Our History
In the fall of 1857, John Winans, a 26 year-old lawyer from New Jersey, brought his family to Janesville, Wisconsin, and opened a law office. Winans would later become mayor of Janesville, speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly, and a United States Congressman. In 1877, he took on a partner, Ogden Fethers, who had been a professor of English literature at Washington University in St. Louis. In 1883, Winans and Fethers hired a young Rock County native, Malcolm Jeffris, who, at age 21, had just been admitted to the bar.

These men were the original foundation of the law firm which is now known as Nowlan & Mouat LLP. Over the years, Nowlan & Mouat LLP has been the professional home for many generations of lawyers who have been instrumental in the growth of Janesville and the Rock County community. These lawyers helped to form Rock County's economic and cultural base. They were instrumental in the formation of the original Samson Tractor Company, which later became General Motors Assembly Division, and in the formation of Parker Pen Company. They also volunteered their time and advice to help make the Rock County community what it is today -- a fine place to live and work.

The early history of the firm that became Nowlan & Mouat LLP led to its reputation as a top quality business law firm. We keep our heritage in mind as we continue to represent many new, emerging, and established businesses.

Since our firm's inception in 1883, the attorneys of Nowlan & Mouat LLP have followed a fundamental rule: an attorney must represent the solution, not the problem. When we undertake the representation of a client, our first priority is to understand and adopt the client's goals. We believe listening and learning exactly what the client wants is the only way to form a sound lawyer-client relationship.

Sometimes the best skill an attorney can offer is that of knowing when not to speak or act. Toughness must be tempered with tact. Even when litigation is necessary, our experienced trial lawyers place primary emphasis on reaching the client's goals, and not on litigation for the sake of litigation. Victory is always defined on the client's terms.

We invite you to explore our website or contact us to learn more about what Nowlan & Mouat LLP has to offer.