000s
- Marsha Brewer ’03
- Jessa Nicholson Goetz ’06
2010s
- Luke Gaeckle ’13
- Jeramiah Maynard ’13
