MADISON, Wis. – Attorney Emma Knatterud-Johnson of Hawks Quindel, S.C. recently presented at the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Annual Meeting & Conference, joining attorneys and other legal professionals from across Wisconsin for continuing legal education and discussions about the practice of law.

Knatterud-Johnson co-presented “Strengthening Executive Function: A Framework for Competence, Diligence, and Success” with Melynda L. Benjamin of DiaMetric Consulting Group LLC. The presentation examined executive function and how it can affect the day-to-day responsibilities of legal professionals. It also addressed how practical workplace systems can help attorneys stay organized, manage competing demands, and meet their professional responsibilities.

“Lawyers are expected to manage a lot of information, deadlines, client needs, and competing priorities every day,” said Knatterud-Johnson. “Understanding executive function gives us another way to think about how we organize our work and build practical systems that support competence, diligence, and better service to clients.”

Connecting Executive Function With Legal Practice

Executive function includes cognitive processes that help people plan, organize, manage time, complete tasks, and regulate attention. These abilities can be affected by factors including ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, chronic stress, anxiety, traumatic brain injury, and aging.

During the State Bar program, Knatterud-Johnson and Benjamin explored how executive function can affect the everyday demands of legal practice, including managing deadlines, client communication, documentation, court obligations, and competing priorities. The discussion connected these challenges with attorneys’ professional responsibilities and practical strategies for managing legal work more consistently.

Knatterud-Johnson contributed to the ethics and professional rules portion of the program, which addressed the Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules of Professional Conduct. The materials connected executive function with professional duties involving competence, diligence, communication, and the management of client matters. The program also encouraged attorneys to consider how systems, tools, and workplace practices can help them manage responsibilities more consistently.

Practical Strategies for Attorneys

A key part of the presentation focused on practical approaches that legal professionals can apply to their work. The course materials examined common challenges such as beginning routine tasks, moving between complex legal work and administrative duties, tracking follow-up items, organizing files, managing calendars, and handling multiple priorities at the same time.

These issues can have consequences beyond productivity. Attorneys have professional responsibilities to communicate with clients, handle matters diligently, and maintain the knowledge and preparation needed to provide competent representation. The presentation encouraged legal professionals to recognize where executive function challenges may appear in their work and develop systems that make important responsibilities easier to manage. The discussion also provided a broader look at how law firms can create working environments that support attorneys with different needs and working styles.

About Attorney Emma Knatterud-Johnson

Attorney Emma Knatterud-Johnson is an associate attorney in Hawks Quindel’s Madison office whose practice focuses primarily on employment law and employment discrimination. She counsels and represents employees in matters involving workplace discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation, disability accommodations, FMLA issues, employment contracts, non-compete agreements, separation agreements, and mediation.

Knatterud-Johnson earned her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School and her B.A. in Sociology from Grinnell College. She is admitted to practice in Wisconsin and in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin. Her participation in the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Annual Meeting & Conference reflects her involvement in professional discussions affecting Wisconsin attorneys and the clients they serve.

Supporting Wisconsin’s Legal Community

The State Bar of Wisconsin Annual Meeting & Conference brings together attorneys, judges, legal professionals, and organizations for continuing legal education and professional development. Sessions address legal developments, professional responsibilities, law practice management, and other issues affecting Wisconsin’s legal community.

Through “Strengthening Executive Function: A Framework for Competence, Diligence, and Success,” Knatterud-Johnson and Benjamin addressed an issue that can influence how attorneys manage their daily responsibilities and meet professional expectations. The presentation materials provide additional information about executive function, workplace strategies, and the Wisconsin professional conduct rules discussed during the program.