Overview Experience Case Studies Insights Events News Outside the Office Community Leadership Promoting Diversity and Inclusion

Anthony J. Anzelmo

Partner

Milwaukee
phone: 414.978.5421
fax: 414.223.5000

email: [email protected]

Overview Experience Case Studies

Insights Events News

Outside the Office Community Leadership Promoting Diversity and Inclusion

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Overview

Anthony focuses his practice on tax controversy resolution, product and professional services liability, and related insurance disputes.

Anthony works closely with a wide variety of product manufacturers, professional service organizations, healthcare organizations, and construction companies. For such clients he analyzes and addresses all forms of claims and suits involving tort liability, tax liability, commercial contracts, and insurance coverage. His representations of commercial and individual taxpayers focuses on property, sales and use, and income tax assessment disputes. His representation of manufacturing and service industry clients includes various forms of product and professional liability defense, construction defect litigation, and commercial contract disputes involving insurance and indemnification. In so doing he practices in multiple states, handling all phases of pretrial, trial, and appellate litigation in state and federal court.

Clients often communicate an appreciation for Anthony’s unique background with a blend of insurance, tax, and liability litigation. It prompts practical and results-oriented strategy in risk management, focusing on keeping your resources and assets protected against claims and assessments. Anthony is a frequent lecturer to clients and trade groups on liability insurance, contractual risk management, and property and sales tax exemptions.

Industries

Manufacturing

Technology

Transportation

Services

Commercial Litigation

Insurance

Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution

Tax

Tax Controversy

Recognition

The Best Lawyers in America®
- Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2024 and 2025
Wisconsin Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2011-2020

Education

J.D., Marquette University Law School
B.A., University of Michigan
- Psychology
- cum laude

Admissions

U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin

Professional Memberships and Certifications

Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association, Member and Board of Directors
Milwaukee Bar Association, Member and MBA Foundation Board of Directors
Kathy’s House, Board of Directors, Past Secretary of the Board
St. Thomas More Lawyers Society of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, State and Local Tax Committee Member

Featured Experience

Advocating for a client while keeping a family's tragedy top of mind.

When a 13-ton concrete panel fell from a wall in a Milwaukee parking garage, a teenager was killed and two others were catastrophically injured. The lawsuit that followed named a county among the defendants. Though Anthony represented the county in what he describes as the most complex case of his career in terms of tort, contract, and insurance disputes with a jury verdict involving nearly 50 questions, he never lost sight of what the families had suffered. After an eight-week trial, the jury found the county only two percent liable and awarded it $6 million in damages against the panel contractor; the families were awarded more than $18 million from the panel company.

Additional Experience

Obtained summary judgement order for retail client in $8+ million state sales tax dispute, resulting in complete victory and rejection by court of state's taxation position.
Obtained unlawful sales tax assessment settlements totaling seven figures for national utility and construction companies improperly assessed state sales tax on real property construction activity.
Obtained unlawful property tax assessment award of $493,000 for local educational institution deemed exempt by order of circuit court.
Obtained full dismissal on summary judgment for gas and electric materials manufacturer in property damage suit in Western District of Wisconsin.
Represented one of nation’s largest general contractors in weeklong trial involving $3 million in construction delay claims by client’s HVAC subcontractor. Federal District Court awarded only $7,000 on single claim.
Obtained full dismissal on summary judgment for international HVAC manufacturer in property damage suit in Supreme Court of State of New York.
Obtained full dismissal on summary judgment for global leader in tanning products in personal injury suit in Beaufort County, S.C.
Assisted in winning complete defense verdicts for forklift manufacturer after trials in Ohio and Southern California.
Obtained full dismissal on summary judgment for client that manufactures material handling equipment in personal injury matter in Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Alabama.
Assisted Catholic archdiocese with multiple insurance coverage and evidentiary disputes in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding.
Mediated complex defense of industrial services company allegedly liable for seven figures of indemnification to tortfeasor with zero contribution.

Legal Updates | July 08, 2025

Wisconsin Repeals Tax on Telecommunications Towers

Legal Updates | April 10, 2025

U.S. Supreme Court Reviews Wisconsin Ruling on Catholic Charities' Unemployment Tax Exemption

Legal Updates | April 28, 2023

Hold the Sauce! Nebraska Denies Tax Exemption for University Food Court

Legal Updates | April 24, 2023

Property Tax Assessment Season is Upon Wisconsin Taxpayers – City of Milwaukee Appeal Deadline is May 15th

News Releases | August 15, 2024

Best Lawyers in America® Places More than 250 Husch Blackwell Lawyers in 2025 Rankings

News Releases | August 17, 2023

Best Lawyers in America® Places More than 230 Husch Blackwell Lawyers in 2024 Rankings

News Releases | November 17, 2020

Husch Blackwell Attorneys Named to 2020 Wisconsin Super Lawyers/Rising Stars

Outside the Office

Anthony is an enthusiastic Michigan (and usually Wisconsin) sports fan and a particularly mediocre golfer. He’s also an avid reader and podcast consumer whose interests include history and biography, especially issues involving history, psychology, and military technology. Certainly his favorite thing to do is hang with his best buds, his wife and son.

Community Leadership

Anthony serves on the Board of Directors and is former Secretary of Kathy’s House, a nonprofit hospital guest house in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association and the Milwaukee Bar Association Foundation. Additionally, he serves as a pro bono arbitrator for MBA’s Fee Arbitration Committee, arbitrating disputes between Wisconsin attorneys and clients over fees claimed and incurred for legal service, and has co-chaired the Alternative Dispute Resolution section of the Milwaukee Bar Association (MBA) where he organized lectures and promoted local services in various forms of mediation and arbitration.

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion

Anthony is the Recruiting Chair for Husch Blackwell’s Wisconsin offices, and a sitting member of the firmwide hiring committee.

He is closely involved with the firm’s diversity and inclusion network. Anthony and his team collaborate strategically to grow and promote the firm’s diversity hiring, and work 24/7 with firm leadership to create welcoming, positive and productive professional environments for attorneys and staff at all stages of their careers.

Anthony J. Anzelmo Play Audio Recording of Name Pronunciation