Peg Lautenschlager - Professional Life

Professional Life

Lautenschlager is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Lake Forest College 1977, honoring in history and mathematics. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in June 1980. From July 1985 to December 1988, Lautenschlager was District Attorney for Winnebago County.

Prior to her service as D.A., she was an attorney in private practice in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, specializing in family and domestic abuse law. She served as a member of the adjunct faculties of the University of Wisconsin Law School, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, and Ripon College, and served as interim circuit court commissioner of Winnebago County.

She served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1989 to 1993 representing the Fond du Lac area. She chaired the Assembly Select Committee on Drug Enforcement, Education, and Treatment and Subcommittee on Corrections Systems Concerns. She also served on the Committees on Criminal Justice, Elections and Constitutional Law, Environmental Resources, Utilities and Mining, Natural Resources, Judiciary, and Education. She served as Vice-chair of Legislative Counsel Committees on Drug Enforcement and Review of Sexual Assault Laws. She decided not to seek re-election in 1992, and instead campaigned for the congressional seat held by incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Petri. She narrowly lost in what was an unexpectedly close race.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Lautenschlager the United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, a position she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to and held until April 2001. In that capacity, she was the chief federal law enforcement officer for the state's westernmost 44 counties. During her eight-year tenure, she was responsible for the prosecution of federal criminal actions and litigation of civil matters involving the federal government. In 1996, Lautenschlager was appointed by Janet Reno to serve on the 15-member Attorney General's Advisory Committee. As a member of the committee, Lautenschlager met regularly with Reno and other high ranking Justice Department officials regarding various department issues. She was the first Wisconsinite ever selected to serve on the committee.

She was elected in 2002 as a Democrat to the office of Attorney General, succeeding Jim Doyle who successfully ran for governor. Her campaign raised more money than any previous Democratic campaign for that office. She defeated Vince Biskupic, the Republican candidate, 52% to 48%, despite being outspent by about $200,000. Currently, she is a practicing lawyer and a part-time politics professor at Ripon College.