Lawton & Cates

What Lawton & Cates does

Lawton & Cates, S.C. (operating as LawtonCates or Lawton & Cates) is a Wisconsin-based personal injury law firm founded in 1958, serving clients throughout South Central Wisconsin from offices in Madison (headquarters at 345 W Washington Ave) and Jefferson. The firm operates on a contingency fee basis across a broad practice surface that includes motor vehicle accidents (car, truck, motorcycle), pedestrian injuries, dog bites, wrongful death, spinal cord and brain injury, workers' compensation, consumer protection and lemon law, criminal defense, federal tort claims, civil rights, insurance bad faith, eminent domain, and farm injury cases. The firm employs 11-50 staff and fields a team of 9 named attorneys, including Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers honorees with sustained multi-year recognition streaks.

The firm's GTM is sales-led and reputation-driven: it generates cases through community involvement (Rotary Club board seats, Salvation Army advisory board, partnerships with Porchlight and The Simmy Foundation), referral networks with medical professionals and accident reconstructionists, attorney-to-attorney referrals, video marketing, testimonials, and organic search around documented case results. The firm is intentionally selective about case volume, advertises 'No Fee Until We Recover,' and positions itself around trial-readiness and trial-ready negotiation rather than quick settlements. Headline case results include $4.6M (fraud and negligence), $2.3M (wrongful death, Federal Tort Claims Act), $1.25M (motorcycle accident), $1.0M (federal injury), and $942K (head-on collision for three victims).

Underlying business mechanics are entirely human-expertise driven. There is no proprietary technology platform, no AI tooling, and no digital product surface; the firm's value creation depends on attorney time, expert witness coordination, and litigation execution. Revenue is generated solely as a percentage of contingency recoveries, making cash flow episodic and tied to case outcomes. The firm operates as a privately-held Wisconsin service corporation owned and managed by its partner attorneys, with no external investment, no PE/VC ownership, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed M&A activity across its 65+ year history.

Name

Lawton & Cates

Legal name

LawtonCates, S.C.

Website

https://lawtoncates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lawton & Cates is a Wisconsin personal injury law firm founded in 1958, serving individual plaintiffs across South Central Wisconsin from Madison and Jefferson offices on a contingency fee basis, with 9 attorneys handling motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death, lemon law, and criminal defense matters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Personal Injury Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Injury & Insurance Defense (BPAHAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG)

Keywords

• Personal injury law
• Legal representation
• Car accident attorney
• Lemon law services
• Wrongful death claims

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Contingency Fee Legal Services: The firm operates exclusively on a contingency fee basis for personal injury cases. Clients pay no upfront or out-of-pocket expenses. Attorney fees are recovered as a percentage of the compensation awarded in the accident claim. If no recovery is made, no fees are charged.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lawton & Cates is a Wisconsin personal injury law firm that provides contingency-fee legal representation to accident victims and individuals across South Central Wisconsin. The firm handles car, truck, motorcycle, pedestrian, bus, and farm accidents, dog bites, wrongful death, brain and spinal cord injuries, federal tort claims, lemon law and consumer protection, workers' compensation, criminal defense, civil rights, and eminent domain matters. Clients pay no fees until recovery is obtained.

