GREEN BAY, MADISON & MILWAUKEE (Jan. 1, 2026) – Godfrey & Kahn is pleased to announce that Christie Carrino, Evann Derus, Liz Johnson, Bill Nelson and Nick Vlies have been promoted to shareholder, effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Christie B. Carrino – Litigation (Milwaukee, Wisc.)

Christie Carrino is a seasoned litigator and antitrust counsel who represents clients in high-stakes litigation and advises clients on a variety of antitrust matters. Her practice spans a wide range of disputes including antitrust defense, non-compete and trade secret litigation, government and internal investigations, and commercial contract disputes. Christie also regularly advises on Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) pre-merger compliance and merger investigations, including counseling clients on the competitive implications of mergers and acquisitions, strategies for obtaining regulatory approval and navigating and responding to Second Requests from the antitrust authorities.

Evann D.S. Derus – Corporate (Milwaukee, Wisc.)

Evann’s practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions, private equity transactions, commercial contracting and general corporate matters. Evann regularly advises clients on stock purchases, asset purchases and mergers, representing businesses in a variety of industries. In addition to her mergers and acquisition practice, Evann provides guidance regarding other corporate law matters, including complex commercial contracts, succession planning, corporate governance, and employment and consulting arrangements.

Elizabeth R. Johnson – Real Estate (Milwaukee, Wisc.)

Liz's practice encompasses negotiating commercial leases on behalf of both tenants and landlords for office, retail, restaurant and industrial space throughout the U.S.; assisting lenders and borrowers in complex loan transactions; representing a variety of clients in the purchase and sale of all types of real estate assets; negotiating long-term lease and facility management agreements for stadium complexes; advising clients on the real estate aspects of M&A transactions; and representing for-profit and non-profit developers in connection with affordable housing and other real estate development projects. 

William J. Nelson – Environmental (Madison, Wisc.)

Bill regularly works with clients on a wide range of environmental matters, including site remediation, wastewater and air permitting, enforcement defense, water quality trading, and Brownfields redevelopment. He helps clients navigate regulatory frameworks, resolve disputes with environmental agencies—such as the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—and move forward with development or cleanup projects. Drawing on his extensive experience across environmental regulatory matters, a significant portion of Bill’s work focuses on PFAS-related regulation and strategy.

Nicholas J. Vlies – Corporate (Green Bay, Wisc.)

Nick focuses his practice on business and real estate transactions. His corporate experience includes mergers and acquisitions, entity formation, corporate governance, securities, and drafting commercial contracts. His real estate experience includes the development, purchase, sale and leasing of commercial real estate. 

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With nearly 200 lawyers, Godfrey & Kahn is one of Wisconsin's leading business law firms. Founded in 1957, Godfrey & Kahn maintains offices in Milwaukee, Madison, Appleton, Green Bay, and Eau Claire Wis.; and Washington, D.C.