About Franklyn M.
Franklyn M. Gimbel earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin in 1958 and a J.D. from Marquette University Law School in 1960. He completed his legal education at a time when the federal judiciary was reshaping practice across the Midwest. Those early years set the stage for a long career in Wisconsin courts.
He joined the bar in 1960 and gained admission to both the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin that same year. Two years later he secured admission to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. In 1966 he added membership in the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. Those admissions enabled him to handle litigation at every level of the federal system serving clients whose matters required work beyond state court.
In 1968 he helped establish what became Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP. He has been associated with the firm since its founding and has served in a leadership capacity there for decades. The firm became a platform for both courtroom work and professional involvement in Wisconsin’s legal community.
His service in bar organizations has been extensive. He was president of the Milwaukee Bar Association in 1976–1977. He served on the Board of Governors of the State Bar of Wisconsin from 1977 to 1983 and chaired that board in 1981–1982. He later served as president of the State Bar of Wisconsin for the 1986–1987 term. Outside of those roles he is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Association, an honor reflecting long-term engagement with national professional activities.
Gimbel’s courtroom practice has encompassed both federal and state forums. His admissions to the Seventh Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court indicate an ability to accept appeals at the highest levels when client matters require it. Over the years he has combined trial work, appellate practice and the administrative responsibilities that come with running a long-standing law firm.
He remains active in Wisconsin legal circles and in the firm he helped found. He continues to accept matters in state and federal courts and to maintain professional ties across the bench and bar. He currently practices at Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown LLP and handles matters in Wisconsin state and federal courts.
