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August 3, 2026
STEVENS POINT – Managing Partner Amy Eddy said Anderson O’Brien, LLP’s 140-year history is rooted in a simple belief: great results come from working together.
Since opening its doors in Stevens Point in 1886, Eddy said the law firm has grown and evolved alongside the community it serves, combining decades of legal experience with a collaborative approach that puts clients first.
“We’re really proud to be a part of a firm that’s been around so long, which is why we wanted to celebrate this milestone,” she said.
Managing Partner Keith Pilger said the firm’s longevity speaks to the continuity it has with Stevens Point and the surrounding community.
After 140 years in business, Pilger said Anderson O’Brien remains grounded in the same core beliefs that shaped the firm from the beginning.
“That’s the thing that stands out to me – you don’t last this long unless you’ve got a good set of core values, which I think the firm has,” he said.
Rather than relying on individual attorneys working in isolation, Eddy said Anderson O’Brien believes the best solutions come from teamwork.
She said attorneys across a variety of practice areas regularly collaborate, drawing on each other’s knowledge and experience to provide clients with thoughtful, well-rounded legal counsel.
“That collective approach has helped the firm navigate generations of change while continuing to meet the evolving needs of individuals, families and businesses throughout Central Wisconsin,” she said.
Areas of focus
With 14 attorneys on staff, Eddy said Anderson O’Brien’s expertise spans two primary areas: transactional and litigation matters.
Within those areas, she said attorneys develop their own areas of focus based on their experience and interests.
“If there is a client who has a particular need, we can get them to the right attorney,” she said. “We don’t necessarily have to say, ‘Well, you’re my client, so I’m going to try and do all of this for you.’ We are all very comfortable working with all of the other attorneys on the team.”
Pilger said Anderson O’Brien does not handle criminal matters or patent work.
Instead, he said the firm refers clients seeking patent services to outside attorneys who specialize in that area.
“We handle almost everything else that comes our way,” he said.
Looking for the correct fit
Pilger said Anderson O’Brien invests in developing young attorneys, many of whom begin as law clerks and learn directly from experienced members of the firm.
“We have some turnover when it comes to young attorneys we hire, but not much,” he said. “I don’t have numbers to back this up, but my feeling is that [our turnover rate] is much lower than you would find in a big city, where there is a lot more movement.”
When the firm is looking into hiring attorneys, Pilger said prospective employees typically understand Stevens Point is a smaller community compared to Madison or Milwaukee.
“They want to work here because they want to live in Stevens Point, and they’re from places like Wisconsin Rapids, Marshfield, Eagle River, Antigo, etc.,” he said. “They like the lifestyle that comes with being in a smaller community. They fit our culture, so we don’t have a lot of turnover, I think, compared to other law firms. For example, Amy and I are both from Rapids.”
Eddy said Anderson O’Brien is “very intentional” about its hiring, intending to hire people who are “in it for the long term.”
A 140-year legacy
When Anderson O’Brien was founded in Stevens Point in 1886 by Byron B. Park and Gilbert L. Park, Eddy said the legal profession looked far different than it does today.
At the time, she said most attorneys worked as solo practitioners with few opportunities for collaboration or specialization.
Eddy said the Park brothers envisioned a different approach.
“They were influenced by a family tradition of public service and leadership,” she said. “Their father served as Judge of Wisconsin’s Seventh Judicial District and helped establish a legacy of legal excellence that would continue for generations.”
Eddy said the firm’s founders were also deeply invested in the future of their community, with Byron playing a significant role in securing a normal school for Stevens Point – a teacher-training institution that would educate generations of Wisconsin educators.
She said that institution eventually evolved into what is now the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP).
“From the beginning, the firm’s success was rooted in a forward-thinking idea: great legal service is strengthened by teamwork,” she said. “Rather than operating as individual practitioners, the firm developed a tradition of mentoring and developing attorneys who would become future partners and leaders.”
Equally important, she said, was the firm’s commitment to diversification.
As the legal needs of clients grew more complex during the 1930s and 1940s, Eddy said the firm expanded by adding attorneys with expertise in different areas of the law.
“What began as a practical advantage soon became a defining characteristic of the firm,” she said. “By bringing together attorneys with varying strengths and areas of focus, clients gained access to a depth of knowledge that few firms of the era could provide.”
Community give back
Pilger said Anderson O’Brien’s commitment goes beyond serving clients.
For generations, he said attorneys and staff have supported the community through involvement with local nonprofits, civic organizations and community initiatives.
“Our success is not only measured by the legal matters we have handled, but also by the lasting relationships we have built and the positive impact we continue to make throughout the Stevens Point community,” he said.
At Anderson O’Brien, Pilger said community involvement is not just a suggestion – it is an expectation for its attorneys and staff.
“This expectation comes from a long history of giving back to our community in several ways,” he said. “Our attorneys can be found on many of the boards of local charitable organizations (currently more than 25), often serving in leadership roles.”
Whether it is serving as the president of a local board of directors, serving the local United Way or providing pro bono legal services, Pilger said Anderson O’Brien’s attorneys recognize the importance of donating their time and expertise to further the efforts of local charitable organizations.
“In addition to our time and expertise, our firm has also contributed to many of the capital and annual campaigns to support local organizations, such as the YMCA annual campaign, the UWSP Pink Game and the annual Walk for Hope,” he said. “Anderson O’Brien has also been a long-time corporate Cornerstone Partner of the United Way’s annual campaign.”
Beyond its local community involvement, Pilger said Anderson O’Brien has also worked to strengthen the legal profession and expand access to legal services for underserved populations.
He said the firm’s attorneys have held numerous leadership roles with the State Bar of Wisconsin, including serving as State Bar president.
“We have also contributed countless pro bono hours to organizations like Legal Aid, which provides legal services to those who otherwise cannot afford them,” he said. “We do these things not for recognition but for the betterment of our community. We believe we all benefit from a better and healthier community.”
For more information on Anderson O’Brien, LLP, visit andlaw.com or its Facebook page.
