After a distinguished 15-year career sitting on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, Judge Ellen R. Brostrom (ret.) stepped down from the bench in May of 2024 to pursue a full-time career providing Mediation, Arbitration and other Alternative Dispute Resolution services. Judge Brostrom completed mediation training at the Pepperdine University Law School’s Strauss Institute of Dispute Resolution.

While on the bench, Judge Brostrom presided over hundreds of jury trials.  While in the civil division, she presided over disputes involving personal injury, construction defects, contracts (including employment, real estate and UCC), medical and professional malpractice, products liability, insurance (including coverage and bad faith), business/commercial, employment, eminent domain, financial matters, class actions, and evictions.  While in criminal divisions, Judge Brostrom became thoroughly versed in the work of law enforcement, their constitutional mandates, and the due process rights of defendants.

Judge Brostrom is known for her ability to digest complex facts, along with her critical thinking and analytical skills. As a judge, she was noted for her excellent communication skills both written and oral.

Prior to her judicial career, Judge Brostrom practiced law privately as an associate and shareholder, where she concentrated her practice on litigation of civil cases, including commercial, securities, non-equity shareholder, contract, insurance, actuarial malpractice, products liability, civil rights, and employment disputes including discrimination and non-compete agreements.