HISTORY OF LAWTON & CATES S.C.
John A. Lawton and Richard L. Cates formed a partnership in 1958. John Lawton was actively involved with labor law and union work. Dick Cates established the litigation practice.

LAWTON & CATES S.C. MISSION:
To provide legal guidance in an ethical and socially responsible manner with honesty and excellence, while emphasizing the human dignity of our clients, our staff and the community.

OUR PHILOSOPHY, AND VISION
The purpose of LAWTON & CATES, S.C. is to provide high quality legal services to individuals and to organizations in those areas of legal practice in which we have special knowledge and experience. It is the goal of the attorneys in this law firm to bring to bear the highest level of skill, ability and personal integrity in order to solve legal problems for those who look to us for help, and to handle socially responsible issues as the need arises.

As lawyers, our practice of the law is governed by a Code of Professional Responsibility. This Code tells us that as a lawyer, each of us is "a representative of clients, and officer of the legal system and a public citizen having special responsibility for the quality of justice."

Beyond this, beyond a special responsibility for the quality of justice, we at LAWTON & CATES, S.C. believe that we have an opportunity and a responsibility to contribute, through our work, to the making of a more civilized and democratic society. To this end, it is our professional endeavor to continue to provide the most reliable and the highest quality of legal service we are capable of providing, consistent with the maintaining of our professional and personal integrity and independence.

A person serving as an attorney in our society volunteers to do so. The function and responsibility of an attorney is to serve. Before becoming an attorney, each person must take an oath that he or she will do certain things. These promises are directly related to the survival of the rule of law. The rule of law is the device by which our society has determined that the dignity of individual human beings can be best accomplished. We as lawyers essentially have professed our belief in the rule of law to accomplish society's end.

To serve as a lawyer, an individual must be independent. A lawyer must guard that independence jealously, for without it he can neither see his way clearly nor can he act with the courage the service he renders often requires.

The keys to independence are integrity and excellence. These qualities must be the hallmark of what it is a lawyer has to offer.

Although from time to time we may have errored in what we thought was right, I believe the most significant efforts of this law firm have honored the responsibility we have assumed. For any future to be similar to what the firm has enjoyed in the past, it must continue in these same beliefs.

EXPERIENCED & VERSATILE
Through the years we've tried most disputes in courts and other forums. Our expertise includes most areas of substantive law. In short, we understand what needs to be done in the courtroom, from either a plaintiff or defendant perspective.

Unlike other law practices that specialize in one particular area of law; Lawton & Cates is qualified in many areas of legal dispute from injury cases to business and general litigation. Another level of service that sets us apart: sehabla espanol. Our experience includes injuries cased by automobiles or defective products, medical malpractice, toxic exposure, construction and business litigation, insurance coverage issues, criminal proceedings, business tax, family law and employment disputes. In addition, we manage large complex cases including class actions other law firms may not have the talent, experience or resources to handle effectively.