Interview with new Dane County Bar Assn. president.

• Date: 23 June 2004
• Author: Anderson, Tony

Byline: Tony Anderson

The incoming Dane County Bar Association president said he hit the mark with his first job out of college and his first job out of law school. The former fueled his interest in practicing law and the latter has been his professional home during the 26 year following his graduation.

Since graduating from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1978, H. Dale Peterson has practiced commercial litigation and business law at Stroud, Willink & Howard LLC in Madison. During a recent interview, Peterson said that scenario is typical for the firm.

"That's common for many of my partners; many of us have had only one job," he explained. "Our firm has always taken pride in being selective in who it hires and hoping that everyone who we hire becomes a partner."

Peterson's practice focuses on contract claims, business torts and disputes involving dealerships, business sales, software performance and environmental contamination. However, prior to law school, he had not intended to practice commercial litigation and business law.

After graduating college, Peterson went to work as a research analyst for the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division where he helped facilitate school desegregation plans. For two years, he worked with a team of people helping prepare cases for court, presenting courtroom testimony and developing desegregation plans for school districts in California, Louisiana...