WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Herb Kohl today announced that he has appointed an 11-member bipartisan task force of Wisconsin legal experts and community leaders to examine the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court.  Kohl is second in seniority among Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is responsible for confirming the President’s nominees to the Supreme Court.   Kohl will meet with the task force in Wisconsin prior to the beginning of the nomination hearings, scheduled to open on June 28^th.  This is the seventh Supreme Court nomination that Kohl will consider and he has utilized a bipartisan task force in each previous case.

“The collective experience and expertise of this task force gives me a broad and balanced view of a nominee’s qualifications to serve on the Supreme Court.  I look forward to hearing their thoughts and suggestions as we examine Elena Kagan’s record and prepare for a nomination hearing which I hope will give the country an insight into the type of Justice we could expect her to be,” Kohl said.

The members of Kohl’s bipartisan task force include:

Michelle Behnke, attorney, Michelle Behnke & Associates.

Tom Cannon, Executive Director, Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee

Ed Fallone, professor, Marquette University Law School

Nathan Fishbach, attorney, Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek S.C.

Joseph D. Kearney, Dean, Marquette University Law School

Jose Olivieri, attorney, Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP

Peter Rofes, professor and Dean of Academic Affairs, Marquette University Law School

Donsia Strong Hill, attorney, Tyson Strong Hill Connor, LLP

Julia Taylor, President, Greater Milwaukee Committee

Frank Tuerkheimer, professor, University of Wisconsin Law School

Brady Williamson, professor, University of Wisconsin Law School and attorney,

Godfrey & Kahn