Byron B. Conway
confirmed
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
On July 3, 2024, President Biden nominated Byron B. Conway to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Byron is an experienced pro-plaintiff litigator who previously practiced as a criminal defense attorney. He was confirmed on September 25, 2024.
Biography
Conway was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1976. He graduated from Marquette University Law School with a J.D. in 2002 and received his B.A. from Santa Clara University in 1998.
Legal Experience
After law school, from 2002-2006, Conway practiced as an associate at Wisconsin firm Gimbel Reilly Guerin & Brown LLP, where he specialized in criminal defense work. In 2006, he joined Habush, Habush & Rottier S.C. as an associate and since 2010, he has been a shareholder of the firm. At Habush, Conway specializes in civil litigation and has secured resounding victories for plaintiffs in cases involving complex torts, nursing home neglect, and auto injury matters.
Professional Activities and Accolades
Conway has received numerous awards and honors for his excellence and triumphs as a top-performing litigator. He was named a Top 50 Attorney in Wisconsin by Super Lawyers in both 2014 and 2019 and was bestowed the prestigious title of Civil Trial Specialist at the National Board of Trial Advocacy in 2019. He was also elected a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation in 2019 and a Fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation in 2015. Beyond his impressive litigation practice, Conway is an active member of the Wisconsin legal community. Among other roles, Conway served as the Brown County District representative to the State Bar Board of Governments from 2013-2018 and as President of the Brown County Bar Association in 2012, where he also served four years on the Executive Committee.
Cases
The following cases are illustrative of Conway’s distinguished litigation career:
Starks Jr. V Sentry Insurance Company et al., Brown County Circuit Court Case Number 2019CV001381
Conway represented James Starks, former running back for the Green Bay Packers, in his successful claim for damages following a road-traffic incident. Stark, whose vehicle was hit by a semi-truck, suffered life-changing injuries which ended his NFL career. Conway led all aspects of the case during litigation, which included motions to compel discovery, motions to disqualify expert witnesses, and expert depositions. The case was settled at mediation, with Conway successfully negotiating a confidential settlement agreement, enabling Stark to recover compensation for his injuries and lost earnings.
McGray et al. V. American Family Mutual Insurance Company et al., Oconto County Circuit Court Case Number 2014CV000060
Conway played a leading role in securing one of the largest jury verdicts in the history of Oconto County in McGray v American Family Mutual Insurance. In this case, Conway represented McGray for all matters during litigation. McGray, a 72-year-old woman, was struck by a vehicle while walking her dog and suffered multiple serious injuries as a result, including a fractured pelvis. The liability aspect of the case was extremely complex and contentious – McGray experienced memory loss in relation to the accident and the elderly man driving the car claimed he was blinded by the sun moments before the collision. The case hinged on the admissibility of diary evidence of McGray’s neighbor, a young man with learning disabilities who heard the collision and attended the scene. Conway’s legal argument surrounding the use of the diary evidence was adopted, and the jury found in favor of McGray, awarding her damages of over $1.1 million.
Moreau-Stodola v Veolia ES Solid Waste Midwest Inc. Et al., Brown County Circuit Court Case Number 2009CV001495
Conway represented an injured pedestrian who lost her left leg following an accident when she was struck by a garbage truck operated by the defendant company’s employee. Conway was responsible for coordinating and reviewing all aspects of the arduous discovery process, a core issue of which was the time pressure placed upon drivers of the defendant company to complete their routes, which was deemed unreasonable. Conway alleged that the company was aware of, or should have been aware of, the risks their policies posed, which supported a claim for punitive damages. Conway was met with success, as the case resulted in a settlement of $4.5 million for the injured plaintiff.