Henak Law Office, S.C. - Premier Wisconsin Criminal Appeal Lawyers

General FAQs

Where are you located?

Henak Law Office, S.C., is located in Suite 100 at 5205 N. Ironwood Road, Milwaukee, WI 53217 (technically, in Glendale). From Port Washington Road, take West Lexington Blvd. West under the freeway. then turn south on Ironwood and our office is the last building on the right. For directions and a map, click here.

How can I contact you?

The attorneys at Henak Law Office, S.C., can be reached by phone, fax, e-mail, or letter. They answer every letter sent to them by incarcerated individuals, whether or not they can handle the case, and accept collect calls from such individuals seeking legal representation. They are happy to answer questions (as time allows), and will respond to e-mails and telephone calls as promptly as possible. For information on how to contact the attorneys, telephone and fax numbers are located above. Clicking on the envelope in the upper right-hand corner will open an e-mail to the office.

Do you accept collect calls?

The attorneys at Henak Law Office, S.C., do accept collect calls from incarcerated individuals seeking legal representation.

What kind of cases do you handle?

Henak Law Office, S.C., is one of a very few, if not the only, Wisconsin law firms dedicated solely to post-conviction matters and criminal appeals. This focus covers the entire range of state and federal post-conviction procedures, from direct appeals to state and federal collateral review.

Henak Law Office, S.C., does not independently represent clients at the trial level. However, they will advise clients and attorneys regarding legal issues and potential appellate issues at the trial and pretrial stages of criminal litigation, draft motions to preserve potential appeal issues, and review the case for potential defenses or legal issues.

Can you guarantee that you will get me a new trial/sentence reduction?

As is the case with any lawyer-client relationship, Henak Law Office, S.C., cannot guarantee anything about the outcome of a particular case. The attorneys can and do guarantee, however, that this law firm will provide the client the best services of which they are capable and agree to make decisions in the case in a way best calculated to serve the client's interests consistent with the law and ethical obligations. Additionally, the attorneys promise to keep the client, and, with his or her permission, any family members, informed of any significant developments in the matter and will provide both copies of pertinent documents.

I was represented by a Public Defender at trial. Should my family hire a "real lawyer" for the appeal?

That depends on the "real lawyer" you intend to hire and who the State Public Defender's Office would appoint to handle the appeal. You should know, however, that both private attorneys and staff Public Defenders are "real lawyers."

Attorneys who work full time with the SPD are some of the best appellate criminal defense attorneys in the state. Private attorneys who accept appointments from the SPD, on the other hand, can be a mixed bag. Although such attorneys must be certified by the SPD, those attorneys reflect a broad range of experience, creativity and legal skills. For instance, Henak Law Office, S.C., occasionally accepts SPD appointments. At the same time, you may be appointed an attorney who has little experience in criminal law or appeals.

Of course, hired private attorneys reflect the same range of experience and skills. Some are very good at what they do, while others simply take whatever case comes through the door, without any special experience or expertise.

The key is to ask questions regarding the attorney's experience and specialization. You also should be wary of any attorney who either makes you promises regarding the outcome of the case or who charges substantially below the going rate, as you generally get what you pay for.

Is your practice limited to Milwaukee County?

No. Henak Law Office, S.C., represents people nationwide, although their practice is primarily centered on the state of Wisconsin and the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Do you handle cases in Federal Court as well as in state court?

The attorneys at Henak Law Office, S.C., handle cases in both state and federal court. However, please note that we focus our practice on state and federal appeals from STATE convictions. We do not currently focus on challenges to federal convictions.