Product overview

LawtonCates, S.C. is a personal injury law firm offering comprehensive legal services to clients throughout South Central Wisconsin. The firm operates as a single unified practice delivering legal representation across multiple specialized practice areas, including personal injury claims (motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death, dog bites), consumer protection matters (lemon law, fraud), criminal defense, and workers' compensation. The firm has served Wisconsin since 1958 from offices in Madison and Jefferson, providing contingency-fee representation where clients pay no fees until recovery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal Injury Legal Services Comprehensive legal representation for individuals who have suffered injuries due to accidents, negligence, or wrongdoing, serving clients throughout South Central Wisconsin.
• Car Accident Legal Services
• Truck Accident Legal Services Legal representation for victims of commercial truck accidents, addressing complex liability issues involving trucking companies and insurance carriers.
• Motorcycle Accident Legal Services Legal representation for motorcycle accident victims, combating insurer biases and pursuing maximum compensation.
• Dog Bite Legal Services Legal representation for dog bite victims, pursuing claims against pet owners for medical costs and damages.
• Pedestrian Accident Legal Services Legal representation for pedestrians injured by motor vehicles, pursuing compensation for injuries and related losses.
• Wrongful Death Legal Services Legal representation for families who have lost loved ones due to negligence or wrongful acts, seeking justice and compensation.
• Consumer Protection Legal Services Legal representation for consumers who have been victims of fraud, deceptive practices, or unfair business practices.
• Lemon Law Legal Services Legal representation for consumers with defective vehicles, helping clients pursue claims under Wisconsin's lemon law for vehicle repurchase or replacement.
• Criminal Defense Legal Services Legal representation for individuals facing criminal charges, including drunk driving (OWI) defense and other criminal matters.
• Workers' Compensation Legal Services Legal representation for workers injured on the job, assisting with claims for medical benefits, disability payments, and vocational rehabilitation.
• Federal Tort Claims Act Legal Services Legal representation for claims against federal government agencies, including medical malpractice at VA facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• $4.6 million fraud and negligence settlement
• +5 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• The Triangle Community MinistryminorOthersLawtonCates hosts regular dining events for Triangle Community Ministry residents, purchasing ingredients, cooking meals, and delivering them while also sharing meals with residents to build meaningful connections. TCM helps residents in Madison's Triangle Neighborhood who are challenged by chronic mental, physical, emotional, and/or developmental disabilities.
• PorchlightminorOthersLawtonCates has been involved with Porchlight for over 20 years, since one of their law partners became the organization's executive director. The firm is a proud sponsor for Porchlight's major fundraiser and employees volunteer at several of the group's ventures and programs. Porchlight works to help the destitute with shelter, affordable housing, and supportive services.
• The Simmy FoundationminorOthersThe Simmy Foundation is dedicated to improving mental wellness of veterans, especially those hospitalized in Wisconsin. Named for Jason Simcakoski, a U.S. Marine whose death prompted Congress to pass Jason's Law. LawtonCates attorneys Terry Polich and Dixon Gahnz were involved in Simcakoski's case. Attorneys serve on The Simmy Foundation's board and are a major sponsor of their main fundraiser.
• Do Good WisconsinminorOthersDo Good Wisconsin spotlights and supports individuals and businesses making a difference across the Badger State. LawtonCates sponsors supply drives for local teachers and offers financial support to Do Good Wisconsin, valuing education of children in the community.
• The Rotary Club of Jefferson CountyminorOthersMichael J. Stingl, lead attorney at LawtonCates' Jefferson office, serves on the Rotary Club of Jefferson County's board and is involved in planning events. The firm regularly sponsors and volunteers at Rotary events. Rotary Club works to help young people develop leadership skills and provides scholarships for higher education.
• The Salvation Army of Dane CountyminorOthersLawtonCates sponsors and volunteers for several Salvation Army fundraisers. Many lawyers serve or have served on the group's advisory board over the past 20-plus years. The Salvation Army provides worship, community center, homeless shelters, and helps families with housing and healthcare in Dane County.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cannon & Dunphy: Wisconsin-based personal injury firm concentrating on serious injury, wrongful death, and motor vehicle cases across the state. Closely comparable in geography, contingency model, and case mix.
• Crivello Carlson: Personal injury and civil litigation firm headquartered in Milwaukee with statewide Wisconsin reach. Comparable in contingency-fee plaintiff work and trial-driven reputation.
• Murphy & Prachthauser: Mequon-based personal injury firm handling motor vehicle, wrongful death, and serious injury cases across Wisconsin. Similar contingency model and regional plaintiff-side positioning.
• Hupy and Abraham: Long-standing Milwaukee-based personal injury law firm serving Wisconsin and Illinois with a similar contingency-fee model and multi-practice PI focus. Direct competitor in the Wisconsin plaintiff bar.

Broad incumbents

• Sokolove Law: National mass-tort and personal injury marketing firm with a referral-based plaintiff practice. Comparable in that it funnels similar case types through contingency arrangements, but operates at vastly larger scale.
• Morgan & Morgan: Largest U.S. personal injury law firm with national advertising scale and mass-tort infrastructure. Increasingly relevant as it expands marketing into Midwest markets like Wisconsin, competing for the same plaintiff pool.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lawtoncates
• Xx.com/LawtonCates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lawton-and-cates-s.c

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lawton & Cates