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Triebenbach sorts through construction snafus

Triebenbach sorts through construction snafus

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Lauren Triebenbach (Staff photo by Kevin Harnack)
Lauren Triebenbach (Staff photo by Kevin Harnack)

It’s never a dull day at the office for Lauren Triebenbach.

Specializing in construction law and real estate at von Briesen & Roper SC, Milwaukee, Triebenbach often has to deal with handshake agreements that have gone sour.

“Sometimes in construction, things move fast and there’s no contract and you have to dig in and get in there and figure out what happened,” the Marquette Law School graduate said. “It’s a real challenge when there is no documentation, so my job is to figure out where the truth lies using what documents we have, as well as testimony and look to what the law says.”

Adding to the interesting chaos, she said, is that “there’s always an interesting cast of characters, too.”

Triebenbach’s construction practice is split 50-50 between business and residential projects, the latter of which can result in particularly heated litigation.

“This is where people live and if something is wrong, it can get very emotional for those involved,” she said, adding that most cases settle before trial or go through binding arbitration.

Triebenbach has had several cases make it all the way to trial. A few years ago, she said, she worked on one where a contractor completed a home, but the new homeowners did not make the final payments. The jury decided in favor of the builder and Triebenbach won everything in court that she asked for, but then the defendants later filed for bankruptcy.

“We got the desired result in court, but in the end the client didn’t recover most of their money,” she said. “It was heartbreaking.”

Though the cases often are tough, the work keeps her on her toes, she said.

“It’s never boring,” Triebenbach said. “The cases are never the same.”

Wisconsin Law Journal: What was your favorite class in law school?
Lauren Triebenbach: Civil Procedure. My professor was Dean Joseph Kearney, who is excellent. That class is when the law really clicked for me.

WLJ: If you hadn’t become an attorney, what career would you have pursued?
Triebenbach: I would be an interior designer. I love to redecorate my home. I have a collection of throw pillows that rivals Crate & Barrel.

WLJ: What song gets heavy rotation on your iPod?
Triebenbach: I love ‘The Scientist’ by Coldplay. I must have three or four different versions of it by different artists on my iPod.

WLJ: What activity could you spend hours on outside of the office?
Triebenbach: Sleeping! I have an 8-month-old who just started crawling and standing up, which he likes to practice very early in the morning.

WLJ: What was your favorite toy as a child?
Triebenbach: I loved the swing set. I still love to go on the swings at the park when I take my son.

WLJ: If you could have one super power, what would it be?
Triebenbach: Invisibility

WLJ: If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
Triebenbach: Santa Fe, N.M. I spent five summers there when I was younger, and it’s the most beautiful place on earth. I love the food, the culture, and especially the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

WLJ: Who is someone you admire?
Triebenbach: Tina Fey. She’s funny, talented, hard-working and successful.

WLJ: What was the last book that you read?
Triebenbach: ‘Dad is Fat’ by Jim Gaffigan. I’m a new parent, and sometimes when it gets hard, all you can do is laugh.

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