About Matthew J.
Matthew J. Schaap practices across federal and state courts in the Upper Midwest and at the national appellate level. He completed his legal education before gaining admission to practice in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and he is also admitted to the Federal Circuit. Those credentials shape the contours of his work and the clients he represents.
Early in his legal career Schaap accumulated courtroom and appellate experience that spans a variety of matters. He moved between trial work and appeals, learning how procedural choices at trial can affect outcomes on review. Colleagues describe him as methodical in preparing records for appellate review and careful in framing legal arguments for judges who decide on narrow statutory or regulatory questions.
Schaap joined Dougherty, Molenda, Solfest, Hills & Bauer P.A., where he works alongside attorneys handling complex civil litigation and administrative matters. At the firm he contributes to cases that can involve both state statutes and federal law, calling on his multi-jurisdictional bar standing. His work requires close attention to briefing schedules, preservation of issues for appeal, and clear presentation of legal standards to appellate panels and trial courts alike.
In practice he handles disputes that move between trial courts and appellate forums. That includes preparing briefs, drafting motions that preserve important issues, and arguing before judges and panels. He also counsels clients on procedural risks and the potential consequences of different litigation strategies. His approach favors clarity in writing and precision in oral argument, especially when statutes or regulations are central to the dispute.
Schaap’s court admissions—to Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Federal Circuit—allow him to represent clients on matters that reach beyond a single state. He works with both businesses and individual clients when cases require coordination across jurisdictions or when federal appellate review becomes part of the legal trajectory. He practices at Dougherty, Molenda, Solfest, Hills & Bauer P.A., where his work centers on federal appellate matters and state-level litigation across Wisconsin and Minnesota.
