Faculty
John William Vaudreuil
John William Vaudreuil, born August 2, 1954, in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, is a former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, serving from 2010 to 2017. He earned his B.A. with honors from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1976 and his J.D. from UW Law School in 1979.
Vaudreuil joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1980 and served for 30 years before his appointment as U.S. Attorney by President Obama. He handled thousands of criminal cases, including fraud, public corruption, environmental crimes, and major drug conspiracies. He was named Senior Litigation Counsel in 1992 and became Chief of the Criminal Division in 2002. As U.S. Attorney, he oversaw prosecutions, civil cases, and national security efforts across 44 counties. He worked closely with courts, law enforcement, and the public.
Vaudreuil also taught Evidence and Trial Advocacy at UW Law School and trained prosecutors nationwide. Starting in 2001, he led DOJ rule-of-law trainings in countries including Russia, Georgia, and Indonesia. He earned multiple DOJ awards for his trial work and was named a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2004. He stepped down in 2017, leaving behind a respected legacy in public service and legal education.
He continues his public service in Wisconsin as part of Keep Our Republic, a nonpartisan civic education organization. In this role, he helps educate voters and officials about election law and safeguards, aiming to build trust in the democratic process across the state.