Murphy Desmond announces with pride that our Criminal Defense Attorney Nils Wyosnick received a 2024 Kuchler-Nicholson-Stilling Sensitive Crimes Award by the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (WACDL).

The award was created in 2021 to honor criminal defense lawyers who obtained acquittals in sensitive crimes. According to the WACDL website, the award is intended to “acknowledge and honor the particular combination of sensitivity, toughness, research, and trial advocacy skills necessary to achieve acquittals in these especially challenging cases.“ It is named after attorneys Donna Kuchler, Jessa Nicholson, and Kathleen Stilling, who devoted their careers to sensitive crimes defenses and achieved outstanding results, including in high profile cases. Award recipients are chosen by the WACDL Board of Directors.



The WACDL seeks to acknowledge and honor the particular combination of sensitivity, toughness, research, and trial advocacy skills necessary to achieve acquittals in these especially challenging cases. The laws surrounding sexual assault prosecutions are complicated and dynamic, and typically require attorneys that try these cases to develop specialized knowledge of medical evidence such as SANE results, DNA evidence, protocols regarding videotaped interviews with child witnesses, and, of course, how to effectively pierce rape shield. 

In addition, traditional cross-examination techniques are often turned on their heads when handling witnesses that are young children or developmentally disabled, and the lawyers that are tasked with performing such cross-examinations must develop a wide range of tones and techniques to be effective in front of juries. 

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About Nils Wyosnick

Nils practices criminal defense law with an emphasis on OWI/DUI in Wisconsin. He also recently received a 2025 Best Lawyers in America honor in Criminal Defense: General Practice, and was nominated in the area of DUI/OWI. He is a member of WACDL.

Nils has a broad background representing clients charged with felony and misdemeanor crimes, Operating While Intoxicated (OWI/DUI), and traffic offenses including reckless driving, aggravated speeding, and driving with a suspended or revoked license. He has defended a wide range of criminal offenses such as drug possession, juvenile defense, burglary, theft, battery, and domestic abuse accusations. 

Nils has significant litigation experience involving jury trials, bench trials, and probable cause hearings. He works with clients from all walks of life and understands the stress and anxiety that accompany criminal and drunk driving allegations. Nils dedicates himself to being an advocate for his clients, and he strives to ensure that their rights are protected.