Patricia
Epstein Putney

Patricia (Patti) Epstein Putney received her Bachelor of Arts from one of the "seven sister colleges," Bryn Mawr College (Bryn Mawr, PA) in 1984, and obtained her Juris Doctor degree in 1989 from Brooklyn Law School (Brooklyn, NY.) After graduating from law school, Patti was an associate at two well-known litigation defense firms in New York City, before relocating to Madison in 1995. She joined Bell, Moore & Richter, S.C. in 2002.

Patti's practice area relates to the defense of all types of civil litigation. This includes defense of physicians, nurses and other health care professionals in medical malpractice, long-term care, and nursing home cases, as well as in licensing, disciplinary and credentialing disputes. She represents child care centers, real estate agents, insurance agents and developers in litigation and regulatory compliance. She regularly defends personal injury and wrongful death actions, including automobile accidents, premises liability, products liability, construction, as well as insurance coverage disputes. Patti has had numerous jury trials throughout the state, has litigated in federal courts and appellate courts and has argued before the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Patti is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Defense Counsel and the Dane County Bar Association. She also formed a group called "Lawyer Moms" comprised of working women attorneys with children. Patti is a regular grader for the Wisconsin Bar Exam, and has graded the "Best Brief" competition for the University of Wisconsin Law School. She has also been a judge for Moot Court competitions.

Patti was elected to the State Bar Board of Governors from July, 2018 to July, 2022 and is currently Chair of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Oversight Group for the State Bar. The Board of Governors manages and directs the affairs and activities of the State Bar of Wisconsin and its 25,000 members. Patti has also been elected to serve a second term on the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Defense Counsel, ending in August of 2026. She is former Chair of the Litigation Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin, which focuses on the state of the law for civil litigators, tracks pertinent legislation and other matters of concern for litigation attorneys throughout Wisconsin.

Patti was honored to be nominated and selected as a "2012 Woman in the Law" by the Wisconsin Law Journal. This award recognizes women in the state who have achieved success in their field, and have paved the way for other women lawyers.

Patti is honored to have been selected by Wisconsin Law Journal Staff as a "Health Care Law - Powerlist Attorney in 2025." She has also been voted by her peers as a "Superlawyer" from 2012 to 2025, in the category of “Medical Malpractice Defense”. She has also been placed on the “Top 25” Superlawyers list for 2025, as one of Madison’s top 25 lawyers. In October of 2025, Patti was voted in as a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). This is a national organization of trial attorneys with significant lead trial experience and a reputation for collegiality, integrity, and respect for the law.

In her spare time, Patti plays the flute and piccolo with the Madison Community Orchestra, the Verona Area Community Orchestra and the Capitol Woodwind Quintet. She lives in Middleton with her husband and 3 dogs.