John Chisholm
Attorney Of Counsel
John T. Chisholm is a veteran trial attorney with more than 30 years of complex courtroom experience. He served as the elected District Attorney of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, from 2007 to 2025, leading one of the largest prosecutorial offices in the state and directing litigation across its homicide, firearm violence, and public integrity units. Earlier, he built and led the Firearms Enforcement Unit, trying and supervising complex conspiracy prosecutions involving organized crime, large-scale narcotics trafficking, and multiple-victim homicides. His signature matters include the cold-case prosecution of Milwaukee's "North Side Strangler" serial killer and the multi-year "John Doe" public-corruption investigations.
Focus Area
Trial Advocacy
Criminal Prosecution
Past Experience
Mr. Chisholm is a career trial attorney and prosecutor with over 30 years of courtroom experience. He served as the elected District Attorney of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, from January 2007 to January 2025, leading one of the largest prosecutorial offices in the state with approximately 130 attorneys and 170 support staff.
From 1999 to 2007, Mr. Chisholm served as Supervising Assistant District Attorney (Team Captain), where he designed and led the Firearms Enforcement Unit and oversaw complex conspiracy prosecutions involving violent crime, organized street crime, high-level narcotics trafficking, and multiple-victim homicides. He is recognized as an expert in the management of Title III wiretap investigations and prosecutions.
From 1994 to 1999, he served as an Assistant District Attorney and trial prosecutor in Milwaukee County, handling felony drug, domestic violence, and general misdemeanor and traffic prosecutions.
Prior to his legal career, Mr. Chisholm served as an Infantry Officer in the United States Army from 1986 to 1990, deploying to South Korea and being honorably discharged at the rank of First Lieutenant.
In February 2025, Mr. Chisholm joined Marquette University Law School as a Senior Lecturer, where he teaches and writes on criminal law, prosecution, and criminal justice policy.
Language
English
Signature Cases
State of Wisconsin v. Walter E. Ellis (Milwaukee County Cir. Ct.) (“North Side Strangler”)
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Landmark DNA cold-case prosecution of a serial killer who had targeted victims in Milwaukee for nearly two decades; conviction on multiple counts of first-degree intentional homicide.
State of Wisconsin v. Michael Vagnini, et al. (Milwaukee County Cir. Ct. 2012) (Milwaukee Police strip-search prosecutions)
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Prosecution of four Milwaukee Police officers on charges ranging from sexual assault to misconduct in public office arising from unlawful strip and body-cavity searches of detainees; lead defendant Officer Vagnini sentenced to 26 months in state prison.
State of Wisconsin v. Michael McGee, Jr. (Milwaukee County Cir. Ct.) (Milwaukee Alderman public-corruption prosecution)
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State prosecution of a sitting Milwaukee alderman, who pled nolo contendere to two state charges; defendant was also convicted on parallel federal charges including bribery and extortion.
State of Wisconsin v. Russell; State of Wisconsin v. Rindfleisch (Milwaukee County Cir. Ct.) (“John Doe I” investigation)
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Multi-year confidential investigation into financial and political misconduct by staff of the Milwaukee County Executive’s office, resulting in four felony convictions, including those of two successive deputy chiefs of staff.
State of Wisconsin v. Michael Lock (Milwaukee County Cir. Ct.)
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Prosecution of an organized-crime figure on violent felony charges.
State of Wisconsin v. Kenneth L. Green (Milwaukee County Cir. Ct.)
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Complex narcotics prosecution of a large-scale marijuana trafficker.
Latin Kings and Jamaican organized-crime prosecutions (Milwaukee County Cir. Ct.)
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Series of complex conspiracy prosecutions targeting members of organized criminal enterprises for racketeering, narcotics trafficking, and firearm offenses, conducted while supervising the Firearms Enforcement Unit.