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State research · Wisconsin

Child-centered divorce and custody lawyers in Wisconsin.

Three lawyers whose public records show meaningful child-focused work, substantial family-law depth, professional stature, and a useful first-party online presence.

Research reviewedAugust 17, 2026
01Editorial score94/100

Madison · Wisconsin

Sara M. Vanden Brook

The Law Center, S.C.

Vanden Brook’s background is exceptionally well aligned with child-centered family representation. Before law school she worked as a child-welfare case manager, and she later became a guardian ad litem, mediator and parent coordinator. Her undergraduate study in human development, family studies and psychology supplies additional context for custody and parenting decisions. She handles divorce, paternity, custody, child-protection and termination-of-parental-rights matters, giving her experience across both private and public family systems. Her biography states that she seeks creative solutions that protect children’s rights. The Law Center’s website is highly substantive, explaining collaborative teams, child specialists and contested processes while providing direct contact.

Why the children-first signal is real

Former Milwaukee child-welfare case manager, GAL, mediator and parent coordinator with degrees in human development, family studies and psychology.

Divorce and custody depth

Divorce, paternity, custody, CHIPS, termination of parental rights, appeals, collaborative work and contested proceedings.

Professional stature

Children and the Law Section board service, AFCC and collaborative-practice involvement and sustained professional recognition.

Children 30/30Case depth 24/25Stature 18/20Online presence 15/15License confidence 7/10
Visit attorney profile ↗Custody practiceContact the firm
Verification note and limitations

Status note: Prepublication exact-name verification required

Verify Wisconsin status, GAL eligibility and discipline immediately before publication.

02Editorial score92/100

Milwaukee · Wisconsin

Carlton D. Stansbury

Burbach & Stansbury S.C.

Stansbury combines elite family-law credentials with a demonstrably broad process toolkit. He has decades of litigation experience, extensive mediation and collaborative training and long involvement in the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. His firm’s materials discuss children’s security, the child’s specific needs and the importance of support being about the child rather than the parents’ contest. He is an AAML and IAFL Fellow, a former state AAML and Family Law Section president and a frequent instructor for judges and lawyers. The first-party site is detailed and professional, and a current AAML profile independently corroborates key credentials. His child-centered evidence is less direct than Vanden Brook’s, producing the second-place rank.

Why the children-first signal is real

Advanced collaborative and mediation training, AFCC leadership and family-law materials emphasizing children’s security and child-specific needs.

Divorce and custody depth

Decades of family-law litigation, mediation, collaborative practice, appeals and complex divorce.

Professional stature

AAML and IAFL Fellow, past state AAML and Family Law Section president, frequent judicial educator and top statewide peer recognition.

Children 25/30Case depth 25/25Stature 20/20Online presence 15/15License confidence 7/10
Visit attorney profile ↗Custody practiceContact the firm
Verification note and limitations

Status note: Prepublication exact-name verification required

Verify Wisconsin status, discipline and all current professional positions before publication.

03Editorial score90/100

Fox Point · Wisconsin

David B. Karp

Karp & Iancu, S.C.

Karp’s nearly four decades of family-law work, thousands of reported cases and hundreds of reported trials provide exceptional depth. His firm publishes extensive custody and guardian-ad-litem guidance, including advice to keep children out of parental disparagement and to build parenting plans around the child rather than slogans about equal time. He is a former Wisconsin AAML chapter president and has taught advanced trial issues in GAL training. The site is among the most comprehensive reviewed, with a detailed biography, custody resources and direct contact, supported by an AAML profile. Much of the child-centered content is firm-authored rather than tied to a unique child-welfare role, which keeps him below the top two.

Why the children-first signal is real

Extensive public custody and GAL education, including advice against disparaging the other parent before children and attention to child-centered parenting plans.

Divorce and custody depth

Nearly 40 years, thousands of reported family cases and hundreds of reported trials.

Professional stature

AAML Fellow and former Wisconsin chapter president with extensive teaching and peer recognition.

Children 23/30Case depth 25/25Stature 20/20Online presence 15/15License confidence 7/10
Visit attorney profile ↗Custody practiceContact the firm
Verification note and limitations

Status note: Prepublication exact-name verification required

Verify Wisconsin status and discipline; independently confirm all first-party case-volume and award claims.

Before you hire anyone

A shortlist is the beginning of diligence, not the end.

Kids First Divorce is an independent editorial publication. We do not represent you, refer you to counsel, certify any lawyer, or predict any result. Selection is based on publicly available information reviewed as of the date shown.

Confirm the lawyer’s current license and disciplinary history with the official state authority. Interview the lawyer about conflicts, fees, availability, geographic coverage, relevant experience, strategy, and whether their approach fits your family’s actual facts.

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