About Sarah
Sarah Schmeiser built a foundation in the liberal arts before turning to law. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Beloit College in 1997, then pursued legal studies at the University of Wisconsin Law School, receiving her J.D. in 2004. Those years gave her a mix of academic training and practical coursework that shaped how she approaches evidence and argument.
Her professional credentials include admission to practice in Wisconsin and appearances in federal court. She is admitted to the U.S. District Courts for both the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin and is authorized to appear before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Those admissions reflect a practice that spans state and federal matters and the full range of trial and appellate work.
Schmeiser’s involvement in professional organizations has been prominent. In 2022 she held the post of President-Elect of the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. She also serves as Secretary of that organization and maintains membership in the Dane County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Those roles have included organizing meetings, contributing to continuing legal education, and working with peers on issues that affect practice and policy across the state.
Her day-to-day practice is based at Stroud, Willink & Howard. There she handles criminal defense matters for a variety of clients, appearing in trial dockets and in federal proceedings when necessary. Her courtroom work is supplemented by research and motion practice. She files and responds to both trial-level motions and appellate briefs when cases move beyond the district courts.
Colleagues describe Schmeiser as methodical and direct in court and in preparation. She is comfortable in hearings that require quick courtroom responses and in longer stretches of written advocacy. That range—short, decisive argument in courthouse corridors and extended legal writing—marks much of her work.
Outside of casework, Schmeiser has taken on administrative and leadership duties within the defense bar. Her positions in statewide and local associations have kept her engaged with developments in criminal law, rules changes, and training initiatives for other lawyers. She currently practices criminal defense at Stroud, Willink & Howard, representing clients in both state and federal courts.
