Carlton D. Stansbury

Carlton is one of the founding partners of Burbach & Stansbury. He has decades of experience as a lawyer and mediator guiding clients through all aspects of divorce and complex property division, including divorce involving businesses. 

He has been listed as one of the Best Lawyers in America for more than 15 years and named as one of the Top 10 Super Lawyers in Wisconsin and amongst Milwaukee’s Best Lawyers. In 2023, he was named #1 Lawyer in Wisconsin by Super Lawyers. 

Throughout his career, Carlton has testified before the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Legislature regarding proposed legislation and changes to the judicial code. He is a member of the Uniform Law Commission. He has presented at the University of Wisconsin Law School and Marquette University Law School.

He has published many notable articles in the Wisconsin Journal of Family Law, American Journal of Family Law, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Wisconsin Chapter Newsletter, and other eminent publications.

Carlton is a fellow and past president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers, and a fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation. Over his career, Carlton has been a member and officer of the State Bar of Wisconsin Family Law Section, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Leander J. Foley Society of Family Lawyers, American Bar Association and Family Law Section, and Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin, Inc. He is also a member of the Milwaukee and Ozaukee County Bar Associations. 

Certified Legal Specialties

• Matrimonial Law Arbitration Training, sponsored by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

• Mediation training through University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Mediation training with Zena Zumeta

• More than 50 hours of training in Collaborative Practice, including beginning, intermediate, and advanced training

Membership & Leadership Positions

• American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Fellow and past president

• International Academy of Family Lawyers, Fellow

• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts

• Leander J. Foley Society of Family Lawyers

• State Bar of Wisconsin Family Law Section

• Milwaukee Bar Association, Member

• Ozaukee County Bar Association, Member

Published Works (Abbreviated)

• Book: The Family Law Practitioner’s Guide to Social Security (ABA Family Law Section 1995, 2nd printing February 1996).

• Chapter: Supplement on Wisconsin Prenuptial Law, published in Drafting Prenuptial Agreements, Skoloff, Singer, Jr. and Brown (Wolters Kluwer 1994; sup. 2014-2021).

• Article: “Not Empty Promises: Wisconsin Supreme Court Upholds Divorce Agreement Integrity,” 38 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 73 (October 2021).

• Article: “Stimulate Your Value with Stimulus Language,” 38 Wisconsin Journal of Family Law 62 (July 2021).