When I was younger, I would debate for sport. In high school, I would find someone expressing their viewpoint on a subject just so I could jump in and argue the other side. This tended to annoy people. As I matured, I learned that I could actually help other people by arguing for them in a court of law. I could do what I loved and help people at the same time – it doesn’t get any better than that.
I am Managing Partner and head of the litigation department at Conrad Trosch & Kemmy. I purposely choose to maintain a broad practice. As a litigator, my experience dealing with a wide variety of factual scenarios helps me find creative solutions to problems that a “cookie cutter” approach to only one area of law may miss. My ability to think both creatively and logically is perhaps my greatest strength as an attorney.
If there is one thing that my clients should know about me, then it’s the fact that I call it like I see it. Clients come to me with a legal problem or question. By the time my work is done, I hope that our legal team has a) sufficiently educated them to understand the risks and benefits of the various roads they may go down, and b) provided them with the tools and assistance to safely travel down that road.
I am happily married and am the father of three wonderful children. My wife Lisa and I strive to show our children the tools they may need to overcome life’s struggles. One of my favorite quotes is from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus tells his daughter, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…Until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” It is impossible to effectively deal with others (friend or foe) until you understand where they are coming from. First, I must understand what is important to my client. Next, I have to evaluate what is important to the opposing party so that I can effectively negotiate with them. If negotiation fails, I must know what motivates the other side so that I can anticipate the strategies that may be used against us. When I look at my client in front of me, I think of my wife and kids. Though my client’s family may not look just like mine, behind every client are others that need and love them.
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