Lucas Swank joined the Madison appellate office of the Office of the Wisconsin State Public Defender (SPD) in March of 2023. Before that, he practiced in the Black River Falls trial office for nearly five years. At the trial level, Attorney Swank has litigated scores of 51/54/55 cases and numerous involuntary medication orders. He continues his focus on mental health practice in the appellate division.
Attorney Swank received his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin and his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School with an Honors Criminal Law Concentration Certificate. In 2022, Lucas edited a chapter in the Wisconsin Criminal Defense Manual published by State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE®. Attorney Swank has co-presented at the annual SPD conference and developed a training on the impact of cannabis legalization on roadside drug detection.
- Gain strategies for spotting and objecting to expert testimony that relies on inadmissible hearsay
- Understand the bounds of expert opinion evidence in protective placement and mental health proceedings
- Ensure expert testimony complies with the Confrontation Clause and due process requirements
- Examine frequently cited hearsay examples and understand how they apply to mental health records and cases
- Criminal law practitioners
- Civil litigators
- Family lawyers
- Government lawyers
- Appellate practitioners
- Elder law and special needs lawyers
- Guardians ad litem