Pamela J. Tillman


Shareholder

pjt@mtfn.com

111 East Kilbourn Avenue, 19th Floor
Milwaukee, WI 53202

Martindale-Hubbell Peer Rated
Pamela J. Tillman Top 25 Women WI SuperLawyers

Pamela J. Tillman’s practice focuses on representing a wide variety of businesses in litigation matters, primarily in the areas of complex insurance coverage issues, commercial litigation, mortgage lending disputes, employment disputes and health care liability.  Whatever the issue, she believes that it is paramount to have the experience and understanding to advise clients on the possible outcomes and costs of litigation so that clients have a comprehensive viewpoint to make the strategic decisions that drive the litigation.

Insurance coverage clients routinely call on Pam for her coverage analysis and advice in cases ranging from basic property damage coverage, to bad faith liability, and upward to complex commercial disputes. These matters involve an extensive variety of claims, including environmental pollution liability, product liability, health care liability, toxic tort and various business torts, at the trial and appellate court level.

Pam has defended banking and financial institutions in mortgage lending litigation and federal consumer claims such as claims under the Truth-in-Lending Act, Home Owners Equity Protection Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, as well as an array of state law consumer claims. Beyond this, she has also defended business litigants in product liability, toxic tort and medical negligence claims. In addition to her law practice, Pam serves on the firm’s Board of Directors.

Honors


  • The Best Lawyers in America® (2019 – Present)
  • Wisconsin Super Lawyers® (2010 – Present)
    • Top 25 Lawyers in Milwaukee (2022 – 2023)
    • Top 50 Lawyers in Wisconsin (2022 – Present)
    • Top 25 Women in Wisconsin (2014, 2015, 2017, 2019 – Present)
  • Wisconsin Super Lawyers® Rising Star (2009)
  • BizTimes Media Notable Women in Law (2020)
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated

Professional Organizations


  • State Bar of Wisconsin
  • Association of Women Lawyers
  • Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association, Board Member
    • Vice Chair of the Civil Committee
  • DRI® (Defense Research Institute), Insurance Law Committee, CGL Subcommittee, and Diversity Subcommittee
  • Wisconsin Defense Counsel (f/k/a Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin)
  • Milwaukee Bar Association, Bench-Bar Civil Division and Professionalism Committees
  • American Bar Association, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee
  • Independent Business Association of Wisconsin

Speeches & Publications


  • Speaker, Contribution Among Insurers: “Other Insurance” and Priority of Coverage Between Insurers; Contribution Between Insurers in an “All Sums” Environment; and Other Factors Affecting Claims Between Insurers, Wisconsin Defense Counsel Winter Conference (2018)
  • Speaker, Environmental Insurance Coverage Update: Recent Case Law Dealing with “Occurrence,” the Pollution Exclusion and Insurer-to-Insurer Dispute, 27th Annual Environmental Law Update (2015)
  • Speaker, Civil Litigation and Evidence Conference, Marquette Law School (2015)
  • Author, Are Claims-Made Policies Worth Issuing in Wisconsin from an Insurer’s Standpoint?, Wisconsin Civil Trial Journal for Wisconsin Defense Counsel, Vol. 12, No. 3 (Winter 2014)
  • Co-Speaker, Third-Party Discovery, Milwaukee Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, (March 13, 2014) (with Jennifer A.B. Kreil)
  • Author, Insurers Beware: The Circumstances Under Which An Excess Policy May Be Obligated to Defend or to Reimburse for Defense Costs, Coverage Journal, Published by Insurance Litigation Committee of the ABA, (2012)
  • Author, Legislative Tracking: Wisconsin Legislative Updates, The Voice, Defense Research Institute Weekly Newsletter (2010-2011)
  • Speaker, Liability and Casualty Insurance Coverage: A Primer for Wisconsin Businesses, part of the State Bar of Wisconsin CLE Seminar on “Representing the Wisconsin Closely-Held Business,” presented on various dates throughout 2010
  • Author, Wisconsin Holds a Defaulting Insurer Strictly Liable for the Unproven Negligence of its Non-Defaulting Insured, Wisconsin Civil Trial Journal for Wisconsin Defense Counsel, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Winter 2009)
  • Speaker, The Insurance Policy Conditions You Need to Know About, part of the Lorman CLE Seminar on Insurance Current Issues Surrounding CGL Coverage, May 4, 2007
  • Co-Author, Insurance Bad Faith Compendium (Wisconsin Law Update), Defense Research Institute (2015)
  • Co-Author, Insurance Bad Faith Compendium (Wisconsin Law Update), Defense Research Institute (2010)
  • Author, Legislative Tracking: Washington Legislative Updates, The Voice, Defense Research Institute Weekly Newsletter (2009)
  • Speaker, Consider the Ethical Consequences: It’s Legal, But is it Right?, part of the National Business Institute CLE Seminar on Bad Faith Insurance Claims in Wisconsin, December 8, 2006
  • Speaker, Considerations Trying the Coverage Case: Motion Practice, Working Without a Stay, Investigation Outside the Merits Case, Proving and Disproving Coverage, part of the Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin’s Winter Conference, December 10, 2004 (co-presented)
  • Speaker, Smart Practice, Not Malpractice, part of CNA Law Firm Risk Management Seminar, June 10, 2003
  • Co-Author, The Effect of an Insurers’ Failure to Defend Under Wisconsin Law, Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin (2002)

Marquette University Law School, J.D., 2000, Articles Editor, Elder Law Journal
University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee,  B.S., 1995, cum laude


  • Wisconsin
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
  • United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit

  • The Honorable Charles N. Clevert, Jr. Mentoring Program, EDWBA, Mentor (2021 – 2023)
  • Association of Women Lawyers, Student Speaker (2008)
  • State Bar of Wisconsin High School Mock Trial Tournament, Panel Volunteer (2003 – 2009)

Articles & Videos


13 MTFN Attorneys Selected for 2024 Wisconsin Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

What I Wish I’d Known – Thought Leadership with Pam J. Tillman

Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C. Celebrates Recognition in 2025 Edition of Best Lawyers in America®

MTFN Attorneys Michael J. Cohen and Caleb R. Gerbitz Present at PINNACLE’s Trending Topics in Business Litigation 2023

11 MTFN Attorneys Selected for 2023 Wisconsin Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

Attorney Spotlight – Pamela J. Tillman

The 2024 Edition of Best Lawyers in America® Recognizes 11 MTFN Attorneys

Denial of Coverage Under the Pollution Exclusion for Claims Arising out of Exposure to PFAS

MTFN’s Pamela J. Tillman Recognized by Super Lawyers Top Lists

10 MTFN Attorneys Selected for 2022 Wisconsin Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

The 2023 Edition of “Best Lawyers in America” Recognizes 13 MTFN Attorneys

Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C. Attorneys Named to 2021 Wisconsin Super Lawyers/Rising Stars

The 2022 Edition of “Best Lawyers in America” Recognizes 13 MTFN Attorneys

Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C. Attorneys Named to 2020 Wisconsin Super Lawyers/Rising Stars

Nine Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols Attorneys Selected as 2021 Best Lawyers

Nine Meissner Tierney Attorneys Selected as 2019 Wisconsin Super Lawyers

Nine Shareholders Voted to The 2020 Best Lawyers in America© List

Nine Meissner Tierney Attorneys Recognized by Wisconsin Super Lawyers for 2018

Eight Meissner Tierney Shareholders Voted to the 2019 Best Lawyers in America© List

Common Mistakes Insureds Make That Jeopardize Coverage Under Their Insurance Policies